My friend Larry, from Focus In, was up for a small groups workshop at the church. He brought one of his many books with him – Activate by Nelson Searcy and Kerrick Thomas.

Searcy and Thomas started a church called The Journey, which currently meets in three locations in New York City. They came from Rick Warren’s church, Saddleback, but their model is not really Purpose-Driven. It is primarily relational, founded on small groups.

The authors had a lot of observations about small groups; and I thought a lot of them were also applicable to small churches since they often have some of the same needs and benefits of small group ministries.

All in all, I found the book to be a practical guide to a different way of using small groups. I took copious notes; and I ordered a copy for my own shelves and I plan on reading it when it comes in.

Of course, it will be coming in with my textbook for the Church History class I’m teaching, as well as one or two other books I will be reading along with it. We’ll see, I guess.