New prospects will most
probably attend a weekend worship service.
Since that is true, it is wise to
speak to them in words & terms they understand.
I'm certainly not suggesting
that God's Word be diluted,
but what I am saying is to communicate God's truth
in words and phrases that anyone can understand.
Jesus adapted His message to His hearers, too.
Jesus told interesting stories
about farming, birds, sheep, and children. He explained Biblical truth in an
amazingly fun way.
However, when Jesus was in a smaller group, He cultivated an
environment of give and take.
If you read John 13-17 for example, Jesus is
responding to questions from Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas.
He's even
reading facial expressions and observing group dynamics throughout.
If you're a
small group teacher like Jesus, you should create an environment of give and
take, too.
If you are a small group leader and you're more committed to delivering a lot of material,
you actually not following the small group teaching model of Christ, but you are following His large group model and miss applying it.
As a small
group leader, your goal is to create a loving, relational environment that
people can grow.
Realize that you're not going to be able to cover as much
material as in the past
1. Realize that the class is not yours, and focus on giving Jesus glory.
2. Ask thought provoking
questions.
3. Be gentle as you steer your
group.
4. Be faithful to the truth in
a loving way.
5. Be quick to admit a mistake
if it becomes apparent.
6. Learn from others because
God is teaching you through your class.
7. Avoid cutting people off if
at all possible.
8. Thoughtfully listen when
others speak.
9. Paraphrase back what others
say to communicate understanding.
10. Maintain eye contact and
smile.
11. Listen to the Holy Spirit
as you speak and as others speak and adjust your lesson accordingly.
12. Don't allow unkind comments
from participates, but encourage kind and respectful behavior from everyone.
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