What is Small Group Leadership Training?

Welcome to the Mile High Vineyard Small Group Leader Training

At MHV we believe life is best lived in circles, not in rows. Though joining together for church services (where we sit in “rows”) is very valuable, we believe that real life transformation is found most often in the context of community, where we can get to know one another more, build relationships, live life together, be transformed to be more like Jesus, and help transform the world around us (neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, cities, etc.). We aim to facilitate this kind of transformational community through small groups.

Small Groups are at the core of our church. They are available throughout the year. Worship, scripture and prayer are essential elements of any Small Group. Also, Small groups often choose to add a social justice component to their group – whether it’s working with refugee families, supporting a Compassion child together, helping shut-ins in their neighborhood or raising money for an organization or cause.

 In this course we focus on the basics of small group leadership:

  • Group format
  • Worship
  • Leading a discussion
  • Ministry time

While much of your leadership training will be apprenticing with an existing small group leader, this course is essential to cover some fundamental aspects of how we organize, lead and think about small groups.

Our prayer is that God would use this as an opportunity to grow you in life with Him and to use you, in turn, to help others grow in their relationship with God as well. Thank you for coming along on this journey of development!

While we cannot possibly cover everything in one discipleship series, our desire is to touch on a few key practices so this might be a starting place for your further growth. We believe that as we live into these three areas in increasing measure, we will become more fully formed disciples of Jesus who join God in the transformation of everything. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

What is a Small Group?

Small Group Goals

We see the following as goals for our Small Groups.

Obviously, Small Groups can do more than what is listed below, and we are not placing any specific weight on the following order. We believe, however, that at least the following things should be happening in and through healthy a Small Group.

Growing in relationship with God

We believe Small Groups must ultimately point to God, or they will not succeed in the long run. Small Groups are not centered on the leader or on the needs of group members; rather, they are centered on Jesus Christ. Growing in our understanding and experience of God in Small Group comes through worship, ministry time, Bible study, confession of our sins, and holding one another accountable to mature in Jesus in every area of our lives.

When studying the Bible together, we seek to apply the Word of God to our everyday lives. While knowledge of the Bible can be good, we purposefully focus on submitting ourselves to the eternal truths in the Bible so as to mold and shape us more like Jesus every day.

During ministry time we seek to encounter the living God, through the person of the Holy Spirit, God’s experienced presence. We spend time listening, waiting, and seeking to be increasingly sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit so we may support His work in and through our lives. We believe that God longs to draw us into loving, intimate relationship with Him so that we can be healed, changed, and set free.

Developing deep and lasting relationships

We have found that Small Groups are the best way to form friendships. We can participate in serious, Godly activities as well as fun, lighthearted times. These moments help us to open our hearts to one another. Then we can begin to share honestly, drop our masks, and stop pretending. Ultimately, we learn to trust one another, which is the foundation for building healthy relationships.

Group members are encouraged to regularly invite others to Small Group because it is precisely these deep relationships that are so attractive to the unchurched and to those not involved in regular Small Groups. Out of the depth of these relationships, group members are also encouraged to give away what God has placed in them by actively serving within a ministry of the Mile High Vineyard.

Providing adequate pastoral care for each member of MHV

Whether the MHV community has 50 or 5,000 people, Small Groups provide the ideal environment to functionally be the church. It is where we learn to love, care, and serve one another; ultimately, Small Groups are where we help one another through the ups and downs of everyday life.

At times, greater pastoral care is needed. Group members may need deep or ongoing healing; some of us will even face emergencies or crisis moments. In either situation, we need a close group of friends. Small Groups offer ongoing, consistent comfort, counsel, and prayer support. There is nothing like friends in a time of need or crisis.

Equipping and training group members to do the works of Jesus

We believe that everyone is called to minister in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, many people are completely terrified at the thought of moving in spiritual gifts during weekend services. We have found that it is much safer to start in a Small Group among friends.

Our goal is to provide an atmosphere and an opportunity where people can step out, take risks, and even fail from time to time without ridicule. We encourage our leaders to continually model the use of gifts in the meetings and regularly invite all members to participate in exercising their gifts in the context of Small Group.

The ministry of Jesus was other-centered; He constantly reached out the least, the last, and the lost. Therefore, in continuing the ministry of Jesus, we lean toward the lost, the poor, the outcast, and the outsider with the compassion of Jesus, knowing we are all sinners whose standing before God is utterly dependent on His mercy. This mercy can only be truly received inasmuch as we are willing to give it away. Therefore, each Small Group consistently plans and participates in outreach, service, and servant evangelism projects.

Developing new leaders

New leadership is the lifeblood of any church. Most churches are limited in the size they can attain by the amount of quality lay leaders who are emerging. Small Groups provide us a way to identify, recruit, and train our new church leaders. We do this by watching those who emerge as leaders within our groups. We then draw alongside these men and women to give them further training and help them develop the spiritual and natural gifts within them.

We believe that healthy things grow and multiply: plants, animals, etc. Ideally, Small Groups should grow and reproduce themselves as well, through the leader’s investment of him or herself in an upcoming potential leader. Therefore, our goal is for every Small Group to reproduce itself every 12 months.

Conducting a quality Small Group takes training, practice, and developing a style that works best for you.

The following represents some ideas that will be helpful as you plan the format of your meetings. Please be aware that these suggestions need to be tailored to your particular meeting and your leadership style. In fact, you may be able to improve upon them considerably by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you in a slightly different direction. However, we have found that groups who do not include the components of a healthy Small Group described above tend to be unstable and struggle to grow.

The following suggestions are based upon a meeting of no longer than 2 or 2-½ hours. This includes the six basic components of a Small Group. We don’t encourage a meeting length consistently longer than 2-½ hours because it breeds burnout and a lack of enthusiasm. Also, consider varying your format from time to time for the sake of variety and to avoid staleness. These suggested time breakdowns are not meant to be rigid limits, only guidelines!

Core Group Meeting (20 minutes)

Approximately 20 minutes before your Small Group meeting starts is an excellent time to meet with your host couple, worship leader, and assistant leaders. Explain what you envision will happen during the meeting and what you expect from each of them and then spend some time praying for the people in the meeting.

Welcoming Guests/Fellowship (25 minutes)

It’s great to be available to welcome guests (be ready 10 minutes before the meeting starts), point them where to hang their coats, lead them to the coffee and introduce them to others. Everybody likes a friendly face at the door and appreciates a few moments of conversation before entering right into a meeting (this is especially necessary for new people!). Consider some soft music in the background at this time. 

Group Building (20 minutes)

Icebreakers are an excellent way to get the group relaxed, talking, and participating. They provide an opportunity for everyone to “buy in.” Icebreakers can range from very simple to something elaborate depending on the direction you feel the Spirit is leading.

Testimonies are another excellent option. Sharing what the Lord is doing gives glory to Him and allows members of the group to speak up in a safe environment. This is not a time for problems or prayer requests.

Worship (20 minutes)

Worship is the part of the meeting that opens us to the Lord. It helps us to drop our defenses toward one another and to open our spirits toward God. It will tend to draw the group together. This is not just a warm-up—our ministry is to Him first. Worship is entering the presence of God and communing with Him.

Share the Vision (Announcements) (10 minutes)

At this time, you share about your refugee family, group goals, upcoming events, and other details that pertain to the entire group. It is a great idea to open your MHV app to go over different things coming up at the Mile High Vineyard.

Bible Study/Discussion (30 minutes)

Bible or topic study and discussion is a vital part of our meetings. This is where we learn to apply the Word to our lives. It is important that as many people participate as possible, so it may be helpful to break into smaller groups. Avoid fruitless and directionless discussion. Develop questions for discussion beforehand. Remember, it’s not vital that you are a great Bible teacher – we have resources for you! Feel free to use “pre-packaged” teachings to facilitate conversation.

Ministry Time (30 minutes)

We need to provide an opportunity for the people to pray and interact with the Holy Spirit. Most of the time, it’s helpful to break up into groups for prayer. At times, you may separate men and women for better disclosure or remain together in a group as you are led. The most important thing is to be aggressive at making sure we give the Holy Spirit the chance to move through us. We want to ensure that anyone with a particular need can receive personal ministry if they desire.

Hanging Out

Sharing life over snacks is a great way to get to know one another and help visitors feel welcome. Everyone can participate at their own pace and comfort level, although some individuals might need some encouragement to participate. Share the responsibility of bringing snacks and have a definite cut-off time. Leave them with the desire for more! Make sure that you communicate with your host what time they would like everyone out of the house! You want to honor your hosts and their sacrifice of letting people into their home each week.

Small Group Worship

Basic Thoughts on Small Group Worship

Worship is not a “sing along time.”

