Heather Zempel oversees the community life at a multisite church in Washington, D.C., a challenging population with one of the highest relocation rates in the United States. And yet under her leadership, National Community Church has become a model for creative, dynamic, deep small group ministry.Drawing from her background as an environmental engineer (including such bizarre experiences as monitoring a pig lagoon and the unintended slaughter of a hundred innocent fish), Heather Zempel assesses the perils and possibilities inherent in small groups and other environments for Christian community. The book helps leaders begin to see the inherent "mess" of such gatherings as raw material for arriving at something beautiful. Read this book and discover fresh insights into how we can support one another's unique paths to maturity in Christ while maintaining cohesion as a community and blessing the world around us.

Heather Zempel is the discipleship pastor at National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Before serving at her church, Zempel served in the U.S. Senate as an environment and energy policy advisor from 2001-2005. She has previously published Sacred Roads: Exploring the Historic Paths of Discipleship including DVD leader guides with Threads/Lifeway. Zempel blogs at www.heatherzempel.com.