Customer Reviews

Small Group Outreach: Turning Groups Inside Out

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I work on staff at our church in the area of small groups, so I try to read several books every year about group life to stay fresh and inspired. Jeffrey Arnold has written a number of small group books, but this was the first that I had ever read. And though I didn't really disagree with anything that he said, I was left with virtually no impression of his "Small Group Outreach." Ultimately, it did not challenge me in any significant way.

One problem may be that this book was written in 1998, when the idea of small group outreach was maybe somewhat more cutting-edge. An older paradigm of group life suggested that groups were all about Bible study, and there is a healthy pendulum swing that has been challenging groups to be more outwardly focused, rather than insisting on focusing exclusively on acquiring more Bible knowledge. I suspect that Arnold's writing has helped to lead the charge. But at this point, we get it. We understand the value of outreach in small groups. We're looking for creative ideas for groups to reach outside of themselves, and we don't need to read a book to think of a free car wash.

If you think that small groups should be all about Bible study, then "Small Group Outreach" may help to rattle your cage a bit. But if you want innovative ways to truly help turn groups inside out, I think you'll need to look elsewhere. Though not specifically about groups, I'd recommend Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson's "The Externally Focused Church" instead.