Building Christian Community

Small Group Ministry in Today’s Seventh-Day Adventist

Church

Building Christian Community

SESSION SIX: SMALL GROUP LEADERSHIP

The Shape of Your Future Church…

…may well be determined by the quality of your small group leaders…

?

…Because the Church Began as a Prototype

Small Group…

…and Jesus was its Leader!

Small Group Leaders Are…

Special People:

• Called

• Available

• Gifted

• Teachable

• Visionary

Small Group Leaders Are Also…

…Ordinary people:

• Live in the real world

• Don’t know everything

• Struggle with their faith

Small Group Leaders Are All Different…

…but they have one thing in common:

They LOVE:-

•Jesus

•People

•The Church

The Small Group Leader as a Shepherd

The Shepherd-Leader’s Method

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” Paul, I Thess 2:8

Some one who enables others’

Someone who disciples others

The Small Group Leader as a Facilitator

The Small Group Leader’s

Role

• Shepherds and facilitates• Manages group life• Delegates responsibility• Identifies and develops gifts in group

members, trains apprentice leader• Models small group values• Involves everyone

The Dominator Done it all before

Long monologues Interrupts Won’t let others finish Hard to listen to others Can always go one better Needs recognition Give tasks Address questions to others in the

group Meet personally to address problem

The Story-Teller• goes off on a

tangent• slows down progress• tells irrelevant

stories• minimize eye contact• ask specific group members by

name to read or give opinion• Don’t be afraid to interrupt is

necessary

The Passive Member

• Some just are this way• Doesn’t get involved• Be sensitive, don’t

embarrass• Usually have something

valuable to contribute• Affirm in the group,

encourage in private• Provide opportunity to develop

confidence

The Joker or Clown• Keeps everyone

laughing• Relieves tension• May prevent anything

serious happening• Can intimidate others• Often shy or self-

conscious people• Don’t kill the humour, but build on it• Meet personally to share concern if it’s

serious!

The Fighter/Defender• often hostile• aggressive-

defensive type• persecuted complex• Don’t return like

with like• Work hard to build

personal friendship. Try to learn cause of behaviour

• Be gentle but firm

The Don• Puts things on “higher level”• Intellectualizes• Interprets what others

say• Can make others feel

inferior• Give specific

“research” tasks to prepare for Bible study

• Also challenge with application questions

Oh for Brilliant Leaders!

• A few leaders are like this

• They ARE the system

They’re the complete package…

• Dynamic Speaker• Great Motivator• Good with youth

and elderly• A1 Administrator• Excellent Musician• AND good looking

The Truth Is…

The best and most effective leaders may well look and feel

more like THIS

Is God Calling You?

If you feel like THIS…

• …but you like what you’ve heard

• You really want to get involved

• You’re not satisfied with the status quo

• You would like to give it your best even though you don’t know how to start…

Chances Are He’s Calling

YOUYes

YOU