Evaluating and Creating Small Group Materials
Here are some tips for evaluating and creating good Small Group materials.
Strike a balance between three types of questions:
- Launching — to get discussion started
- Understanding — what is the text saying?
- Application — how to apply the text to our lives
Balance head and heart questions
A good progession of questions in the course of a Bible study tend to follow the traditional mental prayer model:
- Begin with questions that help bring understanding.
- Move to questions that stir the heart.
- Conclude with ones that move the will to action.
Avoid leading questions
The best questions have various possible responses.
Avoid Yes-or-No questions
They do not generate discussion.
Keep questions simple and to the point
They do generate discussion!
Keep the Sacred Text central
While occasionally the use of other materials, such as a spiritual book or the Catechism, can add insight and bring clarification, the heart of each gathering should be reading, reflecting, and discussing the actual Biblical text.