Sharing your faith in Christ might not be as difficult as you think.
by Life Together
Does the very thought of sharing your faith with an unbeliever make you sweat? If so, as a leader you understand exactly what the rest of your group feels regarding evangelism. There's nothing more important for a leader than empathy.
Because you know how they feel, a principle you need to pass on to your group is how simple and natural it can be to offer Christ's love to people.
Note: This article has been excerpted from the SmallGroups.com training tool called Family Friendly Small Groups.
When I speak at conferences or seminars, I ask people to write down the areas of ministry they are involved in and then prioritize them. Sadly, the majority of people never list one of the most important ministries entrusted to them by their Heavenly Father: their own family. It's the ministry ...
Know the dangers involved with teaching what you never meant to teach.
Sam O'Neal
My wife and I were visiting Southern California on vacation when we decided to stop by Mission San Juan Capistrano—an adobe chapel complex founded by Franciscan monks in 1776. In the back of the mission was a small replica of the gardens that produced much of the monks' food for hundreds of years.
As I walked through the garden, I noticed a large sign tacked in front of a particularly leafy bush. ...
An in-depth look at some of the Master Teacher's methods
Greg Carlson
Jesus involved his disciples in a special style of learning experiences. And as rock-solid teachers, we have the privilege of following the Master Teacher's model. Consider the three different aspects of learning situations: awareness, truth, and experience.
Awareness. Awareness is when the student's motivation has been developed. The student hungers for the content of the lesson. Teaching for awareness occurs when you build the need for knowledge in a student's life. Bruce Wilkinson states that when you build the need, you provide the main method of motivation in a student's life. This is our primary calling, because it brings the student's real need to the surface before we teach him or her the "content."
Practical advice for one of a group leader's most important roles
Joel Comiskey
Peter, a member of my small group, recently accepted my challenge to lead four consecutive lessons. Two of them were as dry as a bone, while the others stirred exciting discussion. What was the difference? Peter's questions. In all four lessons, he listened intently, called individual members by name, and was careful not to dominate. On only two occasions, however, did he use questions that stimulated ...
Helping your group retain information is a big step toward life-change.
Mike Shepherd
Leading a small group Bible study requires that the facilitator have some basic understanding of how people best learn truth. While giving information is part of leading people to transformation, it is not the end result we want. Our goal in any Bible study is to lead people to experience a changed life as a result of applying God’s Word to their daily lives. Keep the following principles in mind ...
Appealing to all five senses will bring another level to your small-group experience.
Sue Skalicky
The aroma was unmistakable. A hot, yeasty, full fragrance was beginning to fill the air as our small group discussed the Passover. I was awed by the idea of Jesus washing the disciples' feet and convicted by His willingness to break bread with Judas, the one who would soon betray him. Our discussion of God's provision and Jesus' obedience was passionate. The heady scent of the bread was adding to ...
Understanding the difference is vital to life-changing transformation.
Joel Comiskey
I love education, and I've dedicated my life to learning. But I must constantly remind myself that learning should never become an end in itself. The goal of all learning is obedience to God's Word, thus giving glory to his name.
The Hebrew word for obey means "to hear." To truly hear God's Words implies obedience, as opposed to simply receiving information. James writes, "Do not merely listen to ...
Highly effective group leaders generally don't just walk into your office—they are developed over time.
Greg Bowman
I have always believed that leading a small group is not rocket science. You can take people with moldable hearts and teachable spirits and shape them into average group leaders. However, who wants to be average? Who hungers for mediocrity?
What we want to be—and to have in our ministry—is highly effective small group leaders who truly "get it." We seek leaders who understand the vision ...
The support of friends and the regular meeting times of a small group provide the balance of accountability and encouragement needed to consistently memorize Scripture. Here are three methods to help you pursue this spiritual discipline.
Topical Memory System. This product of The Navigators prints individual verses on small cards and organizes them around various themes (growing in Christ, living victoriously, etc.). Set a goal of learning one verse per meeting. Reserve a few minutes at the beginning of your group time to quiz one another. For product information, call you local bookstore or 1-800-366-7788.
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