Small groups are essential and should be a non-negotiable component of any good Church. That said, small groups require strategy, training and wisdom to run well. Creating Community is one of the books that every Senior Pastor and Small Groups Pastor in the Western world needs to read (readers from the global South may also benefit). Ideally, every Small Group leader should also read this book. Willits starts with the "Why?", laying the foundation then moving on to strategy, process and dealing with the challenges. The authors writing is extremely clear, honest and outstandingly practical. The lesson we should have learned during the Covid crisis is that if the church is to thrive under pressure, it must have a thriving network of small groups. This is a book that will help local church leaders to make this happen.

I was excited to see this book offered in an updated/revised edition. Andy Stanley has always been a clear voice wen it comes to creating community in various settings. And given the timeline we are in, how people react and respond to one another, this book is very valuable.

Stanley and Willits outline keys to building an effective small group ministry in a way which does not limit the reader to simple one off thoughts. There are personal stories, workable approaches and proven pathways for a church to begin the process.

Of note, the points within can also be used to help redirect a small group ministry that is struggling or has derailed. The reader just has to be diligent to put the work in. I will also add, do not simply copy what is written, adjust the finer points to your personal context.

Within their book, authors Andy Stanley and Bill Willits discuss five key areas:
People Need Community
Leaders Need Clarity
Churches Need a Strategy
Connection Needs Simplicity
Processes Need Reality

In discussing that people need community, the authors examine the ways we connect in contemporary society and highlight the benefits and challenges of each and how the concept of "community" has been affected by our mobile and digital experiences. The authors conclude that it is the church that has been uniquely called with the privilege of fostering authentic community. The authors believe that community can be most effectively created through the model of small groups.

In order to build community, the second key was that leaders need clarity. This includes a well-articulated mission, a measurable model of growth, clearly defined roles of members, leaders, and the church as a whole, and finally a vision of the intended destination or outcome. Then follows a discussion of specific church strategies. This section felt more like a business model with first a discussion of a "key word" to encapsulate vision (corporate examples were given). Then includes a discussion of the tangible benefits of implementing a model of small groups within a church. Authors then dig into different types of small groups that could be offered and the purpose of each. The authors encourage churches to periodically review their strategies to evaluate their effectiveness.

Within the discussion of "Connection Needs Simplicity" the authors offered their model of Explore, Build, Own and Thrive based on where people were in their faith journeys. Basically designing small groups that would meet members where they were currently, and then usher them into greater commitment to Christ over time. Tips are given for how to promote groups and considerations for time commitments (authors encourage short-term groups to make it easier for people to commit).

The Processes section discusses the qualifications of a good leader and offers suggestions for training and ongoing leadership development. In addition, the authors discuss some common challenges groups face and how to grow through those challenges. This was a section that offered the nuts and bolts of leading a group and helping to foster involvement from members.

Overall, the book offers a number of practical strategies for implementing a small group system within the church and offers a framework from which a church can hopefully foster greater personal connections within the body. I appreciated the discussion questions at the end of each chapter and think that the book can be a great guide for ministry leaders who may want to begin or improve their church's small group ministry.

The disappointments I had with the book were first of all parts of the book felt like the idea of community was distilled into a mathematical formula. Do a + b and you will yield the product c -- sort of like business best practices redesigned for the church. Secondly, I did not appreciate the disparaging remarks about a campus ministry (not named). One author criticized their model for discipleship but some of the strategies the authors posited were not that dissimilar to what they had made fun of. Just felt that dig was in poor taste.

And finally, I'm not sure I entirely agreed with the author's concept of inclusivity and their position on members living in obvious sin (such as cohabitating couples or homosexual couples). I felt that by only emphasizing acceptance, members may assume endorsement or tolerance of their sin; a mentality that could be a hindrance to spiritual growth.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Creating Community from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Times have changed. Society and people too. Yet the need for relationships does not change. Technology may have changed the way we communicate, but there is no substitute for connection. We all need to be connected beyond just an Internet group. We need small groups to create a community. According to authors Andy Stanley and Bill Willits, people everywhere still have the same need for community. They wrote this book back in 2004 and have updated this book for a new economy. Observing the trends that are happening today, the need for community could not have been greater. We might be technologically connected. We might have the latest means to keep in touch. We might also be able to do more things with less time. Yet, that does not necessarily translate into meaningful living. Living alone or doing things independently does not negate the need for true community. Recognizing the need is one thing. How to get there is another. Stanley and Willits give us five strategies to go about doing that. The five "keys" for real growth are classified in terms of needs, namely:
1) People Need Community
2) Leaders Need Clarity
3) Churches Need Strategy
4) Connection Needs Simplicity
5) Processes Need Reality

