Know Your Group in Order to Pick the Right Study

Consider these questions before choosing

by Amy Jackson

Choosing a group study can be challenging. You may have group members in different life stages, with different spiritual needs, or with different interests—and somehow you’re supposed to find one study that works for everyone.

Rachel Gilmore suggests considering the goals of your group and gaining a general idea of different types of small-group materials available. On top of that, though, you’ll need to know your group members, and she gives several questions to consider:

• Have any of these people done a group study before, or is this a brand new experience for most?
• Do I have any non-believers or seekers in this group?
• Do our members attend worship regularly at our church? Another church? Not at all?
• How willing and/or able are the participants to do homework in between meetings?
• Do the people in my group like to talk, or do they typically keep their thoughts to themselves?
• Can our members discuss different perspectives/opinions calmly, rationally, and respectfully?
• Does my group see me more as teacher/instructor (having more knowledge) or facilitator (I'm the tour guide in this learning journey)?
• How much time do I personally have for study and preparation?
• How comfortable is our group with incorporating technology into our study time—such as watch a DVD or have follow-up conversations on Facebook?
• Do any of our members have any special learning/physical needs that would impact learning/group discussions?

As you consider these questions, you’ll be able to choose a study that meets the needs of your group members. For more on finding the right study, and for the rest of Gilmore’s article, see Find the Right Study for Your Group.

posted by Amy Jackson on November 14, 2012 11:15 AM

Related Tags: Curriculum, Download excerpt, Rachel Gilmore, Study

Comments

Those are all very good questions for the leader to ask. I think this rally comes down to what it means to be a good shepherd-leader. One of the most vital roles of the leader is to know the people in the group and to invest into them. If the leader is doing that, he or she will know the answers to many of those questions.