Andy Blanks

RightNow Training Contributor
Director of Resource Development, Student Life

My name is Andy Blanks. I am currently the Director of Resource Development for Student Life. This means I get to work with a lot of really cool, really creative people to develop awesome small group resources. I live in Birmingham, AL with my wife and three daughters. My passion is communicating the powerful truth of God’s Word through writing, speaking, and teaching. I volunteer at my church teaching teenagers, adults, and even occasionally college students. I am most alive when I am in front of a group teaching through a passage of Scripture. I am a former Marine and a life long Boston Red Sox fan. Stop by andyblanks.com where there is usually always a lively conversation going on.

Andy Blanks Interview with Small Group Trader:

Small Group Trader: When did you decide to serve in Small Group Ministry?

Andy Blanks: I have been teaching small groups since I first became a Believer in 1997. My passion is teaching God’s Word. The community and transparency that small groups provide is the ideal environment for spiritual development.

Small Group Trader: What encouragement would you offer to small group leaders out there?

Andy Blanks: There are two statements I would offer. 1) Fellowship is important, but God’s Word is essential. The primary reason for small groups is to grow together in spiritual maturity. This is the picture we see in Acts 2:42-47. Deep investment in knowing and applying God’s Word must be at the heart of all small groups. 2) God’s Word is essential, but fellowship is important. As the leader of a small group, your job is to foster an environment where true community can grow. True community is defined by transparency and authenticity. These two elements can be messy. Don’t be afraid of it. The binding tie of Christ is strong enough to bear the weight of our heavy life issues.

Small Group Trader: In what ways have you and your spouse/family grown spiritually since you have been involved in this ministry?

Andy Blanks: As teachers, we grow when we prepare to bring God’s Word to the group. As co-learners, we grow when there is honest, lively discussion that grows out of the application of Scripture.

Small Group Trader: Why does small group ministry play such a critical role in the church today?

Andy Blanks: As the Mega Church continues to dominate the American church landscape, small groups quite literally become a person’s “church.” There is no real community in a worship center with 3,500 people in attendance. There is corporate worship, which is important. But community exists in the small group. When you are sick or brokenhearted or experiencing life’s various trials, your small group will be who ministers to you.

Website: andyblanks.com

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