Randy Frazee, pastor of Oak Hills Church (San Antonio, Texas), promises a lot with this book. While many church leadership resources focus on the role of small groups in church growth, Frazee argues that small group programs don’t go far enough. In fact, another night out may only contribute to the underlying problem.

The problem is North American-style individualism. The American Dream has led people to overtax their lives as they move to the suburbs. Frazee’s simple-yet-radical suggestion is that we refocus on our local neighbourhoods. Simplify your schedule, get to know the other believers in your neighbourhood, and connect with them! Spend time playing in your front yard, allowing for serendipitous encounters with the people around you.

I must admit that I had a good laugh near the end of the book:

I believe our dependency on building and centralized structures is one of the primary reasons the individual American church has found it difficult to rise above a 25,000-member ceiling. (216)

A 25,000-member ceiling. That’s more people than live in my town! Needless to say, this book is focused on larger churches. Still, the big idea at the core of the book can be adapted to smaller settings. Whether this idea is enough to counter the entrenched individualistic consumerism of our culture (evident in both the US and Canada) is the real question.

Frazee, Randy. The Connecting Church 2.0: Beyond Small Groups to Authentic Community. Zondervan, 2013.