Some Reasons Many Group Leaders Misinterpret What a Great Meeting Is

This is the second guest post from my friend, Rick Howerton. You should purchase his book, A Different Kind Of Tribe.

Through the years I’ve talked with a massive number of small group leaders who believe themselves to be poor leaders. They have told me that they just don’t host a great meeting week after week after week. I then ask them to describe what, in their mind’s eye, what a transformational small group meeting looks like. When they finish their description, my response stuns them. As graciously as I possibly can I simply tell them, “Wow! You don’t really think that’s going to happen every week do you?”

Too many group leaders have set a standard that is impossible to meet. They have experienced a group meeting that astounded and excited them and then they began to believe that that should happen every week.

Some of the mistaken expectations I’ve heard from group member’s mouths are listed below.

Everyone spontaneously broke into song praising God and thanking Him for all He is doing for them.
Group members just up and started confessing their sins to one another.
Most of the group members were in tears.
We were praying for someone and they were healed right there on the spot.
When we were discussing Scripture, every person in the room was really involved, no one was sitting idly by, and no one was talking too much.
We could just feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
When I was leading the group, the right words just came streaming from my lips. I think they were straight from God.

While all of these experiences are really special, no group leader should judge if they had a great group meeting by whether or not things of this nature occur. These are very special moments, experiences designed by and brought into your meeting by the Holy Spirit… at just the right times. Celebrate them but don’t judge the effectiveness of future meetings by whether or not you experience any of these fantastic moments.

Remember, your responsibility in making disciples is to do what Jesus told us to do… “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20) If you are creating an environment where group members are learning and living the Word of God, you’ve led a great meeting!