For Churches, Groups and Educators
A story is a better opener than a worksheet
Written by someone who has actually had to fill a Wednesday night: a pastor of ten years who now works as a hospital chaplain.
Why a pastor wrote fiction
Bryant led Christian churches for over ten years across a variety of denominations, and he has worked as a hospital chaplain. He has run the small groups and the youth nights, and watched a good discussion die the moment it started to feel like school.
He also ran a church built entirely around houses rather than a building. Groups met in homes for a season at a time with three jobs: gather as a team, grow as followers of Jesus, and go into the neighbourhood to find a need and meet it. Then start again.
Then he made a podcast where non-believers did the preaching, which tells you something about his appetite for a safe conversation.
These books come out of that. They leave the question open, which is what you want when you need a group to talk rather than nod.
The house-church idea, in two minutes
He made this in 2016 to explain the model. Dated, and still the clearest version of the thinking behind the books.
The idea, explained in a couple of minutes.
Where these work
- Kids and youth groups. A chapter read aloud gives you a way in that does not feel like a lesson.
- Parent and child reading. Two people, one story, two takeaways, one conversation.
- Church libraries. Fiction a kid will choose voluntarily and that you are not nervous about.
- Homeschool groups. Faith-adjacent fiction that is a story first.
- Gifts. Signed copies for a leavers' gift, a confirmation class, or a graduating group.
Group and bulk orders
For a class, a youth group, a church library or a whole small group, talk to Bryant rather than ordering one at a time. He can sign each copy to the individual person, which for a leavers' gift is worth doing properly.
He is also open to talking to your group, in person or on a call. He would want to be straight with you about what that looks like before promising anything.