Chapter 6
Chart Your Course
Grab your gear; you're going on a hike.
Group discussions compare closely with a planned hiking excursion. At least, they should. As leader, you have surveyed the territory, plotted your path, and prepared for the expected rough spots. As you set out with your group, you'll take full advantage of the scenic "turnouts" to help them gain perspective on their hike.
This chapter gives you some ideas on how to plan your discussion time by determining your objective, identifying points of interest, developing a discussion plan and adapting to the needs of your group.
Determine Your Objective
Many Bible study workbooks state an objective for each week's study. If yours doesn't, the first think you should do, after completing your initial overview of the material, is to identify the objective for your group discussion time.
Just as you would plan a hike, you should determine whether you're going for the peak, the waterfall, or the shady grove. Your objective will vary with the group you are leading. Set the objective you feel will be best for them. For example, if you were studying John 1, your objective could be to help group members understand the implications that Jesus is God, or it could be to explore and follow John the Baptist's example of preparing the way for Christ.
Once set, your objective serves as a beacon during your group discussion time. It helps you to evaluate whether a potential discussion path interjected by a group member will lead to your goal or merely prove to be an interesting tangent. Guide all discussion to contribute to your discussion objective.
Identify Points of Interest
Along the way, Your Bible study workbook offers several points of interest on the theme you are studying. As a group leader, you can make note of them, but don't feel obligated to stop and rest at each one.
As presented in Use Launching Questions, most questions you'll use fall into four categories:
| Information | — | What does the Bible say? | |
| Opinions | — | What do you think about it? | |
| Feelings | — | How do you feel about it? | |
| Application | — | What are you going to do about it? |
Usually, information questions should be handled quickly, without much discussion. The purpose is to get the facts "on the table," to be able to interpret and apply them.
Your group will probably want to pause on opinion and feelings questions when they discover diverse views and perhaps even mild tension between those views.
Another point of interest where your group should spend time is on application questions, where there may also be diverse answers, but probably without tension. Applications may vary greatly from member to member.
Allow appropriate time for exploring and reflecting, but also help the group move on to other subjects at the right time. Remain alert to the need to restate the discussion objective for your meeting and to relate the recent discussion to the objective.
Conclude your scenic overlook times by summarizing what has been said and linking it to your objective. Several ways to summarize these points along the way are:
You do it.
Simply capsulize what has been said and relate it to the subject you're studying. Example: "What we seem to be concluding is that Jesus was fully God, yet fully human. This helps us to understand that He knows what we're going through and can give us the help we need to live successfully."
Ask someone else to do it.
You can do this by saying, "Barbara, would you sum up what we've been saying?" Then follow with, "How does this help us live successful Christian lives?"
Find a verse that does it.
Locate a verse, either from your study or elsewhere in the Bible, that states the point of the section.
Ask your group to do it.
You can toss out a question for a response from anyone in the group, "How do you see our discussion fitting into our overall study of successful Christian living?" or, "What do you feel is the most important point in this section we've been discussing?"
Without conclusions and summaries, your group will find themselves plodding along without the advantage of the big picture—seeing how each piece of your journey contributes to reaching your goal.
Develop a Discussion Plan
Before leaving on an extended hike, a prepared leader will mark the map to identify approximately how long each section of the trip will take. Bible discussion leaders should do the same.
Some leaders find it helpful to note the margins of their workbooks with time markers to help them sustain the pace of a meeting. For instance, if their group begins at 7:00 pm, the first section of their material would be marked "7:00," and the second section might be marked to begin at 7:15, indicating that it will take approximately fifteen minutes (from 7:00 to 7:15) to discuss the first section.
Another important part of the discussion plan is the additional questions, illustrations, and activities you develop to encourage interaction. Again, these ideas can be marked in the margins of your workbook. By placing all of your discussion plan, both times and ideas, in the margins of one book, you make it much easier to lead the group, because you have fewer pieces of material to juggle.
Sample of how a leader has marked the margins of a study book.
Adapt to the Needs of Your Group
The greatest danger you may face when you have thoroughly prepared a lesson plan is the compulsion to use every bit of it.
After all, you've put a lot of time into studying for this meeting. You've developed all of these creative questions and activities and illustrations. You've marked it all in your workbook. You're ready to dazzle your group with your remarkable leadership skills. . . .
Don't do it!
Jesus clearly demonstrated and taught how necessary it is for a leader to be a servant. You serve your group when you invest time and energy preparing a discussion plan for your meeting. You also serve your group when you lay aside some of those plans and preparations to allow others to contribute what they've learned and to minister to needs that arise during your meeting.
One group was studying Romans 14. That chapter centers on the issue of not passing judgment on other believers who choose to participate or not participate in certain activities because of their faith.
The leader had prepared many guiding questions, expecting a spirited discussion on what was and wasn't acceptable behavior for Christians today. He anticipated differing opinions and possibly uncovering some harbored resentment against some believers because of their lifestyles. But when the group began to discuss the issue, he found great acceptance and unanimity among the members of the group.
It wasn't a need area in their lives. There was no use laboring the point. Rather than try to drum up controversy and disagreement, the leader simply moved the group through the material quickly.
Another leader came to a group thoroughly prepared. As they began to discuss their study, she noticed that one woman, who normally actively participated, was reserved and quiet. The leader asked if something was troubling her, and the woman revealed many recent difficulties in her life, including a lawsuit and financial problems. At that point, the leader let the woman talk out her concerns and allowed the group to demonstrate their care and interest in her. They concluded their interaction by praying for the woman. The study that everyone had prepared was discussed in the remaining minutes of their meeting.
Some leaders look for one or more of the following indicators to decide whether or not to pursue a subject raised spontaneously by a group member:
- Do many group members show an interest in the issue?
- Is it basic to understanding for future meetings of your group?
- Is it within your general subject area?
Generally, a leader deviates from the discussion plan when it is in the best interest of the group. If the question or issue relates only to an individual or couple in the group, it may be best to offer to discuss it outside of the group meeting. In that way, you can meet the need without forcing the rest of the group to mentally "twiddle their thumbs."
In the example of the women's group above, the leader determined it was best to set aside the prepared study time to minister to the concerns of the woman. This was consistent with the group's purpose, which included not only studying the Bible, but also developing a caring and sharing attitude toward one another.
Whatever direction your discussion takes, you'll encourage the group by ending your time on a positive note. Meetings that end in argument or frustration are often followed by poor attendance the next week. People don't need more problems in their lives. They're looking for solutions and encouragement from their small group involvement. you can help them to feel good about coming back next time.
Summary
Leading a group discussion is much like guiding a hike. It requires:
- setting discussion objectives
- identifying points of interest
- developing a discussion plan
A prepared leader, though, is always ready to set aside his or her preparation in order to minister to needs in the group.
How to Squash Enthusiasm in Your Group
Always "shoot from the hip" in your discussions. Don't prepare for leading your meetings. It will only draw attention to yourself.
Don't worry about the needs and interests of people in the group. Their questions probably aren't worthwhile. Besides, most people don't know what's best for them.
Things to do in a leaders' meeting
- Exchange ideas on how to prepare for leading a group.
- Discuss possible discussion objectives and points of interest for your next small group meeting.
- Identify the kinds of situations in past group meetings where you could have used more flexibility from your discussion plan in order to meet a need.