How to Spice Up Your Meetings

55 ways to spice up your small group time.

Here are 55 great ways to spice up your next small group meeting!

  1. Meet outdoors.

  2. Invite an unchurched neighbor.

  3. Read from a different Bible translation.

  4. Show a pertinent video clip.

  5. Divvy up all the responsibilities.

  6. Let recent additions to the group participate by giving them an assigned task.

  7. Bring an exotic dessert or dish.

  8. Invite someone from another country/cultural background.

  9. Give out a door prize.

  10. Serve communion.

  11. Have someone share a testimony.

  12. Substitute caffeinated coffee for the de-caf.

  13. Confess failures and pray for one another.

  14. Go to a nearby nursing home and visit the residents.

  15. Pile into someone's van, go to Wal-Mart, and put together a missionary care package.

  16. Take 10 minutes to have each person write an encouraging note to someone on your pastoral staff.

  17. Call a church-supported missionary on someone's speaker phone.

  18. Log on to the Internet and give each group member a couple of minutes to write a quick e-note to a church member serving in the military or to a college student studying in another state.

  19. Have the group take turns sharing what they appreciate about each member.

  20. Have a potluck.

  21. Have a barbecue.

  22. Agree to babysit the children of all the new moms in your church so they can run errands.

  23. Gather in a kitchen, bake chocolate chip cookies, and then deliver them in the neighborhood.

  24. Watch a missions video.

  25. Gather at the church and clean up (or paint or organize) a particular room (get permission first!).

  26. Have a "theme night." For more details see the book Supper Club by Michael Kendrick (Baker).

  27. Pray less than normal.

  28. Pray more than normal.

  29. Don't lecture!

  30. Draw out your quieter members with gentle questions.

  31. Take up a collection for a worthy cause.

  32. Sing some praise choruses.

  33. Have everyone pray out loud at the same time.

  34. Assign someone to read short selections from the writings of a noted Christian author.

  35. Do a "wild and crazy" mixer.

  36. Plan a worthwhile service project.

  37. Give your group a "personality" test so folks can get a better understanding and appreciation of one another.

  38. Have your group take a "spiritual gifts" survey (your pastor can help you find one).

  39. Have each member list one (small!) home-improvement "project" they've been meaning to accomplish. Make a six-month schedule for helping each other complete these projects.

  40. Dress formally and eat fancy hors d'oeuvres off fine china.

  41. Do a gift exchange (for under $3).

  42. Tell folks to bring their best clean joke or funny story. Take turns sharing.

  43. Give your apprentice sole responsibility of the meeting. Agree to consult and advise, but be "in the background" at the actual meeting.

  44. Pass out a group survey. Have members evaluate (anonymously!) all aspects of the group.

  45. Have someone read a psalm (or two or three) while everyone else closes their eyes.

  46. Play a game.

  47. Pray through the day's newspaper.

  48. Have each person share one personal goal for the next month for which they'd like accountability and prayer.

  49. Plan an overnight group camping trip.

  50. Give out silly awards to group members (don't tease too hard!)

  51. Using someone's digital camcorder, shoot and edit a "mini-movie" (e.g. an acted out Bible story, etc.) for future viewing.

  52. Greet one another with a holy kiss (heh, heh!).

  53. Change your meeting time to Saturday a.m. and have a huge breakfast together (pancakes, bacon, eggs, biscuits, juice, coffee—the works!)

  54. Meet in a new, different place.

  55. Meet in a public place.

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