Examining the phenomenon of the basic community drawing upon the author's first-hand experience - groups of the poor in Central and Southern America, outside the parish structure and often without a priest, who come together to form basic Christian communities - this book seeks to apply the model to churches in the First World and also as a means to communicate with people who are not practising Christians. These chapters include a variety of examples of successful, and not-so-successful, initiatives that have already taken place in the UK and the USA. Margaret Hebblethwaite is the co-author of The Theology of Penance and the author of Motherhood and God, Through Lent With Luke and Finding God In All Things.