It is a time to express thanks and adoration to God for who He is and what He has done. It is our prayer that people will connect intimately with God and learn to worship Him with others through our Small Group worship time.


Worship is not a time to get us ready for the teaching.

It is not the “warm-up” for the sermon or Small group teaching. It is a time for people to re-focus their hearts and open themselves up to God.  

Worship in spirit and truth

John 4:23, 24 “…true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

  • “In spirit” means from the deepest part of our being. A good way to describe “in-spirit” worship is intimate worship. Intimate worship draws the inner part of the worshiper close to God. Intimate worship involves our hearts, not just our mouths. It involves songs and praise communicated to God, not simply the declaration of truths about God.
  • “In truth” means that for people to worship biblically, they must have a true knowledge of God. We also must have a true view of ourselves as creatures, as sinners, and as God’s redeemed children. The closer you get to the truth, the clearer becomes the beauty, and the more you will find worship welling up within you.

N. T. Wright in his book For All God’s Worth has this to say about worship:

  • “Worship is humble and glad; worship forgets itself in remembering God; worship celebrates the truth as God’s truth, not its own. True worship doesn’t put on a show or make a fuss; true worship isn’t forced, isn’t half-hearted, doesn’t keep looking at its watch, and doesn’t worry what the person in the next pew may be doing. True worship is open to God, adoring God, waiting for God, trusting God even in the dark.”

If you don’t have a worship leader:

  • Pray that God provides someone
  • Ask if anyone in your group might be interested in leading worship – often there are hidden worship leaders in your group whom you may not know exist until you ask!
  • Offer God praise in other ways: testimonies, read a Psalm, etc.
  • Consider singing along to worship music you can play through Spotify or another online music streaming service.

Preparing a Setlist

  • Pray: Ask God for His desire for the meeting, ie what is the Father doing (John 5:19)?
  • Group by Theme: Arrange songs together (as best you can) by similar theme.
  • Group by Key: Attempt to create seamless transitions and flow from song to song.
  • Create Musical Segues: Prayer, pauses, modulation, etc.

A Liturgy For (Almost) Every Occasion

  • Praise: These songs focus on God and His character. They cause hope, cause expectation, and call us to have a view of something bigger than and outside ourselves.
  • Engagement: These songs bring our needs and current reality to God – where we connect ‘real life’ with worship.
  • Intimacy: These songs help us relax in the goodness and closeness of God.

A Few Thoughts on New Song Selection

  • Rule of Thumb: Participants should be able to own a new song after hearing it one or two times. A song that takes more than this may be too tricky (key-wise, vocally, melodically) for a Small Group setting.
  • Content: Do the lyrics express strong, theologically solid Biblical themes in new, fresh, or inspiring ways? Is it original?
  • Sing-ability: How simple is it to sing? If unsure, ask an untrained singer. Congregationally friendly songs avoid large note intervals, avoid long gaps between vocal phrases, and employ repetition.
  • Personal Preparation: Do I own the song well enough to teach it to a group (versus singing it to a group)? Can I take the song in any direction at any time? Can play it without looking at the music?
  • Key Selection: What is the highest note in any song? Middle C or D is about the highest notes folks will sing in a Life Circle. It helps to transpose some, if not all, songs down at least one whole step for a group.
  • Repertoire: Assemble a group of categorized songs in the key in which you sing them (Celebration, Intimacy, Praise, Favorites).

Establishing Flow

  • Thematic: Establish a theme for the meeting. Talk to the Small Group leader what they’re planning on talking about a few days (or weeks!) beforehand. Focus on building a progression of thought – praise to intimacy, general to specific. Aim for liturgical balance (including every aspect).
  • Key: Start lower to warm up vocals (middle C = highest vocal note); if there is a key change in your set, plan and practice the transition. Aim for two or three keys in a set of four or five songs (more is chaotic, less is monotonous). No more than three songs in the same key.
  • Familiarity: Is there a balance of newer material with songs that the group “owns” and knows? Do no more than one brand new song during a meeting.
  • Song Structure: Look for ways to vary song structure and practice – looping a line, reprising a chorus, A capella, spontaneous singing, instrumental section, planned silence, etc.
  • Transitions: Eliminate dead air – aka unplanned silence. Think in advance about prayer, exhortations, and encouragements for moments in between songs. Create melodies or modulations, when possible, to eliminate distractions. Practice, practice, practice!
  • Tempo: Select songs with varied tempos to keep things interesting. Limit consecutive song tempo to two, maximum.

Rehearsal Checklist

  • Spend time worshipping alone with your set list. Pray. Listen for God to speak to you about the individuals in your group.
  • Know each song backwards and forwards, inside and out.
  • Adjust keys as needed to improve flow and sing-ability.
  • Practice looping or vamping a section of each song. Practice spontaneous worship. Lean! Lean! Lean!
  • Rehearse song transitions and difficult sections until they are flawless.

Step One – You do the ministry

  • Prepare spiritually
    • Take time to pray and connect with Jesus. Worship flows out of your relationship with Him therefore it is the most important part of worship leading
    • Ask God to give you direction and to move through you during group this week
  • Choose a set
    • Take time to carefully select a set that flows well together. (For example, choose songs that are in the same key or create a set that begin slows and ends fast or begins fast and ends slow.)
  • Prepare musically
    • Good worship requires preparation. Take time to play the songs over and over again the before leading them at Small Group so that you are comfortable leading them in front of others.
  • Be led by the Holy Spirit
    • As you lead, allow God to direct you. Keep your eyes open so that you can watch others worship and see what God is doing. You may choose an extra song in case God tells you to play a different one during your actual worship leading that night. Or you may sing one portion of the song repeatedly because it is obvious that people are connecting with God during that portion of the song.

Step Two – You do the ministry while your trainee observes

  • Identify and recruit a group member to train in this area (If you see anyone watching your hands on the guitar, it may be an indication that they are especially attuned to worship, so have a conversation with them!). This person will not be a fully developed worship leader
    • Look for someone who:
      • is engaged in worship easily
      • often watches you as you lead
      • has skill already
      • has potential and character
    • Build relationship with them
      • Take time to invest in them not just to develop them but, more importantly, to see them grow into the man or woman God created them to be.
  • Begin by observing
    • Ask them to watch you lead worship. Encourage them to observe how you play and how the group responds.
    • Ask them to listen to a new worship album or song and to tell you what they liked or didn’t like about it and why. Use this as an opportunity for future training
    • Give them an opportunity to ask questions about what they observe.
      • Their questions may initially be minimal and will often focus on methodology or technique (For instance, “How did you learn to play that chord?” or “Why did you choose to play that song?”)
    • Demystify what you are doing
      • Give them an accurate picture of the time it takes to lead worship successfully
      • Share why you chose the order of songs the way you did. (For instance, “I wanted to end the worship set with a feeling of closeness and intimacy so I began the set with a more upbeat song and worked toward a slower one.”)

Step Three – You do the ministry with your trainee

  • Identify what primary instrument they would use for worship (Guitar, keyboard, vocal, etc.)
    • Get together with them to practice and train
      • Take time to practice some songs during the week leading up to Small Group
      • Share with them the songs you’ll be playing ahead of time so they can continue to practice on their own.
    • Give them the chord charts and mp3’s
    • Focus on some of these issues while training:
      • Sing-ability. Choose songs that people in Small Group are comfortable with and are in a key/range a common non-musician can sing along with.
      • Creating a safe environment. It’s important to foster an atmosphere where worship happens easily, and is inviting to all.
      • Ushering in the Holy Spirit while playing. Good musicianship is important but if a worship leader cannot lead people into the presence of God in worship, then they have missed the mark. Take time throughout their training to focus on how to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit in worship.
    • Invite them to join you at Small Group
      • After much practice, invite them to join you before Small Group to practice one song with you from the set for that week.
      • At Small Group, have them play along with you; you lead and they follow. The best leaders start off as excellent followers.
    • Debrief afterward:
      • Ask them what they observed about worship. (Were people connecting with God? Was it played and sung correctly? What did you sense God was doing during worship? Etc.)
      • Capitalize on teachable moments (Use this time to challenge their character where applicable).
        • Insecurity. “It’s unhelpful when you apologized for the way you were going to play before the music even began; this made the group feel nervous for you and communicated to them that you haven’t valued their time enough to practice and play confidently.”
        • Pride. “You performed the worship set and it seems void of humility and intimacy. Why is that?”
      • Use this time to reinforce the value of relationship and worship.
        • The reason we bring lyric sheets to Small Group is so that everyone feels safe. They can sing out confidently rather than feel awkward because they have not memorized the songs yet.
        • The reason we sing songs like this is because the lyrics are written in first person; we sing the song to God rather than about him. (“I surrender”)

Step Four – They do the ministry

  • Prepare them for the task
    • Allow them to help you create the set list
    • Make sure they know which song they will be leading and give them plenty of notice so they have time to practice
  • Slowly give them more responsibility
    • Begin by having them lead one song in the set. As they grow more confident in their ability, have them lead two or even the entire set while you play along.
  • Empower them at Small Group
    • Share with the group that they will be leading worship this week; speak specifically to their growing ability to lead instrumentally and usher in God’s presence in worship.
  • Debrief afterward
    • Give them constructive feedback on their musicianship and ability to lead people into God’s presence. (For example, “You did a great job musically but it felt too much like a performance and less like an intimate time with God. Here’s how I’ve learned to tune into God’s presence while leading worship…”)
  • Encourage them – Leading worship feels very risky. Encourage them that their risk enabled people to connect with God and in doing so, their lives are changed.

