There is no one way to lead a devotion or small group. The way you lead a devotion will depend on your personality, the people in your group and what the topic for the devotion is. But there are a few guidelines you can use to make your devotion as good as it can be.
1. Preparation
Sounds obvious, but it is amazing how many people think they can lead a good devotion with little or no preparation.
Good preparation communicates to your group that you know what you’re doing. It gives them the confidence that they are not wasting their time being there.
What sort of things can you do to prepare?
- It is essential that you pray. Pray for the spiritual growth of the group as a whole and the individuals.
- Know the dynamics of your group. That is, what time you start, what people have been doing before hand, what’s happening afterwards and so on. There may be the possibility of relating it all together.
- Make sure your devotion is Biblically based. Particularly if your devotion is on a topic or theme (rather than a passage from the Bible) make sure you approach it from a Christian perspective.
- Use concordances, commentaries, handbooks, concordances etc
- Don’t forget that you can always ask the youth pastor for help or access to resources.
2. Opening your Devotion
Each member of your group will have had a different sort of day, so it is important to start of your time together by focusing on what it is you will be talking about, but also fostering a warm and comfortable atmosphere.
Sometimes, a chat about the day is enough to settle everyone down, but sometimes appropriate “ice-breaker” type games or activities can help. See attached sheets for some example ice-breaker questions and relationship building activities.
3. The Main Stuff
Remember that God made us all different and we tend to learn in different ways.
- Some people are visual learners and respond well to pictures, diagrams, video’s or stories that are vivid and descriptive so they can “picture” what is happening.
- Others are auditory learners and learn best by hearing. These people prefer to discuss their ideas and listen to those of other people.
- Kinaesthetic learners react best when they are doing something. They learn by trial and error, rather than being told.
Most of us have a mix of all three of these things, with one area being a bit more dominant than the other two. So it is important to try and include something that incorporates all three areas in our devotions.
Question: What sort of things could you include in a devotion to cater for all three types of learning?
4. The People
Preparation is important, but we also need to know how to keep the discussion flowing to get the most out of the material. How would you handle:
- A compulsive talker
- Someone who answers everything
- Superficial discussions
- A person who does not contribute at all
5. Praying
Prayer should be an important part of your devotion, and while not everyone in your group will want to pray, it is essential that the time be respected for those that do. Here’s a few simple tips for praying in a group situation:
- Not everybody has to pray out loud
- Keep the prayers short and simple
- Silence is OK
- Include a time of prayer every time you meet
- Avoid long discussions about what you’re going to pray about
6. Finished?
If you are the leader of the group, it is vital that you take an interest in the lives of those that come along each week. Your group members will not care how much you know until they know how much you care. Remember to pray for the members of your group. Give them each a call from time to time to see how they are. Write a letter. Send an email. Go to the movies. Whatever. Being a great small group or devotion leader means more than just doing a good job on a Friday night.
What have you Learnt?
What sort of things can you do to prepare?
- It is essential that you _________. _________ for the ____________ __________ of the group as a whole and the individuals.
- Know the _____________ of your group. That is, what time you start, what people have been doing before hand, what’s happening afterwards and so on. There may be the possibility of ________ __ ____ _____________.
- Make sure your devotion is _____________ based. Particularly if your devotion is on a topic or theme (rather than a passage from the Bible) make sure you approach it from a ________________ perspective.
- Use concordances, commentaries, handbooks, concordances etc
- Don’t forget that you can always ask the __________ ___________ for help or access to resources