Circles Squares | small group conversation-participation pads

One way to get everyone in your group to interact and fully participate in the small group is to create a small group "Circle-Square".  The circle square is a tear-off pad of questions and directives which serve to guide small group conversations and interactions.  The host begins with the first tear-off question or directive which is often a welcome statement that they read out loud.  This page will also often include some sort of ground-rules statement for how the group members should behave and relate during the gathering.  The first level pages might end with a fun directive such as... "Pass the circle-square pad to someone who played in their school band."  Once the next person receives the pad in hand they will tear-off the page and read the statement, question or command found on the back.  With just a bit of creativity and planning your circle square tear-off pad will move your group from ice-breaker to all-in conversations where everyone present has the opportunity to share and relate.  Below are steps to creating your own "Circle-Square" pad for your next small group gathering.

1.  Create around 20 "palm-sized" paper squares with your group name or study title on the front of each square. The front of each sheet should also include the directive to "Tear off this sheet and read the back to continue!"

2. Using the back sides of each paper, create a series of "read aloud" directives, and questions that the group or person holding the pad can answer or comment on.

3. Be sure to include a "pass the square" directive at the bottom of each back page to ensure that the square (and therefore the conversation) keeps moving.

4. The last page of the the circle-square should be a thank you for coming - see you next week group closer statement.

GRO(group)UP TOGETHER : group within a group strategy

One way to build small groups in your church is to host a large group experience with small groups included.  The goal would be to create and experience the energy and benefits of a large group dynamic, as well as, the relational dynamics of a small group all at once.  The objective would be to host a large group experience where multiple small groups exist within... to facilitate an All-Together / Separate large group-small group Life Group!  Here's how:

1. Start by choosing a series that multiple people and group types might be interested to experience such as; a book of the bible series, a common topic such as parenting, marriage, or spiritual growth.

2. Next, invite key people to build table groups within the large group setting. Table groups can be organized around age of the participants, life situations such as parents of teens, parents of younger children, single life, or blended family life, or even empty-nesters.

3. Be sure to choose a person (or couple) who will serve as a host or directors over the course of the evening or series.  Be sure to select people who are hospitable and who speak well in front of your crowd.  These hosts can give announcements, introduce video / teaching segments, release table groups for a dessert or food buffet, and keep the table groups on an appropriate timeline so that the groups end on time.

Three special benefits or advantages of Groups within a group (Large group / small group events):

1. Positive Energy.  Have you ever noticed how a crowd can draw a crowd?  When a crowd assembles people take notice and want to be a part of what's happening.  No one wants to miss out!  People enjoy being a part of something big.  In contrast, when a group is too small it can actually cause people to feel like they are wasting their time to continue to meet.  Groups within a group strategy brings the kind of positive energy that people crave.

2. Shared Resources.  Video cirriculum can be expensive!  Viewing the same video teaching before (or while) you break into small groups is a great way to save a lot of money.  It would be very costly to provide teaching dvd's for many groups.

3. Unity Through Experience:  Table groups will most certainly have their own personality and experience as they go through the study but there will forever be a special bond among all who attend.  The entire group will leave the Life Group experience with a special affinity toward others who shared the study with them.  There will likely be a few ideas, illustrations, or phrases from the series that will "stick" and be referenced or used among the people who took part in the series.


What are the pro's and con's of the Large Group - Small Group strategy?

Would you rather attend a single small group or a small group that is within a large group?  Why?