Learn from these often-overlooked keys to making the most of your small-group lesson.
by Terry Powell
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This article examines a taken-for-granted aspect of discussion-leading. Below, you'll find several important things to keep in mind when responding to group members' participation.
Exhibit enthusiasm
When you lead quality Bible discussions, people will find fresh, "I've never thought of that before" insights. In response to a study question, participants may notice a truth for the very first time, ...
Learn to understand people and help them understand themselves.
by Doug Self
Note: This article has been excerpted from the SmallGroups.com training tool called Becoming a Great Listener.
Editor's note: This material was originally written to help pastors improve their listening skills while visiting church members in their homes. It has been adapted for small groups.
According to Robert L. Montgomery, author of Listening Made Easy, the ten most common characteristics of a good ...
I was one of the few Christians in my fraternity at the University of Michigan. I hit on the idea of leading a Bible study as a way of sharing my faith with the guys in the house. I announced this would be a free and open discussion concerning God and life, kicked off each week by a passage from the Bible. Privately, I was committed to using the time as a way of convincing them to believe the gospel. ...
Sometimes the most important part of clearing up misunderstandings is talking about them.
by Life Together
Recently, my grown daughter asked me to join her in attending six sessions on learning one's purpose in life. I decided it would be wonderful to spend some time together since my daughter was soon to be married.
In preparation for the study, I pondered my purpose in life. I specifically contemplated how I raised my children to know God.
As a mother, I knew that I needed to teach my children values that ...
Using regular dice or blocks of wood designed to look like dice, begin playing. Let each member roll the dice and they must complete the sentence found below that corresponds with the number on their roll. If they roll an 11 or 12 they have the opportunity to ask a question of their choice to any group member. If they roll doubles they pass their question to the person on their right.
A fun way to share candy and interesting facts about yourself
Tami Rudkin
As people come into your group meeting pass a bag of M&Ms and ask them to take some. Be vague. Don't tell them how many or why. Simply ask them to take as many as they want and that everyone should take a least one. When everyone has chosen their M&Ms have them share as many facts about themselves as they have M&Ms. For example, it they took three M&Ms then they need to tell the group three things ...
We are called to encourage each other towards righteousness, but confrontation is never an easy situation.
Steven Reames
Nobody likes to confront bad behavior. Most employers wait until the last possible minute before calling their subordinates on the carpet. Temper tantrums in grocery stores can be embarrassing for parents, but spanking your child in public brings "child abuse charge" fears to mind. Even worse, when confrontation is handled poorly in a church setting, legal retribution is only one thing leaders have ...
Some tips for transitioning adult Sunday School classes into small groups.
Mike Shepherd
During the 1990s I had the opportunity to serve two churches as the Christian Education pastor. One of my primary responsibilities at both of those churches was to lead them in the area of transitioning the medium-sized and large-sized adult Sunday school classes into small groups. One church responded with moderate success, while the other had phenomenal success and has become a teaching model for ...
An innovative way to spur your congregation towards evangelism
Dan Lentz
This year I had the opportunity to attend and lead some workshops at two training events sponsored by Easum, Bandy, and Associates. One of the more powerful vision casting tools that I watched in one of the main sessions was a training talk in the form of dramatic email dialog that occurred between two individuals. The emails were read and visuals (emoticons) were put up on the screen at appropriate ...
Printer view of these results
