Outflow

I felt conflicted about Outflow when it first came in. I really liked the idea (subtitle – outward-focused living in a self-focused world) and felt that it would be really good. However, it has been my experience that material from Group has been really watered down to include as many types of churches as possible. I started looking over the book & found it quite simple (in an over the top way). I felt the authors were writing to unbelievers, but marketing to believers.

I previewed the Small Group DVD sessions (5 sessions, 20 minutes or so each) and found the lessons to be very sound and quite inspiring. The basic gist of the study is that by having the right relationship with God, and being filled with him each day, we will naturally have an abundance of love pouring out of us and we should use that over abundance to love others and thereby show them the love of God.

I like that in 5 sessions on outreach, 2 of them were spent on getting your own relationship right with God. The studies were very engaging, fast paced, interactive and, again, quite inspiring. Interspersed throughout the DVD teaching are pauses with questions to discuss in your small group. The questions are well-written and do a good job of sparking conversation. Overall, a great study on outreach, that centers the focus on God.