Bayside Small Group Leader Training

Small​ ​Group​ L​ eader​ T​ raining

Contents1. Why​ S​ mall​ ​Groups?2. The​ ​Nuts​ ​and​ B​ olts​ o​ f​ ​Bayside​ S​ mall​ ​Groups3. What​ d​ oes​ ​an​ I​ rresistible​ S​ mall​ G​ roup​ l​ ook​ l​ ike?4. Partnering​ w​ ith​ ​Your​ C​ oach 1

Hello​ L​ eaders!We​ ​are​ e​ xcited​ ​about​ B​ ayside​ S​ mall​ ​Groups​ ​because​ ​we​ ​know​ ​that​ ​life​ ​changehappens​ i​ n​ t​ he​ ​context​ o​ f​ r​ elationships.​ S​ mall​ ​Groups​ a​ re​ a​ ​ p​ lace​ w​ here​ p​ eople​ c​ anhave​ f​ un,​ ​develop​ f​ riendships,​ ​grow​ ​spiritually,​ ​serve​ n​ eeds,​ ​experience​ ​authenticChristian​ ​community,​ ​and​ m​ ultiply​ f​ uture​ ​group​ ​leaders.It’s​ E​ asy!You​ d​ on’t​ n​ eed​ t​ o​ ​be​ ​a​ B​ ible​ s​ cholar​ ​or​ a​ ​ p​ ublic​ ​speaker​ t​ o​ l​ ead​ ​a​ g​ roup.​ ​All​ ​you​ n​ eed​ t​ odo​ ​is​ h​ ave​ a​ ​ ​teachable​ a​ ttitude​ t​ o​ l​ earn​ a​ ​ ​few​ ​skills​ ​to​ h​ ave​ ​an​ i​ rresistible​ ​small​ g​ roup.God​ w​ ill​ ​do​ ​the​ r​ est!We​ a​ re​ l​ ooking​ f​ orward​ t​ o​ ​taking​ t​ his​ j​ ourney​ ​with​ y​ ou.​ ​We’re​ h​ ere​ ​to​ w​ alk​ w​ ith​ ​youevery​ ​step​ o​ f​ t​ he​ ​way.​ ​ W​ hen​ p​ eople​ c​ onnect​ ​with​ ​God​ ​in​ g​ roups,​ ​Christianity​ ​changesfrom​ a​ ​ ​philosophy​ t​ o​ a​ ​ ​revolution​ ​of​ l​ ife​ ​change.​ ​Let’s​ h​ ave​ ​some​ f​ un​ a​ nd​ w​ atch​ ​God​ d​ osomething​ ​big​ ​this​ s​ emester!God​ B​ less,Bayside​ ​Small​ ​Group​ ​Team 2

Why​ S​ mall​ ​Groups? 1. We​ ​are​ ​created​ ​for​ ​_____________.​ ● God​ ​created​ ​us​ ​in​ ​His​ i​ mage​ ​to​ ​have​ ​relationship​ ​with​ ​Him​ ​and​ ​with​ o​ ne another​ (​ Gen​ ​1:26). 2. In​ S​ mall​ ​Groups,​ ​people​ ​grow​ ​deeper​ i​ n​ _​ _________​ ​relationships,​ a​ s modeled​ b​ y​ ​Jesus​ ​Himself,​ ​and​ t​ he​ e​ arly​ ​church. ● Jesus​ c​ alls​ t​ he​ d​ isciples​ H​ is​ f​ riends,​ a​ nd​ a​ llows​ ​them​ t​ o​ ​see​ H​ is​ p​ ain​ a​ nd struggle​ w​ ith​ ​the​ ​will​ o​ f​ G​ od​ (​ Matt​ ​26:36,37)) ● In​ ​the​ e​ arly​ ​church,​ t​ hey​ ​connected​ f​ or​ f​ ellowship,​ ​prayer,​ ​and​ ​discussion​ o​ f spiritual​ g​ rowth​ (​ Acts​ 2​ :46,47). 