Walking with the Risen Christ: A Primer for Healthy Small Groups

Often, the approach to church small groups is functional. They are seen as part of a structure that serves a key function -- building community. Popular author and preacher Soo-Inn Tan posits that this often results in the small groups missing out on the most critical relationship, the one they should have with the risen Christ. While it is important to structure small-group meetings, it is more important to understand how all these practices relate to the fact that the risen Christ is in the midst of the meeting.

"Certainly much has been said and written about small groups over the years, but what Soo-Inn guides us into here is what has not been said and practiced enough in the life of our small-group ministries -- that is, the risen Christ among us as we gather together. Jesus by his Spirit sits across the table or on the other side of the living room or class room as the central member of our small group." -- Robert Loane, VantagePoint3 Ministries