There are countless helpful resources available to the small group leader. As managing editor of smallgroups.com, Sam O'Neal has seen the best of them come and go. They tend to deal with the big of small groups--how they can revolutionize your church and transform your congregation. Or they consider the big of small group ministry, how it reflects God's communal vision for us. But sometimes a small group leader just wants to know --not how to instruct and correct or shock and awe, but simply how to set the table for a life-changing encounter with God. focuses in on the small group gathering as spiritual event. Useful to newly minted leaders and as a ready resource for small group experts, this go-to guide helps leaders prepare themselves to prepare their groups for the adventure of a collective encounter with a great God.
Field Guide for Small Group Leaders
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"As a writer and thinker, Sam O'Neal understands the big-picture theological foundations for community. As a small group leader, Sam knows how to lead a small group for real people. In this work, he provides practical help to small group leaders. His work is a great tool for leaders." (Eric Geiger, coauthor of Simple Church)
"I've always felt that leading a small group is more art than science, more organic than mechanical. But you can't ignore the mechanics, and even art has underlying tips and techniques, which, if mastered, enhance the authenticity of the medium. Samuel O'Neal's Field Guide for Small Group Leaders provides many such techniques as practiced by a master artist. His application of learning styles alone has already improved my own group leadership." (Dave Treat, small group consultant and trainer, thinkingsmall.net)
"With the dizzying array of methods and models for small groups out there, who couldn't use a little help navigating the landscape? I can't think of a better guide than Sam O'Neal. Sam knows small groups. He's participated in them, led them and studied them. Field Guide for Small Group Leaders is the perfect primer on the subject. With clean, engaging prose, Sam clears the fog surrounding the topic and delivers advice for small group leaders that is both practical and biblical. Pastors, make sure your small group leaders don't head into their next meetings without this valuable resource in hand." (Drew Dyck, managing editor of Leadership Journal and author of Generation Ex-Christian)
"Whether we are first-time small group leaders or seasoned disciple-makers, we all need some guidance and direction along the way. Sam O'Neal has walked the path of small groups and now serves as a tour guide for those who wish to join in the adventure of leadership. With practical tips and refreshing honesty, O'Neal gives step-by-step direction for establishing a healthy and transformational community, warns of potential pitfalls and offers encouragement for many of the common challenges that leaders face." (Heather Zempel, author of Sacred Roads and Community Is Messy)
"Small groups often struggle, so we need a trusted guide on how to improve them. Sam O'Neal is my guide of choice, because he's not only read the literature on small groups, he has lived his life in them." (Kevin Miller, associate rector, Church of the Resurrection, Wheaton, IL)
"I've always felt that leading a small group is more art than science, more organic than mechanical. But you can't ignore the mechanics, and even art has underlying tips and techniques, which, if mastered, enhance the authenticity of the medium. Samuel O'Neal's Field Guide for Small Group Leaders provides many such techniques as practiced by a master artist. His application of learning styles alone has already improved my own group leadership." (Dave Treat, small group consultant and trainer, thinkingsmall.net)
"With the dizzying array of methods and models for small groups out there, who couldn't use a little help navigating the landscape? I can't think of a better guide than Sam O'Neal. Sam knows small groups. He's participated in them, led them and studied them. Field Guide for Small Group Leaders is the perfect primer on the subject. With clean, engaging prose, Sam clears the fog surrounding the topic and delivers advice for small group leaders that is both practical and biblical. Pastors, make sure your small group leaders don't head into their next meetings without this valuable resource in hand." (Drew Dyck, managing editor of Leadership Journal and author of Generation Ex-Christian)
"Whether we are first-time small group leaders or seasoned disciple-makers, we all need some guidance and direction along the way. Sam O'Neal has walked the path of small groups and now serves as a tour guide for those who wish to join in the adventure of leadership. With practical tips and refreshing honesty, O'Neal gives step-by-step direction for establishing a healthy and transformational community, warns of potential pitfalls and offers encouragement for many of the common challenges that leaders face." (Heather Zempel, author of Sacred Roads and Community Is Messy)
