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Book Clubs
Book clubs are back! After years of rumored decline, book readership is now surprisingly high. Book clubs have sprung up everywhere: homes, offices, churches, you name it. Books from fiction to non-fiction, from biographies to best sellers are used. The options are endless. Some book clubs go as far as flying in the authors of popular books to speak to their clubs.
Many book clubs assume the dynamics of a good small group. And that is probably a wise approach to take. Choose a book that will be interesting to the group you are trying to attract. If it’s women, go for a good Beth Moore book, or some other popular author. If it’s men, why not find a good book on leadership or a sports biography?
Choose wisely, because the attendance will rise or fall largely on your choice. When The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkenson was hot many clubs used that book; same for other best-sellers by Rick Warren and Philip Yancey. Remember, you want to choose a book that will be interesting both to the church and the community.
Once you’ve got your book, choose the host or hosts. Their responsibility is to provide refreshments and leadership for the group. These volunteers will open their home to host a book club for a specified number of weeks. Decide how many chapters will be discussed at a time and schedule the appropriate number of meetings. The program format is simple: Most clubs simply move around the room discussing the assigned chapter(s) with the leader acting as moderator. Books are available for small group leadership training if you need it. Get the church members involved and ask them to bring friends or neighbors.
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