Have you ever found yourself in a position to lead a discussion, and you are unsure how to engage people to participate, let alone lead them to discover something new and helpful?
There is a big difference between facilitating a discussion and teaching a class. When you are in the position of a teacher, you are sharing your knowledge and insight into something that the listener may not know about.
But when it comes to effective discussions, the key is to help the participants discover the truth for themselves rather than giving them your thoughts or perspective. People remember a message better when they discover it for themselves.
When it comes to effective discussions, the key is to help the participants discover the truth for themselves rather than giving them your thoughts or perspective. People remember a message better when they discover it for themselves. Share on XA facilitator can ask good questions that lead the people to search inside themselves, and self-discover things that the Holy Spirit may want to show them through the Word. This promotes the kind of spiritual growth and discipleship that happens best in community and relationship.
I love this quote from the book Truth That Sticks:
“God’s truth is in the story, but you have to gently open it up
with questions to make it come alive for the group.”
To facilitate a group or even a conversation in this way takes intentionality on the part of the Facilitator. It requires being able to discuss the lesson and God’s Word in a way that will get it not just into peoples heads (knowledge), but into their hearts (passion). And once it hits them on a heart level, it will find it’s way into their hands (actions)
To begin your groups’ discussion on a Bible truth/principle or story, you should start at the Head level. This means having someone read the key passage you will be working from and then taking a look at it from from the aspect of the actual words and what it says.
“Head Level”
Your job as a facilitator is to ask questions, keep the discussion going, and get the members of the group talking to each other. Asking questions about the facts of the Bible passage or story you are covering helps everyone feel capable of entering into the conversation. Keep asking people what came next in the passage. If they skip something, ask what came before that. This can be a 5 or 10 minute time of just going through the passage or the story and repeating what it actually says – this will rebuild it in their minds to help them retain it. This is a time when people who are more timid may feel safe entering into the discussion.
“Heart Level”
Once the passage or story is in their heads, move it to their hearts with ‘why’ questions that get to the meaning or interpretation of the passage. Let group members struggle with the meaning of it without your interpretation. Ask open-ended questions instead of yes or no questions, which kill discussion. You might ask if anyone knows another story in the Bible that answers the question.
Here are a few heart level questions that might help your group get inside the passage and begin to think about its meaning:
- Why do you think the passage said that?
- Identify any problem, obstacle, barrier or difficulty that you see presented in this passage. What is the problem?
- Does the problem you see get solved? Is the barrier or difficulty overcome? If so, how?
- What does this passage tell us about God?
- What does this passage tell us about people?
- Was anything in this passage new to you?
- Do you have any questions about anything in the passage?
- What do you like about the passage?
- What do you not like about the passage?
Choose questions that get listeners involved in the meaning of the story. The group will also ask you questions – resist answering them yourself. Ask the one who asked the question what he or she thinks, or throw the question back into the group. Consider asking the group to find the answer and report back the following week.
The most difficult thing for teachers and leaders to overcome in facilitating a group is the habit of interjecting their explanations during the reading of the passage or during the discussion afterward. If the leader immediately answers his own questions, people begin to wonder why they should even participate. If everyone sits and listens to the leader, it is not a small group discussion – it is a class.
Many times – the leader is concerned that people won’t interpret the passages correctly. If someone does give an incorrect answer, ask the group to discuss the options and figure out the best alternative. See if the group members can come near a correct interpretation. If not, you can speak up and give your interpretation – but at least you have helped give them the freedom to learn to work through something on their own. If controversial questions come up that don’t relate to the topic, let them know that you want to shelve that topic for group time, but would love to discuss it with them later.
“Hands Level”
Once the why questions have helped the group understand the meaning of the story, move to the hands (application) questions. It is important to ask ‘how’ questions that will help them apply the story to their lives.
The application questions are the ones that are most often ignored. Be bold enough to ask the hard questions. Hand-level change comes when we hear from God’s Word and work through effective questions that force us to look at our own lives in comparison to the passage we just heard.
At the hands level, we now serve Christ with our lives, impacting our world and the time of history in which we live. A disciple at the hands level serves with their talent, gifts, abilities, and resources. He is becoming a contributor, rather than just a consumer. He is living an active life as a disciple and disciple-maker by sharing, connecting, ministering and discipling others.
Here are a few ‘hands’ level questions you might ask.
- What do you believe God is showing/telling you from this passage?
- How would you use this passage to disciple someone?
- How can you apply this passage to your own life?
- What is God asking you to do?
There are many more tips for facilitating a group than what is listed here, but we hope this will give you some good ideas to implement in your group immediately. The most important thing to remember is that the people you are leading are precious and loved by God, and his desire is for them to feel welcomed and valued as they are learning Truth from God’s Word.
You may also be interested in the following articles:
What Is The Difference Between A Small Group And A Bible Study? And Why Does It Matter?
The 5 Stages Of Growth For A Disciple-Maker (Free Resource)
This was very helpful – I am in the “learning/training” phase of becoming a group facilitator with the ladies when we have break-out meetings.