The components listed here provide a rich small group experience. All the components do not have to be in each meeting. Vary the order to create interest. Change the emphasis from week to week. One week the majority of your time might be spent in worship. The next week might be devoted to prayer or the discussion might take the whole time. Try to bring a balance of importance to all the areas over the weeks you meet together.
Ask each member to prepare one of the components for the next meeting. Provide them with resources and ideas (see the ones on this website). For some components (Bible study), meet with them during the week to help them prepare. Allow everyone to present each component at some time. The group becomes more THEIRS than YOURS. Potential small group leaders need an opportunity to plan and lead the whole meeting.
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1. Refreshments (15 minutes) |
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| Allow people to get comfortable with one another. | |
| 2. Greetings and Announcements (5 minutes) | |
| Give accurate details and create excitement for the announced event. | |
| 3. Ice Breaker (10 minutes) | |
| Draw out people so that they will feel comfortable sharing their hearts. This may be incorporated into the Bible study section if you use a question to lead into the topic. See Relationship Builders. | |
| 4. Vision Sharing or Brief Testimony (5-10 minutes) | |
| Share your vision for the small group, or have someone cast vision for the topic of the evening. For example, if the topic is spending daily time with God, have Jason tell the insights he’s received from his time in the Bible this week. If the topic is missions, have Amy describe how going on a short-term mission changed her life. Or, open it up to the whole group to share about answered prayers, salvations, or healing. | |
| 5. Worship (10 minutes) | |
| Use ideas from Worship Ideas for Small Groups. | |
| 6. Bible Study (25 minutes) | |
| Give members time to reflect on the Scriptures by allowing “wait time” after you ask a question. Or, give them the questions and time to jot down their thoughts before the discussion begins. Or, ask them to read the passage several times and note what God speaks to them from it. Emphasize the specific, measurable actions members will do to apply the Scriptures. Remember that leaders set the tone in the group. If the leader is open, the members will be, too. See Build Your Own Bible Study and Leading Discussions. | |
| 7. Prayer (15 minutes) | |
| In groups of 2 or 3, or as a whole group, share and pray for personal needs. Agree in prayer for struggling friends and family and those yet to believe. Pray believing that the Holy Spirit will meet each need. Use this time to model and teach members how to minister to one another with the spiritual gifts. Have one member keep track of requests and God’s answers in the prayer journal. See Prayer Ideas for Small Groups. | |