Teaching and Leading Discussions

Basic Principles for Teaching

Begin with good Bible study.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Tim. 2:15

Teaching the Bible begins with careful study and proper interpretation. According to Paul, we must aim at “correctly handling” God’s Word, which implies that it is possible to handle it incorrectly. If we are not careful in our study and preparation, what we teach will be incorrect, unhelpful, and perhaps even harmful.

Careful study of God’s Word is basically a two-part process:

  • Exegesis is the process of determining what the text we are studying originally meant—what was the author originally trying to communicate, and how would the original hearers have understood it.
  • Hermeneutics is the process of determining what the text means for us today. How should we apply the truth from the passage to our particular life situations?

Always consider the context.

All meaning is context dependent, so when studying the Bible, always consider the context. Context means the portions of scripture immediately surrounding the section you are studying. So, for example, if we look at John 9:3 (“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus…”) we might conclude that these three people were sinless, which would be false. In order to appreciate the true meaning of the verse, we must read it in its context or “setting.”

Make sure you understand the meaning of words.

The meanings of words change over time. Some words have several different meanings. And different words can have the same or similar meanings. These are all reasons to make sure you understand what words mean. This may require the use of an English dictionary as well as a Bible dictionary or reference book. For example, the word “world” in the Bible has several different meanings, and understanding the right meaning is key to understanding a text. Sometimes the word simply refers to planet earth – God’s creation. Sometimes is refers to the people who live on the earth (John 3:16). Sometimes, though, it refers to the “world system” that is opposed to God (1 John 2:15).

Interpret according to the grammar of the sentence.

Always consider basic rules of grammar when studying the Bible, because these things are important to proper interpretation – things like verb tenses, subjects, predicates, adjectives, adverbs, etc. A simple rule to remember is “when there is a ‘therefore,’ always look to see what it’s there for!” Certain words and clauses link one section of scripture to another. Understanding the flow of the argument is often key to arriving at the right interpretation.

Try to grasp the author’s intention.

All writers have a purpose and plan to their writing—there is something they are trying to communicate. Our job in Bible study is to discover the purpose and plan of the author’s writing. For example, in John 20:31, John told us why he wrote his gospel: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Sometimes the stated purpose is not so obvious, like with one of Paul’s epistles. But once you read through an entire letter, the reason for Paul’s writing may come into focus. Things that help us grasp the author’s intention are the historical setting, the time and culture of the writing, and the occasion for the writing. Investing in a good Bible dictionary, Bible encyclopedia or a background commentary is always helpful. One thing is always the case: a text cannot mean now what it never meant then! 

Take into account the background of a passage.

The more you understand about the passage you are studying, the better your interpretation will be. It’s important to consider the historical setting (e.g. the Israelites are in exile), the geographical elements (Jesus had to pass through Samaria to get from Judea to Galilee) and the cultural elements (in Jesus’ day, the burial of a father was the responsibility of the eldest son). To us, the phrase “taking up our cross” in Luke. 9:23 sounds like it means putting up with difficulties, but in Jesus’ day, a cross was clearly a place of execution. This small cultural difference greatly alters the meaning of the text.

Take into account the genre of a particular passage.

Genre is the literary style or form of a particular passage. In the Bible, there are many genres – there is history, poetry, prophecy, doctrine, allegory, parables, etc. It’s important that when studying one of Jesus’ parables, for example, we don’t treat it like it was history. A parable is understood differently from a historical passage, and vice versa.

Always interpret Scripture by Scripture.

The Bible should be considered as a whole. So, despite the fact that it was written over a broad span of time and by many authors, the message of the Bible is quite unified and its view of God very consistent. A good rule of thumb is to always compare parallel passages (passages that deal with the same subject matter) and to always interpret vague or confusing scripture with clear, straightforward scripture (when Jesus talks about “hating” mother and father in Matthew. 11, we must understand that in light of His clear commandment to love in John,15:12). 

At Mile High Vineyard, we prefer Inductive Bible Study. It prevents people from reading into the Bible their preconceived notions and allows the Bible to speak for itself.  Inductive Bible Study is the surest way to make the Bible our true standard for belief and practice. This is why we prefer the study of God’s Word in Life Circle meetings over and above the study of other Christian books.

We are firmly committed to studying and applying God’s Word in our Small Group. There are a variety of ways this can be accomplished depending upon the personality and focus of your group. Below is information on how to have conduct both an inductive and a relational Bible study. Also, we realize that not everyone loves preparing Small Group Bible studies, so, we have a number of other resources available to you both online and on video. Contact circles@milehighvineyard.org for more information.

Here are some other suggestions for leading discussions around Scripture in your Small Group.

Inductive Bible Study using the O.I.L. Method

Inductive Bible Study is a discussion-oriented Bible study session in which the leader encourages participation of everybody in the group through their involvement in discussing a series of key questions that are aimed at exposing and discovering the truth from God’s word.

As a tool, Inductive Bible Study helps the group to discover what God has said in the passage. Inductive Bible Study helps to reduce or eliminate a common human tendency in which a leader imposes on the text his or her feelings, beliefs or what he or she think is the interpretation of the passage. Instead, Inductive Bible Study encourages people to think for themselves and examine their hearts.  In the process, each member of the group is allowed to process, personalize and retain the truth of the scripture that is specific to his or her life. 

The key to a successful Inductive Bible Study session is the ability of a leader to formulate and ask questions that will encourage everyone in the group to observe the facts and significant characteristics of the passage, interpret the intended meaning for the original audience, and apply the truth of scriptures to each of their lives.

  • Prepare
    • The primary aim of a Bible study session is to invite the Lord to talk to His people (us) through His scriptures. As you prepare for an Inductive Bible Study, ask for God’s wisdom (James 1:5) and direction regarding what you or your group needs to be fed in order to grow and mature into Christ’s likeness (Col. 1:28).
    • Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, select a book of the Bible, chapter, character, topic, etc. and study the text on your own first. 
    • Pray for understanding and guidance on the passage.
    • Read through the passage several times and try to get a sense of it in its entirety, in other words in context.
    • Note: Study guides, commentaries and Bible study tools are very helpful with overviews, historical details and original intent. However, your decision to not read them first will help you avoid the unduly influence of the author’s findings and insights.
  • Observation
    • Observe the facts and significant characteristics of the passage by seeking answers who, what, where, and when.
    • What form of Biblical literature is this (narrative, history, gospel, parable, law, prophesy, poem/song, collection of wise sayings, or apocalyptic literature)?  The answer to this question will help you understand the purpose of the passage for its readers.
    • Some examples to consider could be:
      • Who is mentioned in this passage?
      • What was his or her position in his or her community?
      • What is happening?
      • Where is the action taking place?
      • What is the scenery?
      • What sounds, smell, weather, or other characteristics can be noticed?
      • What natural or supernatural forces are referred to?
      • When (past, present, future) or what time of the day, year, etc.?
      • What words, ideas or phrases are repeated?
      • What grammatical clues are present (symbols, irony etc.)?
      • What things are compared or contrasted?
    • If there are words you don’t know or understand LOOK them up! Refer to a Bible dictionary or commentary for help with unfamiliar ideas, places, and customs.
    • If the passage is not divided, divide the passage into paragraphs. Try to give each paragraph a brief title that helps reflect the content.
    • Write down some of your observation questions to use in your group.
  • Interpretation
    • Interpret the passage. Ask “Why?” “Why not?” “How?” of the scripture.
    • Is there a common idea running through the passage? What is important in this passage for the original audience to understand? What significance does the message have for you?
    • Write a one-sentence theme for the entire passage that captures the main idea the Holy Spirit has shown you. Write down some of your interpretation questions to use in your group.
  • Life Application
    • Apply the biblical truth to you and your Small Group. 
    • What truth does God want us to believe? What lies does God want to expose in our beliefs? What action do we need to take (praise, repent, pray, thank, wait, serve, give, reach out, etc.)?
    • Write down the outcome God desires for you and/or your group.
    • Write down some of your application questions to use in your group.
    • Prepare a brief introduction to your study. Include background information to help set the scene. In general, create interest in the main topic or theme of the passage you are using.