3. Honest​ ​friendships​ h​ elps​ ​us​ ​grow​ a​ nd​ ​__________​ i​ n​ C​ hrist. ● Small​ G​ roup​ e​ nvironments​ c​ reate​ ​opportunities​ f​ or​ ​people​ t​ o​ b​ ecome​ m​ ore fully​ ​devoted​ f​ ollowers​ o​ f​ C​ hrist​ ​through​ ​lasting​ ​friendships. ● Just​ a​ s​ ​we​ c​ annot​ ​get​ o​ ur​ ​outward​ p​ erson​ o​ r​ ​body​ ​ready​ ​in​ ​the​ ​morning without​ l​ ooking​ i​ n​ a​ ​ m​ irror,​ w​ e​ c​ an​ ​never​ ​get​ ​our​ ​inner​ p​ erson​ o​ r​ ​spirit​ ​in shape​ w​ ithout​ ​the​ ‘​ mirror’​ ​of​ h​ onest​ a​ ccountable​ ​relationships​ (​ Ephesians 4:15,16). 4. Relationships​ m​ ake​ u​ s​ s​ tronger​ s​ piritually​ a​ nd​ ​prevent​ ​_________​ ​ _​ ____​ ​. ● The​ ​Bible​ ​describes​ ​Christ-followers​ a​ s​ ​a​ ​body,​ ​and​ n​ o​ ​body-part​ ​can​ ​remain alive​ ​and​ o​ r​ ​strong​ ​if​ ​disconnected​ ​from​ t​ he​ ​rest​ o​ f​ t​ he​ ​body. ● You​ ​will​ ​become​ ​like​ y​ our​ ​inner​ c​ ircle​ ​of​ f​ riends​ ​(our​ F​ riday-night​ ​crowd​ w​ ill influence​ ​us​ ​as​ m​ uch​ o​ r​ m​ ore​ ​than​ o​ ur​ ​Sunday-morning​ ​crowd). ● Jesus​ ​described​ H​ imself​ a​ s​ ​the​ ‘​ Good​ S​ hepherd’,​ ​and​ a​ s​ H​ is​ f​ ollowers,​ ​we share​ ​in​ t​ his​ ​ministry​ ​of​ ​caring​ f​ or​ ​and​ p​ rotecting​ ​each​ ​other. 5. Small​ g​ roups​ ​mature​ a​ nd​ e​ quip​ f​ uture​ ​__________​ .​ ● Bayside​ e​ xists​ ​to​ ​reach​ ​people​ ​for​ ​Christ,​ r​ aise​ ​them​ ​up​ ​to​ b​ ecome​ f​ ollowers of​ C​ hrist​ a​ nd​ ​release​ t​ hem​ i​ nto​ ​their​ G​ od-given​ ​purpose.​ ​As​ a​ ​ ​Small​ ​Group leader,​ y​ ou​ a​ re​ o​ n​ a​ ​ m​ ission​ t​ o​ i​ dentify​ ​and​ ​raise​ ​up​ ​potential​ S​ mall​ ​Group leaders.​ G​ od’s​ ​Kingdom​ ​can​ o​ nly​ ​grow​ ​when​ ​Christ-followers​ ​take​ a​ ​ s​ tep​ ​of faith​ ​and​ l​ ead​ i​ n​ t​ he​ l​ ocal​ c​ hurch. 3

The​ N​ uts​ a​ nd​ B​ olts​ o​ f​ ​Bayside​ ​Small​ G​ roups 1. They​ a​ re​ ​designed​ a​ round​ ​common​ i​ nterests​ ​with​ ​the​ ​goal​ ​of​ b​ uilding relationships​ a​ nd​ g​ rowing​ ​spiritually.​ ​For​ ​example,​ ​Life-stage​ ​(ex. newlyweds,​ ​new​ ​parents,​ ​empty-nest),​ ​ S​ ubject/Curriculum​ (​ ex.​ B​ eth​ ​Moore Video)​,​ ​Activity,​ o​ r​ C​ ombination​ (​ ex.​ C​ ross-Fit​ ​with​ ​Sermon​ ​discussion). 2. They​ m​ eet​ ​weekly​ ​or​ b​ i-weekly. 