Creating an agenda for a small group meeting is easy. Most of the small groups I've been involved with had these elements: worship, prayer, study and fellowship. Ah, but creating an agenda that encouraged life change? I've been in some groups where I grew by leaps and bounds. Others have been ho hum. What created the environment for life change?
One summer job I had was selling Cutco knives. I had the sales agenda down, but was a horrible salesman. Another student had a random, disorganized, unpolished presentation. He was the top in sales. Why? He loved Cutco knives. He believed in Cutco knives. He was able to get others to share his passion. Leaders who love and believe in others are the key to creating meetings where growth takes place.
Ho hum meetings are characterized by serving the 'agenda.' The bases are covered, but members don't connect with God or each other. Great leaders serve people, not an agenda. Their meetings may look somewhat random, disorganized and unpolished. They may not even get all the agenda items covered! But change is regularly occurring in these meetings.
I've mentored leaders like the successful Cutco salesman. Here's one member's experience with leaders like this. "I can't really think of a particular meeting that was any more meaningful than another. I did appreciate the fact that all the people in our group were a lot older than us and they approved of and encouraged the way we are raising our children. I really have grown to feel like the Vogel's home is a safe haven for me. That started with the small group, but just developed into a feeling of having someplace to go when I need acceptance and comfort. If everybody could have leaders like them the world would be a better place." This happened without a lot of agenda spit and polish.
These leaders have a people-focused agenda. Group is about building relationships. Relationships are the engine of significant change. Through creativity, resourcefulness or experimentation each agenda element is used to promote relationship. A people-focused leader told me, "I think that the most memorable good experiences for me are hearing each others personal testimonies. That is something that I think I'll never get tired of hearing, how God led someone to 'let go of the wheel' and let Him drive for a while. Also, it amazes me how many different ways he chooses to do so." Can you see how this leader fostered an environment of joy in the journey?
Be creative, or borrow from someone else's creativity! The Small Group Network is a superb resource. I like Discipleship Journal, too. An example of this type of creativity is the study we did one time on the potter and the clay. Each person in the group was given some clay and told to build whatever it was that they wanted. Then they talked about how God molded and shaped them. After they made something and didn't like it, they changed it, then added or took something else away. It gave them a picture of what God is doing with them. It wouldn't surprise you that the group had one of their best discussions that night. Everyone seemed to have something to say. Will creativity work every time? No. Sometimes it bombs. But that can create the climate for change, too!
Are you starting to fill in the blanks? Remember those times of prayer where the group reached up and touched the hem of Jesus' robe? The times of worship when you joined the saints and angels before the throne? The service project you still talk about? Or the anticipation you have of going to group? Or why you invite others to share what you enjoy? It's facilitated by people-focused leaders, like you.
(The names were changed in this article to protect the humble.)
