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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The New Primer for Small Group Ministry, April 19, 2011
This review is from: Connecting in Communities: Understanding the Dynamics of Small Groups (Paperback)
By Allen White Connecting in Communities is smart on many levels. Eddie Mosley gives us not just the `what', but also the `why' and `how'. He is not a philosopher or a demagogue. He is a practitioner with a heart for God and a heart for people. You can tell that Eddie didn't write this book merely to sell books. He has a genuine passion for small groups and for helping other pastors and group directors. First, Eddie shows how he has consulted with the best of the best in small group thinking and practice: Steve Gladen of Saddleback Church, Carl George, aka Small Group Yoda, Bill Donahue of Willow Creek, Bill Willits of North Point and many others. Why reinvent the wheel when you can build on the knowledge and experience of others? After carefully gleaning from these thought-leaders, Eddie does an even smarter thing -- he adapts the best of these models to his church's mission and culture. Too many pastors are looking for a silver bullet out there that will be the one-size-fits-all, homerun solution that will address every issue and help every person grow spiritually. That silver bullet doesn't exist. Eddie wisely integrates what works for others into what works for his church, LifePoint. In the book, we read about the host home strategy, the GroupLink strategy, the neighborhood strategy, the free market strategy among others. LifePoint has adjusted the strategies to fit the life of the church rather than adjusting the church to fit someone else's strategy. Too many pastors are prone to throwing out what is working for some and replacing it with what might or might not work at all. LifePoint adds to their success by implementing additional strategies for success. They are in favor of whatever works rather than whoever is right. This is the smartest thinking to come along in a long time. What makes the book even better is that Eddie shares stories, positive and negative, from his own experience. He is not writing from an ivory tower. He's writing from the trenches. He lives where his reader lives. His humility in sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of groups is refreshing and encouraging. Connecting in Communities is the new primer for small group ministry. Whether you are just starting out in leading groups or you're in need of a course correction, this book will inspire and inform you of some of the best practices in small group ministry today. The only thing that might have made this book better is if it were mine. Not that I would have done a better job, I would just love to have the credit. allenwhite(dot)org
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Small Group Ministry, July 8, 2011
This review is from: Connecting in Communities: Understanding the Dynamics of Small Groups (Paperback)
I guess I had a different impression of what this book would be. It is a detailed description of creating small groups for Bible study, support, and connections that are based out of one church. I expected it to be more about how to make small groups work or suggestions for small group maintenance. It was too specific for me and described one church's way of building home groups within their church. If you are wanting to start a small-group ministry in your church, then this would be a good resource. As for managing a single small group, I do not think it would be very helpful. I really cannot say anything bad about the book as it was very detailed for what it was. It simply was not what I thought it would be by the title and description that I read.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Practical Guide for Small Groups, June 27, 2011
This review is from: Connecting in Communities: Understanding the Dynamics of Small Groups (Paperback)
Just the other night I had a conversation with a good friend of mine. We spoke for well over an hour about all that had transpired in our lives over the past few months. Through the magic of Face-Time I was able to give my friend a tour of our new home while he's in the comfort of his own. I left that conversation feeling far more encouraged than I've felt for a long time. Thomas Merton who wrote a book title "No Man is an Island". We recognize this. I can't find a church in America today who has not sought to bring men and women together through small groups. The purpose of small groups has focused on developing communities of men and women who live life and faith within the context of their "normal" life. Eddie Mosley of LifePoint Church in Smyrna, Tennessee has written an extremely helpful and encouraging book. Connecting in Communities was put together for churches who are looking to implement small groups into their church. I found this book to be accessible, practical and helpful. Not only that, the stories told in this book left me feeling eager and excited to begin working with small group ministries. Reflecting on that conversation I realized my need for strong friendship. There is something we all need that can only be met in other people. Small groups, when done well, can help lead people into strong, Christ-centered, redemptive relationships that God will use in tremendous ways. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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