3. They​ h​ ave​ 3​ ​ ​or​ ​more​ p​ eople​ ​attending,​ ​including​ ​the​ ​leader. 4. They​ d​ evelop​ a​ nd​ i​ dentify​ a​ n​ ​assistant​ ​leader. 5. A​ g​ roup​ ​will​ l​ ast​ a​ ​ m​ inimum​ o​ f​ ​1​ s​ emester​ ​and​ ​may​ ​continue​ l​ onger​ i​ f​ ​they choose. 6. Potential​ m​ embers​ w​ ill​ ​be​ a​ ble​ t​ o​ c​ hoose​ ​their​ g​ roup​ b​ y​ ​signing​ ​up​ ​on​ a​ Small​ ​Group​ W​ eekend​ ​or​ ​going​ ​to​ ​our​ w​ eb​ ​page. 7. Leaders​ ​will​ c​ hoose​ t​ he​ t​ ype​ o​ f​ ​activity​ ​or​ s​ ubject​ f​ or​ ​their​ ​group​ ​using material​ ​approved​ ​by​ t​ he​ S​ mall​ G​ roup​ ​Department.What​ d​ oes​ a​ n​ ​IRRESISTIBLE​ ​Bayside​ S​ mall​ G​ roup​ l​ ook​ ​like? 1. They​ a​ re​ _​ ___​ a​ nd​ ​____________! ● At​ B​ ayside,​ ​the​ ​services​ ​and​ e​ vents​ a​ re​ ​fun,​ ​energetic​ ​and​ r​ elational,​ ​so most​ ​effective​ s​ mall​ g​ roups​ ​mirror​ t​ hese​ q​ ualities​ ​with​ c​ rowd​ ​breakers, games​ a​ nd​ m​ usic.​ I​ f​ ​you​ ​aren’t​ ​having​ ​fun,​ n​ either​ i​ s​ ​anyone​ ​else! ● No​ o​ ne​ ​gives​ u​ p​ ​a​ n​ ight​ o​ f​ t​ he​ ​week​ ​to​ f​ eel​ b​ ored,​ a​ wkward,​ ​frightened,​ o​ r excluded​ ​so​ m​ ake​ s​ ure​ ​to​ g​ reet​ p​ eople​ i​ n​ ​the​ ​first​ f​ ew​ s​ econds​ ​after​ ​they arrive​ a​ nd​ i​ ntroduce​ ​them​ ​to​ ​other​ ​group​ m​ embers. ● Go​ ​on​ g​ roup​ ​outings​ ​such​ a​ s​ r​ oad​ ​trips,​ ​camping,​ ​shopping,​ ​vacations, BBQ’s​ ​to​ b​ uild​ ​a​ ​sense​ o​ f​ b​ elonging​ ​outside​ ​normal​ g​ roup​ t​ imes. ● It​ i​ s​ ​a​ ​great​ i​ dea​ ​to​ ​take​ ​the​ f​ irst​ ​meeting​ ​ t​ o​ ​build​ r​ elationships​ b​ y​ ​having members​ ​tell​ h​ ow​ t​ hey​ g​ ot​ ​connected​ ​to​ ​Bayside.​ ​ ​When​ w​ e​ u​ nderstand each​ ​other’s​ s​ tory,​ ​friendships​ a​ re​ ​formed. 4

2.​ ​ ​They​ a​ re​ ​catalysts​ o​ f​ _​ ________​ ​_________​ a​ nd​ ​transformation. ● Ask​ q​ uestions​ ​about​ l​ ife​ e​ xperiences​ ​but​ ​avoid​ ​doing​ a​ ll​ ​the​ ​talking.​ ​Don’t allow​ ​someone​ t​ o​ ​monopolize​ ​the​ ​group’s​ ​time​ ​by​ ​doing​ ​all​ t​ he​ ​talking.