Chapter 1
Be a Leader
What a privilege! The opportunity to lead a group of people toward becoming
more like Christ. Someone has said, "I'd consider my whole life worthwhile
if I could but lead 10 people to a closer walk with the Lord."
You now have that opportunity!
Your qualifications
As a small group leader, you set an example for others in your relationship with God and with those around you. This doesn't mean you're expected to be perfect. Rather, it means you identify with Paul's viewpoint when he said, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (Philippians 3:12).
"I Can Do It"
Two attitudes can keep people from being leaders.
The first is the "I can do it" attitude. This attitude produces pride, cockiness, and bossiness. It causes a person to act hastily and independently, disregarding others.
The "I can do it" attitude led Abram to have a child with Hagar.
The "I can do it" attitude led Moses to kill the Egyptian in an attempt to deliver the Israelites. Instead, he ended up in Midian tending sheep.
The "I can do it" attitude led James and John to seek positions on Jesus' right and left hands.
The "I can do it" attitude led Peter to draw his sword and cut off Malchus' ear.
The "I can do it" attitude is typified by self-effort and failure.
"I Can't Do It"
The second attitude, "I can't do it," is equally weakening. This attitude produces fear, cowardice, and hopelessness. It causes a person to make excuses, to ridicule, and to rebel.
The "I can't do it" attitude led Sarah to laugh when the angel told her she would bear a son.
The "I can't do it" attitude led Moses to make excuses by telling God that no one would believe him, follow him, or listen to him.
The "I can't do it" attitude led the 10 spies to give an evil report of the promised land.
The "I can't do it" attitude led Zacharias to question the angel's prophecy of John the Baptist—resulting in him being struck speechless.
Whenever you find the "I can't do it" attitude, you find disbelief and failure.
"I can do it" and "I can't do it" have the same result—failure.
The Right Attitude
There may seem to be no alternative to these two attitudes, but Paul expressed quite a different outlook in 2 Corinthians 3:4–6, "Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
This same attitude led Caleb to say, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it" (Numbers 13:30). "If the Lord is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us" (Numbers 14;8).
This same attitude led Jonathan and his armor bearer to attack 20 Philistines, saying, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6).
This book is written in the spirit of this third attitude. It is written to help you gain greater competency as a leader.
Leadership
You should lead your group into discoveries through discussion. You should lead your group in spiritual growth. You should lead your group without dominating it.
Many people confuse the function of a leader with that of a lecturer. They try to give the answers to everyone's questions and to lecture on important topics. These may be important activities—but not in a discussion group. Sharing, participation, fellowship, interaction, cooperation, and love are the elements of a small group whose members desire to grow in their faith and in their relationships with one another. These functions need leadership—not just instruction.
A leader is one who sets the direction and determines the pace. Sometimes leadership is like a ring in a bull's nose—a small item controlling a great force. Sometimes it is like a rudder—effective without being seen. Sometimes it is more obvious. But it is always determining direction and speed.
Your job as a leader is to guide group members to their own discoveries in the Bible, much the same as a guide in the wilderness. A photographer hires the guide to lead her to the wildlife she desires to photograph. Once there, the guide lets the photographer do the "shooting." He does not take that thrill away. In the same way, do not take the thrill of discovery away from your group.
As a leader, you will be involved in teaching, by word and by example. But your primary method will be to skillfully guide your members to your desired goal through the wise use of questions.
The Direction
The direction you lead is toward Christ-likeness. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Beholding Jesus through God's Word is the beginning of becoming Christ-like. The other activities of a well-rounded group support this process. Prayer, fellowship, and outreach are each important and significant in becoming more like Christ. As the leader, you must constantly be aware that Christ-likeness is your goal. Create an appetite for this kind of discipleship in the hearts of your members and lead them toward that goal.
The Speed
As the leader, you set the pace. That means keeping the group moving. Too often, leaders let group spend three, four, and even five weeks studying a single chapter in a Bible study. The discussion become tedious. Interest wanes. There's no incentive for the group members to do new studying at home each week. Don't try to be exhaustive in your study. Be sensitive to the needs of the group.
On the other hand, don't move too fast. Again, be sensitive to the spiritual needs of the group. and use appropriate opportunities to meet those needs.
Find that middle pace. Maintain a speed that keeps your group in a consistent study of the Scriptures—a pace that doesn't keep them hopping from one chapter to the next, but sets an appropriate stride to keep the study fresh and consistent.
In most cases, Bible study workbooks are designed to be completed at a pace of one chapter every one to two weeks.
Summary
The two attitudes that can keep people from being leaders are the "I can do it" and the "I can't do it" attitudes. God expects us to have confidence in Him and in His enabling power.
A leader sets the direction and determines the pace. The direction for small group Bible studies is to move people toward spiritual maturity. The pace must be adjusted to accomplish the objective.
How to Squash Enthusiasm in Your Group
Deliver lengthy lectures on every topic of study, being careful to avoid any subject in which you are not an expert. Otherwise, someone else may have a valid contribution.
Make sure you absolutely exhaust your treatment of every topic in your study. Leave no stone unturned. After all, your group members may never study these topics ever again.
Things to Do in a Leaders' Meeting
- Discuss how some of the following people fulfilled the functions of a leader in setting the direction and determining the pace: Noah, Moses, Esther, David, Jesus, Paul.
- Discuss the difference between a teacher and a leader.
- List some examples, other than those given in this chapter, of the "I can do it" attitude and the "I can't do it" attitude.
- Evaluate your leaders' meetings to decide whether it is primarily a teaching session or leading session.