Our Store

• Bible Curriculum
  Sunday School lessons and Bible studies for adults, curriculum materials for children and youth groups
   
  
• Devotionals
  Christian devotionals featuring the Walk the Walk series and Prayer Bytes Bible devotions
   
  
• Discussion Guides
  Bible study guides for adult Sunday School classes, small groups, and Bible discussion groups
   
  
• Spiritual Gifts & Profiling
  Books, curriculum, and other ministry resource materials on spiritual gifts and developing ministry profiles
   
  
• Teacher Training
  Books, workbooks, and devotionals for Bible teachers of all age levels
   
  
• Specials
   
  

Online Training

Ministry Resources

---

Newsletter Sign-up
Receive notification of
updates to the site
 
Your Email Address:

Type letters & submit


 
Click here to read our
current newsletter online
(Privacy Policy)

---

Directories of Our Affiliate Stores to Help You Find What You Need:
	Books, Bibles, Music, DVD's
	Church Supplies
	Novelties, Crafts, Gifts, More

Leading a Good Small Group Discussion

Scenario:
You purchased a discussion guide you thought would be good for your group. You know another small group leader who used it and said it was one of the best small group studies they ever did. Your group, however, just sat there staring at you offering little interaction. What they did share was short and shallow. You finished the sessions early.

What went wrong?

You relied on the questions in the curriculum alone which did not connect with your group. Perhaps your group did not have enough background knowledge or lacked experience with group discussion.

Do not rely on the study guide alone to produce a good discussion. One of your responsibilities as the facilitator is to keep the discussion moving with guiding questions.

You need to help participants to be CLEAR. Start with the question provided in the curriculum but then take it to the next step if group members do not further the discussion on their own. Ask questions like the following to get them thinking clear-ly.

Clarifying Questions

• Could you explain what you mean by that?
• Could you rephrase what you just said?

Listing Questions

• Could you give an example?
• Could you give us an illustration of that?

Extending Questions

• What can you add to what has been said?
• Do you have any more thoughts on that?

Analyzing Questions

• What reasoning is behind your answer?
• Do you know of any Scripture to back that up?

Re-directing Questions

• What does somebody else think?
   
   
  

Learn more about facilitating
discussions in the Sharpening
Your Bible Teaching Methods
Disc or Download.

Discussion Guides
from Ministry Tools
Resource Center
to use with your
small groups:
 

Did you benefit from this site? - Praise God!

Click Here for tools to inform your church or ministry.
Or, tell a friend about this page. Provide contact info and an e-mail will be sent. -- All fields below are required.

 Your name:      Friend's name: Your e-mail:     Friend's e-mail:   Message to Your Friend:
             Type letters & Send