Small Groups Leader's Guide

8/12/2019 Small Groups Leader's Guide

1/23

Developing

Dynamic Small Groupsin Your Church

A Training Course in Eight Sessions

Leader's Notes

Prepared by David Cox

1


2/23

How to use the leader's notes:

1. Preview each session and become familiar with the content of the power-point slides. Wherenecessary do background reading for additional information and an overall grasp of theconcept of the holistic small group or cell

2. Be aware of the order in which information appears on the slides. Most slides are animatedand present ideas step by step rather than all at once

. Provide students with theparticipant's guide. !his closely follows the outline of the power-point slides

". #se the leader$s notes as supplementary material only. !hey are not intended to be used asthe presentation itself

%. Pray for wisdom& both for yourself and others who share this material with their churches

Slide contents are as follows:

Session One "Small Groups: part of God's Kingdom plan"- a brief look at the theology& Biblicalbackground& and history of small groups and the part they play in creating 'ingdom community

Session Two "Life-changing small groups: some definitions" - five definitions of the mosteffective small group model for the contemporary church( how to determine whether e)istinggroups are functioning to their best potential

Session Three "Small group values: the key to growth"- an overview of the values or principleswhich govern the life of the group and determine whether it will be a blessing or otherwise to thechurch

Session Four "Small group meetings and small group life" - what happens in a typical small

group or cell meeting& and the importance of e)tending the life of the group beyond its weeklymeetings

Session Five "The Goal of small groups: holiness and harvest" - the two principle ob*ectives ofsmall group ministry+ the growth of believers toward maturity in ,hrist& and numerical growththrough evangelism

Session Six "Small group leadership" - the small group leader$s *ob description& personalualities and skills of small group leadership& leadership principles& and some of the challengessmall group leaders might e)pect

Session Seven "eveloping a small group network" - how to start& the need to start small& theimportance of adeuate time for preparation and training& how to invite non-,hristians and non-

dventists to the group& developing a strategy for multiplying groups

Session Eight !aintaining the network" - the challenge of the long haul& sustaining interest& theneed for a larger vision for the future

2

Please Note: You are welcome to mae changes!additions to the "ower"oint slides for #our own"resentation "ur"oses onl#$ % welcome #our suggestions for im"roving the series which can then &eshared with others using the "rogramme$

David Cox david/co)".freeserve.co.uk and dco)/adventist.org.uk
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


3/23

Slide Description

1. Series title

2. 7 sessions

3. Session 1 title

slide

4. Made in His

image

5. Universal need

6. Moses' method

7. The Jethro

priniple

!. Jes"s' model

#. Heart to heart

1$. %e& Testa

ment h"rh

11. %T h"rh

(gro&th)

Session One

"Small Groups: Part of God's Kingdom Plan"

Notes for Commentary

This session sho&s ho& &e &ere designed to live in omm"nit*+ and ho& ,od has

"sed small gro"ps thro"gh the *ears to -"ild His ingdom. The small gro"p onept

is a /,od idea+/ not 0"st a good idea.

/Made in His image/ &hat does this mean ieness in harater+ et. ssential

nat"re o ,od's harater love. ove onl* possi-le &here there is more than one

person. /,od is love/ is possi-le -ea"se ,od ather+ Son and Hol* Spirit (a

divine /omm"nit*/) e &ere designed &ith apait* to love and -e loved+ thereore

designed or omm"nit* to live in omm"nit* as ,od does. His omment8 /9t is notgood or man to -e alone

This apait* lost -* sin. :roen relationships et. Jes"s ame to restore omm"nit*.Hene His pra*er+ that /the* man -e one as &e are;/

%eed or lose relationships lies at heart o o"r longings

Soon ater nl* one o"rse go to Moses. :"t

this didn't &or.

,od provides sol"tion thro"gh Moses' atherinla&. ?esri-e the priniple. %ote the

o"nsel in v.23 /9 *o" do this @S ,>? A>MM@%?S;/ Bes"lt8 ever* individ"alno& part o small gro"p o 1$. This &as a "ndamental part o -"ilding this ne& and

dierent nation over &hih ,od &as Sovereign.

