I promise…every small group you lead will be different. Even if you lead the same group of kids or teenagers, next year they will be different. (It’s called growing older!) Small group leaders need enough structure to help their group gain forward motion but enough freedom to allow small group leaders to create the right kind of environment for the students they lead. A few years back one of our high school small group leaders brought me a small group covenant for me to check out that she wanted to give to her small group. I never asked her to make this and we don’t have a standard form for our student groups. I checked it and thanked her for creating a healthy environment for her group of girls. Every small group is different. We need to make sure we are giving our small group leaders enough freedom to take their small group to the next level in our kid and student environments.

How do we help leaders embrace and lead their unique group…

1. Create great questions for group each week but encourage creativity within group. // Your group leaders need to know there are times they have to go off script in group to help the group grow spiritually. Our questions we write are great but leaders need freedom to go off script at times when the Holy Spirit opens the door.
2. Provide consistent coaching. // Unique groups of students bring unique challenges. Make sure you are empowering some coaches in your ministry to help groups work through unique group struggles!
3. Allow leaders to lead. // Your small group leaders need to be empowered to do just that…lead. If they are going to lead their group and not just manage personalities then they have to be empowered and they need you to support them on this journey. They are not filling a slot on your team they are shaping the faith of a group of teens or kids.

Effective small group is different. Process that as you lead your small group ministry and create resources for your leaders.