Customer Reviews

How to Lead Small Groups

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Whether you are just starting out in small group adult ministry or have some experience, this book is a helpful resource in understanding group dynamics. The author shares "pitfalls" groups fall into as well as useful insights for whatever phase your group is in. It also helps you gauge your effectiveness as a small group leader -- and make adjustments accordingly.

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2)

As the verse above notes, we are called to imitate God. God in His very Trinitarian being lives in community. Christ lived in community during the years of His ministry. If nothing else, it would seem that we are called to live in community.

"How to Lead Small Groups" by Neal F. McBride is a "must have" resource for those seeking to live the Christian life in a community setting. This is a small but invaluable book.

Mr. McBride lays our clear, Biblical foundations for small group ministry. He states (and then demonstrates) that: "of all the potential ministry formats available to the local church, small groups have the greatest biblical support."

From this solid foundation, McBride then lays out a picture of a small group leader. The rest of the book is spent going over basic group dynamics as well as troubleshooting tips for commonly encountered problems.

I highly recommend "How to Lead Small Groups." It is one of the best small groups resources on the market.

This book is focused on small group leaders, not pastors of small group ministries. It starts with Biblical goals for small groups. It then covers the basics of leading, understanding and knowing your group. It has practical guidance for questions, discussions and prayer times. Conflict resolution is also covered. Overall, it is a very good book for small group leaders seeking to learn and grow.

This is the sixth book I have read on the topic of small groups, and thus far it is my least favorite. Perhaps it is a matter of preferred style, but I could never get into this book. The author seems to do nothing but make a series of lists throughout the entire book. The reader is never introduced to the main thought of a passage followed by logical support of that thought. I personally felt I was reading a set of cliff notes on small groups.

Once one advances beyond the writing style, the book does have a good amount of useful information. A busy small-group lay leader, who simply wants a checklist of things to consider, would probably find this book very helpful. However, the scholar who is looking to study small groups would find other books more useful. (for example Julie Gorman's book on Christian community or Icenogle's book on Biblical foundations for small groups)

Chapters include: Seeing yourself as a group leader; understanding your group's development; handling difficulties; evaluating your group. Designed to give you the tools you need without a lot of theory. the author has been a National Guard chaplain, a psychology professor, and a youth pastor.