Leader Facilitation

Create Conversation – Society Room leaders are facilitators of conversation. You will not be lecturing or teaching your group, but encouraging members to discuss what they are learning. Consider doing background research on the topics your group will be discussing. Study the biblical passages that are referenced in the Discussion Questions. Plan to share your own reflections, beliefs and questions with the group, but limit your input. The leaders should only talk ten to twenty percent of the meeting time, at most. After asking a question, resist the temptation to fill the silence yourself. Stimulate others to share, listen attentively when they speak and be affirming whenever you can.

Provoke Critical Thinking – This content is designed to provoke questions and expose participants to new ideas. In the absence of simple answers, expect disagreement and debate. It makes for a healthy dynamic if the leader facilitates discussion in a provoking, but respectful way. In fact, the best leaders are not great question answerers, but strategic question askers. Don’t feel the need to resolve tensions. Encourage self-discovery by allowing participants to explore these ideas in light of their own personal experiences and what God is teaching them. Use the Discussion Questions provided, but feel free to stimulate dialogue by supplementing with your own questions.

Encourage Influence – Develop relationships with participants during the study so that you can encourage them in their spheres of influence. Consider where God has placed each person vocationally and the channel of cultural influence in which they live and work. Historically, significant changes have taken place in culture when leaders from the different institutions of society work together toward a common goal. Leverage this opportunity to encourage the participants to consider what they are learning, how it applies to their lives, how God might use them in their sphere of influence and how your group can be a catalyst toward that end.

Take Action – Do something with what you are learning. This study and the discussions that take place are designed to lead to action in the form of a Cultural Shaping Project. Manage your expectations; perhaps your group will attempt something that is not entirely successful, or maybe your time together will end with no grand vision undertaken. That’s okay. However, make it a goal to not merely consume content. Actively strive to experiment, engage and endeavor toward something practical and tangible. Learning and knowing come from doing, and doing together is the foundation where authentic community and cultural change take root.