These five keys are described with compelling examples, stories, and statistics about the need to create community. In the first key, readers are reminded about the depth of loneliness in Western society. From the interior design of most residences to the technological environment of isolation, many of the observations should resonate with readers about our anti-social environment. The authors remind us that God's purpose for human beings is the total opposite of what society has to offer. Even Jesus' prayer is filled with asking God to provide for people to be more deeply connected with one another. The second key highlights the crucial role of leadership. Communities do not just happen. They require leadership in terms of a clear purpose, the importance of growth, the unique roles we can all play, and the directions we can carve toward. The third key deals with how we can get the Church moving toward a vision of a small group community. This strategy needs to be clear, simple, compelling and convicting. With six chapters about the nitty-gritty of setting up and giving directions to groups, readers will find it most practical and relevant. The fourth key focuses on communications, which I believe is a crucial step toward the success of small groups. With knowledge about our people, we can adjust our strategy, create appropriate steps, and simplify the processes as much as possible. The fifth key is about setting our expectations. Rather than be influenced by the marketing gimmicks and unreal images of worldly expectations, we need to manage our expectations and to encourage one another to work toward biblical standards.

My Thoughts
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First, people are more important than plans and processes. While this book talks a lot about the steps to start small groups, there is a constant reference to integrating the needs of people into the strategies. Beginning with people's need for community, the authors guide the reader in being sensitive to the reactions of people each step of the way. This is commendable. From leaders to facilitators, present to future group members, whether it is planning or communicating, the main deciding factor is not how good the strategies are but how appropriate they fit into the contexts and culture of the people concerned. Without people, plans are of no use.

Second, the importance of small groups cannot be over-emphasized. It needs to be the core strategy of every Church. I remember taking a class about small groups about the difference between "Small-Group Church" and a "Church with small groups." The key point is that the former is putting small groups at the core of the Church while the latter puts small groups at the peripheral among the many Church programs. This requires a culture change and a paradigm shift in many Church communities. Once this is done, it is much easier to continue to build the Church using small groups.

Finally, I believe that small groups are the essence of what it means to be a Church. Many churches nowadays look at Sunday Services as their main program for building community. While that is a good central meeting point, it is often considered a superficial level of relationship, sort of a touch-and-go interaction. People don't simply open up to share their deepest concerns at a Sunday meeting. They need a small group where members know and understand one another. A friend of mine once told me that a weekend away together at a summer camp builds relationships far better than two years of meeting just on Sundays. Since going to camps and retreats happen only once or twice a year, small groups that meet regularly are the best alternative. Church leaders, group facilitators, and concerned members of the Church, if your Church already has small groups, use this book to strengthen and start other groups. If your Church does not have any, it is high time to do so. Let this book provide the nuts and bolts on how to do just that. By the way, start with prayer. Pray with people with the same conviction. Then go forth in faith and meet away!

Andy Stanley is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and the founding pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, with a youthful congregation of more than 16,000 on three campuses. Andy is the author of the 1998 ForeWord Book of the Year finalist Visioneering, the bestsellers Like a Rock, and The Next Generation Leader, and the recent How Good Is Good Enough? Andy and his wife, Sandra, have two sons and a daughter.

Bill Willitts is the Director of Group Life at North Point Community Church. Bill is a graduate of Florida State University and Dallas Theological Seminary and has previously served on other church staffs in Atlanta and Dallas, Texas. His most important small group consists of his wife, Terry, and their daughter, Bailey.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Waterbrook Multnomah and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

The title has plenty of useful information. Lots of good questions at end of each chapter. The specific chapter discussing different models of small groups was my favorite.

The Revised & Updated Edition of Creating Community takes into consideration the changes to society as a result of 2020's Covid disruption. Most books when updated change little things to freshen the book up for a new generation of readers. This edition addresses the wholesale changes forced upon us during the Pandemic, while also recognizing the societal changes our technology has under gone in the past 10 years since the original book was written.

What I like most is the way the authors have not shied away from the changes, is their positive attitude for creating community in this new future. The principles remain the same, but methods and ideas have changed to reflect what the future holds. This book is a great resource for any organization wanting to build community. For Pastors and Small Group Leaders, this book is an essential read.