Suggested Resources for Studies
Sermon Discussion Questions – Every Week, Dr. Clay Stauffer includes Sermon Discussion Questions in the church bulletin for use in Small Group settings. There are usually 6-7 open-ended questions intended to generate conversation about Sunday’s message! You can find the weekly conversation starters HERE along with a link to the Worship Service and Message!
VIDEO: Amplify Media – Excellent video group resources by top Bible scholars done in very accessible format. The church has a license so there’s no cost to you! www.amplifymedia.com. Contact Jay Hutchens or Tammy Morgan for an access code.
A FAVORITE Book. One possibility is to turn books like Ian Cron’s The Story of You (Enneagram) and Bob Goff’s Undistracted into small group worksheets. You can read through a chapter, pick out key quotes that you think might have caught people’s attention and then come up with a question around that quote. What did you think? How did you react? What’s the best way to do what the author is saying? What has been your experience? Where have you seen? Etc. Here’s an example of a talk sheet generated around a chapter from David Brooks, “How to Know a Person.”
BIBLE STUDY! There are lots of workbooks and study guides available to assist you in leading your groups through a book of the Bible! One of our favorites is by N.T. Wright. These have discussion guides on each section. Click HERE for an example of some Bible Study Resources. Jay and Tammy can guide you through several options!
Small Group WORKBOOKS. Most Christian Bookstores have a small group section with studies you can browse to find the best topic of interest for your group. Let us know what you are interested in and we can point you to a GREAT study!
Anthology Website LOTS of FREE and downloadable Small Group Videos, Discussion Material, and Studies! – https://anthology.study
Resources to learn more about leading a small group and small group dynamics!
Bill Search, The Essential Guide for Small Group Leaders, 2nd Ed. – VERY Practical guide to all the ins and outs of leading a small group.
Chris Surratt, Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply Your Small Group.
Steve Gladen, Leading Small Groups with PURPOSE: Everything You Need to Know to Lead a Healthy Group.
A DEEP DIVE INTO GROUPS AND COMMUNITY BUILDING
Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness. A classic work on how we can form trusting communities where we LISTEN non-judgmentally to what our souls are teaching us.
David Brooks, How to Know a Person. Chapter 6 of this books talks about how we initiate and foster conversations that invite others to open their lives and tell their stories.
Priya Parker, The Art of Gathering. In an age of increased isolation, how we can create healthy and compelling gathering spaces.