As per his education, Bill holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Princeton University, and a Master’s degree and PhD in adult learning and development from Dallas Seminary and the University of North Texas. Currently, he trains Masters and Doctoral students as an adjunct teacher in graduate schools around America.
Top 10 Bill Donahue Books You Should Read
Bill Donahue’s top books have majorly been centred on nurturing small groups in the church with biblical principles and his real-world experiences. He wrote from his many years of experience as a small group leader and outlined steps towards leading a small group effectively. The teachings in some of these books are meant to empower group leaders while others outlined procedures for solving problems in the group, mapping out and executing plans in the group for fruitful leadership.
1. Building a Life-Changing Small Group Ministry: A Strategic Guide for Leading Group Life in Your Church (Groups that Grow)
Publisher – Zondervan Publishing Company ISBN – 9780310331261 Language – English Print Length – 240 pages Publication date – January 10th, 2012
Bill Donahue co-wrote this book with Russ G. Robinson. The writers opined that small groups in churches have the power to change lives by showing disciples the ideal route to true discipleship when they are active and functional in the groups they are in for the greater good of the ministry. However, church leaders often fail to harness the power of these groups, and even when they attempt, the potentials of the small groups are underutilized. But in this book, Bill and Russ were able to show church leaders the strategic decisions that must be made to establish, develop and grow a thriving small group ministry in their local churches.
2. Leading Life-Changing Small Groups
What kinds of groups should we offer? How do we define success in this ministry? How do I guide people toward community life? How do you multiply groups and launch new groups? How do I organize the groups and coach the leaders? Where do I find leaders and what kind of training do they need? Who has responsibility for the ministry and how are they supported? Which approach or model for small group ministry is best for my church? What are the pathways and events that move people to become part of a small group?
Publisher –Zondervan Publishing Company ISBN – 9780310331254 Language – English Print Length – 195 pages Publication date – August 1st, 2002
Leading Life-Changing Small Groups exemplified with the success story of Willow Creek’s small group ministry how a small group can function for the betterment of the church when its leaders do the right things. The book which is in a ready-reference format shows how group leaders, pastors, church leaders, educators, and counselors in churches can organize and run a small group without hitches. Leading Life-Changing Small Groups which has been proven to transform individual groups into an entire small group ministry can be used alone as a resource for training leaders or with the 8 session training video Bill Donahue compiled.
Leadership training. Group formation and values. Discipleship within the group. Meeting preparation and participation. Leadership requirements and responsibilities. The philosophy and structure of small groups.
3. Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders: A Comprehensive Guide for Developing Leaders of Groups and Teams (Groups that Grow)
Publisher – Zondervan Publishing Company ISBN – 9780310331247 Language – English Print Length – 176 pages Publication date – January 10th, 2012
Bill Donahue and Greg Bowman asked a very important question which we often tend to forget when talking about leadership training. “But who shepherds the shepherd?” The duo recognized that very many times, the weight of leading a small group can be overwhelming with questions like – What do I have to offer? Am I godly enough? How do I begin? – running through the leader’s mind and often overwhelming him or her. But no matter how discouraging and spiritually exasperating this has proven to be for leaders, Bill and Greg outlined several field-tested and biblically supported steps in this third book to overcome these worries. like some of Bill’s books, it can be used as a standalone training pack for leaders or used alongside some specially prepared training videos by the authors.
Helping leaders grow spiritually Modeling a surrendered life to those you coach. Gaining the tools and wisdom you need for coaching.
4. Walking the Small Group Tightrope: Meeting the Challenges Every Group Faces
Publisher –Zondervan Publishing Company ISBN – 9780310252290 Language – English Print Length – 208 pages Publication date – October 1st, 2003
Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson recognized that every small group has its own unique challenges. And for any leader to succeed in the leadership of a small group, such a leader has to balance what the seasoned writers referred to as “dynamic tensions” that are characteristic of the group. With the concept of “polarity management,” Bill and Russ gave more insight into the 6 dynamic areas every group leader must master in order to create a balance, release the untapped creative and relational energy and transform the group.
5. Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders: A Practical Guide for Those Who Lead and Shepherd Small Group Leaders
Truth and Life Task and People Care and Discipleship Kindness and Confrontation Friendship and Accountability Openness and Intimacy Effective
Publisher – Zondervan Publishing Company ISBN – 9780310251798 Language – English Print Length – 145 pages Publication date – April 1st, 2006
This book was initially published by the Willow Creek Community Church as Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders: A Practical Guide for Those Who Lead and Shepherd Small Group Leaders before an expanded and improved version with more field-tested and pieces of biblical advice were included in the new edition. It recognizes the need for constantly edifying the leaders so they can shepherd with excellence.
