Bill P. Donahue

Bill Donahue begins this book with the story of the disciples and Jesus gathering at the table in the upper room for the last supper together. They are gathering for the last time they will eat together on earth. It is a very intimate picture of fellowship between a teacher and his disciples before they even realize that He is their Savior.

He proceeds from there with an account from each disciple's perspective to open each chapter. He lays out three main sections of this story into three sections that address the true beauty of community that we should be celebrating and embracing in our churches and Christian groups today.

He speaks about coming to the table to fellowship and meet a variety of needs. He talks about the scene with Jesus washing the disciples feet to encourage us to pick up our towel in service to one another. Lastly, he speaks of embracing truth together for real fellowship and authentic community.

He uses lots of scripture, some vignettes, personal stories, and a true desire for community among believers to show us how to live our lives with this mentality.

What was my personal impression?

I absolutely loved this book!

I would recommend this to every Christian I meet but especially to pastors and ministry leaders. As a matter of fact, it is now going to my husband (a pastor) to read next.

It is biblical and truthful and seeks to build up the kingdom of God.

It is one of those books that I could read and reread and then reread again because it is so full of great teaching on this aspect of church life.

I would give this book a 5 out of 5!



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Over the last 40 years the use of small groups for building community and fostering spiritual growth has gained wide acceptance across North American churches of all sizes and theological persuasions. Indeed, the rapid growth of group life in churches has led observers to refer to the phenomenon as the "small group movement" in church ministry. As the movement grew, a logical question arose: are groups effective in making disciples and, if so, to what extent? Beginning with Robert Wuthnow's work in the 1990s, this article will discuss findings from key research efforts conducted with participants of church-based groups, assess the current state of the small group movement, and offer observations concerning the direction and focus of the movement for the years ahead.… (more)