​ ​Make sure​ e​ veryone​ h​ as​ ​an​ o​ pportunity​ t​ o​ ​talk. ● Invite​ ​participants​ t​ o​ h​ onest​ ​responses,​ ​not​ t​ o​ ​simply​ ​say​ w​ hat​ ​everyone​ e​ lse is​ ​saying. ● Encourage​ t​ he​ q​ uiet​ ​ones​ ​in​ t​ he​ ​group​ ​to​ p​ articipate. ● If​ ​conflict​ o​ ccurs​ ​during​ t​ he​ d​ iscussion​ e​ ncourage​ ​members​ ​to​ r​ espect​ ​and care​ f​ or​ ​each​ o​ ther​ ​even​ ​when​ t​ hey​ ​don’t​ ​agree.3.​ ​ ​They​ d​ evelop​ f​ uture​ ​__________​. ● Invite​ m​ embers​ t​ o​ s​ hare​ r​ esponsibilities​ ​of​ t​ he​ g​ roup​ ​such​ a​ s​ h​ osting, assistant-leading,​ l​ eading​ ​a​ d​ iscussion,​ ​being​ i​ n​ ​charge​ o​ f​ ​food,​ a​ nd/or handling​ ​group​ ​emails​ ​or​ g​ roup​ t​ exts. ● Casting​ ​vision​ f​ rom​ ​the​ ​Great​ ​Commission​ a​ t​ e​ very​ m​ eeting​ f​ or​ l​ eaders​ t​ o consider​ ​leading​ ​a​ ​group​ i​ n​ t​ he​ ​future.​ ​ (​ Matt​ ​28)​ ​4.​ ​They​ _​ _____​ ​each​ ​other,​ ​their​ l​ ocal​ ​church,​ t​ heir​ c​ ity,​ a​ nd​ ​the​ ​world​ b​ y: ● Meeting​ ​the​ p​ ractical​ n​ eeds​ ​of​ m​ embers​ ​going​ ​through​ ​hardship.​ F​ or example,​ b​ ringing​ ​meals​ t​ o​ ​them​ a​ fter​ ​surgery,​ ​mowing​ ​their​ ​lawn,​ a​ nd/or visiting​ t​ hem​ i​ n​ ​the​ ​hospital. ● Praying​ ​for/with​ m​ embers​ w​ ho​ ​are​ ​going​ t​ hrough​ h​ ardship. ● Serving​ ​as​ ​a​ ​group​ i​ n​ a​ n​ ​area​ o​ f​ ​the​ ​church​ ​like​ ​ACME​ o​ r​ ​Adopt-A-Block. The​ ​opportunities​ a​ re​ ​endless. 5.​ ​They​ ​allow​ ​_________​ f​ or​ ​those​ s​ eeking​ ​answers​ a​ bout​ f​ aith​ ​but​ ​not​ ​ready to​ b​ elieve​ ​yet. ● One​ o​ f​ B​ ayside’s​ p​ urposes​ ​is​ ​to​ ​REACH​ t​ hose​ ​who​ d​ on’t​ ​have​ ​a​ ​relationship with​ ​Jesus​ ​Christ.​ ​Sometimes,​ p​ eople​ a​ ttend​ g​ roups​ ​that​ ​have​ ​not experienced​ ​Him​ ​as​ t​ heir​ ​Lord​ a​ nd​ S​ avior.​ ​Groups​ n​ eed​ ​to​ ​be​ a​ ​ ​safe​ p​ lace for​ m​ embers​ t​ o​ ​bring​ ​their​ u​ nsaved​ f​ riends​ ​or​ ​co-workers. 5

● Allowing​ g​ roup​ a​ ttenders​ ​to​ i​ nvestigate​ ​faith​ ​and​ b​ elong​ ​before​ ​they​ b​ elieve is​ o​ ften​ ​the​ ​tipping​ ​point​ t​ hat​ a​ llows​ ​God​ t​ o​ b​ ring​ ​people​ ​to​ ​saving​ ​faith. 6.​ ​ ​They​ ​have​ c​ lear​ ​______________. ● Contact​ w​ ith​ n​ ew​ ​sign-ups​ ​within​ ​24​ h​ ours​ ​by​ ​selecting​ ​“Accept”​ o​ n​ ​F1 invitation. ● Remind​ m​ embers​ ​about​ y​ our​ ​group​ ​through​ ​weekly​ c​ alls​ a​ nd​ e​ -mails, especially​ ​when​ t​ here​ ​are​ c​ hanges​ i​ n​ s​ chedule​ ​or​ ​location.