"Going Off Track"
Q: I have a person attending our Small Group who is fairly new in their walk with God. I have difficulty keeping them focused during our discussion time. Their questions seem to take the group off track and I sense some frustration with the other members in the group. As the leader, I want to help them and make them feel that their questions and opinions are valued but I also need to be sensitive to the other members of the group. Please advise me as to how I can handle this situation in the best way possible. Thanks for your time.
A: It sounds to me that your friend needs some "good old" one-on-one time with you as the caring leader. As Christ followers, we all have experienced the passion and excitement of being a "new" believer.
Zillions of questions, tons of "who's," "what's," "when's" and "where's." All a vital part of the amazing journey of becoming a fully devoted follower of Jesus. However, when you sense that this individual is taking the group on a little detour, with one their questions, simply say: "that is a great question, one that we could conceivably spend an entire meeting on but to help us keep our attention on the lesson for tonight, let's just stay focused on the topic for the evening. Then, I would encourage you to talk with them after the meeting and arrange a time where the two of you could meet. Try to answer any questions they may have. You my even recommend Central's Exploring Christianity class. This way those little distractions don't become stumbling blocks for the rest of your group members. Besides, there's nothing more exciting than a one-on-one conversation with a brand new Christian! You'll do great!
Thanks for your letter.
