Large worship gatherings or a Sunday morning service may be the avenue that draws people to your church, but it's the relationships developed in small group settings that actually bind people together.

Through those relationships and the studying of God's Word, lives are affirmed, sustained, and changed. Because of that, leading a small group Bible study is one of the most rewarding places of service within the church. As a leader, you will get the best of both worlds-the opportunity to lead and experience biblical community.

It's my hope that the following steps and tips can equip and inspire you to lead people to spiritual maturity through dynamic group experiences.

Mike Hurt is the senior pastor of Parkway Church in Victoria, Texas. A leading thinker and trainer in small group ministry, Mike is passionate about finding ways to reach people who don’t know Christ and to see those who do know Christ connect in authentic biblical community. He is the author of Connecting the Dots: Discovering God's Ongoing Will in Your Life and Repurposed: Memoirs of Nehemiah.