A Short Guide to Groups: The Art of Leading Community

People were designed for community. We long to know and be known by others, and local churches can meet that need by gathering people together in groups. 

In a world facing a loneliness epidemic and praising radical individualism, Christians are siloed as they experience anxiety, depression, disease, infertility, divorce, and other tragedies. Groups ministries are vital to local churches fighting the notion that we can face this life alone.

Small groups, discipleship groups, community groups, life groups––there's no one-size-fits-all formula for your church's groups ministry. A Short Guide to Groups is an accessible resource for your church to evaluate or start a groups ministry. With practical tips to consider, authors Jared Musgrove and Justin Elafros explain that while every ministry and group is different, there are several principles leaders can remember:

• Groups exist for community with God and other people.
• There is no lasting transformation in anyone without another person or group of people.
• The more relational your church is, the more transformational your church will become. 
• Each person in every group is a gift from God to the others in that group.
• Where groups go, the church will follow. 
• Where the church goes, groups will follow.

The New Testament is clear that people are called to do life together; in fact, the call to love one another can be found sixty-six times. A Short Guide to Groups can help pastors and ministry leaders guide their people away from the loneliness epidemic and toward radical togetherness instead. 

Dr. Jared Musgrove is the Co-Founder of Community Leadership Collective. He serves as an executive pastor and elder at The Well Community Church in Argyle, TX , and as Director of Leadership for Beta Upsilon Chi, the nation’s largest Christian fraternity. He earned degrees in journalism, theology, and his doctorate in executive leadership. He is the proud husband of Jenny and father of Jordan and Joshua.
 
Justin Elafros is the Groups Pastor at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX (SBC, Acts 29) and is the Co-Founder of the Community Leadership Collective. He earned his B.A. from Moody Bible Institute and his M.A. in ministry from Cedarville University. He has dedicated his adult life to ministry leadership, mentoring, and disciple making. Prior to pastoring at The Village Church he worked in Student Ministry for 10 years and was a Residential Director for men at Cedarville University. He loves theology, sports, good friends, and spending time with his wife Christy and three children Cooper, Beckham, and Adelynn.