Doing the Inductive Bible Study with your group

You can plan a list of primary questions ahead of your group meeting, but secondary questions have to come in response to whatever the group does. That is at the time when the Bible study is taking place. Your success in doing this (coming up with secondary questions) does depend to a large extent on your ability to relax and genuinely listen to what other people in the group are saying. In fact, there may be no more valuable skill to an Inductive Bible Study leader than to listen. 

Nervousness and concerns about our performance as leaders is often the primary cause of our failure to listen. It is easy to focus all of our attention on questions we would like to ask when we get nervous and anxious. Remember – It is all about Jesus! Jesus was never worried about His performance, never concerned about the follow-up question.  He listened carefully to answers someone gave and His secondary questions occurred naturally. As a leader, it is important to learn and practice listening to other people’s opinions – concentrating on their answers and relaxing. With relaxation and genuine attention to what others are saying, follow-up questions will come naturally. 

Tip: You may find it helpful to practice a pause between someone’s answer and your follow up question. Often this technique will allow you to concentrate on listening when someone is talking and for you to think of your follow up question only after he or she is done talking.  Often our success in leading a discussion session will spill over to boost our leadership ability, and help shift our focus from how we look and how we perform, to what our group needs.

Things to avoid

  • Do NOT give a test: As a leader you are more likely to have spent more time on the passage than the others in your group. It will be more of a blessing if you set up your questions to seek people’s thought rather than testing their knowledge.
  • Avoid leading questions.
  • Ask one question at a time.
  • Avoid vagueness. Ask what you really mean to ask.
  • Give more options than “Yes” and “No”.

Sunday Message Discussion

One method of applying God’s Word is to have a discussion based upon the previous Sunday’s message. Be sure to begin by summarizing the content and main points and by reading the text, as it is likely that not everyone attended Sunday’s service. Then proceed by asking questions that cause people to apply the message to their lives. Ask questions that cause them to think and feel. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Allow everyone to share their opinion – there are no right or wrong opinions! Encourage everyone to participate, but don’t pressure anyone to pray, read, or share. At the close of the discussion time, summarize the major points made, and thank everyone for their contribution.

Relational Bible Study

This method of Bible study utilizes a Scripture text and four questions. Select a passage prior to the meeting. At the start of the discussion time, read the text slowly and clearly to the Small Group. Then ask:

  • In one word, how you feel about this passage? (This draws a reaction and eliminates the need of an additional ice-breaker.)
    • Limit reaction to one word – this is not a discussion question.
    • Stress that no answers are right or wrong.
    • Have everyone share their reactions verbally—this serves to get everyone to “buy into” the meeting.
    • Reinforce comments – especially the ones along your chosen theme.
  • What one thing stood out in this passage tonight? (This draws a reaction. It also identifies and focuses in on the study’s central theme.)
    • Limit reflections to one sentence or statement.
    • Keep focus personal and in the present.
    • Have everyone share their reflections.
    • Reinforce comments – especially the ones along your chosen theme.
  • Can you share a time in your life that illustrates the point you just made? (Brings out an illustration.)
    • This question assumes the passage is true; therefore, the focus is not to be on debating or speculating.
    • By having people illustrate the central point, you are inviting them to affirm the validity of the scripture for them.
    • If people share from personal history, you also get the bonus of building community and relationship through shared history.
    • Keep illustrations as short and to the point as possible.
    • Allow the group to illustrate their own reflection or truth.
    • Occasionally, you (as the leader) can pick the “majority reflection” or the one you are trying to teach and ask everyone to illustrate it.
    • Not everyone must share – especially if the reflections and illustrations seem to be the same.
  • How might God be inviting you to get into action this week about what you are learning?
    • Encourage participants to be specific and authentic
    • Limit responses to a minute or two so that everyone can share
    • Reinforce comments, affirm and encourage participants
  • If you had one prayer to the Father, what would you pray for tonight? (Leads to application.)
    1. Be very open to the movement of the Holy Spirit as this question usually leads directly into ministry.
    2. After three to five people share their answers, it’s probably best to break into smaller groups to continue answering the question and begin ministry.
    3. Ministry must involve the Holy Spirit – avoid “just praying around the group” without expecting the supernatural.
    4. Have each person pray first about their own problems – then others can add and follow the leading of the Spirit.

1. Serve as a facilitator not a lecturer.

Your goal is to encourage personal interaction and self-discovery. Avoid pitfalls of being “overly” directive or “too” passive.

2. Make sure the focus is on what Scripture has to say and not on you as the leader.

Point members to Scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to make application according to each member’s needs.

3. Maintain an atmosphere of love and acceptance.

This leads to open discussion. Never put down a person’s comments or contribution.

4. Ask open-ended questions.

To begin the discussion, ask questions which have several possible answers and cannot be answered by a simple “yes” or “no.”

5. Encourage involvement.

Encourage non-participators to respond by calling on them by name. This also helps control the “overly” talkative.

6. Stimulate a discussion.

Give active feedback by acknowledging responses whenever you can and asking follow-up questions to clarify a too-general or “vague” response.

7. Deal with wrong responses and comments.

Never tell a person they’re wrong. This kills an open discussion atmosphere. Instead, ask, “What do others think?” or “Does everyone agree?”

8. Encourage application.

Ask questions such as, “What should we do differently as a result of this discussion?”

9. Keep the discussion on track.

Acknowledge the problem or new issue raised, but suggest that you table the issue until you finish your present discussion. Your attitude toward the tangent should always be positive.

10. Summarize the main ideas.

This helps keep the group focused.

Step One – You do the ministry

  1. Prepare for the study
    • Pray.
    • Determine the key message or theme.
    • Develop good interactive questions.
  2. Lead the study
    • Do not lecture.
    • Ask personal, interactive questions.
    • Wait for responses.
      • For example: count to 10 before speaking again; rephrase the question; count to 10 again; answer your own question by sharing personally and then restate the question a second time. Often, for personal questions, it may take this long for people to begin to open up and feel safe to respond
    • Promote healthy interaction.
      • Encourage dialog. At times, it is healthy to ask, “What about someone else…? Let’s hear from someone else who hasn’t shared.”
      • Prevent negative interaction. Don’t let one person dominate the discussion.
    • Model transparency and authenticity.
      • Share with the group how God is challenging you.

Step Two – You do the ministry while your trainee observes

  1. Identify and recruit a group member to train in this area.
    • Look for someone…
      • Who actively participates.
      • Whom everyone listens to when they respond.
      • Who has knowledge of Scripture.
      • Who enjoys helping others understand the Bible as it relates to their life.
  2. Begin by observing
    • Ask them to pay attention to how you lead the study that night and invite them to talk about the study over coffee later.
  3. Give them an opportunity to ask questions about what they observed
    • The trainee may not have many questions to begin with; their questions may focus on methodology. (Ex. “How did you know what this verse meant?”)
  4. Demystify what you are doing
    • Explain why you said what you said and did things the way you did. (For example, why you shared that piece of background information to the text; why you asked that specific question at a specific moment; or why you waited until people responded though it was really quiet.

Step Three – You do the ministry with your trainee

  1. Have them help prepare a study
    • Explain how to interpret the Bible.
      • You may have to begin by telling them to read the book, How to Read and Study the Bible by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. Study and dialog about it together.
    • Teach them to uncover the main theme of the passage or verse.
      • Ask, “What is the author talking about?” Ex. James 1:2-4, the author is talking about facing trials with joy.
      • Then ask, “What is the author saying about what he is talking about?” Ex. James 1:2-4, the author is saying we can face trials with joy when we realize they will result in an unshakable and perfect faith.
    • Teach them the “OIL” method of Inductive Bible Study:
      • Observation (asking who, what, when, where)
      • Interpretation (why, what did this mean for the original readers)
      • Life Application (how does this apply to us today; what is the timeless truth in this passage)
        • This step may take several meetings and assignments over a number of weeks in order for them to become comfortable interpreting the Bible and preparing a study.
        • You want to teach them how to do this even they will lead from a prepared study because it will give them to tools to handle Scripture responsibly in the future.
    • Remind them that the purpose the study is not knowledge, it is life transformation.
      • The questions they present to the group, therefore, should have enough Observation and Interpretation to make sense of the passage but should focus primarily on Life Application.
  2. Have them choose the next study or series with you
    • By doing this, you are giving them ownership in the process.
    • Help them choose a study or passage of Scripture that is appropriate for their ability level.
  3. Coach them on how to lead and what to expect
    • Share with them your experiences when first leading a discussion.
    • Talk to them about common pitfalls of a new leader. For example:
      • The leader talks or instruct too much.
      • The leader doesn’t allow enough time for the Life Circle to respond.
      • The leader doesn’t help the group apply the biblical truth to their lives.
  1. Choose your approach
    • Team teach, taking different portions of the lesson.
    • Let them lead the whole study, but volunteer ahead of time that you will jump in if or when they get stuck.
  2. Debrief afterward
    • Ask them what they observed and learned this time.
    • Encourage them to ask questions.
      • When they lead a study, often this will spark questions they didn’t have before. For example, “How would you have explained the spiritual climate of the church in Corinth without making it into a lecture?”
    • Capitalize on teachable moments.
      • Often when leaders take a risk, they become more teachable because they realize how much more they need to learn.
      • Use this time to challenge their character and spiritual maturity. For example, “Why do you think you spent so much time talking? What was behind your nervousness…a need for acceptance or approval, maybe? Let’s pray about that so that you can become a stronger leader.”

