[print friendly page]

Worship Ideas for Small Groups

Lead members in a time of testimony. Have them share one of the following:

• Their answered prayers during the week
• One or two special things God did for them this week
• The thing about Christ that make them follow him
• One attribute of God that was demonstrated to them this week

Then have a time of praise with song and prayer reflecting the testimonies shared.

Read some Psalms. Then have individuals write their own Psalms or letters to God.

Have a time of positive biblical confession: Confess your faith in God. Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord. Confess your willingness to serve Him. Confess your love for God.

Use a hymn or worship song. Read it and discuss how it relates to each member’s life. Pray it to God. Then sing it together.

Have small group members take turns reading several Psalms out loud. Then pray in response. Or instruct them to speak their praise from the Psalms. Some good Psalms for this are 23, 27, 40, 103 and many more.

Have a time of silence before the Lord to hear His voice and worship.

Use Psalm 136 as a responsive reading. Have one person speak the descriptive verse and the group responds with the repeating verse. Read from the heart.

Choose an appropriate Psalm and have each person read a verse, or alternate verses where one person reads a verse and the group responds by reading the next verse in unison. Remember to stress listening to the words and worshipping God through them. Read with expression and from the heart.

Study the Worship section of Tools for Mentoring together. This short but powerful study includes Scriptures about your attitude during worship, various physical expressions of worship (see next idea), and using the gifts of the Spirit during worship.

When you read the Scriptures about various physical expressions of worship, practice one or two during each small group meeting. Position is more important than we think; the outward is a reflection of the inward. Consider a person slouching in his seat who doesn’t budge when someone important walks in. It says something. Often when we use our body in worship our heart responds and we are able to enter into God’s presence more easily and quickly.

Discuss these questions:

• Describe a time in which you really sensed God’s presence in a close way.
• What are things you do to draw close to God?
• Choose a few ideas and practice them together as a group.

Read Romans 1:20 or Psalm 104. Then, spend time reflecting how nature reveals God’s character, for example the mountains speak of His majesty. Either go outside for a walk or look out a window. Ask each person to reflect on one part of nature (a tree, the clouds, a blade of grass). Then come back and share.

Read Romans 12:1,2 and talk about how we worship by dedicating every action we do to the Lord: our work, studies, conversations, as well as our songs when we gather. Remind your small group often that worship’s number one goal is to bless God, not bless us. Our blessing is a by-product of worship.

Have times in worship where your small group members, one by one, speak out:

• The names of God
• Attributes of God
• Or finish the sentence: “Lord I thank you for…”

For a list of names, titles, and descriptions of God to help with the previous exercise, click here to open a new printable window. They could be copied off and the members could circle the ones that are most meaningful to them right now.

From John and Nancy Engels