“Keeping watch on the clock is a good habit that helps build consistency and trust within the group.” During your Small Group gathering each week, keep these three time-management tips in mind: 1. Starting It is rare when everyone in the group arrives on time, but starting on time (regardless of the latecomers) is important for several reasons. It sets a consistent precedence. (If you often start 5-10 minutes late, it will likely just become part of people’s schedules and expectations.) Starting on time shows respect to those who arrived on time. Also, it allows you to stick with your…
The Pit Doesn’t Last Forever
“He was patient during my bitter doubts knowing that eventually His power and purpose would unfold.” I didn’t always have such a fond opinion of Psalm 40. In December of 2005 I wrote out the first verses of this Psalm in a journal. I included some skeptical, critical, and angry thoughts about how I doubted it’s reality. My wife and I were at the beginning of a difficult valley. We had two choices: Give up and walk away from God and each other, or push forward even though the road seemed entirely uncertain. In the months that followed, we saw…
How to Navigate Discussion
“If you are not careful to keep your hands on the controls, there are several in your group who are ready and willing to chart a new course.” Every Small Group is filled with a variety different types of people. Even people with much in common usually have wildly different characteristics – especially when it comes to group discussion. Your goal as a Small Group leader is to bring everyone into the conversation. Like a pilot of an airplane, you have a destination in mind. If you are not careful to keep your hands on the controls, there are several…
The Landing: An Example
“People are more likely to remember and act on one substantial item each week.” (This article is an example for the concept described here: The Landing) How do you develop your lesson plan and discussion questions to reach a specific concept, point of interest, or action item by the end of the discussion? Many rich concepts Let’s say you are studying through the book of Ephesians. This week you plan to cover Ephesians 2:1–10. There are many rich concepts in these ten verses. For instance, here are some of them… Everyone was once dead and held captive by…
The Landing
“Your group won’t remember everything from the discussion each week. If they only remember one thing, what should it be?” They won’t remember Try all you like, but your group won’t remember everything you discuss together each week. But that’s not something to lose sleep over – instead, leverage it for a positive outcome. Determine the landing Imagine you are the pilot of a plane taking the passengers to a specific destination each week. What is that destination? Where do you plan to “land the plane”? Although you may cover plenty of distance with your group during a particular…