DISCUSSION GUIDE

Pray for each person in your group daily as part of your service to them.  Set a good example by doing your exercises each week and memorizing the verses.  

As the group facilitator, you don’t answer all the questions and don't comment on the answers they give. You’re not to do all the praying. Facilitate their involvement! Encourage them to pray, share, and answer questions. Follow the leading of the Spirit and be sensitive to help them connect with the Lord and one another. Guide the sharing time.

Open your small group with prayer. Ask someone to pray or pray yourself.  At the end of the sharing, if issues or needs surfaced, let the group pray for them.  Make sure you leave enough time for prayer that is needed, even if it means you have to shorten the sharing time. Don’t make anyone uncomfortable by requiring them to pray; know when to encourage them out of their comfort zone. Start and end on time to honor everyone’s time.  

Begin the sharing by asking what stood out to them after preparing the lesson. Then go into the questions/memory work.  Spend most of the time on the more personal questions rather than the “read… answer” questions.

Emphasize confidentiality! The group should be a safe.

Encourage everyone to keep their answers concise so that all can share. Don’t let anyone dominate by talking too much. Ask them by name to answer questions, especially if someone is dominating and others aren’t talking.  Politely ask the talkative person to bring her thoughts to a close so that others can share.  Focus on the more personal exercise questions the most.

There is no need to reread the Scriptures if they have done the exercise.  If they haven’t, you might need to read some of the verses.  Be assertive; don’t be passive and uncertain, waiting for others to talk.

As you do your exercises in advance, ask the Holy Spirit to give you more questions, Scriptures, and comments for your group.  You don’t have to stay only with what is in the workbook. Make sure you include questions about applying the Scriptures studied. We want to live the Word, not just study it.

Pray about their needs when they share them (if they are upset) or at the end of the group time. Discipleship brings issues to the surface that need healing for people to grow beyond the past so they can walk in freedom and healing. If you sense their gifts, take the time to meet with them and help them name some of the talents and treasures you see in them.

Naming sin is powerful for repentance; naming grace in people is empowering. Please don't turn your discipleship group into a counseling or therapy session. Keep it centered on the Word and prayer.  

DO NOT ask or try to answer controversial theological questions. This is not the time to teach doctrine. Stay focused on the subject at hand. Give space for indvidual faith practices unrelated to salvation in Christ alone.  Our goal is to grow in our knowledge of the Lord and His Word, and to LIVE what He is teaching us.