How to have a great Impact Group meeting is an important question. It is never a given that a group will go well and that the people in the group will enjoy their experience in the group. If the group isn’t led well, people may not continue the group and disciples will not be made. We have to lead groups well.
I think of the process of leading an Impact Group (a discipleship group of 3-6 people), is a lot like a flight on a plane. Not all flights are good, and there are certain factors that make or break a flight. Here are a few of the factors for a good flight and that also make for a great Impact Group meeting.
- Good flights have a good boarding process
- Good flights have an on-time take-off
- Good flights have a friendly fight crew
- Good flights have a competent captain
- Good flights have comfortable seating
- Good flights have good food or snacks
- Good flights have well behaved passengers
- Good flights have a smooth landing
If you fly much, you are probably laughing or maybe groaning at my list of good flight factors. Either way, I think you will get the idea of why I compared a flight to a discipleship group. Let’s take a closer look at the comparison.
1. A good boarding process: A flight where you are greeted well, able to easily find your seat, and get your baggage stowed feels good, and a group where you are thoroughly greeted and made to feel at home is a good group.
2. An on-time take-off: Nothing is worse than a plane being late on the take-off time, and equally as bad is a group that starts late and doesn’t respect people’s time.
3. A friendly flight crew: The flight crew represents the leadership on a plane, and they can make a huge difference on how welcome you feel on a flight. In a similar way, the leadership core of a group can make a difference in how you feel about the group meeting.
4. A competent captain: When it comes to a flight, you don’t want a captain with no experience. When it comes to a discipleship group, you want a leader who knows how to lead.
5. Comfortable seating: Let’s be honest. No airplane seats are really comfortable. Even first class is not a “Lazy Boy” experience. In a discipleship group, however, you need to be sure that seating doesn’t take away from the group experience. Set up the seating so everyone can be involved and engaged.
6. Good food or snacks: We all know that airline food leaves a lot to be desired, but some flights have better eats than others. If you find an airline that provides great food or snacks (and plenty of them), consider yourself lucky. If you attend a group where you get fed the Word of God, you have been in a good group.
7. Well-behaved passengers: Unruly passengers can mess up a good plane ride, and out of control group members can mess up a good discipleship group.
8. A smooth landing: A good flight always ends with a smooth and safe landing. The same is true for a good discipleship group. Finishing your group with a time of prayer is one of the best ways to land your group.
If you need help with leading small discipleship groups, contact us at impactdisciples.com We are here to help with resources recommendations, strategy ideas, and training opportunities.