You and Your Small Group

by Grace Burton-Edwards

It's Sunday afternoon and you are planning your lesson for next Sunday (okay, okay, so it's Saturday evening at 10:30 p.m. I was indulging a fantasy). You read the following words in the Our Story segment of the lesson: Form several teams of four to six youth apiece.... Or you see the following in the Calling segment: Create twenty-seven triads for prayer.... You sigh and moan because on a good day your class has five youth present and you are expecting no more than three this Sunday.

Or. . .

It is Sunday morning and you arrive at church prepared to teach your usual group of 15-20 youth. Unbeknownst to you, a local school basketball game went into triple overtime last night, and only four sleepy-eyed youth greet you when you arrive.

What is the teacher of the usually small or unexpectedly small group to do?

First of all, try to avoid sighing and moaning. We often have a "bigger is best" mentality which has us believing that large numbers are the only numbers that count. Many times in church we may buy into the idea that our job is simply to make sure more and more warm bodies show up. No doubt, it is good for churches to reach out to their communities and expand their ministries so that many people are coming into contact with the gospel. Yet there is still a place in God's kingdom for the small church and for the small youth group. A good place.

Small groups offer many advantages. First, it is easier to get to know your youth as individuals when you do not have dozens of them competing for your attention. This advantage holds for classes that are always small and for classes that are unexpectedly small at a given meeting. When you walk into the small class, try to see the group size as an opportunity for more intimate relationships between you and the youth and among the youth themselves.

Another advantage of small groups is that participation is more easily shared. In a large group, youth who are reluctant to participate might find it easy to hide behind the large numbers and let more outspoken youth take the lead. In a small group, there are fewer distractions, and the sensitive teacher can guide the reluctant young person into fuller participation. Be sensitive, though. A disadvantage of small classes is that easily intimidated youth may be frightened away precisely because there is no place to hide. You should never force a reluctant youth to participate. Still, in a small group, you may find it easier to create inviting opportunities for reluctant youth.

Here are a few other tips for teaching a small group:

1. Encourage the idea that your group is a whole group, not a partial one. When the teacher's guide suggests forming small groups out of one large one, let your whole class be a group. Let them work together on projects and activities.

2. Instead of competing with each other, let your small group compete against some outside entity, against you, or against an ideal. Try to use competition so that it builds, rather than tears down, the small group identity. Avoid pitting your youth against each other; instead encourage them to work together.

3. Check out the size and condition of your meeting space. Some people in your church may try to force you to meet in the broom closet just because your group is small. Resist! You still need enough room to move around, set up learning displays, etc.

4. Occasionally, form smaller groups out of your small group. Invite youth to form pairs for an activity or for prayer, but try to create different pairs from week to week.

5. Encourage your small class to do something together. Activities and ministries outside the classroom create a stronger sense of group value.

6. Remember that only twelve disciples are named. Look at your small group as an inner circle. God has blessed you with this group. Enjoy the gift!

From Intersection, Teaching Guide for Younger Youth: Year Three, Book Two, by Grace Burton-Edwards.