S M A L L   G R O U P   L E A D E R S H I P

Tips for Leading 

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Hey Leaders

We want to give you 7 Tips that if you’ll adopt them, they will help you be the most successful Small Group Leader that you can possibly be.

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1. Most important: Pray daily for your Group members. The dynamic of your Group will be different if you pray

We like to use this example: If we lead a Small Group on a Tuesday night and lead one on a Thursday night as well and on the Tuesday night we would just have fun and hang out, resulting in it being a great group BUT as Group Leaders, neglected to pray daily for our Group members … then concerning the Thursday night Small Group, we diligently (with best effort) pray by name for Group members each day.  We promise you, the dynamic in these two groups would be vastly different & we’ve just learned over the years that prayer is so important! We encourage you, as a Leader, to pray daily for your Small Group Members. Tell them you’re praying for them. Take prayer requests.                      Then, if you find yourself in a situation in your Small Group or when a situation arises, stop right there and bring the Group together and you guys all pray. Make prayer a foundation! It will change your Small Group.

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2. Think about finding a co-leader

Helping them along the way and allowing them to help you with some of the responsibilities, would just be amazing for you and for them. Have eyes to SEE somebody in the Group. In Luke 10 Jesus sent those out to do ministry 2 by 2 and it’s no mistake, when we minister together, we’re more effective.  As a Leader, don’t shoulder all on your own and rather ask God to show you. Be on the look-out for a Co-Leader. It may be that one of the greatest things you can give them, is to invite them to come and be a part of your Small Group.

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3. Connect with Group members between weekly meetings

Good Leaders connect with their Group members between weekly meetings each week. There’s something so powerful about a Small Group Leader picking up the phone or even WhatsApping a Group member to check in on them or build relationship by connecting with them, maybe even face to face, for coffee or lunch. They appreciate it. It helps build relationships and it helps make our Group meetings dynamic. We also want to encourage you to have Group members connect with each other. It’s not all about us and we need to foster relationships within our Groups. One simple thing that some do in their men’s Group as an example, is each week, have them exchange numbers with one other person and say: You guys call each other and pray with each other this week. We can’t tell you how powerful that’s been and what it’s done to build relationships & gets guys comfortable. It just helps advance the ball down the field in our Small Groups.

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4. Respect people’s time

We want to begin & end on time, so set clear expectations. Demonstrate a spirit of excellence. Let’s be organized! If you’re meeting in your home, be clean & start & stop on time. Often we’ll say, hey our Group’s gonna run from 6-7 but if you want to hang out afterwards we can talk but if you need to leave, feel free to leave. Something about setting those clear expectations brings comfort within your Group.

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5. Help Group members take NEXT STEPS

Proverbs 27:23 says, “know the condition of your flock, give careful attention to your herds ….”  What that simply means as a Small Group Leader is that we’re constantly probing, asking questions and as we develop relationships, we’re seeing where our Small Group Members are spiritually, helping them identify their next steps and then take those steps. There’s something about being active in church life and as Small Group Leader, we set the tone early in the year, talking about next steps & carrying through with it through the year. Just have conversations around next steps. Talk about it because people are looking to grow. They’ve shown up in the Group because they want their lives to get better and get closer to God & we get a chance to help them by helping them take next steps.

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6. Rally the Group around a member going through a crisis

We have to be sensitive, we have to use wisdom and don’t fear any situation that may come up with your Group member. Consider it an honor! God knew they would be in your Group long before you decided to lead a Group & that ought to be comforting. Our job isn’t to fix anyone; our job is simply to point them to the One who can & so our encouragement in these situations is, bring scripture in, pray, follow up & check on them. Other Group members who are engaged/involved - have them do the same. Connect with your Coach or with your Lead Team Member, Coordinating Pastors or with us, your Small Groups Directors if you need any guidance. Remember you don’t have to stand alone; we are always here to help & that’s the same thing with benevolence and people feeling strapped from time to time. You would just come to the church with that request and we don’t ever want you to feel like you have to bear the burden alone. Now that kinda stuff happens and we can’t police it but the reality is, as a Leader, you have support and you can provide support for the Group members as they are going through a challenging time.

 

7. Have fun

Have fun! Laugh! As a Leader, create an enjoyable, memorable environment. The Bible says laughter is good medicine. So be prayed up, come in with a joke or talk about some fun stuff and don’t be too serious. Don’t get too rigid, trying to complete the Curriculum. Give space for relationships to form and to have fun. Engage other group members to help do that; to help keep the Group full of energy. Optimistic! Energetic! Engage outgoing people to help jump in with you, if that’s not quite your flow normally. We promise you, if you take these tips and apply them and ask God to help get them deep in your heart, He will show up and the Group will be amazing and you’re going have a blast doing it and you’re all going to grow in the Lord and Jesus will be glorified. God Bless!