Gilbert’s Coaching Tips

An axiom of ministry: “Involvement breeds commitment.”

Anna Biddle and I happened to be in the NorthWest last week providing some training in “multiple movements” and “distance coaching”. While Anna was leading the discussion on teaching our student leaders how to develop other student leaders, Kevin Kneeshaw, Campus Director at the University of Montana at Missoula, stood to tell about their “Life Groups”. He listed the five different leadership roles: Bible Study Leader and the coordinators for Outward, Inward, Upward and Hospitality. (Here are descriptions of each role.)

He said that a freshman can come in and exercise leadership in one of those areas. These are key for developing students who own the vision for growing their movement. Involvement breeds commitment. (For the record, Kevin credits Pat McLeod, Boston Metro, as the one who came up with the Life Group model.)

Kevin’s perspective is to spread leadership out to more students. Another of my favorite tactics for developing leadership in Bible studies is what we call group talks. I have mentioned them before. In general, if a person has an voice in a meeting, then, typically, they are hoping that the meeting succeeds, at least the aspect they are involved with. Here is how group talks work:  

Someone introduces the talk or topic and brings it to a conclusion. However, the body of the talk is assigned to different students. Some topics might include:

• Fruit of the Spirit.
• Biblical Growth: Grace, truth, and time.
• 10 Commandments.
• Hebrews 11: Marks of a Person of Faith.
• Attributes of God.
• Ministries of the Holy Spirit.
• The I AMs of the Gospel of John.
• Groups of People that Jesus Addressed: Centurion, Pharisees, Sadduccees, etc.

In preparation for the talks, the leader gives each person a definition, if needed, some verses or resources, and the amount of time they have to deliver their part. The student determines the big idea and some possible application. For example, if the study was on the Fruit of the Spirit, assign 9 different people one aspect of the Fruit, love, joy, peace, etc. Give them one minute each to define it, give a Bible example and how it could be demonstrated within the movement.

Some benefits:

• Involvement breeds commitment, naturally.
• Visibility and responsibility builds ownership. Having a one or two minute speaking part raises their level of involvment.
• The follow through required develops a commitment to the group. They are participants, not just listeners.
• Those with latent gifts have an opportunity to exercise them, especially if they are reticent to speak up.
• The leader gets to see who takes responsibility.
• It spreads out leadership.
• It also helps students understand the dynamics of body language, personal responsibility and group interaction.

You will find that there is a tension between having something sharp with experienced leaders up front on the one hand and giving others an opportunity for involvement, with a potential lack of control, on the other. But we live with that kind of tension in apostolic ministry all of the time. Probably this is most difficult if you are a gifted speaker or teacher and you enjoy the speaking yourself. But a group talk two or three times a semester will help develop greater student ownership. Not every leader wants to be “up front”. Group talks is one way to identify and develop those who don’t tend to toward the spotlight. Introverts and the more reserved can have good insight and commitment, but we can so easily overlook them. As students see that they have something significant to contribute, they become laborers. They are convinced that God can use you and me, the point here is to help them see that God can use them.

The idea of having “Group Talks” helps build ownership among students attending a Bible Study or weekly meeting. It is a great way to see how many handle a short term responsibility.