Small Group Leaders’
Training
To envision and equip you
to lead a Small Group
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Expectation
• Doing the course does not entail a firm
commitment on your part to lead a
Home Group
• Doing the course does not entail a firm
commitment on our part to ask you to
lead a Home Group
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The Vision
• Glory to God
• Growing in our knowledge and worship of our God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
• Growth
• Growing in size and going in service
• Community
• Growing in our commitment to one another and to
the world
• Transformation
• Growing Christlikeness in us and others
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Values for the small group
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Intimacy
Accountability
Simplicity
Honesty
Generosity
Community
Unity
Inclusivity
Boldly!!
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Pastoral Structures
• Small Groups Together
• Meet periodically
• Allow development and exercise of a broad range of gifts –
prophecy, music, teaching…
• Give people a sense that this is where they might meet and
make new friends
• Good size for socials
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Pastoral Structures
• Confirmation of Small Groups
– All welcome
– Meet Weekly
• Led by a Small Group Leader(s)
• Up to 10 members (around 8 ideal)
• C.I.A. – Confidentiality, Intimacy, Accountability
• Good size for deeper prayer with one another, for
discipleship and mutual support, for Bible Study
and for special interests
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Goals
• To encourage each Church member to
be in a Small Group
• To encourage ministry and Bible study
within Small Groups
• To foster the C.I.A. aspects of Small
Groups
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Christian Leadership
• Key Texts: Php 2:5-11; Mk 10:35-45
• What is Leadership?
• Write down in no more than two lines a
definition of leadership.
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Christian Leadership
Small Group Leader:
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Prayer
Commitment to group
Be well prepared
Pastoral oversight
Equality
Communication
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Christian Leadership
• Character of Christian Leadership
– Put others first
– Self-giving love
– Serve others
– Change in values
– Christian leadership is cross-shaped
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Christian Leadership
• Christian Leadership
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Power with
Support
Co-operation
Realistic
Enabling
Equality
Change
Flexibility
Give
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Groups 1
Dynamics: Pastoral Epistles 1&2 Tim; Tit.
PURPOSE
PROCESS
PEOPLE
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Groups 2
• Purpose
– A gospel-shaped church
• Process
– Kind to everyone; keep instructions without
partiality; in your teaching show integrity
• People
– Recognise your group membership eg. Older
people; younger people; preaching; teaching;
leading
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Groups 3
• Purpose
– To do the job
Initiating, informing,
clarifying, summarising,
testing, expediting
• Process
– To keep the group together
Harmonising, encouraging,
observing, evaluating,
compromising
• People
– Recognise individual contributions
Teaching, encouraging,
exploring, releasing
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Groups 4
• Life-cycle
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Settling-in
First Growth
Developing Growth
Reaching Maturity – preparing for harvest
• Good beginnings
– Leaders Agreement
– Group Agreement
• Sticky endings
– “Natural” causes
– Leadership failure
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Leaders Agreement
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Consistent, fair, honest
Recognition of worth, respect
Structure, direction, boundaries
Standards, norms, values
Feedback, advice, suggestion
Loving and compassionate authority
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Group Agreement
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Attendance
Ownership
Accountability
Accessibility
Affirmation
Acceptance
Availability
Prayer
Honesty
Sensitivity
Confidentiality
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Further Thought, Study
and Reference
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Christian Leadership
• The Shepherd Jn 10:1-18
• Active, not passive – Jesus was never passive
Jn 10:17ff
• Good leaders are good followers
– Jesus gives very little instruction on how to lead,
but a lot on how to follow!
• Leaders relate intimately to their group
– The leader is part of the group, fulfils one function
enabling the group to be the group. 1 Co 12:12-26
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Christian Leadership
• Character Lk 4:1-4
– Essence of Christian leadership is its practice of
power: serving, not lording over
– SG Leadership is a spiritual matter
• Integrity: discuss in pairs a recent challenge
• Consider in light of Lk 4:1-4
– Jesus’ testing was a challenge to his selfunderstanding… “If you are the Son of God”
– Doing it in God’s way, his time, his power
– Prayer: declares our dependence
– Leadership: is not to meet our needs
– Worship: leads to humility
– Confession: counters the pressure to conform to the
world; fosters accountability.
