What Mark Taylor Has to Say About Small Group Vital Signs

This is the third post in a series of blogs sharing what some friends and small group leadership partners are saying about Small Group Vital Signs. Today I’m grateful for my friend and one of my biggest supporters and encouragers, Mark Taylor. 

“Finally! A book about small groups to help us decide  we should have small groups and to know whether our small groups are fulfilling a biblical purpose. Although this book is practical, it is refreshingly devoid of self-centered trendiness. Those just starting a small groups program—and those who have led small groups for years—must read this book to evaluate what they’re doing!”

I met Mark Taylor nearly 25 years ago (could it really be that long?) at Standard Publishing in Cincinnati. At the time, I had been a Christian about a month and sensed God calling me as a writer and editor in a Christian publishing company. So I met with Mark, Sam Stone, and Gene Wigginton at the Standard offices. I remember the puzzled looks on their faces as they tried to explain that their editors had not only been Christians a long time, but many had been in ministry for years. I guess I was pretty relentless, so they suggested I check out Cincinnati Bible College and maybe take some classes. I went to the campus that day and registered. Two months later I started work on my MA in Christian Education with an emphasis in journalism in the seminary. About six months after that, John Sample called me and offered me a job at Standard as his assistant. Another six months later, when Mark moved from editing The Lookout to adult books and curriculum, I was offered the associate editor position at The Lookout, where I first started writing about small groups in a column we called “Growing in Groups.” The next year Mark asked me to join his team editing adult books and curriculum. I had no idea what I was doing, but God was obviously in control!