Frank's Blog

I have always found summer to be an interesting component of group life. Some of our groups experience a dip in attendance while others continue to thrive. I have heard all sorts of advice from other small group pastors and breakout sessions at conferences but I am of the opinion that the group leader can make the best decision for his or her group.

They know their summer schedules, vacation times, children's activities, church events, etc. I've always been a part of churches that have had very volunteer intensive summers.  Summer is some of the best opportunities for outreach events for kids and teens, and these events often need the volunteers that attend our groups! Not only will church events impact our groups but so will summer vacation. I have often found that my own group experiences about a 50% drop in attendance during the summer.

Some leaders may decide that it's best to just break for the summer and meet once per month for a social to stay in touch. What I have found that typically works for my own leadership style and summer schedule is to meet twice per month over the summer, instead of  meeting weekly.

In general I think scaling back for the summer is helpful.   When it comes to group ministry I like to generate a buzz for a big fall launch with new curriculum, or sometimes an all church alignment campaign. I find people are looking for something when school starts to create a routine and stabilize after their hectic vacations. Hopefully your summer is refreshing and your group stays in touch.

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I'm not sure if you are aware but our website has numerous articles available that can help small group leaders and pastors handle the challenges we face in group ministry.  Here is an example of a great article by one of our authors, John Noonan:

Students get bored easily.  They sit in classes all day long and the last thing they want is another lecture.  So how does a small group leader grab the attention of their students while teaching them about the bible?  It is important to have a strategy that will entertain as well as educate your students.  Ice breakers, fun activities, and exciting social functions are just some of the examples I give in this article.

Ice Breakers

I use ice breakers in the beginning of every small group meeting. It helps revive my students and forces them to interact with each other. Ice breaker activities are easy to invent and even easier to find. Here are a few websites that list popular ice breakers for free.

• http://www.thesource4ym.com/
• http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/
• http://www.egadideas.com/

Fun Activities

If your group is showing signs of fatigue, throw in a fun activity during you small group time. Several of my student small groups relocate for a week in order to breathe new life into their students. Some examples include having group time at an ice cream shop, miniature golf course, or even a skate park. If your group has similar interests, why not relocate to a place where they are more comfortable and maybe they will have a little fun.

Social Functions

At the end of each study series, we plan a large social function that all of our student small groups attend. This is a great way to cleanse your pallet and rejuvenate you for the next round. It also gives students an opportunity to bond with students in other groups. Let’s face it; things can get pretty serious during small group time. Everybody needs to let loose and have some fun.

Let’s Get Serious

When you are teaching your students about the bible and God, there are bound to be some serious discussions. Inevitably, some students in your group will start to zone out. It is your job to keep them interested and make sure they get the point.

How do you do that? Well, I believe that if a student is sitting on their butt, their brain isn’t operating at full capacity. If you can, inject serious activities or have your students act out scenarios. If they are standing up and moving around, they will remember a lot more and the point might start to sink in.

Below is an example of what I am talking about.

Discussion Topic: My group was talking about forming deeper relationships with Christ and other Christians. I thought, “Why not start with the people sitting next to you.”

Activity #1: I called this activity the leap of faith. You might call it something different, but everyone knows it. Each person takes turns standing on something tall and falling backwards into the arms of your group members. It helps build trust and it is fun.

Activity #2: I told each member of my group to think of something that was weighing heavy on their hearts. Whether it was a sin they were struggling with or a hardship they were dealing with. Then I told them to find a quiet corner and have a genuine conversation with God about that one thing.

Activity #3: This activity was the same as #2, except this time I told them to have the same conversation with one other person from the group. You need to make sure the students understand that they are not to share these conversations with anyone else.

These activities went over very well and the group time flew by. We were able to cover a serious topic without anyone being bored and everyone remembered the important points of our discussion.

Click here to read other great articles SmallGroupHelp.com

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Sometimes as group leaders we can be control freaks.  And in a small group environment we need to remember that when we are too controlling in during our meetings it can often mean we are less relevant.

Often when we are making our way through a Bible study we have prepared for, or some other study guide we've purchased, a topic will pop up during discussion that the study doesn't address.  I'll never forget the day that my group was right in the middle of our Bible study in the book of James and we were supposed to be talking about temptation because that is what I was prepared for! However, my group needed to have a different discussion that night.

Every question we discussed during our study kept bringing us back to the sermon we had heard on Sunday.  The previous Sunday's sermon was all about gossip and healthy conflict resolution.  After having two questions in a row on temptation turn into discussion on gossip and conflict I quickly realized I needed to close the study guide and put it down.  We completely shifted gears and spent the next 30min going where the group needed.

To be an effective discussion leader in our groups we have to remember not to be a control freak about our prepared studies or study guides.  While those tools are great, they cant predict the needs that our group has each week.  So as a leader, pay attention to where your discussion is going and pray for God to help you let the needs of your group control the discussion and not you.

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