Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership [Paperback]

Carl George (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2001

Increase your effectiveness as a small-group leader! Don't just have meetings -propel your group to a new level of teamwork and fruitfulness for Christ. Learn and apply the simple truths of Scripture illustrated in these nine keys in order to utilize and open the doors. These nine keys will make a lasting impact in your small group.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"This is the best explanation in print of how God works through small groups...If I were a pastor, I would buy a copy of this book for every Sunday school teacher, small group leader, deacon, elder, staff member and every leader in my church. Then I'd buy a copy for the next set of leaders who will be produced when people get hold of these nine keys."

Reggie McNeal, Director of Leadership Development Team South Carolina Baptist Convention, Columbia, SC

"Carl George has not only identified the vital keys to group health and growth, but has exceedingly well illustrated the principles for doing so."

Michael Mack, president, The Small Group Network, Anderson, IL

"Here is the most practical and helpful book I have read on how to strengthen the role of group leaders...No one does a better job of combining solid Biblical theory with concrete steps to put it into practice!"

Glen Gunderson, Sr. Pastor, First Baptist Church, Pomona, CA

From the Back Cover

Increase your effectiveness as a Small-Group Leader. These groups have experienced the fruitfulness promised in Nine Keys to Effective Small Groups:

Cell Groups, Service Teams, Small Groups, Ministry Teams, Prayer Circles, Youth Groups and more. Don't just have meetings - the elements in this book will propel you and your group to a new level of teamwork and interpersonal growth. Multiply your efforts and the efforts of your group. The simple truths of Scritpure illustrated in these nine keys will unlock and open doors that make the difference in health, growth, vitality, energy, and life in your small group. Your group can thrive as you learn and apply these simple keys.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Kingdom Publishing; Teacher's Guide edition (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188390613X
• ISBN-13: 978-1883906139
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,235,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network, and co-author of 21 books on various aspects of church health and innovation. Bird researches cutting-edge churches and works with their leaders to multiply their evangelistic and disciple-making impact.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the book on small groups that I hand out to pastors, April 22, 2000

By 

Eddy Hall "Senior Consultant, Living Stones A... (Goessel, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership (Paperback)

I am a small-groups person. I have been in one small group or another, often as a leader, almost continually, for the past 30 years. I believe small groups are just about the most important aspect of a church's life.

I have read many books on this, gone to many seminars. There is a lot of good material on this topic.

But in my present role as a church consultant, this is the book on small groups that I hand to pastors who are wanting to know how to grow a small group ministry or how to better equip their small group leaders.

Why? As George explains in this book, most church small groups do a good job of promoting nurture and fellowship, but most stop there. George believes an effective small group should perform three basic functions, not just nurture. In addition to nurture, he believes small groups should be effectively engaged in small-group-based evangelism (George says that in any given year, only one small group in four does any evangelism), and he thinks that small groups should constantly be training small group leaders through apprenticeship. I agree that a small group needs all three functions. And so I use this book as the entry point for someone who is new to these ideas about small group life.

After this introduction, I point churches to further training or more in-depth printed materials about various aspects of this approach to small groups, but in my opinion, there's not a better starting point than this one.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nine Keys More than enough, September 26, 2002

By 

"brewersteve" (Naperville, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership (Paperback)

Carl George effectively communicates the essential basics. This book does a good job of highlighting the difference between being a facilitator of small group time and being a leader (someone who is a disciple-maker). I have used this book as the main text for training small group leaders. It provides great material for interactive discussion and presenting a wholistic picture of all that small groups can be.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on Small Groups, November 14, 2001

By 

Dr. Steve Clinton - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nine Keys to Effective Small Group Leadership (Paperback)

The best two things about this book are: 1) it helps the small group leader coordinate with the pastor, and 2) it includes shepherding, building community, discipleship and evangelism as part of the small group experience. It is the best balanced book available today!