Here is a post from my personal blog that may help you if you are leading a book study group! This entry was written in conjunction with 20 Top-Notch Relationship Resources: a solid list of books, messages and other resources to help anyone wanting to develop healthy relationships. Always remember this when reading or listening to anything: knowledge without action can be dangerous and destructive. Plenty of well-intended grown men and women have spent a lifetime “learning,” yet never put into practice what they are learning. The intellect easily becomes a god and can lead one down a path of disappointment.  This is the difference between a first-year med student (head knowledge) and a resident physician (actually putting into practice what they are learning). If I had to have surgery, I’d pick the resident over the student if I had to choose between the two!  The below principles may be used in a variety of different settings:

Getting the most out of your reading, a few options:
Read the book on your own and take actions steps to grow as you read
Read the book with your spouse and take steps to grow as you read
Read the book with a friend and discuss how you are growing as a result
Form a discussion group with friends and discuss how you are growing as a result
Blog about it and share with others what you are learning and practicing

Four questions you can ask in a group setting as you go through the book with others:
What ideas in this section did you resonate with the most?
What concepts in this section were the most challenging for you?
What was your favorite quote from this section?
What will you do this week as a result of this section?

These are four easy questions that you can bring to each book study session!  Ask the people in your group to come with thoughts on each of the four questions.  This will encourage them to read the section and really think about what it means for their life as they apply what they are learning.

Ways you can discuss the book or message:
In person at home or over coffee (you don’t need a link for this one).
Tokbox. You’ll need and internet connection and a camera
FreeConferenceCall.com. Free and easy to use.
Set up a Facebook group.
Do an online chat via Babelwith.me- a free chat tool from LifeChurch.tv that will translate 45 different languages.

Finding others to go through the book
Ask them in person
Send a text or email
Put a twitter invite out to see who may be interested
Put a FB message out
As you talk with friends, ask if they would be interested
Pick the book, the people, the time and the place you will discuss it. Now go!

Tips for learning success
Be patient. It may take awhile to get your first taker!
Be intentional. Don’t just pick something. Identify where you would like to grow and find a resource that will help you in that area.
Be selfless. Who else can you help in your quest to learn?
Be creative. Think outside the box and do something different.
Be action-oriented. Don’t just read. Truly learn and change.

What other thoughts or tips do you have in regards to reading, learning and mobilizing others to grow? Need tips on what books to check out?  Here is a great collective list of popular books of 2009 from my friend Scott Williams.