Step Four – They do the ministry

  1. Prepare them for the task
    • Take time to go over the study with them.
      • At this point they should be able to take the passage, come up with the main theme of the passage and the questions for discussion.
    • Take time to review the study with them.
      • Look for application points they may have overlooked.
      • Help them apply the passage directly to the needs of those in the group.
      • Help them rephrase any confusing questions for maximum effectiveness.
  1. Empower them at Life Circle
    • Share with the group that they will be teaching next week and that you have full confidence in his or her ability.
  2. Debrief afterward
    • Get together after they lead to talk about how it went and what they learned this time.
      • If possible, make a point to check in with other group members to see how they think the study went before you get together with them. This provides accountability for the new leader as well as another objective opinion because we are not often the best judge of our performance.
    • Encourage them to ask questions.
      • Often, their questions will focus on effectiveness. For example, “After asking this this application question only a few people responded. I think it’s too narrow. How can I make it apply to more of the group?
    • Once again, capitalize on any teachable moments.
  3. Encourage them

     

Ministry Time & Prophecy

An Introduction to the Theology of the Kingdom

The kingdom is the central message of the New Testament.

  • The kingdom of God dominated Jesus’ teachings. In the four gospels, it is mentioned 84 times. In Luke 4:43, Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also because that is why I was sent.”

The kingdom was central to the apostles’ teachings as well.

  • When Paul traveled to Ephesus, he “entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8). While in Rome, Paul went to meetings and “from morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God” (Acts 28:23). The final verse of the book of Acts reads, “Boldly and without hindrance he [Paul] preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”
  • “For the first twelve years of my Christian life I gave little thought to the kingdom of God. My pastors and bible teachers had taught that the kingdom would come at the second coming of Christ and, therefore, had little significance in our lives today…. I find my neglect of the kingdom remarkable because it is so clearly at the center of Jesus’ teaching…. I [now realize] that at the very heart of the gospel lies the kingdom of God and that power for effective evangelism and discipleship relates directly to our understanding and experiencing the kingdom today.”  John Wimber (Kingdom Come)

The kingdom of God is God’s rule and reign. 

  • The kingdom basically means, “God is King.” He rules. His will is done. Jesus taught us to pray for the kingdom when He instructed us to say, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
  • In heaven, God’s will is always done. On earth, it is not, at least not yet. That is because God’s rightful rule on earth was usurped by Satan when Adam and Eve sinned. Since that time, the earth had been governed by Satan who set up his counterfeit kingdom. Jesus referred to Satan as the “prince of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30) and taught that he had a “kingdom” (Luke 11:18). Paul refers to him as “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Eph.2:20) and “the god of this age” (2 Cor.4:4).
  • Jesus came into the world proclaiming the kingdom and demonstrating the kingdom. It was “show and tell!” He spoke the words of God and did the works of God. When John the Baptist’s disciples inquired about whether He was “the one,” Jesus responded, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news [of the kingdom] is preached to the poor” (Luke 7:22). 
  • Jesus advised His disciples not to believe His words were from God unless He also did the works of God. “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves” (John 14:10-11).
  • The ultimate proof that Jesus’ coming had ushered in the kingdom rule and reign of God was His direct clash with Satan’s kingdom, illustrated in the casting out of demons. “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come to you” (Luke 11:20).

The kingdom is “the already and the not yet.”

  • “The Age to Come is still future, but we may taste the powers of that Age. Something has happened by virtue of that which belongs to the future has become present. The powers of the age to come have penetrated this age. While we still live in the present evil age and while Satan is still the god of this age, we may taste the powers of the coming age. Now a taste is not a seven-course banquet. We still look forward to the glorious consummation and fulfillment of that which we have only tasted. Yet a taste is real. It is more than promise; it is realization; it is experience.”  George Eldon Ladd (The Gospel of the Kingdom)
  • We expect to see some evidence of the age to come right now in the form of healings and deliverances. We are not just waiting for all the blessings to be in the “sweet by and by!” We don’t, however, see this evidence all the time, in every instance of prayer, because we have not fully entered the age to come, when all disease, sickness, oppression and death will be eliminated.

  • In this view (above), which is very common among evangelicals, the first coming of Christ brought forgiveness of sins and hope for eternal salvation, but essentially, nothing had changed. Therefore, we should not expect to experience any of the blessings of the kingdom now, such as healing, miracles or deliverance because the kingdom will not come until the return of Christ.

  • What scripture teaches, however, is that at the first coming of Christ, the kingdom of God broke into this present age. Now this present age exists alongside the kingdom of God. We experience “tastes” of the kingdom, but we don’t experience the fullness of the kingdom. This is what we refer to as “the already but the not yet”. At the return of Christ, the kingdom of God will be fully established, doing away with this present age (all evil, sickness, suffering, and death).

Word of God

While prayerfully reading scripture, a life application for you or others might to come to mind, often seeming to “leap off the page.”

Intersecting Thoughts

Your train of thought is in one direction, and suddenly from “out-of-the-blue,” a different idea, thought, or need crosses your mind. This is particularly common in prayer. God often speaks while we are praying, driving, walking, or thinking. A thought about another person and what we should do will come into our mind. When we’re obedient and follow through, we often find the idea was exactly what was needed in that person’s life for circumstances I was unaware of at the time.

Peace or a Witness of the Spirit

Have you ever had a situation where you just seemed to “know what you know what you know”?  You might have a sense of extreme peace with a thought or direction and generally attribute that to your own decision-making process when it is actually the cooperation of our transformed hearts and renewed minds (Rom. 12:2) with the Holy Spirit. We sometimes experience this corporately when we reach a consensus about a decision where everyone seems to be of one mind and spirit about a matter. There is a Biblical example of this in Acts 4:23-32 and Acts 13 when the requirements for the Gentiles were decided upon at the Council of Jerusalem.

Impressions that are Proven to be True

While praying for someone, you get an impression (sometimes called a “word of knowledge” or “revelation”) about the person or the person’s condition you would not have known apart from this impression. You follow through by TAKING A RISK, sharing your impression with them, and asking them if this rings true and is a real issue in their life. You can then pray in that direction with them and often see God bless the person and resolve the issue at hand. People experience this in different ways so this is not about having a formula that works every time. This is very personal and is dependent upon the accuracy of the impression or “word.”

Divine Opportunities

Often, God sets up divine appointments for us by bringing someone across our daily path. He sovereignty arranges our life to intersect with people to whom He has prepared for us to minister (perhaps to witness, to pray for healing, etc.). To pray without ceasing is a reminder to ask Jesus about everyone you come in contact with. Ask Jesus, “Is this a person you want me to minister to in some way?” Often, the conversation will amazingly go in a direction that reveals the opportunity being presented to us by the Lord. It’s as if Jesus is saying to us, “Go for it!”

Seeing the Presence of Holy Spirit on Yourself or on a Person
Receiving Prayer

If you keep your eyes open when you’re praying for someone, you’ll often see or feel signs of the Holy Spirit on yourself or the person for whom you’re praying. Some of the signs might be shaking or trembling, weeping, eyelids fluttering, warmth (on a spot of their body), a countenance or glow over the person, and/or laughter.

Electricity or tingling is NOT the Holy Spirit, but rather the person’s (or your) sympathetic nervous response to the Holy Spirit. Some people react to the power of the Holy Spirit with physical manifestations but this is not to be confused with the Holy Spirit. These are physical reactions to the manifest power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Frequently it indicates that God is blessing (read confirming) the direction the prayer is going but it is not a necessary sign of God’s action or healing. The intensity of the person’s physical reaction is not necessarily indicative of what God is doing. Some people have major reactions all the time; others react very little but receive healing. We cannot control the reactions nor should we seek them.

