Contemporary society is in crisis, its structures broken and people thirsty for true communion with the sacred and with one another. Although most U.S. congregations have small-group ministries to help address this 'crisis of community,' too often these small groups fall far short of their potential.
In The Church and the Crisis of Community: A Practical Theology of Small-Group Ministry Theresa Latini lays out both a theoretical groundwork and a practical guideline for successful small-group ministry. Examining the latest sociological research and the real-life practices of small groups in six congregations, she shows how well-developed groups--those with mission statements, leadership training, and solid organizational structure--can be a truly effective tool in the church's work of transforming broken and shallow forms of community into life-giving, life-sustaining relationships with God and others.
