DEVELOPING DYNAMIC SMALL GROUPS AT RIVERTON BAPTIST COMMUNITY CHURCH
Pastor Colin Meadows
Churches
need
to have times when the members meet together for corporate worship. They also
need times when in small groups people can meet for personal encouragement and
spiritual formation. Small
groups in churches thus have a vital role to play and we at RBC are committed to
their growth and development.
Biblical
basis for Small Groups: See
Acts 2:42-57. Here we note that the early Christians met together and
broke bread or held communion in each other's homes. The believers were
seeking to create a culture of community, to reach out to others and to grow in
their faith.
There
were various kinds of small groups operating at that time. These included the
initial group of disciples (potential leaders), the inner core (Peter, James,
John), various witnessing and outreach groups (see for example Luke 9,10),
prayer meeting groups (Acts 1:18), administrative groups (Acts 15)
and many others. This is much the same for us in our church environment today.
We have numerous types of 'small groups' that are meeting regularly in our
church to carry out various functions. Here we will focus on small groups that
meet for Bible study.
What
constitutes a Small Group:
Roberta Hestenes speaks of a small group as being 'an intentional face to face
gathering of 3 to 12 people meeting on a regular time schedule with a common
purpose of discovering and growing in the possibilities of the abundant life in
Christ' (Turner, 2000:22). That is a great goal for any small group to have!
A group such as that is intentional as it meets. It is not just a time
for social interaction, but also a time for moving forward in spiritual
formation and personal growth.
The
Purpose of Small Groups:
Right from the start, a group needs to clearly define its purpose and to review
that purpose from time to time. Small groups in churches have the general goal
to intentionally study the Bible, and to grapple with its message for us today.
The Bible is God's revealed will for us to study and apply to our lives. We
need to be careful that we don't move away from this primary focus.
There
further needs to be a careful balance between mission and nurture
in the group. The balance will vary from one group to another.
Small groups that are healthy and
dynamic will produce learning and growth that is life changing. This does
not happen by chance. It requires careful preparation and sensitive leadership.
The role of the leader is thus vital. Let us look at some of the important
factors that the leaders must focus on as they seek to develop dynamic small
groups:
1.
Spend time in prayer and preparation: This is often the
difference between 'an interesting meeting' and 'a time that I will
remember all week'. If the leader have not prepared well, they are setting an
example for others when they lead in the future. By saying 'I just had no time
to prepare this week' the leader is sending the wrong message! They are saying
that this has a low priority for them. Remember that much in life is learnt by
being 'caught' as well as 'taught'.
The leader must thus watch the example they set.
2.
Be committed to a Team Leadership Structure: The
leader must not be a 'lone ranger' in leading a small group. Involve others
in leadership. See the example in Exodus 18. There Moses was warned about trying
to do things alone. Allow the group to select others for various roles -
pastoral carers, assistant leaders, prayer support, etc.
3.
Know what the desired outcomes are for the group's
discussion: Have firmly in mind what the intended goals are for the
study. These will become apparent from a careful study of the materials. If they
are not obvious to the leader, then don't expect them to be obvious to others!
Allow the outcomes to surface through the discussion. We must however allow the
Holy Spirit freedom to teach us new things during the study.
4.
Arrange seating to encourage discussion: Make sure that
individual group members can see each other. Remember that distance from others
can cause a sense of separation. However, allow people to sit where they feel
comfortable. Don't force people to sit in certain locations. They often have
reasons for choosing to sit where they do.
5.
Create a climate of acceptance: People are often afraid to
express their views in groups because of the fear of rejection or ridicule. They
need to feel secure before they will share their thoughts and feelings. The
small group must thus be a safe area for them, free of put-downs, sarcasm and
judgemental comments. This applies especially to ideas that may appear
'wild' or 'off the point'. Careful discussion can often draw people back
onto the issues at the right time. The group should thus be seeking to create
relationship and trust.
6.
Be enthusiastic and excited about what the group is studying:
If the leaders aren't excited, then how can they expect anyone else to be
excited! If none in the group are enthused about what the group is studying,
then they may need to choose some other material. Discuss this with the group.
