I’d like to tell you I’m the kind of person who enjoys unplanned free time walking barefoot in a field (potentially stepping on a snake? No thanks!), moseying around town with no plan of where I’m going (just, no), etc. That’s totally not me. I love checklists, schedules, and calendars. Planning every minute of my day is my jam. So, as a LifeGroup leader, I’m naturally the one wanting to plan everything out—especially what we’ll be talking about together. But whether you’re a planner like me or a free spirit, we’ve got some ideas for what your group can talk about.
Believe me, I’ve picked some really great content and also some real yawns. In fact, I’ve realized one thing that helps my group is to change up our content every now and then. So, instead of feeling discouraged about people not showing up or a study dragging on and on, do something to stay fresh. Find a Bible Plan, a video series, or a study that will take your group where they need to go. Because one thing the planners and non-planners can all agree on is that friends don’t talk about the exact same thing every time they hang out!
Before we jump into some quick tips for mixing it up with content, I want to encourage you with probably the most important thing I can say to you as a LifeGroup leader. What your LifeGroup needs most is you—showing up and present—in the way God created you to lead. For some of you, this simple encouragement may be all you need. For the rest of us, here are some practical tips for mixing it up when LifeGroup starts to fizzle.
What can we talk about at LifeGroup? This.
Talk It Over. If you haven’t yet, or haven’t recently, check out the Talk It Over Guide. It’s a discussion guide based on Pastor Craig’s weekly messages. It has everything your group needs for a great conversation. You can even sign up to get it in your inbox weekly.
Find a Bible Plan. Imagine showing up to group and everyone has been reading the same Scripture and spending time in daily prayer. It’s possible and it’s totally amazing. Just find a Bible Plan for your group and use the Plans with Friends feature in the Bible App to discuss it all week long. When you get together, you’ll have plenty to talk about.
Watch something powerful. Life.Church has created powerful LifeGroup videos for women, men, families, marriage, finances, and just about any of the major issues in your group. Use these videos as conversation starters for your group.
Share a helpful find. Maybe you came across something great online during the week? Send the uplifting and/or challenging article, podcast, or video to your group. Ask them to come ready to discuss. Better yet, ask your group to share life issues they’d like to discuss. Then, search finds.life.church and start your conversation with some helpful finds.
