CHALLENGE GROUP LEADERS' GUIDELINES

The opportunity to serve the Lord and your fellow brothers or sisters in Christians In Commerce as a Challenge Group Leader will be a great blessing for you. Sometimes our greatest spiritual growth comes when we serve others. Your role as the facilitator of the group will be critical.

How does an effective facilitator lead?

• Be prepared.
• Ask questions rather than make statements.
• Open-ended questions are best. Involve all participants.
• Keep discussion on topic.
• Encourage participants to speak about the topic as it relates to their life, not someone else's.
• Remember that for CIC, it is the workplace that provides the context and focus of most of our discussions.
• Give each participant an equal opportunity to share. If it is necessary to reel in a participant who is dominating the discussion, do so in private. Seek help from Chapter or Area leadership if there is a problem you are not equipped to handle.
• If participants are not sharing stories about the formation outline's main points, be prepared to share one of your own personal stories to illustrate the lesson.
• This is not a time for counseling. We are not professionals. If someone needs professional help, encourage the person to seek it.
• Encourage participants to bring Bibles and to look up cross-references of subject scripture.
• Recognize progress in each person.

The group's growth will come from reviewing God's Word, sharing real life situations and being open to what God has to say to each member, oftentimes through each other. It is imperative that confidentiality always be maintained. Growth will come from homework, listening, encouragement and accountability.

A simple action plan should be developed by each person at the end of the meeting as to what he or she plans to do with respect to the topic being discussed. This will help build accountability among the group, but remember that there should be more encouragement than accountability.

Challenge Group Formation materials will be available on the CIC web site for downloading in a Microsoft Word format. You can print and distribute to Group members.

What should a typical meeting agenda include?

• Open with prayer.
• Review scripture in formation outline or newsletter reflection.
• Discuss questions in outline.
• Encourage participants to write down a simple action plan at the end of the meeting.
• Close with prayer requests.

When and where should a Challenge Group meet?

At a time and place convenient to the group. This can be weekly, biweekly, etc. The location should be private, and can be in an office, conference room, home, church, etc.

Thank you for serving.

Christians in Commerce Challenge Groups

Participant Guidelines

Formation Material