Congratulations! You have responded to the call to help shepherd Jesus’ flock. There are few other tasks in the family of God that surpass the contribution you will be making. As you prepare to lead—whether it is for one session or an entire series—here are a few thoughts to keep in mind. We encourage you to read these and review them with each new discussion leader before he or she leads.

1. First of all, remember that you are not alone. God knows everything about you, and He knew that you would be asked to lead your group even though you may not feel ready to lead. This is common for all good leaders. Moses, Solomon, Jeremiah, and Timothy—they were all reluctant to lead. God promises, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Whether you are leading for one evening, for several weeks, or for a lifetime, you will be blessed as you serve.

2. Don’t try to do it alone. Pray right now to prepare yourself for this sacred task. Also, if you can enlist a co-leader to help you lead the group, you will find your experience to be much richer. This is your chance to involve as many people as you can in planning your group time. All you have to do is call and ask someone to assist—you’ll be surprised at the response.

3. Just be yourself. If you won’t be you, who will? God wants to use your unique gifts and temperament. Don’t try to do things exactly like another leader; do them in a way that fits you! Your group will appreciate the variety, and you will have a lot more fun.

4. Prepare for your meeting ahead of time. If you’re using a small group guide, review the session, and write down your responses to each of the questions that are planned. Pay special attention to exercises that ask group members to do something other than engage in discussion. These exercises will help your group live what the Bible teaches, not just talk about it. Be sure you understand how an exercise works, and bring any necessary supplies (such as paper or pens) to your meeting.

5. Before you begin your session, take a moment to go around the room in your mind and pray for each member by name. Ask God to use your time together to touch the heart of every person uniquely.

6. When you ask a question, be patient. Sometimes people need a moment or two of silence to think about the question, and if silence doesn’t bother you, it won’t bother anyone else. Someone will eventually respond! And when they do, affirm the response with a simple “thanks” or “good job.” Then ask, “How about somebody else?” or, “Would someone who hasn’t shared like to add anything?” Be sensitive to new people or reluctant members who aren’t ready to say, pray, or do anything. If you give them a safe setting, they will blossom over time.

7. When guiding the discussion, always read questions out loud. Ask the group if anyone would like to read the paragraph or Bible passage. Don’t single anyone out, but ask for a volunteer—and then be patient until someone begins. Thank the person who reads aloud.

8. If your group has more than seven people, we strongly encourage you to have the group gather in discussion circles of three or four people. With a greater opportunity to talk in a small circle, people will connect more with the study and ultimately get more out of it. A small circle also encourages a quiet person to participate, and tends to minimize the effects of a more vocal or dominant member.

Small circles can also be helpful during prayer time. People who are unaccustomed to praying aloud will feel more comfortable trying it with just two or three others. Also, prayer requests won’t take as much time, so circles will have more time to actually pray. When you gather back with the whole group, you can have one person from each circle briefly update everyone on the prayer requests. People are more willing to pray in small circles if they know that the whole group will hear all the prayer requests.

9. At the end of your meeting, ask the group which person should lead the following week. Let the group help select your weekly facilitator. You may be perfectly capable of leading each time, but you will help others grow in their faith and gifts if you give them opportunities to lead.

10. One final challenge, especially for new or first-time leaders: Before your first opportunity to lead, look up each of the five passages listed below. Read each one as a devotional exercise to help prepare yourself with a shepherd’s heart. Trust us on this one. If you do this, you will be more than ready for your first meeting.

Matthew 9:36
1 Peter 5:2-4
Psalm 23
Ezekiel 34:11–16
1 Thessalonians 2:7–8, 11–12