Why Small Groups?

Rating:
Summary: Purposeful Small Groups
Review: Over the past several years of attending my church, I had heard several pastors and other leaders emphasize the importance of fellowship and community in our spiritual growth, but I had never heard anyone break down the logistics of how this occurs in a practical manner. So, over the last few months, I had been searching for some books on fellowship and community in their relation to our spiritual growth. I read 'Life Together' by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and 'Soulcraft' by Webster, but I didn't feel that either of these books got to the heart of the matter as this book 'Why Small Groups' did.

Some of the topics covered in this book that I really enjoyed were: The purpose of small groups, The definition & purpose of fellowship, and the logistics of correcting others by 'speaking the truth in love.'

All in all, I definitely enjoyed this book as it combined the very helpful theoretical purpose of a house group with the practical aspects of carrying out this purpose in community. I recommend it both for house group committed members and leaders.

Rating:
Summary: teaching: accountability, application, service, fellowship
Review: The premise of this book is that small groups are primarily for application of Christian teachings (rather than just listening to Bible studies). They should be a place where we have accountablility to one another, and have a chance to serve. At the same time, they should be more than just a place where we gather to exchange opinions about the Bible -- we are looking for God's truth, not just man's perceptions. In fact, I really liked this book up until page 59, where it bluntly stated that a small group leader had to be male. I do recognize that this is a valid Christian perspective, so I recommend the book even though I don't agree with the emphasis on this point.

Rating:
Summary: the heart of small groups
Review: This book is biblically founded and helped me to see the importance(largely from the bible) of having small groups. Accountability, biblical fellowship, speaking into each other's lives is the heart of the church. While small groups cannot take the place of the local church, they are a great context in which to apply the truths we learn in church. I especially liked the part about qualifications of a leader and being motivated by God' grace. Overall, the best book ever written (theologically and practically) on the subject!