​ T​ ry​ n​ ot​ ​to change​ t​ he​ s​ chedule​ ​and​ l​ ocation​ a​ fter​ t​ he​ ​group​ b​ egins​ b​ ecause people​ t​ end​ t​ o​ s​ top​ ​attending. ● Coordinate​ s​ ign-ups​ ​for​ ​refreshments. ● As​ ​a​ ​small​ ​group​ l​ eader,​ m​ ake​ ​sure​ t​ o​ p​ ray​ f​ or​ y​ our​ g​ roup​ m​ embers,​ a​ nd connect​ w​ ith​ t​ hem​ t​ hroughout​ t​ he​ ​semester​ t​ o​ ​encourage​ a​ nd​ s​ upport​ t​ hem. Groupme​ i​ s​ ​a​ g​ reat​ ​tool​ ​to​ ​use​ f​ or​ ​group​ ​texts.​ ​ ​ ​7.​ ​They​ ​are​ _​ ______​ ​. ● Here​ ​are​ s​ ome​ ​Ground​ R​ ules​ ​for​ ​Creating​ S​ afe​ G​ roups: o Trust-​ w​ hat​ ​is​ ​said​ i​ n​ t​ he​ ​group​ s​ tays​ ​in​ ​the​ ​group. o Honor​ ​–​ ​aligns​ w​ ith​ ​the​ ​heart​ o​ f​ P​ astor​ R​ andy​ ​and​ S​ mall​ G​ roup leadership. o Respect​ ​everyone’s​ o​ pinion-​ ​we​ ​can​ d​ isagree​ ​respectfully​ a​ nd​ g​ row through​ l​ oving​ c​ onflict. o Appropriately​ T​ ransparent​ -​ ​ s​ ome​ s​ ubjects​ ​should​ ​be​ ​saved​ ​for​ ​a​ ​close friend,​ c​ oach,​ ​pastor​ ​or​ ​counselor​ ​ex.​ S​ omething​ y​ our​ s​ pouse​ ​is​ ​not comfortable​ w​ ith​ ​you​ ​sharing​ ​with​ ​the​ ​group​. o Avoid​ o​ ver-participation​ -​ ​ ​allow​ e​ veryone​ t​ o​ ​speak,​ g​ ive​ g​ uidelines such​ a​ s​ ​go​ a​ round​ c​ ircle,​ t​ ake​ 6​ 0​ s​ econds​ t​ o​ ​answer,​ l​ et’s​ ​hear​ ​from some​ ​of​ y​ ou​ ​that​ ​have​ n​ ot​ ​answered​ ​yet. o Small​ g​ roups​ a​ re​ a​ ​ ​place​ f​ or​ ​positive​ g​ rowth​ i​ n​ o​ ur​ ​walk​ w​ ith​ ​God,​ s​ o avoid​ n​ egativity​ a​ bout​ a​ ​ ​person​ ​in​ o​ r​ o​ utside​ ​the​ ​group.​ ​Steer discussions​ t​ oward​ ​personal​ g​ rowth,​ ​not​ ​gossip​ a​ bout​ ​other​ ​people, churches,​ ​or​ ​politicians. 6

o Make​ ​sure​ ​the​ g​ roup​ d​ oes​ ​not​ b​ ecome​ ​centered​ o​ n​ ​one​ p​ erson’s problems. o Bayside​ ​does​ ​not​ a​ llow​ ​in​ ​Small​ G​ roups​ o​ r​ ​church​ s​ ponsored gatherings: ■ ​ A​ lcohol​ o​ r​ ​tobacco,​ ​because​ P​ astor​ ​Randy’s​ ​heart​ i​ s​ t​ o​ ​never cause​ s​ omeone​ s​ truggling​ ​with​ ​addictions​ ​to​ ​stumble. 