“People do what they’ve seen done, not what they’ve been told to do.”
Disciple making is the goal of every great group. Many small group leaders become frustrated when they have reminded their group members over and over again to be involved in certain disciplines, and yet nothing comes of their persistence. The problem? Telling people to do something seldom motivates people to do that thing.
Group leader, if you want those in your group to do something, model it for them first, train them to do it, speak of your involvement in that thing and how you’ve grown because of it. THEN expect group members to do what they have seen done, been trained to do, heard about, and been encouraged to do.
Rick Howerton is the Small Groups and Discipleship Specialist at Lifeway Christian Resources. He has authored many small group studies, is a highly sought-after trainer and speaker, and is the author of Destination Community: Small Group Ministry Manual as well as A Different Kind of Tribe: Embracing the New Small Group Dynamic. He is also the co-author of Disciples Path: A Practical Guide to Disciple Making and Countdown: Launching and Leading Transformational Groups. But Rick’s deepest passion and his goal in life is to see “a biblical small group within walking distance of every person on the planet making disciples that make disciples.”
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