Making Small Groups Work (Cloud & Townsend)

Making Small Groups Work sets out to live up to its title.  Authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend draw on years of training and experience to provide a helpful list of items anyone leading a small group (in any setting) should know; "it was designed not only to help you create the right environment for growth, but also to give the practical tools needed to make your group one that truly impacts lives."  What follows is a brief overview; quotes/paraphrases are from the book.

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Small groups (be they Bible studies, support groups, prayer meetings, etc.) are an increasingly common element of Churches today.  God uses people, and "what happens in a good small group is part of the very work of the church itself."  As a small group leader, God "has called you to help restore life unto himself in the way it was created to be . . . the transcendent goal is the ministry of reconciliation [see 2 Corinthians 5:18-20]."  We reconcile by helping group members with six aspects, paraphrased below:

- Reconnect to the Source of life (God)
- Reconnect through real relationship to God and others
- Experience total grace, acceptance, and forgiveness
- Learn and experience the value of obedience to God as our authority
- Learn God's ways and how to apply them
- Give control to God while being responsible

Achieving a ministry of reconciliation takes "grace, truth, and time."  It's a supreme challenge, but the benefits are significant.  "Small groups help heal, grow, mature, and repair people."  The 'connectedness' we experience in a good group allows us to be fully honest with ourselves and form true relationships with others, granting us life the way it's meant to be lived.  Much of the book centers around relationships and how to form them constructively, including tips on gracious honesty and active listening.

Ultimately, we each want to know and be known (which is "a big part of what it means to love and be loved"), but our sinfulness is at odds with this- we hide our failures, fearing rejection, and in so doing isolate ourselves from each other.  A key part of relationship is acknowledging our failures and pointing each other to the grace and forgiveness found in Christ, enabling us to repent and turn to the light.

The authors proceed to describe what happens in a good group, starting a small group, the responsibilities of both leaders and members, and how to deal with problems.
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This was a good resource.  A bit repetitive in places, but solid, and definitely worth having as a reference.  Small groups are a key way people grow and interact in this world, and it's good to know how to make the most of them.

Rating: A