Chris Surratt - Small Groups for the Rest of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes

Praise for Small Groups for the Rest of Us

In Small Groups For The Rest of Us, Chris gives practical, proven ideas for buildinga small-groups system that goes beyond the typical church attender. This book isfor all leaders trying to make small groups work inside and outside their churches.

JUD WILHITE, AUTHOR OF PURSUED, SR. PASTOR CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Chris Surratt led the very first small group we joined when we moved to Nashville,and it was awesome. Im so happy hes sharing his years of wisdom with the rest ofthe world because small groups are critical to building real community in churches,and hes an expert!

JON ACUFF - NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF DO OVER, START AND STUFF CHRISTIANSLIKE

I am so thrilled Chris Surratt has put his ideas and many years of ministry and groupexperience down on paper. Small Groups for the Rest of Us is a thoughtful and helpfulbook for any ministry leader, but especially for those of us in the trenches leadingthe small-group initiative at our churches. Each chapter is chocked full of wisdomwith helpful insights on how to create an intentional and thriving small-group ministry.Chapter 2, Reaching the Fringes, is worth the entire price of the book. Read it,digest it slowly, and implement it fully. Its that good.

BILL WILLITS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MINISTRY ENVIRONMENTS, NORTH POINT MINISTRIES,CO-AUTHOR OF CREATING COMMUNITY

As I read this book, I kept thinking over and over again, Man! I wish Id writtenthis book! And Man! I wish Id had this book thirty years ago! Small Groups ForThe Rest of Us is a book not just for the rest of us, but for all of us. At Saddleback,we say that a healthy small group is one that seeks to fulfill the Great Commissionand the Great Commandment. We equip them to develop health by balancing the fivebiblical purposes. This book, in their hands, will help make their group healthier.It doesnt matter what system of groups you are trying to work, or whether you havea system at all. This book will challenge how you think, who you reach, and the powerof biblical community to change lives. Youll laugh, youll cry, and youll get outof your comfortable chair to reach people nobody else is reaching... people Jesusloves. People just like you and me. People who are way different than you and me.People who desperately need life-giving relationships, just like you and me.

STEVE GLADEN, PASTOR OF THE SMALL GROUP COMMUNITY, SADDLEBACK CHURCH AUTHOR, SMALLGROUPS WITH PURPOSE & LEADING SMALL GROUPS WITH PURPOSE

You wont just read this; instead, youll feel as if youre shadowing Chris as henavigates every strategic decision required for building transformational groupsin a church. Loaded with ground-level wisdom that is refreshingly vulnerable, brutallyhonest, intensely practical, and readily transferable to your group ministry.

DR. BILL DONAHUE, AUTHOR OF THE IRRESISTIBLE COMMUNITY: AN INVITATION TO LIFE TOGETHER

When a groups pastor tells you that 90 percent of their adult membership is in asmall group, you can rest assured that person knows how to connect every type ofperson to a small group. If you want to do the same, buy this book, read this book,and make this book your handbook so you can, present every person mature in Christ(Colossians 1:28 NET).

RICK HOWERTON, DISCIPLESHIP AND SMALL GROUP SPECIALIST, LIFEWAY CHURCH RESOURCES

We have over promised and under delivered on our claims for life in groups and communityfor far too long. In Small Groups for the Rest of Us Chris Surratt slaughters someof our sacred cows, challenges our perspectives, and offers new ideas for helpingpeople discover, engage, and enjoy life together. He brings valuable experience fromyears in the trenches and offers practical ideas for ensuring groups are accessibleto a wider range of people in your church and community. Ive been learning fromChris for years, and Im excited to share this resource with our team!

HEATHER ZEMPEL, DISCIPLESHIP PASTOR, NATIONAL COMMUNITY CHURCH AUTHOR OF AMAZEDAND CONFUSED, COMMUNITY IS MESSY & SACRED ROADS

2015 by Chris Surratt

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New Century Version. Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014959021

Softcover: 978-0718-0323-1-9

e-Book: 978-0718-0323-2-6

15 16 17 18 19 20 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

To all of the small group hosts and leaders who make time every single week to clean your homes, prepare cheese trays, and invite groups of people over to discover Jesus in a new way. You are my heroes.

Contents

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I will never forget cramming about ten guys into my college dorm room at WesternKentucky University. Our college pastor, Rick Howerton, had challenged my roommateand me to get a group of friends together and start a small group. It sounded likea great idea... until there I sat in a circle with these ten guys looking backat me with blank stares, clearly wondering, So, what now?

Ill never forget just how ill equipped I felt to lead that group.

Well, amazingly enough, almost two decades later I still lead a small group. Almostevery week a group of adults gather in our living room to laugh, cry, study, andshare life together. I feel a lot more comfortable these days, but I still have mymoments of anxiety, uncertainty, and even (if Im really honest) dread. Thats whyIve been eager to get my hands on this book. I think all of us who lead a groupor groups ministry know that ministry in the small-group setting is important, essential,and working. I also think we believe just as strongly that something is often missing,it could be better, and we need help to take things to the next level.