Groups Q&A, Part 1

We’ve gotten a few questions about leading groups that we will cover cover the next couple of days. Here are the first few.

1. How should you handle someone turning the meeting into their own counseling session week after week?

It might be a good idea to set the stage up front that there will be seasons in all of our lives where we need more individual attention. By all means we want people to share their struggles and work through them with the group. That’s a big part of why we do this! And occasionally, we may take extra time to focus on one individual. We can’t do that every week because we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to share and participate. Some situations that we walk out over time may warrant more one on one time with the leader so that it doesn’t take away from everyone else. Just tell them that if you feel it’s one of those times, you will just kindly ask them if you can spend more time talking about it later in the week.

Another option in the moment is to stop them and offer to pray for them right then and there…then move on as soon as you finish praying. “Who else has something to share about…”?

2. What programs are in place for mentoring?

Community group coaches can be great mentors for you as you shepherd your group. If you don’t yet have a community group coach, contact your Community Groups Director. They will assign someone who can meet with you regularly, encourage you and help you along the way. Beyond a group coach, we do have people volunteer to be a mentor from time to time. Just let us know, if this is something you need.

3. Do I need to get approval for a study I want to do with my group?

We always want each group to decide what they will do for study. We do want to help you in the process though. So just let us know what you are thinking before your final decision. There may be a resource we know has worked well pertaining to a certain focus you are seeking. You can also refer to the list of resources we know have been proven to work well in group settings. If you do want to do something different, just give us a heads up first!

4. Do we need to have the study picked before we begin the group?

No. It’s good to begin thinking about options, but you always have time to figure out what will work best with your group shortly after it starts. Your first meeting will be all about connecting, leaving study questions to begin the following week. If you do not plan to do the Continue the Conversation questions every week, you can at least do them for the first few weeks until you have decided what you will use and everyone has a copy of it.

5. Can I come part-time and get all of the benefits of coming to a group?

Occasionally, you’ll have someone whose schedule just does not permit a regular, weekly commitment. This is okay. In those cases, we want them to be as involved as they can be. Certainly, some is better than none! For the most part we are looking to share life together, build long-lasting relationships, and grow together. That happens best with a regular commitment to the group. So for everyone else, we do look for a commitment so the group is best set up to accomplish its goals. Everyone will have times they can not attend, but you do want to see a general commitment overall from the majority of members.

We’ll cover the other 5 questions we’ve gotten so far tomorrow. What questions do you have?