Five “Don’ts” Of Leading A DNow Small Group

Don’t Make The Small Group All About You
You have personal experiences and insight to offer. But be conscious of the time you spend talking. Don’t dominate the conversation. Your goal is to facilitate discussion. See yourself not as a dispenser of knowledge but as an air-traffic controller, managing the discussion around you.

Don’t Make Fun Of A Student, No Matter How Harmless It Seems
So, one of your students takes a good-natured jab at another student. There’s a little back and forth. Maybe another student jumps in. There’s nothing going on that’s particularly harmful. But the moment you add your voice, things change. You’re an adult. And even if your addition is relatively harmless, it carries weight. Stay away from it.

Don’t Call On Students To Read
If you want a student volunteer to read, ask for one. Never single out a student to read in front of a group. For students who aren’t comfortable in groups, this can be a pretty traumatic thing.

Don’t Do Anything To Undermine The Youth Pastor Or The Host Home
Support the authority of your youth pastor and/or the host family whose home you’re staying in (as opposed to a retreat center). Maybe the youth pastor is a little “rule happy” or is overbearing. Doesn’t matter. And that goes for your host home family, if applicable. Teach students that real maturity is respecting those in authority in spite of their flaws.
 
Don’t Ever Insinuate That Bible Study Time Is Tedious Or A Task To Be Checked Off
This is easy to do. You’re having fun. And maybe students want to keep having fun. It can be tempting to kind of put yourself on “their side” by begrudgingly leading-in to Bible study. “OK, let’s get this over with.” In a world where students are being sold a watered down version of the Christ-life, stand up for the call to know and apply God’s Word.

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Andy Blanks is the co-founder of youthministry360 and is a HUGE believer in DNow Weekends and the Small Group leaders who make them so awesome.