Anointed Senses

When you experience the presence of the Holy Spirit, God may anoint (or heighten) your natural senses. You might smell the foul odor of evil spirits (this is usually the kind of odor that accompanies spirits) or feel the rush or wave of a breeze in a room. 

Remember the exhortation we are given in James 4:2 says, “We have not because we ask not.” It seems like a very simple thing, but we sometimes get so busy praying that we never get around to asking God about how or what to pray. God is patiently listening and waiting for us to invite Him into the conversation. Ask questions in your mind and stop to wait (with spiritual eyes and ears) to see if you sense anything that God is saying. In this process, ask, wait, listen, ask, and go back and forth with the Lord until the picture becomes clear. If you are hearing nothing, accept that. Do not “create” something if you are not being led. Become comfortable with silence. Be sure to be clear with the person when it is your words or your opinion you are speaking and when you believe you have heard from the Lord. We don’t want to manipulate or make anyone do anything. It is simply letting the Holy Spirit minister through us and letting the person you are praying for respond as they want to. This is always an invitation to respond to God’s grace and love.

Tips for “Waiting on God” / Hearing God’s Voice

  • This not a time to “blank out” and clear our minds of all thoughts – remember, God is personal and we relate by communicating with Him as a person (example of marital communication).
  • Remember to take time to explain to your group what you are doing, why you do it, and what are some ways God might speak to them during that time.
  • Make sure to tell your stories of “failure” of hearing God’s voice as well as success. This should be a safe environment to risk!
  • Encourage your group to:
    • Ask God questions – Luke 11:9-13 (“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you…how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”); James 4:2 (“We have not because we ask not…”) – I try to ask questions in my mind and stop and wait (i.e., a two-way conversation), then go back-and-forth until the “picture” becomes clear or more detailed (ask, wait, listen, ask, wait, listen, etc.)
    • Consider intersecting thoughts
    • Be aware of hunches and impressions (remember, some too deep & primitive in our brains for words) or sympathetic pain.
    • Look around at the people in the room, asking God to give impressions, words, etc. as they gaze upon the others in the room – “seeing” what can’t be heard.
  • Go beyond the obvious in your preparation for the ministry time
    • You don’t have to get words in the moment, in preparation (before ministry time) start to listen.
    • Listen in your quiet times and ask others in the group to do the same, especially those who are gifted or want to grow in the prophetic.
  • Stay humble – we come into every ministry time the same way – empty handed and totally dependent on God
  • Commit to the activity of waiting on God – this is not “fast food.” Commit to waiting on God and hearing His voice every week at group.

We encourage the use of the prophetic gifts within our Small Groups. We are not ignorant, however, of the pitfalls of false or untimely personal prophecies. We submit these guidelines to you in the hope that it will help to encourage an accurate flow of God’s voice within your Small Group.

Earnestly desire the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Especially that you may prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:1). God wants to speak to you and through you! As Small Group leaders, you will want to really lean in this area!

Trust the peace of God.

Beware of speaking when your spirit is uneasy, in turmoil, or feels forced to speak. Look for the peace of God in every word you hear (Psalms 85:8; Philippians 4:7-9).

Obey the urgings of the Spirit.

We grow as we act in obedience to the things that God is speaking to us. It’s important to keep risking!

Don’t rely on physical sensations.

When you begin to move in prophecy, the Lord frequently gives you physical sensations – knots in the stomach, fluttering heart beats, intense heat, a feeling of euphoria, impressions, visions, and so on. The Lord does this to prepare you to receive or deliver His word. However, it is also true that as time goes on, the Lord often withholds these promptings so you can grow in the ability to hear Him apart from physical sensations.

Speak clearly and naturally.

You don’t have to speak in King James English to get your point across. Nor do you always have to say, “Thus saith the Lord.” If your word is truly from God, the Spirit will confirm it in the hearts of the listeners (John 10:4-5, 16.) Also, speak loudly and clearly enough to be heard by everyone.

Timing is everything.

A prophecy that comes at the wrong time during a meeting sound like a noisy gong or clanging symbol. It will only draw attention to you, not to Jesus.

Leave corrective and directional words to an experienced and
mature leader.

The simple gift of prophecy is for exhortation, edification, and comfort. If you do receive a directional word, write it down and prayerfully submit it to your leadership for evaluation.

How do you receive a message?

You don’t have to be struck by a lightning bolt to prophesy. A message can come in a variety of ways: literal words; senses of inklings; vision of words like teletype print in your mind; dreams, and so on. More often than not, a seasoned individual receives the sense of what God wants to say. Your duty is to then express that sense clearly and appropriately (Psalms 12:6).

What do you do with a word after you’ve received it?

That depends. Not all words are for the purpose of proclamation; many are for intercession. Some words should be “put on file,” waiting for confirmation. Others words should be written down and submitted to more mature Christians with a prophetic ministry for evaluation. Some prophecies should only be spoken to an individual, others to a group. Some prophetic words should be delivered as songs.

What if you mess up?

No start is perfect. Maturity only comes from taking risks and occasionally failing. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again.” Learn from your mistakes, and get back up and humbly receive His grace.

The Vineyard has developed a helpful five-step model to assist people in following God’s direction regarding how to pray for a person. This five-step model is not a technique or a secret formula that makes healing happen. We must always keep in mind that God does the healing and that His sovereign will is determinative regarding whether someone gets healed. This model simply enables people to look for God’s sovereign will when faced with someone who needs healing.

Step One: Interview

Answers the question, “Where does it hurt?”

  1. The Natural Level – Listening to the person
    • Present and past experiences
    • What you see, know, and how you learned it
  2. The Supernatural Level – Listening to God
    • Knowledge through the gifts of the Holy Spirit
  3. This is not a medical interview.
  4. The interview is complete when:
    • You know what you are praying for
    • God has told you what to pray

Step Two: Diagnostic Decision

Answers the question, “Why does this person have this condition?”

As we are interviewing the person, we are asking God for insight regarding the ultimate cause of the condition. We have heard from the individual about the need and are now asking God about the cause.

  1. The Natural Level
    • Contracted a disease
    • Hurt themselves
  2. The Supernatural Level
    • The effects of sin
      • Sin they committed
      • Sin committed against them
  3. Emotional disturbance
    • Anger or bitterness
    • Unforgiveness
  4. Demonic oppression
    • Family spirits
    • Curses
    • Demonization

Step Three: Prayer Selection

Answers the question, “What kind of prayer will help this person?”

The ultimate issue here is this: What is God doing at this particular time? We are asking God how we should intercede for this person.

  1. Prayer toward God
    • Petition – Asking for the presence and healing of the Holy Spirit
    • Intercession – Prayer in mind or spirit with a view toward sharing the burden
    • Prayer from God
  2. Command of faith
  3. Pronouncement of faith
  4. Charge to the enemy
    • Rebuke – breaking of power
    • Bind – containing of power
    • Expulse – eliminate the presence

Step Four: Prayer Engagement

Answers the question, “How are we doing?”

During this process we are evaluating how effective our prayers have been.

  1. Pray for effect
    • Pray with eyes open
    • Watch for warmth, tingling, heat, muscle spasms, shaking, deep breathing, fluttering eyelids, taut fingers, etc.
  2. Ask questions
    • Gives further direction
    • Does not disturb the healing process
  3. Stop praying when:
    • The person indicates it’s over
    • The Holy Spirit indicates it’s over
    • You run out of things to say
    • You have prayed for everything and nothing has happened

Step Five: Post-Prayer Direction

Answers the question, “What do they (the one getting prayer) do now?”

  1. Supernatural leading for special direction
    • Word of wisdom
    • “Go and sin no more…”
    • General counsel
  2. Read Bible
  3. Pray
  4. Become involved in Small Group
  5. Encourage those who didn’t get healed to continue to receive prayer:


Note: If anyone in your Small Group may be interested in learning the prayer model and being released to pray for people during the services, they must be released to pray by you, the Small Group Leader. You can contacting the Mile High Vineyard office at info@milehighvineyard.org for further information on this process.

  • Come to the “ministry time” with expectation, believing that God wants to bring healing to the person standing before you.
  • Remember that the first goal of our ministry is love and showing Jesus’ compassion.
  • Remember that praying for people requires faith, and we spell faith R.I.S.K.
  • Please use the Vineyard Prayer Model as a tool to help facilitate ministry.
  • Don’t force ministry. If the Spirit is not doing something, relax and remember that there will always be another opportunity. It is not your responsibility to make anything happen.
  • Don’t project on another person what God has been doing with you. Find out what God is doing and bless it.
  • Pray only what you hear the Spirit telling you to pray. This is not a counseling session.
  • Pray with your eyes open so that you can watch what the Spirit is doing in the person you are praying for.
  • Don’t do anything with your hands that would distract the person receiving ministry such as:
    • Putting excessive pressure on the person
    • Rubbing your hand on their body
    • Waving your hands in some sort of a mystical way
    • Excessive shaking
    • Inappropriate touching
  • It is okay to talk to the person receiving ministry or others on your prayer team during the engagement process. Talking does not upset the process but rather can often help clarify what the Father might be doing.
  • Be careful not to push people over. This is offensive and will backfire by causing people to grow resistant.
  • Be willing to pray whenever you can. Practice is a good thing.

