Nor Cal / Nev College Ministries

If a Group Member Creates a Problem

1. Member won't participate.
   • Involve them in conversation. Find out about their personal interest. Devote some time to him or her outside the discussion. When they do take part, make a special note of it. "That's a good point, Joe. We haven't been hearing enough from you. We appreciate hearing your position." Use questions to draw these kind of people out. Ask direct questions that only that person can answer. Don't use a question that can be answered "yes" or "no" and, of course, do not ask a question that he or she might be unable to answer for lack of information.

Numbers 4-7 are from Lyman Coleman, Groups in Action.

1. Model what you want the other members to do.

2. You, more than anything else, will determine the character of your group. If the tone you set is defensive, suspicious, and shallow, you will have a defensive, suspicious, and shallow group. Modeling your ideal means being vulnerable, taking the steps (at the proper moment) to show what you want to happen. (This does not, of course, mean shocking your group by some sort of "true confession". It means modeling an attitude of openness in which they are free to share as deeply as they want.) You cannot teach this from a book. The members of your group will have it modeled for them firsthand. Deal with experience, not ideas.
   

This handout was written by Dave Argue.

STEP ONE - DECIDE ON A DIRECTION

First you must ascertain what he/she is going to teach the group. How? Here are some suggestions:

1. Seek to understand what the group's needs are. Question them. Meditate on this.
2. Look inside yourself and see where you are growing. Perhaps that is what you should share.
3. What are the group's interests? This may provide a key, but may be different than #1!
4. It is good at the start to consider carefully what is easy to teach. Begin there. (i.e. History, Gospels, Epistles, Poetry, Prophecy)
5. Pray until something begins to crystallize in your heart.
6. Share your insights and convictions with your Resource leader or with others in small group leadership.

Note: Step one is vital. If you don't know where you are going, prepare for chaos!

Introduction

In this lesson, we continue to exarnine the dynarnics of developing a Discipleship Srnall Group. The previous two lessons have focused on the purposes and phases for these groups. In this lesson, the focus will move to the format, formation and content of these small groups.But before we do, let's look briefly at an important issue concerning discipline and deliverance in discipleship.

Discipleship Involves Both Discipline and Deliverance

The ultimate purpose of a Christian is to know Cod the Father in a very personal and intimate way, to become like Jesus His Son, and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to live like Jesus. However, we all have been born into sin and have gratified "...the cravings of our sinful nature and (followed) its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3). This means that we have all been thwarted in our ultimate purpose.

Introduction

As we have already seen through our study of the Master's Methods, it was the strategy of Jesus to gather a small core of individuals around Himself who He would later leave behind to continue His work. Jesus' discipling strategy was to be with them, to train them, and finally, to impart His mission to them. Jesus' discipling was focused neither in the context of the multitudes, nor only to individuals. For Jesus, the gathering and interacting of a small group of individuals was where discipleship oc-curred-that is where He passed on His life.

We must realize that experience is a key ingredient in the educational process. If people are to experience ministry, then we who are leaders must give ourselves to training them. Having trained them, we must then let them experience the ministry firsthand. Then we can fill the world with eager, trained, experienced leaders whom the multitudes will follow.

Practical guide for college small group Bible studies.