Pass a flower around the group and have each person tell what they like and dislike.
Tami Rudkin
Bring a flower with many petals, such as a daisy or rose, to your group meeting. While passing the flower from person to person your group will alternate completing the statement, "I love … " and "I strongly dislike … ". As each person completes their statement have them pull a petal off. Keep going until the petals are all gone.
Some words were coined for use only by the children of God, and such is the word, "hallelujah"!
Actually, the word is Hebrew, a compound of two words "hallal" and "jah". The first word, "hallal", means "to praise", and the word "jah" is the word for God, the same word which gives us the word Jehovah.
Simply put, the word means "praise be to God" or "praise the Lord". This was the same word which captured ...
If Martians were to visit your group and ask to be taken to your leader, they should end up meeting everyone!
During the early meetings, the leader must take the most initiative, but each member is contributing as well. Furthermore, leaders should delegate responsibilities from the very first meeting, for symbolic reasons if for nothing else.
Leaders should watch and encourage role playing within ...
At the beginning of a Growth Group cycle, during the acquaintance stage, there is often very little community in the group. Sometimes this is because of many newcomers to the group. But even if the group has recently multiplied, the community of the group still needs to be reestablished before other important stages in the group can occur, such as outreach. It would be great if everybody naturally ...
Advice on how to comfort a couple that has suffered a miscarriage, and what not to do.
Keith Wright
Last year we tragically lost a child to miscarriage. Being a visible pastoral couple, our private tragedy became public. Some people responded to our pain positively; others were not so tactful. Our small group ministered to us in incredible ways. We share our experience to help you comfort—in a grace-filled and restorative way—a friend or family member who has lost a baby.
How to make the study of body language work for you.
Michael C. Mack
"Susan, you look like you're thinking about something. Have you got something to add?"
"I do? Well, now that you mention it, I did want to say something."
How did this group leader know that Susan wanted to speak? He noticed that she was sitting on the edge of her chair, rubbing her chin, tapping her foot. In other words, he noticed her body language.
The "lively discussion" might be the point where life-change begins.
Teena M. Stewart
"Boy, did our small group ever have a lively discussion at our last meeting," said Debbie. Their group was studying I Corinthians. "When we got to I Corinthians 6:9, which talks about homosexuality, Dave said that God views it as an abomination."
Dave, Debbie's husband, was most likely recalling a scripture passage from Leviticus 2:13. The King James Version uses the term abomination in regard to ...
Make inclusion of older adults an intentional part of your small group planning and implementation.
Michael C. Mack
There isn't any! We'd probably all agree.
But do we—even unknowingly—limit participation of older adults in our small group ministries? You see, I'm not sold on the idea that older adults won't participate in small groups. Perhaps there are barriers to their participation, even self-imposed barriers, but I believe those can be overcome.
Maybe I'm naive, but I'm doing all I can to get some ...
Small group members can provide valuable insight when assessing an individual's spiritual gifts.
Robert Damon
Small group gatherings highlight multiple aspects of the spiritual community, and none more so than the unique gifts given by God to individual people for specialized roles and responsibilities. Spiritual gifts are more deeply discovered, enjoyed, and shared in the environment of close relationships — perfect for the small group.
Rare is the gathering of people who share the exact same mix of ...
I believe that small groups are the best place to practice spiritual gifts.
Joel Comiskey
"Joel, you're placing too much emphasis on small groups," the board member insisted. "I believe we should focus on developing more ministries in our church—like a social action program—so that people can truly exercise their spiritual gifts."
"But in the small groups they'll have a chance to exercise their gifts," I countered. "Those with the gift of mercy will have the opportunity to ...
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