"Small groups often struggle, so we need a trusted guide on how to improve them. Sam O'Neal is my guide of choice, because he's not only read the literature on small groups, he has lived his life in them." (Kevin Miller, associate rector, Church of the Resurrection, Wheaton, IL)
About the Author
As a former managing editor for SmallGroups.com, Sam O'Neal has a passion for seeing discipleship and full-bodied Christian education done right in the local church-especially in the context of small group communities. Sam is currently a content editor for Threads by Lifeway, where he edits books and Bible studies for young adults.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Bill Calvin
Format:Kindle Edition
Sam O'Neal knows how to write! This is a fun-to-read book written by a practitioner of small group leadership. He speaks to everything I have ever seen in over 35 years of ministry: how to handle conflict, what to do in the midst of a dull meeting, the importance of fun, and even what a doctoral dissertation found to be the reason for people being saved due to small groups. I am asking my Alpha table leaders to read this book. I'm glad I read it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Amy
Format:Paperback
New leaders these days are lucky--they can use Sam O'Neal's Field Guide for Small Group Leaders to give them expert advice and calm their nerves. And veteran leaders can benefit from it, too--there's so much to learn and brush up on.
O'Neal covers everything from the role of leaders and learning styles to crafting meaningful meetings and handling unwanted surprises. The book is divided into three helpful sections: Mapping the Terrain (the basics of the leader's role), Planning Your Route (crafting a great meeting with focus, activities, and discussion questions), and Hitting the Trail (leading the meeting and troubleshooting issues).
One of the most helpful tips I found in the book is the need to identify the "Big Idea" of each meeting. O'Neal says that in order to bring focus to a meeting, we must look at our study material and pick out the one major point we want to get across in our discussion. Then we can choose a few questions to discuss that directly relate to that Big Idea. This keeps the focus narrow and the meeting succinct. Without this focus it's too tempting to talk about all the themes in a chapter of Scripture, but we simply don't have time in our hour-and-a-half meetings.
O'Neal stresses that small groups have the goal of life change. And in order to accomplish that goal, leaders must focus on application and inspiration in the meetings. If leaders don't help group members take their next spiritual steps, small groups will simply be a fun social gathering with interesting conversations. Luckily, O'Neal gives great advice in this area as well.
Read Field Guide for Small Group Leaders today and buy it for any new leaders you know.
O'Neal covers everything from the role of leaders and learning styles to crafting meaningful meetings and handling unwanted surprises. The book is divided into three helpful sections: Mapping the Terrain (the basics of the leader's role), Planning Your Route (crafting a great meeting with focus, activities, and discussion questions), and Hitting the Trail (leading the meeting and troubleshooting issues).
One of the most helpful tips I found in the book is the need to identify the "Big Idea" of each meeting. O'Neal says that in order to bring focus to a meeting, we must look at our study material and pick out the one major point we want to get across in our discussion. Then we can choose a few questions to discuss that directly relate to that Big Idea. This keeps the focus narrow and the meeting succinct. Without this focus it's too tempting to talk about all the themes in a chapter of Scripture, but we simply don't have time in our hour-and-a-half meetings.
O'Neal stresses that small groups have the goal of life change. And in order to accomplish that goal, leaders must focus on application and inspiration in the meetings. If leaders don't help group members take their next spiritual steps, small groups will simply be a fun social gathering with interesting conversations. Luckily, O'Neal gives great advice in this area as well.
Read Field Guide for Small Group Leaders today and buy it for any new leaders you know.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Carolyn T
Format:Paperback
Terrific resource for small group leaders in the trenches of planning and leading meetings. Thorough, honest, and enjoyable read with clear guidelines, practical recommendations, and useful tools for creating environments for spiritual transformation. As a small groups director, I will be recommending this book for our small group leaders!
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