building christian community small group ministry in today’s seventh-day adventist church
TRANSCRIPT
The Shape of Your Future Church…
…may well be determined by the quality of your small group leaders…
?
Small Group Leaders Are Also…
…Ordinary people:
• Live in the real world
• Don’t know everything
• Struggle with their faith
Small Group Leaders Are All Different…
…but they have one thing in common:
They LOVE:-
•Jesus
•People
•The Church
The Shepherd-Leader’s Method
“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” Paul, I Thess 2:8
The Small Group Leader’s
Role
• Shepherds and facilitates• Manages group life• Delegates responsibility• Identifies and develops gifts in group
members, trains apprentice leader• Models small group values• Involves everyone
The Dominator Done it all before
Long monologues Interrupts Won’t let others finish Hard to listen to others Can always go one better Needs recognition Give tasks Address questions to others in the
group Meet personally to address problem
The Story-Teller• goes off on a
tangent• slows down progress• tells irrelevant
stories• minimize eye contact• ask specific group members by
name to read or give opinion• Don’t be afraid to interrupt is
necessary
The Passive Member
• Some just are this way• Doesn’t get involved• Be sensitive, don’t
embarrass• Usually have something
valuable to contribute• Affirm in the group,
encourage in private• Provide opportunity to develop
confidence
The Joker or Clown• Keeps everyone
laughing• Relieves tension• May prevent anything
serious happening• Can intimidate others• Often shy or self-
conscious people• Don’t kill the humour, but build on it• Meet personally to share concern if it’s
serious!
The Fighter/Defender• often hostile• aggressive-
defensive type• persecuted complex• Don’t return like
with like• Work hard to build
personal friendship. Try to learn cause of behaviour
• Be gentle but firm
The Don• Puts things on “higher level”• Intellectualizes• Interprets what others
say• Can make others feel
inferior• Give specific
“research” tasks to prepare for Bible study
• Also challenge with application questions
Oh for Brilliant Leaders!
• A few leaders are like this
• They ARE the system
They’re the complete package…
• Dynamic Speaker• Great Motivator• Good with youth
and elderly• A1 Administrator• Excellent Musician• AND good looking
Is God Calling You?
If you feel like THIS…
• …but you like what you’ve heard
• You really want to get involved
• You’re not satisfied with the status quo
• You would like to give it your best even though you don’t know how to start…