Beyond Small Groups

Many have announced that the church needs small groups over the last five decades. Cell groups, organic groups, missional groups, exponential groups—the grouping strategies and programs are endless. While those promoting groups hope for flourishing community full of God’s life and love, in most cases, we settle for nice Bible studies or programmatic meetings. It’s time for a different approach!Beyond Small Groups provides a pathway for moving your groups beyond meetings and programs so that churches can get people connected and release them into God’s mission. Based on Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones, this pathway provides an imagnation along with practical guidance for how to customize group structures, make disciples in community, and receive God’s empowering Spirit.“I am so happy that my friend Scott Boren has once again written such an important book. He gets it as both a thought leader and practitioner. Small groups are not our goal but a means to much greater purposes: Biblical community and spiritual growth. Small groups simply provide organizational constructs to enable that greater end, and Scott gets that. Read Beyond Small Groups, and be freshly and creatively reminded why life really is better connected.” (Bill Willits, Executive Director of Ministry Environments, North Point Ministries, Co-author of Creating Community)“As you read this book, you may come under conviction as I did, realizing that some of what we attempt to do in our groups is man-made. Scott explains how we can approach small group ministry in a completely different way to see completely different results. If you are exhausted with trying to find x number of new leaders for new groups to be launched and you desire to see your groups naturally grow and send out new leaders, this book will help you make a radical transition.” (Randall Neighbour, President, TOUCH Outreach Ministries, author of The Naked Truth About Small Group Ministry)“You will be stimulated and refreshed as you read this life-changing book. Scott Boren is a student of small groups, having lived, studied, and written about them for decades. This excellent book will help you think beyond small group formulas and techniques to understand the “why” small group ministry. Thanks, Scott, for writing this thought-provoking book!” (Joel Comiskey, Ph.D. www.joelcomiskeygroup.com)“Many people are an echo but a few are a voice. Scott Boren is a voice to those of us in the trenches of discipleship and groups. Beyond Small Groups will challenge your preconceived ideas about community and spiritual formation. It will cause you to take that critical second-look and uncover hidden realities you didn’t notice before. If you are a pastor, groups director, or point-leader, this is a must-read book!” (Andrew S. Mason, Founder of SmallGroupChurches.com)“Our hearts sing when we experience the “one anothers” of New Testament community because our God is loving and relational—and we are made in his image. Beyond Small Groups is an excellent resource for pastors and ministry leaders who want to see healthy and life-giving expressions of the church. Scott writes with a rich theological foundation and the wisdom of many years of practical coaching and leadership development. I heartily recommend Scott’s book to you and hope it will stir your desire to see the church alive and flourishing in your context.” (Jamey Miller, Lead Pastor of Antioch Fort Worth)