Resources
A Field Guide for
Genuine Community
Videos, downloads, exercies, and more from the book.
What’s Going on?
I’m surrounded by people at church . . . so why do I feel so alone?
We all know that a church is supposed to be a community. The trick is actually to make it one. Communities don’t happen by chance—certainly not in our Lone Ranger culture that values independence and individualism. A truly Christian community must be built by intentional practices that allow for deeper connections, centered on the unity that can only be found in Christ.
It’s time to move
from the facade to a family.
About the Book
In A Field Guide for Genuine Community, longtime pastor and discipleship trainer Ben Connelly shows you that the biblical model for community is the family of God. In twenty-five short, practical readings, he takes you beyond the surface and helps you learn to connect with your brothers and sisters as true family members. The church isn’t meant to be a collection of strangers. God intends for you to find a unified and purposeful household where you truly belong.
Why does this matter?
Life in the family of God is a daily act of worship. So let’s find a group of folks to go with us, and let’s pray for the Spirit’s help in difficult steps on this journey.
01
Editable Sermon Outlines & Slides
We’ve created starting point sermon outlines and slides for you to edit and use for your church, training event, or group. Please do the good work of making these teachings “yours,” but also feel free to use these outlines and slides however they best fit your context and needs.
02
Group Discussion
The first time your group meets to introduce the book, walk them through the section titled “Y’all” in the Introduction. It explains the structure of the book and the best ways to approach it. The Field Guide includes group discussion questions at the end of each week. For your members to be fully engaged, it’s best to individually read and reflect on that Week’s content before meeting each week. You will find interview videos that can help introduce discussion in your group meetings on this page.
03
Interviews
The interview section of the Genuine Community book features real-life stories from everyday Christians.
Free Exercise Downloads
REVIEW
“Are you longing for more authentic, biblical relationships with others?
Then you must read A Field Guide for Genuine Community. Within a five-week framework, Pastor Ben answers our questions—and our excuses—about developing church connections in your own spiritual family. Through Bible study and pertinent questions, Ben teaches us how to intentionally build intimate and multigenerational discipleship groups that are actually fun to be a part of! Read it, apply it, and see how your church can become less of an organization and more of a growing organism where you can enjoy a deep and fruitful life together. .”
Jani Ortlund
Renewal Ministries
Who’s the Author?
Ben Connelly
Ben is honored to serve everyday disciples, ministry leaders, and church planters worldwide through The Equipping Group, and to help lead Salt+Light Community and Plant Fort Worth in Fort Worth, TX.
“If you’re done with the façade of community, tired of shallow relationships, and ready to give up on a Sunday-centric faith, this book is for you. I love the way that my friend Ben doesn’t just present a couple quick fixes or silver bullets to solve your discipleship woes. Rather, he pastorally introduces the concept of church as spiritual family, which is deeply needed for the Western church.”
— Daniel Im, Beulah Alliance Church
“I’m thankful for this book—it demystifies the purpose of Christian community while doing honor to the complexities of it, and centers the grace of God as the unifying and liberating power we need to know it is real. Full of biblical insight and experiential wisdom, Ben Connelly’s Field Guide will help you pastorally understand and practically implement stronger and more relational closeness in your ministry context.”
— Jared C. Wilson, Midwestern Seminary
“Jesus gave His apostles clear instructions to go and make disciples. They went and instinctively planted churches—but this was not to abandon Christ’s instruction to gather groups of believers as loving families who were all to realize their mutual responsibilities. They were not to be mere passive meeting attenders but to gather in vibrant communities, caring for one another’s life and spiritual growth. Ben Connelly has written an incisive, practical, and inspirational book that you will find instructive and motivational as you respond to Christ’s command.”
— Terry Virgo, New Frontiers