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Each small group participant brings a unique contribution to his or her group. It's your group! How can you make it better?
Below are some ideas in the form of personal questions suggested by other NBS groups. Encourage and improve your group by going through this list and letting each member evaluate him or herself.
Ask, "Which of these do I do well? Which of these do I need to work on?"
- Do I prepare before we meet, reading the Bible chapter thoughtfully and working through each question?
- Do I come expecting to learn from others, not just to give my opinions?
- Do I really listen, asking questions so I really understand others' contributions?
- Am I fully engaged in the group discussion, not carrying on side conversations?
- Am I sensitive to how others feel, looking for verbal and non-verbal cues about what they are saying? Do I help make a new or discouraged person feel accepted and loved?
- Do I avoid monopolizing the discussion? Do I contribute relevant thoughts and ask questions that help us discover more in this chapter?
- Do I help when a problem arises by a question, a reference to what we have studied before, or a response to another person? Or do I simply feel critical and do nothing?
- Do I respond honestly - not simply with what I think the group expects of me?
- Do I help my group discover all we can about the main thoughts of the passage? Do I take the initiative when needed to say, "Aren't we off the subject? Let's get back to the chapter."
- Do I apply the passage to myself, not to everyone else I know?
- Do I help create a safe, honest group climate by keeping confidences that are shared in our group and resisting the urge to gossip about group members?
- Do I avoid giving advice when someone asks for prayer, thereby allowing adequate time to pray?
- Do I make regular, punctual attendance a priority and contact someone in the group when I cannot be there?
What other things can you do to improve your group?
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