Sometimes people in your group need more than you're able to give.
Keith Wright
Sometimes a person in your small group needs more help than you can give—professional help from a counselor or pastor. Knowing when and to whom to refer is a humility -based art. It means acknowledging that you can not be all things to all people. Like any art, there are no hard and fast rules. However, some guidelines may be helpful.
When to Consider Referral
The person appears severely disturbed—hallucinating, considering suicide, unable to function.
With love and God's grace, significant healing can happen.
Pat J. Sikora
When Jim signed up for our Bible study, I didn't know any better than to accept him. Jim was often shunned in our singles group. He was small and scrawny, but had a loud, self-conscious laugh. He was quite bright, but had few social skills. There was really nothing wrong with Jim; he was just "different."
In those days many of us who led groups knew nothing about EGR (extra grace required) people. ...
Difficult people can be confusing and overwhelming to lead, having a framework in place can make the situation easier for you both.
Dr. Jim Jackson
You don't have to be a psychologist, a labor negotiator, a judge, or a marriage counselor to lead a small group but it probably wouldn't hurt. During the last 5 years, in my role as both a small group leader and a participant, I have seen sparks fly, problems fester, and tears flow. And on a few memorable occasions, I have encountered challenging, difficult people who have threatened to bring out ...
Is there a way to minister to your group, and still help a difficult person move deeper in their spiritual journey?
Bryan Parris
The words he was greeted with on Sunday morning hit him like a brick, "You've got to do something about Kathy, She's driving us all crazy!" Tony had been leading a small group for about a year, but recently, because of the growth of their church, they have gained a few new members. Kathy was one of those people.
At first, the group was really glad Kathy had joined the group, but now it was becoming ...
Practical guidelines for leading in a difficult situation
Betty Veldman-Wieland
Conflict is a normal part of small-group life. In fact, if we don't have conflict, someone is not being honest. People are just too different from one another to avoid it completely.
Personally, I do not like conflict. It makes me feel, well, conflicted! At the same time, I believe that understanding the nature of conflict and being prepared to deal with it as a small-group leader, coach, or staff ...
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