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Ministry
• Jesus the Model
• He appointed 12 that they might be with him and that he
might send them out… Mk 3:13-14
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I do, you watch
You do, I watch and feed back
You go to do and report back; I comment
You do, she/he watches
• The Role of the Holy Spirit
• Another Counsellor Jn 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7
• A role parallel to Christ: “…it is for your good that I am going
away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to
you.” Jn 16:7
• Surely I am with you always Mt 28:20
• Now to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the
common good 1 Co 12:7
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Church’s Distinctive Activity
• Acts 2:42-47
– Moving Up
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Apostles’ Teaching
Breaking Bread
Prayer
Praising God
– Moving In
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Fellowship
Together
Everything in common
Ate together
– Moving Out
» Enjoyed… favour
» …added to their number
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Christian Community
– Created in the image of God: Ge 1:26
– Look to God to understand humanity. God is Trinity – three
persons in communion: Father Son and Spirit totally given
to each other in love and unity of purpose. I am truly a
person when I relate. If God has made me so that I can only
flourish with you, I will not manipulate , dominate, ignore or
abuse you.
– The image marred: Ge 3
– Alienation from God and one another
– Culture of blame, rebellion, sullenness – Adam; Cain
– Christ breaks down wall of hostility: Eph 2:11-22
– God’s redemption plan was to form a people: Ge 12:1-3
» To help fulfil God’s purposes as a group and as persons
– Hebrews 10:25 – Let us not give up meeting together….
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Christian Community
• Imperatives of the New Testament
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Be devoted…[give] preference to one another Ro 12:10
Accept one another Ro 15:7
Care for one another 1 Co 12:25
Bear one another’s burdens Ga 6:2
Forgiving each other Eph 4:32
Encourage…and build up one another 1 Th 5:11
Stimulate one another to love and good deeds Heb 10:24
Confess your sins to… and pray for one another Ja 5:16
Serving one another 1 Pe 4:10
Love one another 1 Jn 4:11
• The Goal of Christ’s redeeming work
– May the God who gives you endurance and encouragement
give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow
Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ro 15:5-6
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Ministry Description Small Group Leader
Task:
To lead a holistic small group in the Mease Valley Group
Goals: To enable group members to worship together, nurture faith, provide
pastoral care and encourage new membership.
Sub-tasks:
Attend Group Leader’s Meetings
Develop pastoral care for group members.
Provide discussion material for group sessions from time to time
Encourage group members to use their gifts
Enable all group members to share their views and questions
Undertake training as required
Accept responsibility for growth of group, encouraging new members
Pray for the group and its members
Take part in ‘Groups Together’ occasions
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Contact People:
Responsible to: Holistic Small Groups Co-ordinator
Responsible for: Small Group Members
Working with:
Holistic Small Groups Co-ordinator and Leadership Team
Spiritual Gifts:
Shepherding, Prayer, Hospitality
Time Commitment: Flexible
Length of Assignment:
2 years with review after 1 year
Training:
Willingness to undertake
Programme as and when necessary
Group Leaders Training
Name of Leader:
Date:
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Ministry Description
Holistic Small Groups Co-Ordinator (N)
Goals: To enable group members to continue to grow spiritually, groups to
grow numerically, and to ensure a supply of group leaders for new groups
when they are needed.
Sub-tasks:
• Ensure provision of weekly material for groups in consultation with team
rector / incumbent and small group leaders.
• Identify and train new group leaders.
• To organise training for group leaders so that their groups continue to grow
spiritually and numerically.
• To ensure that groups are mutually supportive and to address problems
that may occur within groups.
• Organise 'groups together1 evenings when agreed.
• Meet regularly with group leaders for support, prayer and feedback.
• Oversee division of groups when they regularly exceed 10 members.
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Contact People:
Responsible to: Team Rector/Incumbent and Leadership Team Responsible
for: Small Group Leaders and Members Working with: Small Group
Leaders and Leadership Team
Spiritual Gifts: Evangelism, Shepherding, Leadership
Time Commitment: 16 hours per week approx
Length of Assignment: 2 years with review after 1 year
Training: Familiarity with our Group Leaders Training Programme and
outside training available from NCD, District and Diocese
Date:
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