Ho& man* disiples Man*. Jes"s hose 12+ &ith inner gro"p o 3. h* o"ld not

2$ have -een more eetive Jes"s reating a protot*pe model or the %e&

Testament h"rh here. Jes"s hose 12 -ea"se this &as most eetive. Spent at least

hal His time preparing these men. 9n long term+ more eetive method than

spending all His time taling to ro&ds. Modern researh onirms that one personan eetivel* mentorCpastor no more than 1$12. Jes"s also -eneited rom the

intima*Cs"pport o this gro"p

ssene o Jes"s ministr*. Same or "s. Der* eno"raging statement. @nd it's tr"eE

Tr"e o all ministr*8 evangelism and n"rt"re

%T h"rh &as -asiall* a small gro"p h"rh. The* met in larger n"m-ers also+ -"t

da*toda* lie o the h"rh &as in small gro"ps in homes. videntl* %T h"rhleaders m"ltiplied Jes"s' protot*pe. videne is that there &ere no h"rh -"ildings

or a-o"t 3$$ *ears

@maFing gro&th. Ma*-e hal the 3$$$ onverts at =enteost &ere visitors. >ther

15$$ 0oined Jer"salem h"rh. Ho& &as it possi-le Aonsider the pratial

dii"lties i 15$$ tried to 0oin a modern ongregation in one da* Ho& &o"ld &e

3


4/23

12. Martin "ther

13. esle*'s lasss*stem

14. i-id (ont)

15. ! G"alit*

harateristis

16. Most import

ant priniple

17. 9t's a at

1!. =reparing or

2ndadvent

1#. S,C ,od's pl

2$. hat S,'s &illdo

21. Title slide

22. =reparing or

2nd=ent.

23. The ever

pop"lar p"-

24. Ahrist's

method

manage ?o &e have a s*stem e -elieve in a seond =enteost. >nl* a small

gro"p net&or allo&s or e


5/23

Slide Description

1. Series title

slide

2. Session 2 title

slide

3. S,'s or

Iingdom

omm"nit*

4. Ah"rh

&itho"t &alls

5. 9n the minds o

man*;

6. The tr"th is;

7. The eetivesmall gro"p is

1) holisti

!. Ahrist's

holisti

omm"nit*

#. S, mission

statement

1$. S, 2):asi

-"ilding-lo;

Session Two

"ife!Canging Small Groups: Some Definitions"


This session deines &hat &e mean &hen &e "se the term /small gro"p./ Man* o "s

are amiliar &ith the pra*er gro"p+ :i-le st"d* gro"p+ s"pport gro"p+ or /ottage

meeting/ to name a e& e= are the h"rh. Man* are s"rprised to learn that orappro


6/23

11. hat the ell

is to the -od*

12. The eetive

S, is (3)interative

13. The eetive

S, is (4) a

-asi Ahristian

omm"nit*

14. 2&inged -ird

15. Aorporate

&ing "ntions

16. Aomm"nit*

&ing

17. %ot 0"stanother

programme

1!. S*stem or

ministr*

1#. %ot

independent

ho"se h"rhes

2$. @ str"t"re

&hih

onnets

21. %ot a-sene o

departments

The -od* gro&s -ea"se the -od*'s ells m"ltipl*. e digest ood+ e


7/23

22. S, h"rh

provides;

23. %ot 0"st a good

idea;

This is ho& &e might represent the relationship -et&een the larger h"rh &ith its

departments and the net&or o small gro"ps or ells

Sel e


8/23

Slide Description

1. Series title

slide

2. Session 3 title

slide

3. ,oing

some&here

4. 9t's one thing...

