[Review] Planning Small Groups with Purpose: A Field Tested Guide to Design and Grow Your Ministry

I worked my way through, Planning Small Groups with Purpose: A Field Tested Guide to Design and Grow Your Ministry, the newest book from Steve Gladen, over the last couple weeks. I knew it was about to publish and asked for a review copy. Let me just say this: You are going to need a copy.

Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and is the author of Small Groups with Purpose and Leading Small Groups with Purpose. I’ve said this a number of times, but I want to be sure and say this again.  Steve Gladen is a couple of things.  First, he’s one of the smartest GroupLife guys on the planet.  He’s also one of the most helpful small group experts on the planet.

Planning Small Groups with Purpose was written as a guide to take you and your team through a thoroughly field tested process that builds small group ministries. A kind of journey based on 20 questions and assignments intended to be worked through sequentially, the promise of PSGWP is that when this “arsenal of small group strategies and tools” is faithfully employed, you can build an effective small group ministry (or reenergize the one you have).

The layout and organization of Planning Small Groups with Purpose is really good. In fact, I suggest beginning with a quick pass through it will provide some valuable insight into where the plan will take you when implemented.

I love the sequence and pathway defined in this book. I can’t remember a conference or workshop where I’ve heard Steve speak when he didn’t use the line that “Vision without implementation is hallucination.” Like everything Gladen has written, it is about developing a plan and implementing the plan.

Let me be sure to say, Planning Small Groups with Purpose will help you develop a plan that will work when implemented and it is not a quick fix. The plan you’ll develop will truly be custom to your environment and implementable over a 12 to 18 month period.

I’ve been recommending Small Groups with Purpose as required reading for small group pastors and directors for years. I’ll be adding Planning Small Groups with Purpose to my required reading list. It is a must-read and implement resource for anyone who wants to build an effective small group ministry in their church.

I'll be adding Planning Small Groups with Purpose to my required reading list. It is a must-read and implement resource for anyone who wants to build an effective small group ministry in their church. Share on X