If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17
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These pages are designed to aid study or investigation for Christian discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing each person to use their own Bible.
Groups are a great place for growth. There is the opportunity to bounce ideas around among a trusted group. There is the opportunity to share how we are feeling in a safe environment. Groups however don’t just work by themselves. A skilful leader can make a huge difference. This skill is not something that people have, it must be developed and the only way to develop it is with experience!
Help Zone
- Group Dynamics - Knowing how groups work helps you to lead them well.
- Discussion Dynamics - How to keep everyone engaged and on track.
- Crafting Questions - How to work out questions to develop a discussion.
- Writing Study Guides - How to write your own materials.
A group has a life of its own. If you understand how groups work they are much easier to lead. Since a group has a life of its own, if you understand how they work you can develop strategies that will enable you to stay ahead of the group or redirect it if it goes off track. By doing this you can help the group reach its aims and thus serve the group members.
There are a number of key dynamics for groups to work. Here are some thoughts on practicalities. It is worth looking at the next page Environments for growth, which sets out a Biblical framework for these suggestions..
- Purpose - without purpose groups tend to fizzle out.
- Groups & Leaders - Groups without leadership tend to stagnate.
- Bonded groups relate - Groups work best when relationships are good.
- Groups prefer patterns - If patterns are broken some lose heart and leave.
- Group dynamics - Dynamics change as the group size changes.
More detail on Group DynamicsHow can you lead a discussion? How do you handle difficult group members with tact? How do you guide a group through an issue to a conclusion? Helping group members relate with each other? How do you handle silence in a group? Anyone who has led a group for any length of time will be familiar with these age old questions.
Good discussions only happen by themselves when there is considerable maturity in the group. Developing a good group dynamic is a skill, and provides an opportunity to serve in many contexts. Here are some key factors that it is worth being aware of -
- How knowledgeable? - Know the knowledge of the group to balance discussion and teaching.
- Lead with questions - Questions help people think and direct the conversation.
- Where are you going? - Plan out the time to cover the subject matter.
- Guiding Questions - you can develop the dynamics through guidance questions.
- Involve Others - When one dominates, questions can break a monopoly
- Head off diversions - Questions bring diverted discussions to the point.
- Handling silence - Silence is needed but often intimidates new leaders.
- Dominating Members - Ask for help to lead the group.
- Seating - Try to arrange seating so all will be comfortable and see each other..
- Time - Keeping to the agreed time builds trust with the group members..
- Evaluation - Evaluating the group dynamic can help the leader develop.
More detail on Discussion Dynamics
Questions are the key to a good discussion. Questions take the focus off oneself. Questions give the initiative to the group. Questions help people engage with the issue at hand. Questions help people to think. Good questions can help people move from intellect to action.
Taking a group through a set of material, helping them to engage with it and deepen their understanding involves a process, and each stage of this process requires a different type of question.
We will be looking at a variety of question types and how they are put together for a discussion.
- Overview of discussion - Key stages are Launch, Understand, Summarise/Apply.
- Discovery or Launch - Help participants engage with material to be discussed.
- Understanding - Look in depth and honesty about what is challenging.
- Application - What impact is this going to have in how we live and act.
- Guiding questions - Involve different people in the discussion. Probe for depth.
- Common pitfalls - e.g. asking questions where there is only one answer.
More detail on Crafting Questions
Occasionally there is a need to write one’s own material. Any material that is used should set out to serve a number of different needs. For instance it is good if the material will help people to engage with God. It is good if the material considers the spiritual maturity and knowledge of the users. Finally it is good to have some experience with those using the material in order to know what their strengths and weaknesses are in preparing.
The heart of creating your own study is that you are serving the group who will use it. The temptation is to show off your amazing insights into the Bible. The following questions are aimed at helping you to engage with God and the users of the material such that you are helped to serve.
- Who is it aimed at? Meet their need, not your own.
- Where is the Lord? - Seek God in prayer to understand what He desires.
- What type of study? There are many forms of study. What serves this situation?
- Process of development
- Example - An exercise based on Psalm 1.
More detail on Writing study guides
PRACTICAL GROUP MINISTRY
