Q & A
Q & A Discussion: Dave Treat
What is the best way to train new small-group leaders before they take over a group?
| Topics: | Apprentice, Coaching, Mentoring, New groups, New leader, Training |
| Filters: | Apprentice, Coach, Group Leader, Train |
| Purpose: | Discipleship |
| References: |  |
| Date Added: | March 15, 2010 |
I usually try to sidestep the "one best way" trap, but this is an exception: there is only one effective way to train small-group leaders.
There are two critical dimensions of small-group leadership: The spiritual maturity component takes the most time to develop and happens in the heart. We usually call this process spiritual formation or discipleship. But there is also a skills component in small-group leadership—recruiting people, leading discussions, encouraging and shepherding group members, motivating them for service, dealing with difficult people, and so on. Skills can be learned quickly "on the job," given opportunity and supervision. Both maturity and skills are necessary to make a great small-group leader, and the best training combines them in a single developmental approach.
You can think of that approach as "discipleship plus," but most people just call it apprenticeship.
I would define an apprentice this way: "Someone who is learning to lead a small group by leading a small group." They learn by doing, under the supervision of a seasoned (mature and skilled) leader. Apprenticeship is closely related to mentoring: a developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person— a protégé.
The apprentice grows in maturity along with the rest of the small group, but he or she receives special attention and more pointed direction from the mentoring leader. The goal is not only the spiritual development of the apprentice, but their ultimate ability to shepherd the development of Christ-likeness in others. See 2 Timothy 2:22 if you have any questions.
The beauty of skill training within a small group is that the whole group benefits from observing and contributing to the process. Group members—playing the roles of themselves!—offer perfect examples of the kinds of encounters that the new leader will ultimately face in his or her own group. As the apprentice takes on additional group responsibilities, the whole group can provide encouragement while learning skills that they may be able to use someday.
Here's the last word: the great thing about apprenticeship is that your new leaders will resemble the existing ones. The frightening, exasperating, and insomnia-inducing truth is that your new leaders will resemble the existing ones. Great leaders reproduce themselves—but so do lousy ones. Before you pressure existing leaders to develop apprentices, spend some time in prayer and investigation as to whether that's really a good idea. Otherwise you may end up multiplying your problems along with your leadership base.
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Apprenticeship is a great concept and probably works well if you have an existing network of small groups. But what do you do in a small church when you don't have any leaders? Where do your original leaders come from?
Good article. I especially like the part about how the student will become like the teacher. From Luke 6:40 ""but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." Small group point people need to be in prayer about who we recruit/allow to lead.
Meaningful Prayer in Small Groups
Resources to train leaders to deepen group prayer
Small-Group Apprentice: Orientation Guide
Basic training for new and potential small-group apprenticessee more downloads