Step One – You do the ministry

  1. Prepare for ministry time during the week
    • Believe that God wants to speak to you and to your group
    • Go beyond the obvious.
      • For example, when teaching on God’s love, don’t settle only for a ministry call to invite people to experience God’s love; ask more specifically what God wants to do in the lives of your group members
    • Commit to the activity of waiting on God
      • At a minimum, take 10 minutes, three times that week to specifically ask God to speak to you for your group.
  2. Approach ministry time with authority
    • You have believed God wants to speak, you’ve asked Him to, you’ve listened to Him, and you have heard from Him.
    • Now, speak what you have heard with confidence and faith that God will in fact do what He has promised.
  3. Take time to explain what you are doing
    • Explain what ministry time is: A time where we ask God, by the Holy Spirit, to come and work in our lives so that we become more like Jesus.
    • Explain why you take time to do this: All the study in the world will make no difference if we don’t make time to ask God to supernaturally heal and change us from the inside out. Therefore, ministry time is vital for our spiritual growth. That is why we take time each week to pray.
  4. Wait on the Holy Spirit
    • Model dependency upon God
      • Jesus said in John 5:19, “The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing.”
    • If Jesus was completely dependent upon the Father for direction and guidance, as followers of Jesus, we want to do the same thing. Therefore, we’re going to take time to wait on the Holy Spirit for direction on how to pray. Describe and normalize what they might experience and how God might speak to them
      • You will get distracted by noises around you and the silence might feel awkward but, press through this and ask God to speak to you. He may speak to you with a word, in a sentence, a picture or simply a gut feeling. Believe that when you ask Him to speak, He will answer.
  5. Share what God has been speaking
    • Gather what people might have heard
      • Ask, “What did you feel God speaking to you?” As you listen to each person, be asking the Holy Spirit for discernment.
      • Take time to listen to everything that is shared before asking if those words connected with anyone. In this way, you will prevent putting people’s ability to hear from God on the spot.
    • Look for patterns
      1. Often God will speak the same or similar things to a number of people to whom He wants to minister.
    • Ask people to respond
      1. Ask, “Do any of these things connect with anyone?”
  6. Decide on a direction for ministry
    • Option #1: Pray for one at a time
      • If only a few respond, you can begin by praying for one person at a time.
      • Once prayer gets under way, you can begin praying with a second person off to the side. Take a few group members with you to pray. Continue to do this until each person that responded receives prayer.
    • Option #2: Pray in smaller groups for things God highlighted
      • If several people responded, you may want to have two or three group members gather around each person and pray for them so that everyone gets ministered to simultaneously.

Step Two – You do the ministry while your trainee observes

  1. Identify and recruit a group member to train in this area.
    • Look for someone who:
      • Enjoys praying
      • Is effective at praying
      • Is sensitive to the Holy Spirit and seems to hear from God
  2. Begin by observing
    • Ask them to watch you during ministry time
    • Explain to them that they should look at what you are doing and be prepared to talk about it with you later
  3. Give them an opportunity to ask questions about what they observed
    • The trainee may not have many questions to begin with; often questions will focus on methodology. (For example, “Why do we lay hands on people when we pray for them?”
  4. Demystify what you are doing
    • Explain why you said what you said and did things the way you did. For example: how you chose what direction to go for ministry or how you made the jump from gathering what people heard to selecting a direction to begin prayer

Step Three – You do the ministry with your trainee

  1. Give them an assignment; ask them to take part in the ministry. For example,
    • Give them the study ahead of time and ask them to pray and determine the direction for ministry before they come to group;
    • Ask them what they are hearing God speak after you’ve waited on the Holy Spirit; or
    • Have them lead out in praying for someone in the group.
  2. Debrief afterward
    • Ask them what they observed and learned this time
    • Encourage them to ask questions
      • The trainee should have more questions now that they have taken a risk and will often be aimed at clarification and instruction. For example, “How do I respond when I have a specific direction to go for ministry, yet I can see that the Holy Spirit is obviously moving in someone else because they are crying?”
  3. Capitalize on teachable moments
    • Use this time to challenge their character and spiritual maturity. For example, did they really believe God was going to show up when they chose a direction for ministry? Or, why did they spend most of the time praying and little time listening to God?
    • Use this time to teach and ingrain the prayer model.
    • Use this time to teach them the value of relationship when it comes to ministry time
      • Teach them to couch their instruction and leading from the Holy Spirit in relational terms. Even the most difficult things can be said in sensitive and honoring ways so that it disarms the person’s defenses and enables them to welcome what God might be saying.

Step Four – They do the ministry

  1. Prepare them for the task
    • Repeat step three as often as you need, giving them different portions of responsibility each time if necessary
      • Examples of portions of ministry time are: determining a direction, waiting on the Holy Spirit, gathering and processing words from God, and/or determining how to proceed with prayer.
    • Talk through each aspect of ministry time for that week
      • Spend time making sure they know, from start to finish, how they will lead ministry time
      • Remind them to be sensitive and open to the leading of the Holy Spirit; while developing a plan is wise, we must remain open to God changing our plans
  2. Empower them at Life Circle
    • Explain briefly to the group that they have been working with you learning to lead ministry time (which the group should be aware of at this point) and you are confident in their ability to do so, therefore, tonight they are going to lead the group in ministry.
  3. Debrief afterward
    • Capitalize on teachable moments once again
    • Encourage them to ask further questions
      • Their questions should now be aimed more at effectiveness. For example, “How can I share how God is challenging me in this area so as to model transparency, yet not make the ministry time about me?”
  4. Encourage them
    • This step requires a lot of risk and therefore will require a lot of encouragement
    • Find specific ways they were effective at ministering to others and the eternal significance to what they just did. The lives of people will be forever changed because of their investment!

Handling Challenges in Leading Small Group

Common Leadership Difficulties

Burnout

  • Make sure you’re being refreshed by God Himself and seeking Him for your needs. The bulk of burnout comes from not seeking God continually – His presence and power is our strength.
  • Learn to do what God is doing in His power instead of doing everything in your own strength (there is a great energy drain when we get “up” for meetings).
  • Learn to discern when to say “no.” Your identity doesn’t come from meeting every need. Don’t accept guilt when you simply haven’t time, energy, or skills to meet every need.
  • When you say “no,” provide alternatives. Suggest others in the group who can help, call the office for pastoral help, suggest a book or mp3, etc. Know when to call for reinforcements.
  • Relax and enjoy the meetings! You’re not performing for an award. Don’t try to please and keep people—just love them. Only lead meetings you yourself would love to go to.
  • Play more personally, and play more with the people in the Small Group (at least every six weeks).
  • Recruit, train, and deploy workers to share in the ministry. See part of your job as replacing yourself as much as possible.
  • Take a night off from Small Group every now and then (once every two months), releasing a potential leader to facilitate that night.
  • Re-evaluate priorities: Are you doing too much? Should you let something go?


Feeling unable to meet needs

  • Good! You are! That keeps you in a place of seeking God and of taking risks.
  • Don’t accept responsibility for the health of others! Only God can ultimately meet needs, and people won’t grow up in Him and get well until they accept responsibility to seek Him for themselves.
  • Participate in available training (leadership training, seminars, etc.).
  • Become more disciplined in your use of time for study (less TV, more studying the Word and seeking God). Use books, mp3s and other helps –many are available through the Internet.
  • Communicate your needs to your leader or pastor.


Chronic problem people

  • Keep your heart pure towards them – use the steps of forgiveness. (One of the greatest hindrances to their freedom is the resentment and rejection of leaders).
  • Confront privately. They must see that they are loved and accepted, but they can’t dump their hang-ups on or dominate a group. If they’ll enter the process of appropriate behavior in Small Group, attend Sunday worship, and receive counseling as needed, they can participate. If all they want to do is draw attention, cause problems, take people’s time, and not get well, they cannot come.
  • Seek to discern what the root of their problem is by word of knowledge, vision, prophetic word, discussion, or in-depth counseling interview.
  • Call on others in the Small Group to team-pray or to provide saturation prayer.
  • Consider “assigning” willing Small Group members to be their counselors, limiting counsel to that one person to whom the counselee is accountable.
  • Give them time to experience Vineyard style and values.


