Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders has a bit of a niche focus. It’s written to equip those who lead small group leaders. This volume only directly applies to large churches who have a team of leaders under the pastoral staff leading other leaders. However, smaller churches can learn from it if they commit to doing the work of contextualization.

This book is centred on Willow Creek’s “3D” leadership model. (Warning: if you dislike acroynms, avoid this book!) Leadership coaches should always have these three core tasks in mind:

1. Discover – Get to know the leaders you’re coaching
2. Develop – Help the leaders you’re coaching grow
3. Dream – Help cast vision with the leaders you’re coaching

Within this “3D” framework, coaches use three main tools to get the job done:

1. Coaching Conversations – one-on-one talks with the leaders you’re coaching
2. Leadership Gatherings – group meetings with the leaders you’re coaching
3. Group Visits – dropping in to see your leaders in action

This book really shines in the third chapter where the authors plot out potential conversations and group meetings that coaches can have with their leaders. Reading through these meeting plans will remind coaches of the range of topics they need to cover with their leaders. This handbook is full of ready-to-use tools.

Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders is a highly practical handbook with a bit of a niche focus. However, with a little imagination it’s possible to see how pastoral leadership would also benefit from the coaching strategies within.

Donahue, Bill and Greg Bowman. Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders. 2nd edn. Zondervan, 2012.