Small Groups Big Impact

Learn the Principles: The Book

Some churches’ small group ministries thrive and grow, while other churches—that try just as hard—have group ministries that struggle and stagnate. Why?

Jim Egli and Dwight Marable set out to answer that question. They wanted to help churches across the country and around the world grow vibrant small groups that continually multiply leadership and reach an expanding number of people for Christ. Their quest turned into a massive research project involving over 3000 small groups in more than 200 churches.

Proven principles for small group growth

Some of Jim and Dwight’s discoveries were predictable, others were surprising. All of them were extremely simple and practical.


They focused on two primary levels—the small group leader level and the church level. On the first level, they asked and discovered answers to the question: Why do some small groups grow while others—in the same church and similar settings—don’t? On the church level, they sought the answer to the question: Why do some churches have vibrant growing group ministries, while other churches’ groups fall flat?

Their research uncovered four key small group leadership principles and three pivotal church factors. Theses results are revealed in their book Small Groups, Big Impact