5. Iingdom oHeaven islie;

6. Sho"ld -e o"r

val"es

7. iehanging

energ*

!. Dal"es &hihdrive;

#. ,ive me Jes"s

1$. ver*

Ahristian in

11. Areated or

12. ,ited or

13. ie o the

pastor;

Session Tree

"Small Group #alues: te Key to Growt"


This session deals &ith the allimportant val"es+ /gro"ndr"les/ or priniples &hih

govern the lie o the gro"p and determine &hether it &ill -e a -lessing or other&ise

in the h"rh

e have a ro"gh idea o &hat lie in heaven &ill -e lie+ -ea"se Jes"s spoe so

m"h a-o"t the /ingdom o heaven/ -"t are &e reall* seeing to live lie that no&

Sele


9/23

14. =astor's irst

15. S, people (1)

16. S, people(2)

17. e're g"ilt*;

1!. J"st a la*

mem-er

1#. @nd love

2$. Areating

omm"nit*

21. >ther val"es

22. Aartoon

This &as the role o the pastor in %e& Testament times+ and this is ho& the pastor

served the earl* @dventist h"rh too.

Small gro"ps are or ordinar* people lie *o" and me. :"t that's the &hole point;

,od an do;

hat a remara-le statement. ?id *o" ever thin o "nderestimating *o"r potential

in the servie o ,od or someone else's or that matter as a rime e don't &ant

to -e g"ilt* o this riminal mentalit*. e need to see enormo"s possi-ilities in

o"rselves and eah other as &e mae o"rselves availa-le or ,od's servie

Still on the s"-0et o the seond val"e ever* mem-er in ministr*8 %ote that all

-elievers are la* people+ inl"ding pastors the* are all the people o ,od. ie&ise

all -elievers are lerg* all are alled -* ,od

Aomment on val"e 48 loving relationships. This is the -asi+ "navoida-le ommand.

Note: Alass ma* &ish to -rainstorm on ho& oten and in ho& man* dierent

onte


10/23

Slide Description

1. Series title

slide

2. >"tline o 7

sessions

3. Session 4 title

slide

4. o"r 's

5. S, agenda

6. 4 's the

elome

7. 9e-reaer

!. 4 's

orship

#. 4 's :i-le

st"d*

1$. Belational 3

G"estions

Session (our

"Small Group eetings and Small Group ife"


hat happens in a t*pial small gro"p meeting @nd &hat ativities do small gro"p

mem-ers share &ith eah other o"tside o reg"lar small gro"p meetings This

session ene or t&o /&orship leaders/ an develop this element

Sele


11/23

11. Belational :S

12. 4 's &itness

13. Aharateristis

o small gro"p

pra*er

14. @terglo&

15. ,oal o S,

meetings

16. ,ro"p lie

o"tsidemeetings

17. 4 stages

1!. hen the

gro"p gives

-irth;

%ote8 the 3 G"estions &ill not al&a*s -e ased "sing these preise &ords. :"t these 3

G"estions are the essene o &hat &e are asing.

"rther insight into relational :i-le st"d*

This is the time that is given to o"s on the primar* reason or the gro"p's e


12/23


13/23

12. Thro"gh all to

all

13. ,od "ses;

14. Mentoring

15. @ riend;

16. 2 alternatives

17. Ho& does it

&or

1!. Mentors oer..

1#. 2. vangelism

2$. vangelism;

21. ngel8 proess

o deision

22. Ho& ar rom

the ross

23. riendship

evangelism

24. =o&er o

riendship

this statement in "The Small Group Book."

This is the priniple o ever* mem-er ministr*+ and it &ors -est in the small gro"p

onte


14/23

25. 9ntrod"ing;

26. h* S, &or

27. h* S, &or

2!. =ersonal;

2#. Ma


15/23

Slide Description

1. Series title

slide

2. Session 6 title

slide

3. Shape o

"t"re

h"rh;

4. Ah"rh -egan

as protot*pe

S,

5. S, leaders arespeial

Session Si)

"Small Group eadersip"


Small gro"p leaders not onl* determine the nat"re and eetiveness o the small

gro"ps the* lead+ -"t in the "t"re S.?.@. h"rh &ill pro-a-l* pla* an inreasingl*important part in shaping the loal ongregation as a &hole. h* Simpl* -ea"se

the* spend more time on a reg"lar -asis and thereore have the potential or a greater

inl"ene on the lives o their gro"p mem-ers than an* other individ"als in the

h"rh+ inl"ding the pastor. This session deals &ith the allimportant iss"es o the

small gro"p leader's 0o- desription+ the personal G"alities and sills neessar* oreetive leadership+ some o the pratial hallenges small gro"p leaders ae+ and

