How to Start a Bible Discussion Group
If you're looking for a way to get involved at your church, think about starting a Bible discussion group. You can get advice and support from your clergy to get things going and it's a great way to bring members of the congregation together. Alternatively, if you already have a discussion group at church, you can also start one in your neighborhood.
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Instructions
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Consider the number of people you want to incorporate. For an informal Bible discussion group, it's probably best to limit the number of people participating to no more than 12 people. A smaller number of people encourages intimacy and trust, and subsequently, everyone gets more out of group time.
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Invite potential group members personally. Think about your fellow congregants or neighbors who aren't already involved in a Bible study. Once you have a list, start making phone calls. The more personal, the better, as a lot of fliers get thrown out. Make follow-up calls to those who don't give you an immediate answer.
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Decide on a time commitment. As the facilitator, start with yourself and determine how much of your free time you can devote to meetings and prep work. Remember that if you make the Bible discussion group time too burdensome, participants will most likely drop out. An hour to an hour and a half once a week or every other week is a good starting point.
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Choose a curriculum. Your Bible discussion group can be as structured or as informal as you like. You may want to work from a Bible study you purchase at a Christian book store or simply choose a culturally relevant Bible passage each week to read and discuss. Either way, come to the meeting prepared.
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Learn how to facilitate properly. Facilitating a Bible discussion group doesn't make you the authority on whatever topic you're covering. It simply means that participants look to you for organizing meetings and materials and keeping things moving and on track.
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Keep focused. It's easy as you all get to know each other on a more personal level to start talking about your kids, spouses and jobs. If the discussion begins to stray, gently lead everyone back to the topic at hand.
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Develop a set of ground rules. Before your first meeting officially starts, talk with your group about an unwritten set of rules for success. Consider adopting a confidentiality policy and insisting on no interrupting or criticisms.
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Tips & Warnings
To give participants a sense of group ownership, you may want to alternate facilitator responsibilities every week.
As a way to encourage people to trust each other and to get to know one another better, take group prayer requests at the end of each meeting. But be sure to limit the request to immediate family only to avoid an overbearing amount of requests.
