SUMMARY: In the first episode of the Groups Matter podcast, Brian and Rick discuss how small groups can be utilized to pull those individuals on the fringe of the church into a local community.  Guest Chris Surratt discusses how he has seen success with this method of assimilation through pro-active relationships with those in the periphery of church and community life.

The Groups Matter Podcast is a weekly show designed to resource, train, and encourage small group leaders. Each episode considers current trends and resources as well as timeless truths and methods of discipleship. It is hosted by Brian Daniel, a Bible study expert from the Lifeway Groups Ministry Team, and Rick Howerton, the discipleship and small group specialist at Lifeway and author of GUEST: Our guest this week is Chris Surratt. Chris is a ministry consultant and coach with over twenty-two years of experience serving the local church. Most recently, Chris was the Pastor Of Adult Ministries at Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee, where he oversaw and helped guide small groups and global and local good across five campuses. Before coming to Cross Point in 2009, Chris was on staff at Seacoast Church in Charleston, South Carolina, for fifteen years, serving as a worship arts pastor, campus pastor and on the directional leadership team. Both Cross Point and Seacoast have been recognized as two of the fastest growing churches in the United States. Chris also works with Leadership Network in creating collaborative learning environments for churches across the world. He is passionate about helping people find their next steps toward God within the context of community. Chris’s first book, Small Groups For The Rest Of Us: How to Design Your Small Groups System to Reach the Fringes, will be released by Thomas Nelson on September 29, 2015. Follow Chris on Twitter at @ChrisSurratt.  Chris also hosts a blog at chrissurratt.com.

RESOURCES: If you have a question you’d like discussed on our Groups Matter Podcast, please tweet your question to @BcDaniel or @RickHowerton.