Hints on Leadership

KNOW YOUR WEAKNESS: Every leader should be aware of their own habits when they lead. Do they emphasize one of the 4 areas (study, worship, prayer, fellowship) over another by habit or by gift? For example: I (Steve Radley) tend to get in the same habit in terms of the structure of the meeting and how prayer is handled at the end of the lesson. Therefore, I must be intentional about change! I need to intentionally change what I do now and then. An example would be to have men and women break up into smaller groups for the prayer time or even skip the lesson and just devote the entire time to prayer.

SET EXPECTATIONS FOR LENGTH OF TIME FOR GROUP: Start your first group by laying down expectations for your group with regard to time commitment. Example: I always told my group that we would start at 7pm and target 8:30pm as the time to be done with worship, study, and prayer. By providing an expectation, it allows those who can’t stay an exit point without feeling like they’re leaving too early. This is especially helpful if there has been somebody new join the group.

DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP!: As a leader, you are pouring yourself out as an offering to God. The results are not your responsibility. When you get discouraged or think that somehow you’re just not doing enough, just remember that He is with you, that He is for you, and that He loves you. And then return to the basics of loving God and loving others and turn the rest over to Him.

Hints on Worship

SOME GROUPS WILL BE BETTER AT IT THAN OTHERS: Just like with everything else in a small group, the emphasis of the group will tend to center on the primary gifts present in the group. IT’S NO BIG DEAL! Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t have a lot of worship time or your study is not as in depth as other groups you’ve heard of. Maybe another group has a bunch of prayer warriors in it. That doesn’t mean one group is better than the others. God will manifest the gifts present in each group for His glory and honor. The gifts are His anyway! We only bring ourselves as instruments for him to use to be reflectors of His glory. Everything is for His glory, not ours so don’t put any function of the Spirit or lack thereof as something that means you are failing or lacking in something.

DON’T MAKE THE GROUP ABOUT THE STUDY: The purpose of the study is not for the sole purpose of obtaining knowledge. The purpose of the study should be focused on the application of the word in the individual lives of the members of your group. Sharing the word provides the opportunity for your group to open up and discuss how they can apply the word of God more fully in our lives.

Hints on Prayer

EMPHASIZE RELATIONSHIPS: Try and focus the prayer first on the people in the group and what their needs are before going outside the group to pray for others who aren’t in some type of direct relationship with a member of the group.

CHANGE IT UP: You will most likely get into a habit of how and when you pray so try and change it up now and then. Don’t be afraid to try different things like breaking into men and women now and then or even potentially have some time where each individual takes some scripture and spends some time by themselves meditating on scripture ending with everybody sharing what God revealed to them in their individual prayer time.

PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING: Even though some requests may seem a little strange or off the wall, there’s a reason it’s important to the person sharing the request so be cognizant of the fact that the person is sharing with the group and that the request is important to them.

Hints on Fellowship

UNDERSTAND IT’S IMPORTANCE: Do not underestimate the importance of the time that you fellowship together. People sometimes will open up more during fellowship time and surprise you with things that they never have shared with the group. Example: I remember one time talking to a middle aged man after group while we were drinking some coffee. He casually mentioned that he had never been baptized and would like to be. We talked about it some more and a few weeks later we held our small group meeting at the church where he was baptized (afterwards we all went out to dinner). Fellowship time is an opportune time to get to know the people in your group.

EMPHASIZE MORE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF A NEW GROUP: Fellowship breaks down barriers so it’s very important to spend time in fellowship when you are starting a new group. Don’t be so heaven bent on getting the lesson started when people are truly enjoying each other’s company. Take some extra time and let people get to know each other.

THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE SUBSETS WITHIN YOUR GROUP: Jesus had the large crowds, the 12 disciples, and Peter, James, and John. It’s healthy to have subgroups within your main group. Jesus had various levels of intimacy with each of these groups so don’t be surprised if you’re drawn to a subset of your group where you may develop a stronger relationship. In fact, look for these things to occur not only with you but with others in your group who may connect in ways that you don’t. If you hear of two of the four couples getting together for dinner and you and your wife weren’t invited---embrace it! That’s what’s supposed to happen!

Fellowship provides what may be the most significant opportunity to really get to know people in your group. In many cases, some of your best future friends are people that you are going to meet in a Life Group. Don’t force it but be aware of the fact that God may bring to you a person or several people that you have common interests with. This is not a coincidence! God wants you to be in community with other believers. If you meet somebody in your group that, lo and behold, you like the same things or have the same interests, understand that God might be doing something.