6. The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry: A Troubleshooting Guide for Church Leaders
Shepherding Helping leaders grow spiritually. Training, and conducting assimilation events. Nurturing the spiritual development and support of leaders.
Publisher – Zondervan Publishing Company ISBN – 9780310864042 Language – English Print Length – 256 pages Publication date – October 1st, 2002
Very many times, small groups in churches often run into problems; sometimes they are problems that can render the group/s moribund, or at other times, they function below par. Ultimately, this will always find a way to hurt the entire church and even more severely if a wrong approach is employed to solve the problem. To counter this issue, Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson in The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry: A Troubleshooting Guide for Church Leaders recommend church leaders to perform troubleshooting for the 7 deadly sins of small group ministries listed in the book.
7. Sacred Friend (Jesus 101 Bible Study Series)
Willow Creek Community Church. Bill’s Consulting with hundreds of churches. Conducting conferences and seminars worldwide.
Publisher – IVP Connect ISBN – 9780830821525 Language – English Print Length – 64 pages Publication date – July 22nd, 2010
The Jesus 101 Bible series was written by Bill Donahue in conjunction with Keri Wyatt Kent. The authors demystified the personality of Jesus and presented him as someone more relatable than we ordinarily thought. In the book, they presented Jesus as the supreme lord of the universe, and yet he is someone that desires our companion, he shares in our sufferings, understands our weakness, and will always be there for us. A you discover new ways Jesus fills our lives in the book, you may be filled with fresh love anew for him.
8. Parables & Prophecy: Unlocking the Bible’s Mysteries (Bible 101 Series)
How Jesus interacted with people in the scripture. How Jesus relates with people in the world today.
Publisher – IVP Connect ISBN – 9780830820665 Language – English Print Length – 64 pages Publication date – August 27th, 2010
In Parables & Prophecy: Unlocking the Bible’s Mysteries, Bill Donahue demystified the very difficult portions of the bible which are hard to relate with in contemporary times. According to the author, when we read a parable, several meanings might be attached to it, when we read a prophecy; we ask ourselves how it applies to us today and poetry and proverbs seem even more obscure. The book however presented a guide to understanding all these mysteries.
9. Leading Life-Changing Small Groups (Groups that Grow)
Small groups are pivotal to the effective running of any ministry.
Bible Poetry and Proverbs. Bible prophecies as it applies to us today. Church letters and their relevance today. Understanding parables and their interpretations.
Publisher – Zondervan Publishing Company ISBN – 9780310331261 Language – English Print Length – 240 pages Publication date – January 10th, 2012
They have the power to change lives, and also constitute a place where biblical truths meet reality. The book Leading Life-Changing Small Groups (Groups that Grow) apparently is an updated version of other books like Leading Life-Changing Small Groups, Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders, the new Building a Life-Changing Small Group Ministry and the supplemental Group Life Training DVD. It is ideal for pastors and leaders who are establishing or developing independent small groups.
10. Compassionate Healer (Jesus 101 Bible Study Series)
How to multiply the ministry. How to recruit and train leaders. How to foster a sense of belonging.
Publisher – ISBN – 9780830821563 Language – English Print Length – 64 pages Publication date – October 31st, 2005
Originally Jesus Compassionate Healer (Jesus 101 Bible Studies), Bill Donahue and Keri Wyatt Kent co-authored this life-changing book with the potential to heal wounds, restore broken relationships, cast out hatred, and curtail violence. All these are what Jesus stands for as the bible severally recorded how he cared for the sick, poor, hungry, weary, and outcasts in the society. one vital question Bill and Keri asked in the book is “Are you ready to meet the Compassionate Healer?”
Summary of the Best 10 Recommended Bill Donahue Books
Building a Life-Changing Small Group Ministry: A Strategic Guide for Leading Group Life in Your Church (Groups that Grow) Leading Life-Changing Small Groups Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders: A Comprehensive Guide for Developing Leaders of Groups and Teams (Groups that Grow) Walking the Small Group Tightrope: Meeting the Challenges Every Group Faces Coaching Life-Changing Small Group Leaders: A Practical Guide for Those Who Lead and Shepherd Small Group Leaders The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry: A Troubleshooting Guide for Church Leaders Sacred Friend (Jesus 101 Bible Study Series) Parables & Prophecy: Unlocking the Bible’s Mysteries (Bible 101 Series) Leading Life-Changing Small Groups (Groups that Grow) Compassionate Healer (Jesus 101 Bible Study Series)
Understanding who Jesus is. How Jesus interacted with people in bible times. How Jesus relates and fulfills our lives today.
