Lesson 3: Preparing to Lead Small Group

Full transcript below

Preparing to Lead Your Small Group

True saving faith in Jesus involves a radical heart transformation which produces new desires, attitudes, and actions. While only God can bring about this transformation, it is our responsibility as small group leaders to guide, inspire, and implore our students toward personal and sincere responses to God's truth. 

We must impress upon them that what is learned in the mind during the large group lesson needs to be embraced by the heart and the will. The small group application is meant to encourage genuine faith in Christ that is increasingly evidenced by love for God, spiritual fruit and good works. 

The suggested questions in the lessons are meant to prompt spiritual discussion and active engagement between the adult leader and the students. The small group application also offers questions that specifically challenge unbelievers to consider the truths of scripture. 

Teaching God's works to the next generation should be an overflow of praise from a mind that has been instructed by the Word of God and a heart that has embraced it. 

• Before getting in front of your students to lead your small group, pray for God to teach you to embrace the truths presented in the lesson. 
• As you prepare, read the lesson as a devotional. Personally reflect on truths in the teacher introduction and small group application as well. 
• Be prepared to share how the truth is relevant in your own life. Giving children an example of how a particular truth impacted your own faith and walk with Jesus makes it personal. 
• With your children in mind, pray for wisdom and how you can make the application relevant to their lives as well. 

Small group discussion suggestions are listed after the large group lesson in the teachers guide.

Highlight the particular questions on which you would like to focus. 

• Not every provided question will be fitting for your group, so use discernment. 
• Plan for a discussion that is simple and realistic for your students. 
• If other questions come to mind that would be helpful, make note of those as well. 
• One listed suggestion is leading children through the student workbooks. Workbooks provide the students with a tangible interactive resource through which truths presented in the lesson can be reviewed and remembered.