Fellowship also provides opportunities to bring new people to your group. (Everybody likes food or a cookout)

Table Exercise: List ideas for fellowship opportunities that might occur outside your group.

Step 1: Let’s make a list of ideas for additional fellowship opportunities.

Philippians 3:10, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

Fellowship Ideas: Supper 8 groups with 4 couples who meet each month for fellowship & dinner; Hospital visits as a group; Coupon Club to area restaurants; Kindness In Action opportunities; Golf outings as a group; attend Church-wide special functions as a group; Group service projects; Holiday outreach for example go caroling together as a group and/or deliver meals; Father-Son or Mother-Daughter outings; Guys or Gals night out; Game Night; Bowling for a cause; Christmas Project; Combined Group Picnic; Adopt-A-Person/Family to care for anonymously; Service Projects for others (work day; home repairs).

Studying the Word In A Life Group

While the emphasis in an Adult Sunday school class is gaining of the word, the emphasis of the study in a Life Group should be on of the word.

Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Step 1: Central Christian Church has many resources available to review. Take a look at what’s available.

Step 2: Decide if you are going to utilize a specific curriculum that relates to your group or if you’re going to utilize the sermon lessons posted on-line at www.ccc.org.

Step 3: Provide that information as part of your profile.


Study Ideas: Go to the ‘Resource Library’ section for ideas.

Worship Time In A Life Group

If your group has somebody in it that has gifting in music and a passion to utilize that gift, try and incorporate their gifts into your Life Group.

What if there are no musically gifted people in your group, how can you incorporate worship time?

Table Exercise: Take time at your table to list different ways that you can incorporate worship into your small group without music. You have 10 minutes to discuss and make a list.

Question 1: Let’s list ways that you can incorporate worship into your Life Group.

Question 2: What types of prayer incorporate worship?

Worship Ideas: Read the Psalms (example Psalm 51); Clap hands; Read the Word of God out loud; Go around the room and share a praise; Sing Worship Music with CD – piano or guitar; Take communion (be creative) and follow-up with prayer time; Time of silence; write a poem and/or testimony; responsive reading; CD’s of Saturday night or Sunday morning worship; make your own Worship videos or use some worship DVD’s and/or videos.

Prayer In A Life Group

Prayer is an integral part of a Life Group. It provides several opportunities for a group. Praying for each other allows the group to learn more about each other including current circumstances, current struggles, and current blessings that each member is experiencing.

What should be the focus of prayer in a Life Group?

Table Exercise: Prioritize the list of prayer requests listed in your handout. You have 10 minutes to discuss and prioritize.

Question 1: How did each table prioritize their list?

Question 2: What should be the key emphasis of prayer in a Life Group?

Acts: 2:42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Prayer Ideas: onfidentiality is important; Keep a journal of praises and prayer requests; note when your groups specific prayers are answered and give God praise; Prayer chair – put a chair or two in the middle of your group and take turns praying specifically for those who occupy the chairs; Circle prayer with joined hands; Huddle prayer – surround an individual or individuals and pray for them.

Ice Breakers for New and Experienced Groups

To view a printable list of these ice breakers, click here.

Child Care Ideas for Your Life Group

Each Life Group is responsible to provide its own child care throughout the duration of the study. Your group will need to discuss and plan out a strategy for this key need at the first gathering as childcare can make or break the small group setting in some cases.

Here are a few ideas:

•  Secure an approved baby-sitter or child-care worker for your group who is from OUTSIDE your small group. Either High School student from our church youth group or someone you personally know. * NOTE: Central Christian will be offering special ‘training’ in the near future which will be required for all individuals assisting with child-care with any church sanctioned event or gathering whether the volunteer child-care worker be from outside or inside the group.

•  Set up an ‘approved’ Parent weekly rotation for child-care in which all the parents and/or participants take turns.

•  Set aside a separate room for child-care in which toys; activities; videos/DVD’s can be utilized during the study time. Some groups even have a traveling box/plastic tub of toys and activities put together that can be used fairly easily for the children.

•  Some groups incorporate the children in the worship time and dismiss them for the study portion; others have more of a family emphasis during the study portion. Other groups have special ‘family outings and/or activities’ which creates and encourages friendship bonds. Be creative.

•  Any Life Group choosing to meet at the church campus during the week and in need of child-care please note that child-care will be provided by the church on Wednesday evenings ONLY. The church campus is available to small groups who choose to meet on other weeknights however the specific room(s) needed must be approved prior to usage. Please call Sherri Reinstatler or Doug Reed in order to cover this base.