The Lamb's Bride Project
Be the Best! Learn how to be one of the very best small group leaders. No, not a leader of individuals in a group as usually taught in Christian circles. But actually lead the group as a whole, speak to the group as a whole, and take hold of the kingdom of God as you build a capable team that can handle most anything. Begin now to make available the deepest riches of the Christian faith through true small group leadership. Learn how to lead a group so that members become stronger than you ever believed possible -- so they do more for your church and the Lord.
You can learn how to help your group become strong and capable. But you will have to change some of the ways you have been taught to do things. The most effective small group leader builds the group, focuses on the group rather than on the members of the group, and teaches and coaches the group to adopt and succeed at a chosen purpose. The group, not the leader, should do almost all of what leaders traditionally do. The result is that the group itself becomes strong, producing stronger individuals. On the contrary, when individuals are the focus of a group leader's efforts, crippling dependency upon the leader develops and most all group processes are eliminated. Such elimination robs the group of those tasks that will make the group successful and strong. It also robs the individual members of those social situations and tasks that lead to their significant growth. The group should and can do all that is necessary in the way of taking care of, discipling and directing individual group members. If you will learn our model of group work, you will be amazed at what a group can accomplish. Group members will increase their ministry to one another fourfold right in the group meetings. Everyone will get more help, more affirmation, more encouragement. Through our model of small group leadership, where the leader leads the group, speaks to the group, gives work to the group rather than doing it himself, you will see Christians finally exercising their birthrights. Just as each of us is born into inalienable rights as a citizen of a country, when Christians are born again, they inherit certain privileges from being in the church. Those benefits are spelled out in our list of The Togethers of Scripture, things that God commands and expects Christians to do when together.
Critical Skills for the Small Group Leader DO NOTHING THE GROUP CAN DO FOR ITSELF.
OBSERVE AND UNDERSTAND THE GROUP AS A SOCIAL SYSTEM.
DIRECT YOUR HELP TOWARD THE GROUP WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS.
SPEAK TO INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE GROUP SOCIAL SYSTEM, GUIDING THEM TOWARD THE GROUP AS A WAY TO GET THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS MET.
TEACH THE GROUP DEPENDENCE ON GOD AND INTERDEPENDENCE UPON ONE ANOTHER.
Examples The following pages are taken from The Group Leader Manual and The Group Member Handbook (in development). They show how the above principles can be applied to a specific command (a "Together") from Scripture. The commands discussed here are "Encourage one another" and "Examine each other's faith."
GROUP LEADER MANUAL #27 ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER Place courage into one another for the assignments of God. 1 Thess 5:11; Rom 1:12; Phil 1:14; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:25
Considerations During Group Meeting
Does anyone have an assignment from God for which he or she has insufficient courage? Does the person know it? Which group members have experienced something that would be encouraging?
How can the group, working as a team, help place courage into those who are not doing what God wants because they lack courage? Which group members can help instill courage in those who need it? How can the group spur these people into action? (Heb 10:24)
How can I address the group as a whole to be the catalyst for group encouragement? How can I help the group get everyone who can help to contribute? "What can the group do to encourage Joe (or whomever)?" "Does the group know how to place courage into one another? Do you need to discuss how to do it?"
GROUP MEMBER HANDBOOK #27 ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER Rom 1:12; Phil 1:14; 1 Thess 5:11; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:25 Place courage into one another for the assignments of God. Christians are to place courage inside of one another for the assignments God has given them. Your group needs to find out what God has assigned to each group member and ensure that each group member has sufficient courage.
Considerations During Group Meeting
Does anyone have an assignment from God for which he or she has insufficient courage? Does the person know it? Which group members can help install courage into those who need it? Can I help someone see an assignment from God or an instruction from Scripture that is not being followed? Does the person need courage to obey?
Do I need to be encouraged? Do I have an assignment from God I am avoiding due to lack of courage? How can I ask the group to encourage me? How should I best describe my assignment and my lack of courage? What Scriptures and life experiences can I tell about that will encourage others? Do I need to invite other group members into the process of instilling courage into another group member?
GROUP LEADER MANUAL #38 EXAMINE EACH OTHER'S FAITH Accurately review one another's faith and identify weak areas. 2 Cor 13:5; Mark 16:1; 1 Tim 4:16
Considerations During Group Meeting
Who in the group is willing to have his or her faith examined? Who is not willing? Whose faith has the group not recently or adequately examined?
Are there any legalistic members who might make examining another's faith feel unsafe? What will the group have to do about this? Which members are strong enough to ask others about their faith?
How can I give the work of examining another's faith to the group during this meeting or the next? How will I help the group deal with scared, defensive or legalistic group members once they begin examining each other's faith?
GROUP MEMBER HANDBOOK #38 EXAMINE EACH OTHER'S FAITH Mark 16:14; 2 Cor 13:5; 1 Tim 4:16 Accurately review one another's faith and identify weak areas. Christians are to accurately review one another's faith and identify weak areas. Especially through observation of words and actions, you and your group are to most carefully evaluate what each group member knows and does not know about spiritual reality.
Considerations During Group Meeting
Is the group spiritually minded? Are spiritual realities (not just sociological and psychological realities) usually recognized? Does the group seek God's help for problems and give Him credit for good things? Whose faith have we not recently or adequately examined? Should I ask anyone how he or she is doing with the Lord, if they think their faith is strong enough in all essential areas of life, if their Bible study seems vital in recognition that God is talking with them, if their prayer life is regular or constant in recognition that God is always listening, etc.?
Am I willing to have my faith examined by the group? Is it okay for people to ask me questions about my behavior? If not, can I explain this to the group and get their help to become vulnerable for the sake of Christ? Can I tell the group how they can approach me so I will not get defensive but be able to receive their help? Am I willing to "stick my neck out" and ask another group member why he or she does something or about some aspect of his or her faith? Am I willing for someone to be temporarily angry with me because, lovingly, I took a closer look at his or her life?
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Give work to the group.