Ever play on a winning team? Participate in a group that really came together and was somehow better together than any sum of the individuals ought to have been? There's something about that, isn't there? The whole concept of stacking hands and agreeing that in order to be the best we're going to have to do it a certain way.
Here’s the
thing…in the same way that team had had a way of doing things, your group can too. In fact, you do have a way…even if you don’t know it; even if you didn’t plan
it!
Why not
take advantage of the beginning of a new year to get your group
talking about what’s next? And there’s
no better way to do that than to pull out a small group agreement or covenant
and talk through your hopes for the new year.
What should
you talk about? Two basic ideas:
- What are your values?
- What are your expectations?
What Are Our Values?
When you’re
working through the values of your group, we suggest that you talk about the
following values:
- Group Attendance: Even if my
boss offers tickets to the big game, I know the group meeting has
priority.
- Safe Environment: Our members
will feel loved and heard because there won’t be quick answers, snap judgments,
or simple fixes.
- Confidentiality: Obvious…but
necessary. What happens in the
group stays in the group.
- Spiritual Health: The goal is
not just attendance! It’s that over
time we’d become more like Christ.
- Inviting People: It’s not just
us! We’ll be on the lookout for
ways to include new people when appropriate.
- Shared Ownership: Good groups
involve the whole group in the action. Rotating facilitators, moving the meeting to different group
member’s homes, allowing everyone to play a role…these things predict a
better group.
- Spiritual Partners: No getting
a round it, if there are more than three of us the path to growth comes
through pairing up for accountability and encouragement. It may be a new practice…but it is a
healthy one.
You may
arrive at additional values. There’s no
magic list. The key is to spend some
time working on this if you want your group to be healthy.
What Are Our Expectations?
This is
simpler…but just as important. These are
the basic ingredients of our small group life.
- When
will we meet? Not just the day but the
time that we start and stop. Agreeing on this is a big detail. It allows our group to honor the value of
group attendance.
- What
will we do about the kids? Figuring out
a childcare solution is an important key.
- What
will we eat? It may not be all about the food, but agreeing on what
we’ll eat can keep us on the right track.
- Will
we attend the same service? Hanging out
together, outside the meeting, goes a long way.
When Should You Have This
Discussion?
When is the
best time to have this discussion? If
you’re a new group there’s no time like the beginning. It’ll get you off to a great start. If you’ve been around for a while without an
agreement you may want to ease into it. Using a study that incorporates an agreement can provide the easiest
first step.
Whether
you’re brand new and want to get off to a great start or you’ve been around and
need a little boost, a small group agreement can be a powerful tool for
spiritual growth. Why not take advantage
of the season and put one to work?
Looking for a good resource that includes a small group agreement? Creating Community could be just the ticket.
Ready to
think about helping your small group have a better experience in 2008? It’s that time again! Time for all good groups to get going! And get going on the right foot.
Ever play on a winning team? Participate in a group that really came together and was somehow better together than any sum of the individuals ought to have been? There's something about that, isn't there? The whole concept of stacking hands and agreeing that in order to be the best we're going to have to do it a certain way.
