Helps for Group Leaders
Helps for Group Leaders
Small groups play an important role in the history of God’s people as set out in the Bible. After Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, Moses divided the nation into thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Trustworthy people were appointed over these groups to teach God’s law and show them the way to live (Exodus 18:18-26). When we turn to the story of the church in the New Testament, we see it wasn’t long before the number of believers became too great for ministry to be effective through meetings of the whole group. So they divided up into small groups, meeting in individual homes. These served to complement the meetings of the wider groups. Some of their characteristics are set out for us in Acts 2:42-47:
□ they were able to learn together as they drew on the teaching of the apostles
□ they worshiped and prayed together in response to what they saw of God’s activity among them
□ they experienced fellowship as they ate together and took practical steps to meet one another’s needs
Although we can gain much from studying on our own, there are several additional benefits from studying together in groups:
□ it helps us to guard against and correct error and imbalance
□ we can encourage one another in working out the practical implications of what we are studying
□ we can work through difficult issues together, sharing insights and observations which we might otherwise miss
□ older Christians can provide a model of how to study for younger Christians
If you are leading a group through a study of this book, you will likely enjoy all of these benefits.
Such groups should not be seen as an opportunity for a lecture, with the leader as a budding preacher, but as an opportunity for all group members to contribute their insights for the benefit of all. This is why good relationships are so important. Initially, as group members get to know each other, relationships will probably be shallow and sharing will be superficial. But gradually, as trust deepens, barriers will come down and a greater openness will come about. There will be an increasing readiness to listen to one another, and commitment to the group will grow. This doesn’t happen automatically, though. One of the responsibilities that go with leading such groups is the willingness to pray and to work so that the group will work really well together.
Preparing
Make sure you set aside some time to prepare for the group meeting. Pray for yourself and for each individual taking part. Ask God to give each of you the spiritual gifts of “wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better” (Ephesians 1:17). Wisdom indicates the right attitude of humility and obedience toward God; revelation points to the activity of the Holy Spirit in unveiling truth to our minds and building it into our lives.
Read through the relevant section in this book, together with the key Bible passages. As you look through the suggested questions, try to anticipate how they might be answered. If necessary, amend them in order to make them easier for your group to understand.
Leading the Group Session
1. It makes a great difference if the leader arrives early and is ready to welcome members by name as they arrive. Making people feel at ease creates a positive atmosphere from the start. The group’s behavior is likely to reflect your attitude as its leader—if you are relaxed, expectant, open and enthusiastic, they will be too. Pray for the fruits of love, joy and peace to be seen in you as you lead.
2. Arrange the chairs so that each person can see all the others. Ensure an adequate supply of air, heat and light, and try to forestall any possible distractions like ringing phones.
3. Begin promptly at the stated time. Some groups find it helpful to have tea or coffee available as people arrive, while others prefer to have refreshments available for those who are able to stay afterward.
4. Welcome any new members and ask them to introduce themselves to the group. Explain the purpose and the format of the meeting and when you expect it to finish.
5. Open with a brief act of worship together, perhaps an appropriate song or hymn and certainly a prayer. Ask God to help you discover his truth as you study together. Pray for the ability to listen and help one another. Either lead this yourself or ask a group member in advance to do so.
6. Go through the questions and lead the group into discussion.
7. Leave time for summing up. This can often be the most profitable part of a discussion, as practical applications are drawn out and people share the points that have meant most to them.
8. Make time for prayer at the end. In your earlier sessions together, it might be best to have a period of silence followed by a brief closing prayer. Later, as the group’s sense of fellowship deepens, pray together about what you have learned. Keep prayers audible, brief, Christ-centered and specific, with everyone able to participate (even if not all speak out loud). Start the ball rolling yourself, and make it clear when you are drawing to a close by praying a general blessing.
9. End on time, no matter how interesting the members are finding the study; there may be someone who will be seriously inconvenienced if you do not finish on time. Those who want to can continue the discussion afterward.
Guidelines for Discussion
1. Each person needs to know that their contributions, however small, are appreciated. Acknowledge what is said, but don’t feel that you need to repeat or add to everything that others say. If you always make a strong response, you will come across like a schoolteacher! It’s usually worth pausing expectantly to allow someone else to come in with a response to the previous contributor. If the next speaker is critical or goes off on a tangent, be prepared to intervene and refer back to the original point in case it gets lost.
2. Set an example as a good listener. Resist the temptation to make all the good points yourself!
3. If you disagree with what someone says, do not be too quick to cut in and correct it. As the leader, you will have plenty of opportunity to state another point of view later. Meanwhile, allow space for other group members to contribute their perspectives.
4. If you don’t understand what someone has said, say so. You probably won’t be the only one, and other group members will appreciate your honesty. The same applies if someone asks a question that no one can answer. Admit you don’t know, and offer to try to find out in time for the next meeting.
5. If you ask a question and it is greeted with complete silence, don’t leap in with an answer immediately but try rephrasing it to make it clearer. Give people time to think, and don’t be afraid of creative silences.
Dealing with Problems
1. How do you encourage the people who never speak? This is not a simple problem and calls for great care and sensitivity. Some members may just be shy; watch for opportunities to encourage them when they look as though they might have something to say. At the same time, remember that some people may have a stutter or be very nervous. For them, speaking in a group may be an ordeal.
2. You may have a “dictator” within the group who leaps in and answers every question and dominates the discussion. Such individuals need to see that others would profit more by being allowed to express the truth themselves. Be firm with such people. You may need to ask questions of others by name or specify, “Let’s have someone who hasn’t yet spoken answer this one.” If necessary, speak to the person privately during the week and ask them to hold back until others have had a chance.
3. Perhaps the group includes someone with an extensive knowledge of cross-references, doctrinal intricacies and quotations. This can be a useful resource for die group, but not if it is continually on display! Don’t allow the group to feel intimidated. Ask such people to ground what they know in insights that are specific and practical.
4. What do you do with red herrings—issues and hobbyhorses that distract from the main point? Some must be firmly but politely ignored. Others can perhaps be left to be discussed afterward. If you promise this during the meeting, don’t forget to deliver! Sometimes red herrings can be turned to good account, as Jesus did in John 4:19-25.
5. Some people find it hard to settle down to the study, and they distract the group by going off on tangents and coming up with a stream of unhelpful comments. Don’t hesitate to restrain such behavior. Ask yourself what you can do to help such an individual feel more secure in the group.
6. You may have someone who concentrates on controversial side issues rather than the main point under discussion. Refuse to be drawn off course; offer instead to talk through such points at another time.
7. Don’t steer clear of difficult issues, or frustration will build up in the group. It’s sometimes important to let conflicts be brought out into the open by allowing different points of view to be heard. If things begin to overheat, your job is not to take sides but to draw discussion to a conclusion by summarizing the opposing points of view. Then move on firmly!
8. Beware! Groups sometimes wander because members are so involved with their own answers that they neglect to listen to what others are saying. Set an example yourself by demonstrating your own appreciation of each contribution that is made.