7.
Don't stretch any study material beyond its 'use-by date':
A set of six to eight studies is often enough for most people on one particular
topic. Discuss this with the group. Once the group agrees on a topic of study,
then seek to follow through with what has been chosen. Often the first few
studies of a new topic may not flow but then further discussion leads to
productive learning.
8.
Be aware of the group's expectations of the meeting: If
the leader would like to do things differently, let the group know and get their
permission to make the changes. People don't like surprises! This includes the
length of the meeting, the venue, etc. However don't be afraid to be creative!
Lack of change can also kill a group.
9.
Affirm all legitimate expressions of opinion from the
group. Have no favourites in the group. Everyone's opinion is to be
appreciated and is important. This is especially so for the quieter members when
they do make a contribution. Keep in mind that affirmation does not necessarily
mean approval of what has been said. People are often afraid to share because
they feel they don't know a lot.
10.
Use Questions effectively: Jesus made effective use of
questions on at least 100 ocassions. Some of the purposes of his questions were
to secure information, recall the known, awaken conscience, to elicit faith and
to express emotion. Avoid close-ended questions that only require a yes/no
response. Don't be afraid of difficult questions that lead to "I don't
know" responses. This can provoke the group to study during the week and thus
be ready next week to discuss.
11.
Encourage active listening from each person: Good leaders
know how to listen and how to encourage others to listen. People should be
allowed to express their point of view without interruption.
12.
Do not force anyone to talk: Any member should have the
right to be silent if they so desire. Invite people to speak, but don't
attempt to force them to talk.
13.
Don't allow anyone to monopolise the discussion:
This also includes the leader! It is not to be a lecture. Individuals must not
be allowed to 'hog the floor'. Watch out for aggressive responses
where people want to dominate with their views and for non-assertive
responses where people allow others to run over them. Seek instead to encourage assertive
responses. Everyone has the right to his or her own opinion.
14.
Avoid taking sides during a discussion: When the group is
divided on an issue, the leader should try to act as the arbitrator. Encourage
both sides to think through their positions. By asking relevant questions, the
leader can stimulate wider thinking. If an issue can't be resolved at the
time, leave it for another time.
15.
Allow for humour when appropriate: This can be a safety
value when discussion has been long and intense. Humour however should be
handled with care as some people (men in particular) can go on with it for too
long!
16.
Don't be afraid of silence: Such times can be very
important as people think through issues and try to understand their thoughts
and feelings. Perhaps the silence is because the question needs to be reworded.
Ask the group if they have understood the question. Perhaps the issue is too
sensitive at this time for the group to consider. Ask if that is the case.
Sometimes however people do want to discuss the issue but need some one else to
'break the ice'. You may need to be that person.
17.
Seek to keep the discussion under control: If the leader
feels a discussion point is no longer of interest to most of the group, draw
people back to the central issue. Sometimes however the side issue may be the
most important matter for the group at that time. Pray for great wisdom at such
times!
18.
Be creative and flexible: Don't follow slavishly a
booklet or set of questions if they aren't relevant to the group. Change the
format, introduce new material and adjust where necessary.
19.
The discussion leader is not 'the authoritative last word':
Encourage others to answer and ask questions. The leader needs to be honest if a
mistake is made or if they don't know something. We are all learning!
20.
Confidentiality is vitally important: 'What is said in
this room stays in this room' is an important guide, unless people give
permission to share wider.
21.
Draw the discussion together at the end: Restate the key
points that have come out. Keep it brief. Focus on the positives. Encourage the
group to pray about what they have learnt.
As
we prayerfully focus in these ways, we will gain great value out of meeting
together in small groups!
Further
Reading
Navigators
Lead Out - A guide for leading Bible discussion groups (Colorado: The
Navigators, 1974)
Richards,
L.O., Creative Bible Study (Michigan:
Zondervan, 1980)
Turner,
J., Small Groups that Catch the Wind (
CF
Meadows Updated
9
June 2005