Leading Small Groups 6 Key Points To remember and Practice

1. Pray The single most important task The single most important task Gives needed insight Gives needed insight Greatest spiritual weapon Greatest spiritual weapon God blesses when we pray and acknowledge dependence on Him God blesses when we pray and acknowledge dependence on Him Pray for each member of your group Pray for each member of your group

Allow for pray time in your group Allow for pray time in your group Plan ahead Plan ahead Ask for requests Ask for requests Give thanks for good things happening Give thanks for good things happening Encourage them to pray – even a couple of lines Encourage them to pray – even a couple of lines

2. Prepare To face our spiritual enemy To face our spiritual enemy Gives God room to work Gives God room to work Increase your confidence Increase your confidence Builds credibility Builds credibility Single out specifics from the study Single out specifics from the study

3. Passing it On “Mentoring is co-operating with God in raising up an assistant or apprentice to become an effective small group leader” “Mentoring is co-operating with God in raising up an assistant or apprentice to become an effective small group leader” Mentoring means multiplying Mentoring means multiplying Invest intentionally to re-produce Invest intentionally to re-produce Pray for new leaders for homegroup and cell Pray for new leaders for homegroup and cell Matt:9 35 – 38 Matt:9 35 – 38

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field” Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field”

4.Plan to keep in touch Outside the formal activity Outside the formal activity People will be inclined to attend more regularly People will be inclined to attend more regularly Helps you know how people are doing Helps you know how people are doing Communicates care Communicates care New people need followed up New people need followed up Weekly contact Weekly contact

If someone has shared a difficulty If someone has shared a difficulty If there’s a tense moment in the cell for e.g., If there’s a tense moment in the cell for e.g., Reaction to something said at cell Reaction to something said at cell Someone sharp with another member Someone sharp with another member Rudeness Rudeness Continual side tracking Continual side tracking No preparation done No preparation done A little mending & repair might need to be done with all or some of the individuals.

View time spent with people outside the group as prime time View time spent with people outside the group as prime time Pray for help to know what to say Pray for help to know what to say Pray about who you should contact – remember your central focus is your assistant, or other potential key workers. Pray about who you should contact – remember your central focus is your assistant, or other potential key workers. Be positive Be positive Don’t just text Don’t just text Be sensitive to where people are at – learn to listen Be sensitive to where people are at – learn to listen

Keep things in confidence Keep things in confidence Time management Time management Plan some social activities Plan some social activities Spread the load – this is about shared responsibility Spread the load – this is about shared responsibility

5. Personal Growth CHARACTER comes before:- CHARACTER comes before:- Gifting Gifting Success Success Enthusiasm Enthusiasm personality personality

We should expect to grow spiritually ourselves. We should expect to grow spiritually ourselves. Personal growth is key to seeing growth happen in your group Personal growth is key to seeing growth happen in your group Key to staying sharp and effective Key to staying sharp and effective A product of daily habits A product of daily habits Make the choice to pursue spiritual growth Make the choice to pursue spiritual growth

Set yourself realistic goals Set yourself realistic goals Plan it in or it won’t happen Plan it in or it won’t happen Believe that you need to take in before you can give out. Believe that you need to take in before you can give out. Make yourself accountable to someone Make yourself accountable to someone Share what you learn with others Share what you learn with others Spend time with growing people Spend time with growing people Put into practice what you learn Put into practice what you learn

“We cannot make up for failure in our devotional life by redoubling energy in service….. As water never rises above its level, so what we do never rises above what we are……We shall never take people one hair’s breadth beyond our own spiritual attainment. We may point to higher things, we may “allude to a brighter world……We shall only take them as far as we ourselves have gone” W H Griffith Thomas “We cannot make up for failure in our devotional life by redoubling energy in service….. As water never rises above its level, so what we do never rises above what we are……We shall never take people one hair’s breadth beyond our own spiritual attainment. We may point to higher things, we may “allude to a brighter world……We shall only take them as far as we ourselves have gone” W H Griffith Thomas

Some questions: How can we measure our spiritual growth? How can we measure our spiritual growth? How are we feeding ourselves? How are we feeding ourselves? What is God teaching you at the moment? What is God teaching you at the moment? How are we being challenged in our personal lives, what are our struggles and issues? Who can we share this with? How are we being challenged in our personal lives, what are our struggles and issues? Who can we share this with? Are we accountable to anyone? Are we accountable to anyone? How should accountability between us work as a team? How should accountability between us work as a team?

6. Practical Advice Handling different individuals in your group Handling different individuals in your group Coping with people who:- Coping with people who:- Talk too much Talk too much Unloads everything dominating the group Unloads everything dominating the group Never seems to make progress Never seems to make progress Never seem to prepare for the study Never seem to prepare for the study Are always tired Are always tired Don’t contribute Don’t contribute Don’t pray Don’t pray Jokes about everything Jokes about everything

Coping with people who:- Inclined to be argumentative Inclined to be argumentative Are critical & complaining about church, homegroup, cell group, leaders Are critical & complaining about church, homegroup, cell group, leaders Are irregular attendees Are irregular attendees Throw in irrelevant questions Throw in irrelevant questions Always first to answer the questions Always first to answer the questions Self righteous Self righteous Mentally challlenged Mentally challlenged Have a negative influence on the group Have a negative influence on the group

More practical advice! Timing Timing Prayer – ideas to encourage Prayer – ideas to encourage Story telling by individuals before group begins Story telling by individuals before group begins Being vulnerable Being vulnerable Don’t talk too much – allow for silences Don’t talk too much – allow for silences Text to remind people about study Text to remind people about study Talk through what their expectations are of the group – being prepared, willing to contribute, attendance, contacting each other Talk through what their expectations are of the group – being prepared, willing to contribute, attendance, contacting each other Share the responsibilities Share the responsibilities