What is expected of me as a leader?

• Maintain a personal, growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Lead the group by facilitating the group meeting, monitoring its health and duration, and promoting participation among group members.
• Commit to engage in leadership development opportunities provided by Bethel (see calendar).
• Become a member of Bethel within 3 months of leading a group.
• Identify and develop future small group leaders from within your group.
• Be responsive and teachable, especially with your small group coach.

What does a ‘typical’ small group meeting look like?

GROW groups are usually 10-12 people who gather weekly in homes. This meeting typically lasts about 2 hours. There’s usually a time for food, a time for Bible study, a time for prayer, and in some groups a time for singing. Many groups also split into gender-specific groups for discussion and accountability. For the Bible study time, most GROW groups discuss the week’s sermon using the discussion questions printed in the weekly service bulletin. Occasionally, classes are offered at the church building that an entire GROW group may attend with other GROW groups. Most groups participate in service projects and social gatherings together throughout the year.

Why are discussion questions based on the sermons?

1. It maximizes the teaching we enjoy on Sundays.
2. People are more likely to join your small group because of a common experience to draw upon.
3. There is better discussion in group.
4. Small group members obtain at least 2 hours of “soaking” in the same Scripture each week (50 minute sermon, 10-15 min prep, 20-30 min discussion)
5. It allows leaders to focus on developing long-term, Christ-focused relationships, rather than cramming to learn the material.
6. Small group members are more likely to attend both church and small group weekly.
7. There is a greater potential for spiritual growth as we understand and apply the principles from the sermon through our discussion, prayer, and accountability.

What training is available to me as a group leader?

For new leaders we offer both host and new leader training, along with several books to prepare you as a new leader. Leaders are also offered ongoing training through a small group coach, leadership briefings (3 each year - see calendar), and other resources.

Can we use studies for discussion? If so, when and what?

We encourage groups to use the sermon-based curriculum for the majority of their discussions, but sometimes using other resources can help meet a felt need or increase participation. Here is a link to studies that we trust and recommend.

What is a coach and how do I get one?

We have established small group coaches in order to setup our group leaders to have ongoing encouragement and training. Each group leader is assigned a coach who will pray for them and their group, provide training and relational support, and can be the first person to call when facing obstacles in the group. For more information on coaches, please contact Dave Stevanus ([email protected]).

How should I handle childcare?

There are several options for groups with children:

• Some groups share childcare expenses on Wednesday and Sunday evenings with other groups at the building. This is conducive to children but there is a time constraint and the drawback of not meeting in a home.
• Children 5 and older sometimes do separate activities while adults engage in discussion.
• Teens are sometimes together with the adults.
• For children under 5, parents typically share the cost of babysitting at the same house. This should be agreed upon ahead of time.
• Some groups pre-arrange childcare on their own.
• See your coach for advice in how to best handle childcare for your group.

What should I do if I encounter issues that are more than I can handle on my own?

If any problems arise in your group, please contact your coach who may be able to walk you through the obstacle. If not, they can help you contact someone who will help with more resources.