Samuel O’Neal
InterVarsity Press, 2012, 208 pp., $15
There is no shortage of material being published to equip and engage churches that are interested in starting small groups or improving their small group ministry. The Field Guide is not the boldest or most paradigm-shifting of those books on the topic, but it is by no means the most useless or sterile resource either. The Field Guide is a broad, yet very solid approach to equipping someone to lead a small group effectively.
Many of the chapters in The Field Guide cover topics that do not wow the reader, but would leave the book desperately wanting had they not been included (i.e., chapters on curriculum, hospitality and leading group discussions). O’Neal also offers some rarely addressed small group quandaries in his chapters on learning styles, crafting great questions and an insightful chapter titled “When Things Don’t Go as Planned.”
The Field Guide for Small Group Leaders may not be the most essential or versatile tool in your small group tool box, but if you are new to leading in a small group context and looking for a resource that can offer you a simple and clear overview along with a few helpful tips, this one fits the bill.
