Creative Community

Discussions can be the primary method by which people grow in small groups. Learning to lead good discussions takes time and practice. Use the following thoughts to work on your abilities leading discussion. View the 10 Commandments for Leading Discussions here. Prepare “good” questions prior to the meeting Have you ever been part of a discussion that went absolutely no where? One of the most important tasks a small group leader needs to execute is GOOD PREPARATION. If your group is going to engage in a good discussion, that will ONLY HAPPEN if you are willing to take the time beforehand to prepare good questions. You can follow these steps to prepare good questions ahead of time: 1) Plan. Set aside ample time for preparation. This time will include prayer, study, contemplation, and writing so 15 minutes before your group meeting is probably not enough. You need to set a time, block it off on your calendar, and honor that commitment to yourself. 2) Pray. T...

Small groups are a critical part of discipleship ministry. They give believers the opportunity to develop healthy relationships and grow in community. The best small groups utilize discussions to enable growth in each person. Below are 10 steps which will help you lead effective discussions. In the coming days, I'll write more about each of the steps: 1. Prepare “good” questions prior to the meeting 2. Create a climate of acceptance 3. Actively listen to each person 4. Affirm all legitimate expressions of opinion from your group members 5. “Peel the Onion” with questions 6. Be careful about taking sides in a “debate” 7. Allow for humor and rabbit trails 8. Don’t be afraid of silence. 9. Deal with discussion killers. 10. Be a facilitator, not an expert.

James wrote, "You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry." How would your communication with others change (improve) if you allowed this piece of wisdom to drive your conversations? I've heard it said that God designed us to communicate well by giving us two ears and one mouth. Therefore we should listen twice as much as we speak. While this may not be a theologically accurate statement, the idea of listening more than speaking carries much value. Communication is about more than just speaking and listening though. Effective communication is about UNDERSTANDING . Listening alone is very rarely enough to gain understanding and speaking alone is rarely enough to create understanding. A third piece is not just helpful, it's necessary. Effective communication also requires asking. LISTEN: Understanding begins with listening. It's not enough to simply "hear" what someone else is saying, I need to fully give m...

This is a small group exercise designed for brave and self-directed groups who easily engage one another in meaningful discussion. Whether you do this in a group meeting, or around a table at Starbucks, this is a chance to interact with one another about real life stuff, using the Bible as your foundation for wisdom. To get the full value from this exercise, you must be committed to Scripture rather than your own wisdom! Before you begin, take a moment and have each person say one encouraging thing to the person sitting to their left. Read James 1:19 in unison. Remind the group that the three virtues identified in this verse are central to every group's growth. Have one person read James 1:22-25. Tell the group you'll be doing an exercise which will give them all the opportunity to be a DOER instead of just a HEARER. Take turns. Let one person share a personal struggle they are currently having. As a group, ask questions and listen closely so you can gain a f...

FOCUS YOUR SMALL GROUP BY MAKING YOUR TIME TOGETHER A BLUR B reak Bread Whether you enjoy an entire meal together or simply have popcorn and drinks, sharing food is a great way to break down barriers and promote openness. Relationships grow exponentially quicker when food is involved. L earn About Each Other Before you dive into Bible study or watching a video, take a few minutes to learn one another’s stories. Answering one or two questions each week leads to great discussion and can often become a powerful bonding time that everyone looks forward. Use crowd-breaker questions, or steal cards from a game like Zobmondo or Would You Rather. U npack God’s Word You might watch a video, read a book together, or work your way through a section of the Bible. Whatever you are doing to promote spiritual growth, do it in a way that empowers every group member to participate and own the process. Open-ended discussion questions are usually the best way to get people egaged ...

Dr. James Scott says at his blog : There's nothing magical about small groups! What?!?! Seriously. Many people believe that small groups are some kind of magic bullet that can cure every ill known to man and the church. They aren't. In fact, I would go a step further and say that there is NOTHING in and of small groups themselves that makes them special. However, small groups with the right perspective can be a different story. Here's what Scott say in the rest of his post: Simply getting a group of people to meet together regularly doesn't, by itself, transform the church, result in revival, instantly produce mature Christians, or meet the needs of those meeting together. What does make small groups vital parts of the church that impact congregations and communities is the motive of the group participants. When Christians come together to share life as the body of Christ on earth, as the early Christians we read about in the Book of Acts did, th...

An article by Dennis McCallum points out eleven reasons "home groups" fail. We use the term LIFEGroups, but these eleven "reasons" provide interesting food for thought. We'll talk a little about them this Sunday at our Driver's Summit. Read the whole article by clicking here. Read the main points below: 1. They are often not based on New Testament theory 2. The wrong criteria are sometimes followed for the selection of leaders 3. Frequently, insufficient authority is given to the leaders 4. The groups may have an unhealthy inward-focus 5. There is often no provision for church discipline within the small group 6. All groups may be the same, rather than diversified and matched to their members 7. There may be no adequate equipping offered to would-be leaders 8. The church may set no multiplication goals, and may have no good plan for multiplying home groups 9. Small groups are sometimes viewed as peripheral rather than central to the li...