Life Groups Are In A Different Class: How adults learn & relate

When it comes to Christian eduction and discipleship, Life Groups are in a different class than traditional classes.

Classes are designed with eduction / learning in mind.  A person who attends a class is primarily attending for the purpose of learning something.  Content is king in classroom settings. 

Life Groups are purposely different than classes.  While it is true that people are often drawn to the content we offer through groups, it is usually not the main or only reason a person attends.  A good Life Group leader will seek to understand how adults learn and work to establish an environment where adults can learn by relating.

How adults learn:  One thing to remember concerning adult learning, is that adults primarily learn on a "need to know or want to know basis."  They may have signed up for your Life Group based on interest in your topic, but may not fully engage in the learning if there is not immediate need or reason to apply the content that is being shared.  Because this is true, we shouldn't be surprised when people don't burn up their ink pens taking notes.  We shouldn't get upset when they do not do the reading assignments and at-home study materials.  They are internally motivated and may actually recoil from you as the leader if they feel that you are imposing your information.  Adults like to be respected and may resist you as an imposing authority. Try and help group members tap into their own sense of self direction and self motivation.

Relationships above content:  In a Life Group, relating and connecting are more important than learning all of the content.  Die hard educators will bristle to hear me say that. We may be very excited about people "getting" or understanding the content we are presenting but we must realize and remember that not everyone will embrace, believe, accept and apply all of the content shared through our sessions.  Content often goes in one ear and out the other, but relationships last.  Unlike classrooms, relationships are king over content.  If we can get people relating and building friendships through Life Groups, they will stick with us and eventually they will hear, learn, form and apply right beliefs and ways of living.

Relational Learning: A different kind of learning needs to take place in life groups.  We don't simply want people to hear and be able to repeat what the master teacher thinks about a certain subject, rather, we are looking for people to engage interactively with the content and verbally with one another.  Unlike school children, adults have numerous life experiences that will relate with your content.  Limiting your time as teacher and asking leading questions will help group members feel more in control of their experience and brings the teacher back to the level of relationship, rather than authority.  Life change, not knowledge is the goal.  Lasting life change best happens when a person not only hears truth, but wrestles with it verbally among others who are seeking truth.  Group discussion helps move the group from simply receiving input (what the master teacher believes) to deciding what they believe and what they will do.

Some simple ways to establish a relational learning environment: One way to move from class to community would be to include food.  Position chairs in a circle instead of rows. If you teach, try sitting in the circle with your guests instead of standing.  Ask leading questions instead of always making declarative statements.  Create a conversational teaching environment where guests are encouraged to ask questions at any time.  Also, plan moments in your teaching time where you will pause and invite people to relate to one another about the subject and truth you have been presenting.

The Bottom Line:  When you focus on building a relational Life Group environment, you will succeed in creating a place where adults can explore, discuss and learn meaningful content.  Group members will learn and grow through relating.  The result of the relational learning you facilitate will be that adults will discover and live from an authentic faith of their own.