The Naked Truth about Small Group Ministry


Book Description

Tired of reading books by pastors of large churches who could put a stick in the mud and it would grow a fruit-bearing tree in a week? Exhausted with doing ministry the same way, expecting different results? Exasperated by the lack of ownership among the members of your existing groups? Then this book is for you! Pulling no punches, Neighbour diagnoses the problems surrounding small group and cell group ministry in America today, offering practical suggestions that work.




Why Small Groups?


Book Description

Do you want to get on the fast track to Christian maturity? Small groups provide the ideal context for working out our salvation together. Whether you attend a small group or lead one, this book will raise your vision and inspire you to excel in the areas of service to which God has called you. And if you don't attend a small group? All the more reason you may want to read Why Small Groups? and let it change your life. The authors are all pastors from various Sovereign Grace Ministries churches.




Planning Small Groups with Purpose


Book Description

Small groups are a great way to promote the spiritual formation of church attendees. But leading them well can be hard work, especially if you don't have a plan. This practical resource helps pastors and small group point people develop and implement a 12- to 18-month strategic plan for their ministries in order to keep it healthy and growing. Developed at Saddleback Church, this completely customizable plan works for any church size and any denomination. Readers answer 22 questions that help them understand their vision, the purpose of their ministry, and how to connect members, grow numerically and spiritually, measure progress, develop leaders, create opportunities to serve, and much more. By the time they're done, readers will have developed their own personalized planner for the next year to 18 months so that they can feel prepared, confident, and purposeful about their small group ministry.




Missional Small Groups (Allelon Missional Series)


Book Description

Small groups are a great place to connect with other churchgoers, but many wonder, is this all there is? Is sitting in a living room, talking about a book or watching a video the extent of what we can do together? Isn't being a Christian community about something more than this? Pastor and author Scott Boren thinks so. In this latest release from missional thinktank Allelon, Boren gives leaders and members of small groups the tools they need to make an impact on their communities. Beginning with a gentle critique of current small group models, Boren goes on to show how a uniquely Christian paradigm can set groups free to transform their communities. The final section of the book offers over twenty practices that groups can do to become more missional. Ultimately Missional Small Groups is about helping groups follow Jesus by equipping them to bring his message and healing to a hurting world.




Sticky Church


Book Description

Why closing the back door of your church is even more important than opening the front door wider. In Sticky Church, author and pastor Larry Osborne offers a time-tested strategy for doing so: sermon-based small groups that dig deeper into the weekend message and tightly velcro members to the ministry. It's a strategy that enabled Osborne's congregation to grow from a handful of people to one of the larger churches in the nation—without any marketing or special programming. Sticky Church tells the inspiring story of North Coast Church's phenomenal growth and offers practical tips for launching your own sermon-based small group ministry. Topics include: Why stickiness is so important Why most of our discipleship models don't work very well Why small groups always make a church more honest and transparent What makes groups grow deeper and sticker over time Sticky Church is an ideal book for church leaders who want to start or retool their small group ministry—and velcro their congregation to the Bible and each other.




Small Groups, Big Impact


Book Description

Why do some small groups thrive and grow while others struggle and falter? The authors have surveyed over 3000 group leaders in more than 200 churches. Their findings will place practical, applicable principles into the hands of small group leaders and pastors. This book also includes access to additional resources from the author's website.




Successful Small Groups


Book Description

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus makes the mission of the church abundantly clear: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations ..." But how do you reach a twenty-first-century society filled with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of religious interest? And how can you expect to grow the body of Christ when only half of your own congregation regularly attends services? The answer may be simpler than you think: involve and empower the laity in small-group ministry. Kurt W. Johnson not only provides the tools for organizing and leading successful small groups, but also explores the biblical and historical foundations for small-group ministry. In this practical guide Johnson illustrates the proven effectiveness that small groups have for both nurturing the spirituality of current church members and leading friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others to a saving relationship with Christ. Do you want to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission? Discover how you and your church can change the world around you through the power of the Holy Spiritùone disciple at a time. Kurt W. Johnson, D.Min., is the Bible school director for the Voice of. Prophecy international radio ministry. His enthusiasm for small-group ministry has led him to conduct training sessions internationally and to author multiple group Bible study guides, including Face td-Face. With Jesus and Focus on Prophecy. Book jacket.




What Every Small Group Leader Should Know


Book Description

With more than thirty years of experience in leading small groups, pioneer Larry Kreider writes, "I am completely convinced that if God can use me, He can use anyone!" Most people have untapped leadership potential, and unleashing those abilities is often just a matter of equipment and motivation. What Every Small-Group Leader Should Know is the go-to guide for plenty of both. Whether readers have already taken a step of faith into a leadership position or are still praying about the possibility, this will become an indispensable handbook of practical tips, tools, and suggestions. At the heart of this book is a big-picture vision of biblical service. Jesus said that whoever wants to be great in His kingdom must become a servant (see Mark 10:43). That passion for meeting others' needs is the difference between ho-hum and effective, thriving leaders.




The Relational Disciple


Book Description

You can also call: 1-888-344-2355 (Joel Comiskey Group). Jesus lived with His disciples for three years and taught them essential life lessons as a group. After three years, he commanded them to "go and do likewise" (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus discipled His followers through relationships-and He wants us to do the same. We in the west, on the other hand, prepare lone-ranger disciples based on our culture of individualism. This book will detail how our culture of individualism has now turned into isolationism and that social relationships are at an all-time low. The church of Jesus Christ has also been negatively impacted through a brand of individualism that fails to truly make disciples. This book will encourage Christ-followers to allow God to mold them through the natural relationships of life: family, friends, work relationships, church, cells, etc. It will explain how God uses the relationships in our lives to mold and shape us into His disciples. The book will cover such themes as: --New Testament Community --The Problem of Isolation --Relationship with God --Relationship with those closest to you (spouse, family --Relationship with friends and work associates --Relationships through small group ministry --Relationships in the local church --Relationships with the un-churched This book will demonstrate how God uses relationships to mold and shape followers of Jesus. My hope is that God will use this book to help readers see that He is using the natural relationships in their lives to mold and shape them into followers of Jesus.




The Christian Man


Book Description

In The Christian Man, Patrick Morley--bestselling author of The Man in the Mirror--offers men practical ways to deal with life's problems and become the men of God they aspire to be. No man fails on purpose. Quite the opposite. When our feet hit the floor every morning, we're looking for a win. But these are turbulent times to be a man. In gathering material for this book, Morley interviewed many men. Their input was powerful. And transparent. They agreed that it's increasingly difficult to juggle all their responsibilities as men, husbands, fathers, friends, workers, churchmen, and citizens. No one understands what you're going through more than men's expert Patrick Morley, author of the landmark bestseller The Man in the Mirror, which has sold over 4 million copies. And now, Morley has put together a game plan so you can get that win you're looking for. The Christian Man is filled with powerful stories and refreshingly practical answers to questions like: How can I lead a more balanced life? How can I have a deeper walk with God? What makes a great husband? How can I become a dad who makes a difference? How should I think about my work? What's the right way to deal with lust? By the end of this must-read book, you will know how to intentionally release the power of God on the issues that matter most to you. You'll be able to walk with confidence in the one identity that matters most: The Christian Man.