Group not growing

  • Focus on quality, not quantity. Eight or more consistent people is okay: enjoy it! “God gives the increase” – forget competition. If you feel it, confess it and relax.
  • Ask people who came but stopped coming why they stopped (without intimidating them). Be teachable, but listen for God in their answers. Ask God for a humble heart. (Humble means laying down defense mechanisms).
  • Are you praying for the people and meeting regularly?
  • Are you in a host home conducive to fellowship? Is it warm and inviting? Or is it hard to find, cold, uncomfortable, too small? Are there offensive smells, animals, etc.?
  • Is the worship fulfilling?
  • Are contentious or chronic-problem people dominating the meetings?
  • Are you playing regularly, doing things the people enjoy?
  • Are you seeing the needs of the people being met?
  • Do you need to make (better) arrangements for childcare?
  • Are you enjoying the meetings? Would you come if you weren’t the leader? Why? What would help you want to come?
  • Are you and others continually inviting people to the Small Group, or passively waiting for others to just show up?
  • Are you basically following the time format?
  • Ask group members (not in desperation, but conversation) how they feel about the group and what they think would help it to grow.
  • Consider the possibility the Lord is leading you to end the group. Ending a group is not a failure – it doesn’t make you a failure. But – make sure to discuss this process with your leader or pastor first.


Group growing too fast

  • Hallelujah! What a great problem to have!
  • Pray and search for others who can help serve and ultimately facilitate when you multiply
  • Don’t succumb to the temptations to:
    • Gloat, become proud, esteem yourself more highly than you should.
    • Try to do it all by yourself.
    • Develop a power base.
    • Quit seeking God because it’s going well.
  • Prepare to multiply at the right time (you may be a gatherer or you may have several gatherers in your group).
  • Realize quick growth isn’t true growth; give it time to level out.


No worship leader

  • Pray for one.
  • Let the Pastor or Worship Pastor know your need.
  • Look for potential worship leaders in your group; send them for training.
  • “Borrow” a willing worship leader from another group.
  • Use a music streaming service. They work much better than you’d think, especially if the hosts have a good sound system.
  • Sing without an instrument if someone can carry it with their voice alone. Urge them to learn to play guitar or keyboards.


Feelings of resentment towards pastor(s)

There can be many reasons for feelings of resentment towards pastors, some legitimate and some not. There can be too little communication from the pastor, not enough help, not enough encouragement, causing the leader to feel smothered by the needs of others and used by the pastor. Sometimes the leaders have needs for approval and praise the pastor could never meet (and should never meet). Frequently the leader has expectations the pastor cannot fulfill (the desire to be best friends, to “hang out” together, etc.).

  • Whatever the reasons behind the resentments, there is only one way to deal with them. First, forgive from the heart before going to talk to the pastor. Use the steps of forgiveness, making sure you also confess to the Lord the record of wrongs and/or judgment you were holding in your heart. Then go to the pastor quickly, telling no one else (backbiting or gossiping), and share your feelings in love (“speaking the truth in love”). Listen carefully to the pastor’s “side” with a desire to understand them, their needs, your potentially wrong need for approval, praise or other expectations. Express the forgiveness you already released from your heart in prayer.
  • Renegotiate your relationship with the pastor and with your ministry. Define more clearly expectations on both sides, so legitimate needs can be met and others released to God.
  • Don’t allow the enemy to have opportunity by letting the sun go down on your anger.

It’s a touchy situation. As a Small Group leader, the last thing you want is a roomful of people who are afraid to open their mouths. On the other hand, you can’t afford to let just one person continually jump in. So what do you do when one of your Small Group members monopolizes the group discussion?

  • Make sure you’re not the one who is over-talkative.
  • Reiterate any agreed-upon ground rules like, “Let’s listen to one another,” or “Try to reverse your normal pattern and talk less/more.”
  • Use careful directions such as, “I want two people who have not said anything yet to respond,” or “I want everyone to answer this one.”
  • Sit beside the talkative person, reducing the eye contact that potentially cues their continual contributions.
  • Interrupt the person in the middle of a long speech and say, “You have made several excellent points — let’s see if there is any response to what you have said.”
  • Stop looking at the person while he or she is talking. Usually this will slow the person down, again because eye cues have ceased.
  • Expect a mature group to do the work for you, with members humorously and gently reminding the talkative person that s/he is “doing it again.” When trust has been built, such communication is possible.
  • Ask the person privately to help draw quieter folks out. (This is a favorite suggestion in textbooks, but it is risky because most people will know what you are up to.)
  • Ask the person privately or publicly to talk less. Some of these suggestions may appear to include impolite behavior. Yet, even interrupting a member is worth it if the health of the group is at stake.

(List taken from Dan Williams, Seven Myths about Life Circles, InterVarsity Press, 1991.)

There will always be contention/contentious people!

  • New churches and new Small Groups particularly draw people dissatisfied with other churches (they don’t fit due to unresolved conflicts, sin, etc.).
  • Contention means “strife, controversy,” and strife means “exertion or contention for superiority.”


Roots of strife and contention

  • “An arrogant man stirs up strife.” Proverbs 28:25 (arrogant: “disposed to making claims of rank, estimation, or importance; haughty.”)
  • “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself,”
    Philippians 2:3
  • “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited,”
    Romans 12:16
  • “An angry man stirs up strife,” Proverbs 29:22
  • Need for approval, unresolved anger towards parents, other authority figures; looking at people and institutions to meet needs only God can meet; judging; expectations.


God’s attitude

  • “There are six things which the Lord hates…and one who spreads strife among brothers,” Proverbs 6:16-19
  • “Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another,” Romans 14:19


Two types of contention

  • Bold: Going from person to person (rarely the leader) complaining, gossiping, criticizing, spreading poison, and frequently wanting leadership.
  • Subtle: Drawing people and their loyalties to themselves by appearing very understanding, counseling, being the “friend” they perceive the pastor not to be, while never really submitting to the authority, teaching or leadership of the pastor(s). This person uses someone else’s ministry as a platform for their own (yet they usually do not have one).


Dealing with contention

  • Make values, goals, plans, etc. very clear at the beginning. Urge people to understand that we know where we’re going and if they want to come with us, come; if not, don’t try to change us.
  • Understanding that contentious people will come anyway.
    • Magnet phase: Contentious people will draw people like them, exposing hidden attitudes. Let it happen.
    • Infection phase (need to confront): When they infect the innocent, naive and gullible others, especially younger believers with little experience/discernment, and older believers struggling through difficult times and discouragement.
  • Check your own heart carefully, making sure you are not perceiving contention as a defense of your own failures.
  • Alert leadership (talking only to people directly involved with the problem/solution).
  • Personal confrontation:
    • Genuinely forgive from the heart (steps of forgiveness) first.
    • Pray for the situation, for revelation and conviction.
    • Confront when released by the Spirit – in private (Matthew 18) in a spirit of gentleness (Galatians 6:1) with the goal of restoration in mind and heart.
    • Be clear and specific: “. . . As a friend and leader, I feel you may be unaware of an attitude and some actions that are getting in the way of what God is doing and it’s hurting others. I also may be unaware of things from your view that you might need to explain so that we can resolve this. I know as a friend I would want the same thing. The reason I am even taking the risk of sharing this is that I love you. Are you willing to hear me?” or “This is what I feel . . . .” or “This is what you’ve said/done to make me feel this way. What do you think causes you to say/do these things? How can I help you resolve the roots – would you be willing to meet with my wife and me to talk about it?” etc.
    • Try to focus on the issue/sin in Small Group prayer, in the context of relationship (being aware that you as the leader may in fact represent what the person resists and resents).
    • If there is no repentance or change, continue in the vein of Matthew 18 by bringing in another leader or pastor (give it some time).
    • If the contention continues, if the person is there to change the church, to consciously stir up strife and division, you and the pastor will ask them to leave and will identify the person and the sin publicly (possibly just in the Small Group) for the sake of the body.
      • “Drive out the scorner, and contention will go out, even strife and dishonor will cease,” Proverbs 22:10
      • Scorn: “An emotion involving anger and disgust”
    • Never release leadership to the contentious. Contention will be modeled, the roots never dealt with, and it will later destroy the work (never give ministry to someone because “it would be good for them”).

There is a subtle but massive difference in how we engage with people pastorally. In one way, we can feel responsible for others as if we were in charge of helping, fixing or changing them. In another, healthier way, we can feel responsible to others, knowing that we are in charge of assisting, encouraging, teaching and caring but that ultimately they are responsible for their own life.

Review the attached document that outlines the differences in these two approaches when we think about caring for and pastoring people in small group.