21​ ​It​ i​ s​ ​good​ n​ either​ t​ o​ e​ at​ ​meat​ ​nor​ d​ rink​ w​ ine​ n​ or​ ​do anything​ ​by​ ​which​ y​ our​ ​brother​ ​stumbles​ o​ r​ ​is​ ​offended or​ i​ s​ m​ ade​ w​ eak. Rom​ ​14:21 ■ Recruiting​ f​ or​ ​businesses​ ​because: ➢ Small​ g​ roups​ ​are​ ​a​ ​place​ ​for​ s​ piritual​ a​ nd​ ​relational​ ​growth, not​ f​ inancial​ ​gain.​ ​For​ ​example,​ r​ ecruiting​ ​for​ m​ ulti-level marketing​ ​or​ o​ ther​ t​ ypes​ ​of​ ​businesses​ ​is​ n​ ot​ ​allowed. ➢ Small​ G​ roups​ ​in​ ​Bayside​ d​ evelop​ C​ hrist​ ​followers​ t​ o​ ​be planted​ i​ n​ ​their​ l​ ocal​ c​ hurch​ ​family​ a​ nd​ ​to​ p​ artner​ ​with​ o​ ur Pastor’s​ v​ ision​ t​ o​ r​ each​ o​ ur​ c​ ity. ➢ Involvement​ w​ ith​ t​ oo​ m​ any​ d​ ifferent​ ​ministries​ c​ an​ ​lead​ t​ o spiritual​ c​ onfusion,​ ​over-involvement​ a​ nd​ ​burnout,​ w​ hich leads​ ​to​ ​unhealthy,​ d​ isengaged​ m​ embers​ o​ f​ ​the​ b​ ody​ ​of Christ. o Keep​ ​your​ C​ oach​ i​ nformed​ ​on​ h​ ow​ ​your​ ​group​ ​is​ g​ oing,​ ​and​ l​ et​ ​them know​ ​if​ a​ ​ ​person​ ​is​ ​disruptive,​ ​disrespectful,​ ​etc.,​ o​ r​ i​ f​ ​you​ h​ ave questions​ ​or​ ​concerns​ a​ bout​ ​anything​ r​ elated​ ​to​ ​you​ s​ mall​ ​groupPartnering​ w​ ith​ Y​ our​ ​Coach 1. You​ a​ re​ n​ ot​ ​leading​ ​________!​ ​You​ ​will​ b​ e​ ​provided​ w​ ith​ a​ ​ ​Bayside​ ​Small Group​ ​Coach.​ A​ ​ C​ oach​ ​has​ b​ een​ c​ hosen​ b​ y​ ​leadership,​ ​has​ ​led​ ​small groups,​ ​and​ ​has​ b​ een​ ​trained​ ​to​ h​ elp​ y​ ou​ b​ ecome​ ​the​ ​BEST​ s​ mall​ g​ roup leader​ ​you​ ​can​ ​be.​ ​Your​ ​coach​ w​ ill​ p​ ray,​ e​ ncourage​ ​and​ s​ upport​ y​ ou​ ​and will​ ​also​ ​visit​ y​ our​ g​ roup​ ​during​ t​ he​ ​semester. 2. Meeting​ ​with​ ​your​ ​Coach​ o​ n​ ​a​ m​ onthly​ b​ asis​ ​is​ ​a​ r​ equirement​ f​ or​ ​leading​ a​ Bayside​ S​ mall​ G​ roup.​ ​Your​ ​meeting​ m​ ay​ l​ ook​ l​ ike​ t​ his: 7

● At​ B​ ayside​ b​ efore​ s​ ervice,​ ​at​ a​ ​ ​coffee​ s​ hop,​ h​ aving​ l​ unch​ ​together​ ​and/or Small​ ​Group​ ​leader​ h​ uddle.​ ​ ​Coach/group​ ​leaders​ ​can​ e​ ven​ ​meet​ u​ sing video​ c​ hat​ v​ ia​ ​Skype​ o​ r​ G​ oogle​ ​Hangouts. ● When​ y​ ou​ m​ eet​ ​you​ ​will​ d​ iscuss​ ​your​ ​‘wins,’​ p​ rayer​ r​ equests,​ a​ nd​ s​ hare Bayside​ i​ nformation​ ​that​ ​impacts​ y​ ou​ ​as​ a​ ​ l​ eader. Time​ f​ or​ Q​ uestions/Prayer  8