-asi small gro"p leadership priniples.

e sho"ld remind o"rselves o one other important reason &h* /the shape o *o"r

"t"re h"rh;./

Bemem-er the Ahristian h"rh -egan 2$$$ *ears ago as a single small gro"p a

protot*pe i *o" lie and Jes"s &as its eader. @s &e sa& in the irst session+ -*

hoosing 12 disiples and sharing His lie &ith them+ and -* alling =eter+ James and

John into an /inner irle/ relationship &ith Him+ He deli-eratel* reated a model or

the "t"re h"rh to ollo&. He &as the irst small gro"p eader. He is the perete o"rse ever* Ahristian is

alled to leadership+ -"t it's important that a small gro"p leaders

"nderstands that this is something ,>? has alled them to do. 9t's not 0"st

an appointment -* a h"rh -oard or nominating ommittee

2. a%aila&le* The* are -"s* people 0"st lie most o "s+ -"t the* have made

themselves availa-le to &hat ,od &ants them to -e and do. The* don't see

this responsi-ilit* as a 2ho"rsa&ee 0o-. 9n one sense the* are on 24ho"rs a da* d"t*+ read* to serve an* time the* are a-le

3. gifted*Ho&ever inadeG"ate &e ma* eel+ there m"st -e a sense+ -oth on the

part o those &ho lead and those &ho are assoiated &ith them that ,od has

eG"ipped them or this tas+ not onl* &ith sills+ -"t &ith the empo&ering

o His Spirit

4. teaca&le*Small gro"p leaders m"st reognise ho& little the* no&+ andal&a*s -e read* to learn (sometimes "nlearn)+ espeiall* rom the mem-ers

o their gro"p. ,its and sills m"st onstantl* -e improved and sharpened5. %isionary*,od has promised "s /dreams and visions/ (Joel 282!+2#) and

&itho"t them "ltimatel* &e &ill ail in o"r mission (=rover-s 2#81!). e

need to dream -ig dreams+ see the present in the onte


16/23

6. S, leaders

ordinar*

7. S, leaders alldierent

!. S, leader as

shepherd

#. Shepherd

leader's

method

1$. S, leader as

ailitator

11. S, leader;

12. ?ominator

13. Stor*teller

14. =assive

15. Joer

16. ighter;

17. ?on

1!. >h or good

leadersE

1#. The tr"th is

2$. 9s ,od alling

*o"

21. Ahanes are;

:"t small gro"p leaders are also ordinar* people.i%e in real world: "nderstand that the realit* o Ahristian living onsists o highs

and lo&s+ &illing to admit to personal str"ggles and do"-tsK spea normal+ not

religio"s lang"ageK an relate to ordinar*+ nonAhristian peopleK don't tae lie too

serio"sl*+ have a good sense o h"mo"rDon't +now e%eryting: have G"estions as &ell as ans&ers+ haven't /arrived/

Small gro"p ministr* ele-rates peoples' dierenes and "niG"e personalitiesK S,leaders sho"ld not -e threatened -* those &ho thin or operate dierentl* to

themselves. So the* are happ* to -e themselves. :"t;

The* have one thing in ommon the* >D; Jes"s+ people+ h"rh

>verall are o the /little lo/ 9n %e& Testament the role o shepherd and pastor is

similar

earning to share one's lie and not 0"st one's no&ledge is a smallgro"p leader's

greatest hallenge and greatest privilege

S, leader is not /the teaher./ Main tas is to develop the gro"p and the gits+ sills

and personalities &ithin the gro"p to mae the "ll potential o the gro"p a realit*.

S, leader reall* a manager.

