The Small Groups Big Mission workbook has landed and we’re seeing students across the UK receive training in leading missional small groups! The workbook asks the question, ‘what does it look like to host unmissable meetings? To lead a small group that people can’t wait to attend?’
The book and the training consists of 4 main sections, including creating small groups of real community, real faith, real creativity and real growth, and also provides a practical outline of how to host an unmissable small group! Based around the 4 Ws (welcome, worship, word and witness), the workbook provides you with an opportunity to think creatively around how to lead small group meetings.
In the last three weeks, we’ve looked at ideas of how to welcome well, how to worship in a small group context and how to have the word be the focus.
Next up: witness!
Small groups are a brilliant opportunity to invite others to experience more of what church can look like outside of a Sunday service, as well as encouraging everyone involved to live missionally! Here are some top tips around how to do ‘witness’ well in a small group…
1. ‘How can I pray?’
At some point during the meeting, ask everyone if they have any prayer requests. You will be surprised at how open everyone may be, regardless of faith background, around asking for prayer. Keep a journal with everyone’s prayer requests, and revisit the following week. Recognising answered prayers and continuing to pray is a great way of including everyone.
2. ‘What’s your story?’
Share testimony. Creating a space where everyone can share their story will encourage one another and will show how God works in individual lives. People connect with people, and sharing testimony will help everyone to see how God is relevant, He is working and He loves us all.
3. ‘Where do you want to see breakthrough?’
Create a resource where people can pray for breakthrough. Perhaps a prayer wall? Pray for individuals who need breakthrough, whether it be breakthrough in their relationship with God, breakthrough for healing or breakthrough for peace amongst uni life. Everyone knows someone who would benefit by being prayed for!
4. ‘Where can we serve?’
Invite the whole group to serve a need on campus or in your city together. Perhaps you could bless your neighbours by hosting a kid’s party on Halloween? Perhaps you could join in with local projects helping the homeless community? Perhaps you could contribute to a foodbank collection as a small group? Get the whole group involved!
5. ‘DMC?’
Use the DMC deck to promote good conversations within your small group. One way of using the DMC deck is by turning it into a game…
Step 1: Hide DMC deck cards around the house before everyone arrives.
Step 2: Get people into teams of no more than 3.
Step 3: Give 2 minutes for the teams to find as many cards as possible. The most cards in 2 minutes gets a prize!
Step 4: Once everyone is sitting down again, encourage the group to answer the questions they’ve collected in their groups of 2-3 people.
Step 5: Watch as witness unfolds!
To get your DMC deck, click here!
6. ‘Wanna hang out?’
Much of the witness to non-Christians friends in your group will happen outside of a small group context. Be ready and willing to meet for coffee to chat through questions they may have as well as just getting to know each other better!
These are just five ways of focusing on witnessing during a small group! What are your ideas? Let us know by reaching out on Instagram @hellofusionmovement. We can’t wait to hear how you creatively welcome people in your small groups!
