As a small group ministry leader you likely face new challenges every season. It is when we are faced with particularly big challenges that we turn to one another in a network like this and ask for help.
But what do you do on all the days you’re not facing a big trial? What are you doing to challenge yourself in order to grow? Who are you learning from and what are you reading?
Sir Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” What giants’ shoulders are you standing on these days?
The Small Group Network saved you a lot of trouble by asking other small group ministry leaders what resources have best served them throughout the years. We asked through all our social media networks to see what resources arose to the top as the most trusted books, blogs, and materials. Here’s what we found.
Bill Donahue’s books: Bill has written a number of books over the years that have had ripples throughout the small group movement that are felt today. His most recent book, Irresistible Community, outlines the type of community building Jesus modeled to his followers. Bill’s earlier works like Leading Life Changing Small Groups are well-known staples in group life.
Creating Community – Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture: North Point Resources produced a book by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits that will help group life point people and their teams to focus on the important factors of developing a healthy small group culture.
Community is Messy: Heather Zempel of National Community Church wrote this fantastic resource to give ministry leaders an inside look into the formation of NCC’s groups ministries and is a helpful overview of what it looks like behind the scenes.
Small Groups with Purpose: Steve Gladen’s often-referenced book on small groups within Saddleback’s model. This is a must-read for most small group ministry leaders.
Mark Howell Live: Our survey responses had very few responses pointing us towards blogs, but Mark’s blog was a go-to resource for many of you. Check out his blog for practical, hands on advice for leaders and ministry heads.
SmallGroups.com: Christianity Today’s group life arm covers a wide scope of content that is useful for ministry leaders, small group leaders, coaches, and anyone else in a group life structure. Their Training Tools are especially useful for churches who are unable to create their own training and equipping content.
