Small Group - Tips of the Week - Facilitate a Happy Ending

1. Get clarity on your desire for the group. Before discussing options with your group, prayerfully ponder where you sense God is leading you, as their leader. Do you want to continue leading? In what capacity? Be settled in your own heart before you talk with the group.

2. Celebrate! You have fulfilled your commitment to G4S. This is worth celebrating! Affirm everyone's commitment, the work God has done in each person over the past weeks, and the contributions each individual made to the group. Thank them for the privilege of facilitating your group's time together.

3. Discuss your options. Groups for a Season is a purposeful, short-term group experience. This format gives people a chance to sample small groups and meet people with whom they might connect, without the risk of making a long-term commitment. As the curriculum draws to a close, discuss these four possible Happy Endings:

• Conclude as planned. The plan for your G4S group was to complete the eight-week run of G4S. Mission accomplished! There is no hidden expectation that you continue to meet past this original commitment. As you discuss the end of your run together, make sure that you don't inadvertently put expectations on people, leaving them to feel like this was a bait and switch to get them into a long-term commitment to small group.


• Regroup for the February 2010 session of Groups for a Season. If your group enjoyed the G4S format, invite them to sign up for the next G4S run. In the interim, plan a few social gatherings to stay connected.


• Stay connected, but in another format. If your group would like to stay connected but with a different time commitment, consider attending a midweek class together, gathering between services on the weekend, sitting together in an agreed-upon section at the same service, or serving together this holiday season. To see a list of great holiday serving opportunities, please visit http://community.willowcreek.org/justchristmas.aspx.


• Form a regular small group. If your group has bonded well and desires to continue to meet, you are welcome to choose your own curriculum and become a regular small group. Discuss who would like to be part of this new group (some may want to opt out, which is perfectly acceptable), how often you would like to meet, and who will lead the group.

4. Never pressure anyone. Some members may want to continue meeting, while others-for a variety of legitimate reasons-don't. Assure your group that it is okay to opt out of future gatherings. The commitment they made was for eight weeks, and they fulfilled that commitment.

5. Contact Me. Let me know what your group plans to do. This helps me assess Groups for a Season, plan for the future, and provide ongoing support and training for the future, if needed.

Hear our thanks. Without your leadership, your group of people would not have experienced the rich truths found in 1 John. Relationships would not have been formed, and lives would not have been challenged. Your investment has-and will continue to-bring rewards.