Sticky Church (Leadership Network Innovation Series)
by Larry Osborne
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Book Summary Information
Author: Larry OsborneEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-09-30
ISBN: 0310285089
Number of pages: 208
Publisher: Zondervan
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780310285083
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Sticky Church (Leadership Network Innovation Series)
Book Review: One of the best books on small groups...
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm on staff at a church that's been doing small groups seriously for about five years. I've read many books on small groups and have learned some important things from most of them. As all honest authors admit, no particular model is completely transferable from one church context to another, and Osborne thankfully acknowledges this reality. Rather than prescribing the North Coast model as the panacea to solve all small group problems, he seems to approach "The Sticky Church" from the perspective of "here's what we've experienced, here's what's working for us, so use whatever is helpful." I like that.
The overall premise of the book is that many churches spend too much time widening the front door (getting new people to come) and not enough time closing the back door (discouraging current attenders from leaving). As other reviewers have noted, Osborne spends the latter part of the book explaining NCC's primary solution for creating a Sticky Church, their small groups. There are two things about groups at NCC that are somewhat unique from much of the standard small groups literature.
First, their groups are primarily sermon-based, which simply means that their "curriculum" is discussing the sermon from weekend worship. This has many benefits, which include encouraging better sermon listening, note-taking, and accessing the message online or with a CD if a person missed the message. And probably the biggest value of sermon-based groups is the simplification that it creates in people's lives, who are bombarded with messages and ideas and don't need yet another thing to be pondering and studying, even if it is a good small group study. I know that I've been part of many groups when reading a random book or doing a random study of a book of the Bible simply added another layer of complexity to my life without having any transforming value. How intuitive and obvious (but somehow rare) to not only allow but even encourage groups to simply spend some time reflecting on the sermon and the corresponding Scripture passage! If we think that sermons have the potential to impact people's lives, I can imagine no better way to foster that growth than by scheduling a time for everyone to digest and discuss further what they heard on the weekend. It is so simple, yet so profound.
The second main idea of Osborne's book, which is contrary to almost every other group model that I've studied, is the celebration of long-term relationships in group. Of course, most group gurus would suggest that long-term relationships are a good thing. But the multiplication model that they espouse runs contrary to this idea. Though the pundits all provide countless tips for group multiplication (and my wife and I have led our groups through multiplication several times), the reality is that we are trying to create a group culture in direct opposition to what we have promised people that they would find in groups, which are significant relationships. Therefore, Osborne has the guts to simply say that group multiplication is a dumb idea and destroys exactly what we're trying to create.
This approach to not only allowing but encouraging essentially "closed" groups requires some serious thought. Osborne explains how they manage this unusual model, through leader development and starting new groups. But more so than any of the specific information or tips, what I love most about this book is Osborne's complete honesty. I have experienced, personally and corporately, the frustration that results from how many churches are trying to do small groups. Osborne suggests two relatively simple things (sermon-based discussion and long-term groups) that help to diffuse a lot of that tension. We're not going to mirror what NCC is doing, but we will be making some shifts in our language and our approach to small group ministry, trying to develop our groups to be places where people can actually experience significant, Christ-centered relationships. If we get that right, then we will be much closer to becoming a "Sticky Church."
Summary of Sticky Church (Leadership Network Innovation Series)
In Sticky Church, author and pastor Larry Osborne makes the case that closing the back door of your church is even more important than opening the front door wider. He offers a time-tested strategy for doing so: sermon-based small groups that dig deeper into the weekend message and tightly velcro members to the ministry. It's a strategy that enabled Osborne's congregation to grow from a handful of people to one of the larger churches in the nation---without any marketing or special programming. Sticky Church tells the inspiring story of North Coast Church's phenomenal growth and offers practical tips for launching your own sermon-based small group ministry. Topics include: Why stickiness is so important Why most of our discipleship models don't work very well Why small groups always make a church more honest and transparent What makes groups grow deeper and sticker over time Sticky Church is an ideal book for church leaders who want to start or retool their small group ministry---and velcro their congregation to the Bible and each otherChristian Living Books
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