Our church has a challenge with the perception of small groups among members. Most people see them as a short-term extra activity when they have room in their schedules. People join, attend, then disappear, until another group catches their eye. We want people to understand small groups as an integrated part of our church culture.

Andy Stanley and Bill Willits say it much better in this helpful book. I snatched it up to read when I became part of a team tasked with overseeing the development of a small group culture in our church. The book emphasizes the need for intentional thinking behind any plan to build meaningful lasting connections through groups, and ultimately help people grow spiritually.

I'm not a fan of reviews that outline an entire book. I will say that this is well-written, clear, and focused in laying out a five-step strategy that has worked at North Point Church. My copy is now dog-eared and well highlighted. It has been fodder for many great discussions. Like any of these "how we do it" books, you need to clearly assess the culture of your own church and apply principles from the book appropriately. Nothing is one-size-fits-all, especially with church communities.

That said, there is a lot to chew on and use from this book, and it has been an encouragement and trail marker for our thinking and planning of our own small group strategy.