Group Guidelines

The following guidelines help keep a group and facilitator focused on the purpose and value of the Bible discovery time.

 

Group Guidelines

1. Everyone shares in sentences, not paragraphs (avoids anyone dominating the discussion).

2. Focus only on what this passage is saying (not other passages).

3. Focus only on what this group is seeing (not other people’s perspectives or outside sources).

4. Give people time to respond (don’t be afraid of silence but allow people to “pass” if they wish).

 

Facilitator Guidelines

1. Facilitate, don’t teach (use the Facilitator Guide).

2. Keep the session on schedule--Complete all sections. (25% Connect, 50% Discover, and 25% Respond).

3. For questions about the passage: “What in this passage helps us answer that question?" (The goal is to help the group see that everyone can understand the Bible.)

4. For questions NOT about the passage: "Let’s discuss this further after our group time” or “Let’s do a separate study at another time on a passage that answers that question.”

5. “Strange” or “wrong” interpretations or discussions: "Where is that found in this passage?" Ask the group if they see the same thing (builds an environment of self-correction). Remember, “The goal for today is to focus on what this passage has to say.”

6. Close the group to new people after the second or third week. If people want to bring others after that, help them start a new group.

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