BOOK REVIEW

Book Review

[Name of the institute]Book Review: The Pocket Guide to Leading a Small Group: 52 Ways to Help You and Your Small Group

Abstract

The book starts with the theme of mentioning the need of togetherness and belongingness which in turn give rise to the phenomenon of community or small group. It is the small group or community that fulfils our need to belong to each other. The author begins the process of leading a small group in a flow. First of all, how community and small groups come into being is discussed and then a discussion is undertaken about what are the different issues that exist in a group exist and last but not the least various ways to deal with these issues and how leaders can unite their community or group is discussed in the book. In the book, the writers mention men behave like that or show the persistence of this need of belongingness because God has made them in that way. For that the writers mention the quote:

“The eye cannot say to the hands that I don't need you similarly head cannot say to the feet that I don't need you”.

Just like our body parts are dependent on each other and need other for smooth and effective functioning in the same way we human beings need each other in our communities and small groups. So, the first lesson that this book points out is leaders of small group should consider their task of leading their people as a big priority. In simple words it can be said that the writers want imply that it is an indirect obligation on leaders on behalf of God to lead the people of their small group. The main crux of the book is to serve to others. In the book the writers want to mention this point that there are people who indulge in religious activities, they offer prayers, they do charity but often times they forget the world around them. So, this book is to awake those people and a light among them that offering prayer and charity is not the only means to be the pious rather the ultimate way to fulfill the God' obligation on us is to serve for humanity. By being a leader of a small group we can fulfill this purpose. By being in a small group we allow ourselves to participate in other people's happiness, we share their feelings and try to understand their problems.

Te content of the book also mentions various strategies and ways to lead a small group. These strategies and ways include meeting up daily with the group, sharing and understanding their problems, making an attempt to eliminate any sorts of conflicts that occur between them. Regular meetings for small groups are essential. There can be little radical growth in Christ without some growth within a group. Dave and Rod also mention that a leader should be so supportive and should be so down to earth that the people of small ...