Sele


17/23

Slide Description

1. Series title

slide

2. Seven sessions

3. Session 7 title

slide

4. ,etting started

5. %eed or

strateg*

6. ,etting

started8 1+ 2

7. ,etting

started8 3+ 4

!. ,etting

started8 5

#. ,ro&

Session Se%en"De%eloping a Small Groups Networ+"


or s"mmar* p"rposes

%o& to the nitt*gritt* o at"all* doing it. 9t's important to "nderstand the theor* o

small gro"p ministr*+ -"t the onl* &a* o learning more at this point is to get

involved in an e-vio"sl*+ *o" need a strateg*. oring this losel* &ith people means *o" have to

-e are"l ho& *o" move or&ard. itho"t a strateg*+ *o" o"ld -e in or some

pain"l e


18/23


19/23

started8 1l+ 12

1#. ,etting

started+ Jethro

2$. Have patiene

21. "t"re

hallenge

22. Series slide

23. Strateg* or

hange

24. =astor's role

25. >riginal model

26. To"h model

27. ,ro"ps o 12

2!. Ho& it &ors

2#. ,12 str"t"re

3$. The stor*

31. The o-0etive

32. Mem-ershipgro&th

33. Aell

m"ltipliation

34. ,ro&th

priniples

12. See nethers are not *et in the h"rh. =roviding

ongoing training+ and preparing people or leadership is r"ial to -eoming a "ll*

ledged+ highl* eetive smallgro"p or ell h"rh

Jes"s' ministr* &as a reletion o this priniple. 9t led to =enteost

9t happened in the earl* h"rh -ea"se the -elievers not onl* prepared themselves

personall*+ -"t -ea"se the h"rh "nder ,od's diretion developed a str"t"re &hih

made "npreedented reaping possi-le. That's the &a* it &ill happen again

Alosing slide

>ptional an -e added to presentation. Bepresents a time sale or transitioning

e


20/23

Slide Description

1. Series title

slide

2. ight sessions

3. Session ! title

slide

4. 9t's one

thing;

5. Small gro"ps

are living;

6. =oint 18

"nderstand;

7. /@ll -*

itsel;

!. =oint 2

#. =oint 2 (ont)

1$. ! harater

istis o

health*

h"rhes

Session ,igt

"aintaining te Networ+"


or s"mmar* p"rposes

This session addresses the hallenge o maintaining and developing a small gro"p

net&or one it has -een esta-lished. ven i *o"r irst small gro"pCs are still in theearl* stages o development+ it's good to -eome aG"ainted no& &ith the hallenges

o the "t"re.

e all no&8 it's one thing to start and it's another thing to ontin"eE Until a gro"p

or h"rh -od* are thoro"ghl* aG"ainted &ith the idea and pratie o small gro"p

or ell lie it's val"e s*stem+ it's importane and "ntion in the h"rh there &ill

-e some steep hills to lim-. The sooner small gro"ps -eome the heart o the

h"rh+ the -etter+ -ea"se the* are here to sta*.

@t least+ the* sho"ld -e. rom the ators (h*porites) o Jes"s' da* to the mem-ers o

the h"rh at Sardis &ho had the appearane o -eing alive -"t &ere at"all* dead(Bevelation 381)+ /pla*ing h"rh/ seems to ome G"ite nat"rall* to religio"s people.

:"t h"rh is not a game. @ small gro"p o -elievers &ho meet in His name an

e>T L SH>>T L BU9T

>pport"nit* to -riel* revie& the ! G"alit* harateristis o gro&ing h"rhes listed

-* Ahristian Sh&artF in his -oo /%at"ral Ah"rh ?evelopment./ %ote that it's the

ad0etive (empo&ering+ gitoriented+ et.) that is the e*. or e


21/23

11. ,raph

12. =oint 38

M"ltipl*

leaders

13. eaders

leading

14. =oint 48 eep it

hallenging

15. =oint 58 eep it

interesting

16. =oint 68

lead Similarl*+ /&orship/ taes plae in most h"rhes and gro"ps+ &hether

traditional or ontemporar*+ -"t to &hat e


22/23

dii"lt

deisions

17. S,'s sho"ld -e

on ire

1!. Ho& an

&e;

1#. =oint 18 he

val"es

2$. =oint 28

"nderstand

hange

21. =oint 38 signs

o overload

22. =oint 38 the

amil*

23. =oint 48 pra*er

24. =oint 58

-elieve the

promise

?is"ntional gro"ps8 gro"ps &hih don't gro& over an e


23/23

Documents

Small Groups Leader's Guide