So you are hoping to start a faith study group?! How exciting! Or maybe you don’t want to and, in fact, you’ve been trying to avoid it at all costs but somehow you’ve landed here and that nudge from God isn’t quieting? Still exciting! If you happened upon this page but don’t have any intention to start a study, I humbly invite you to skim it’s contents anyhow. You never know when you will end up feeling that little tug from God to meet a need in your community through small group study. Whatever the case may be, you have come to the right place to learn how to get started.

Hey, who made me an expert at starting faith studies anyway? Well, turns out that there is a benefit to being, as Gary Dad refers to it, the opposite of an autodidact. I can’t get through a book on my own that requires intellectual engagement of any level. (I like reading I swear! That’s not my problem! Throw me a historical fiction with a spunky leading heroine and I’m done in three days!) In order to learn or stick to a program for almost any topic I need to be in a group setting. Consequently, I have started and participated in more studies than you can shake a stick at. In fact, it is not uncommon for me to be coordinating two or three (or more) small faith groups at the same time. I hope this information helps you trust my take on this topic, but I understand if you are getting weirdo vibes instead (who leads four small groups at the same time!? Is this chick for real!?). Please overlook that and read on.

1. Determine the Purpose

It is not typically necessary to create a formal purpose or mission statement, but you should have a basic go-to statement of why you want to start a study. When asked, you will have a consistent response of I am hoping to start this study because:

I am part of this great small community already (Mom’s group, neighborhood, young couples, etc.) but if I get asked about poopy diapers one more time I might flip my lid I want to explore a deeper and more spiritual connection with them.

I need friends! Or, better yet, I need some great God-fearing Catholic friends! Does community even exist in this mega-church? Let’s create it!

God placed this topic/study on my heart that is critical for our age and everyone MUST learn about it. Let’s do this together.

2. Form a Partnership or Team

Before you start a small group, it is best to be sure there is at least one other person invested in your idea. That person will team with you to market the idea and commit to attending the group. It is best to have a 2 to 3 people on board, but just one is a fine start. Best case scenario, the person will lead it with you or will sponsor your group within the church ministry structure. This person will most likely be:

A close friend in your social group who loves your idea and will co-lead

An acquaintance that you have been connected with who is interested in the same topic

A pastoral associate / ministry leader who will sponsor the study and get it approved by the Pastor

A priest. Really! One of the best studies I have led so far, I co-lead with our Associate Pastor. (Hmm, probably not a coincidence there.)

Important!: Discuss your idea with your priest or at least the most logical pastoral associate (think Adult Faith Formation Leader if you are starting a scripture study). This step is necessary to ensure that connections can be made and potential competitions eliminated. Maybe a fellow parishioner just went to your priest with the same idea and you can co-lead! Maybe your study is already in the plan to be led by the Adult Faith Formation leader next spring!

3. Make a Plan with your Team

It is best to map out the main details for your study with your team. This promotes ownership for the other team members and ensures the logistics will work. It’s best to meet with your team, take notes on who is doing what, and distribute those notes after the meeting. This may sound like overkill but, really, even if you are a “party of one” team consider having this meeting with yourself to determine the logistics and make a game plan. Here are the items to consider:

Meeting logistics include day of the week and time, place (identify if a team member can host or who will reserve a room at your parish), frequency (6 consecutive weeks? once monthly?), and plan for purchasing books or materials if required.

Study content – perhaps this was part of the plan all along. If not, here are a few great resources that have been helpful for me. (Email me directly if you have specific questions about how I used these resources! thehopefulha rvester@gmail.com) Hearts Afire Parish Based Programs ChristLife Series Theology of the Body for Beginners Love and Respect

rvester@gmail.com)

For the ladies:

Study flow – How will the meeting go down? Perhaps the program you have chosen offers a standard flow that is easy to follow. If not, my standard procedure is the following: Gather with a 15 minute social time. (Type Bs can feel comfortable rolling in late) Everyone share a high and low since last meeting (or some icebreaker for you to get a feel on where each person is coming from mentally/emotionally). Opening prayer as a group Complete study content Leader asks for prayer intentions and closes in prayer

– How will the meeting go down? Perhaps the program you have chosen offers a standard flow that is easy to follow. If not, my standard procedure is the following:

4. Advertise

This tends to be my weakest area but I have learned a few things along the way from my failures. A good reference may be provided with the source of your study; many of the programs I recommend above have suggested advertising plans with bulletins, flyers, and more. A few notes:

Word of mouth is the most successful form of invitation. Have your team promote the study to their friends and fellow parishioners. Passing around flyers to these friends is helpful.

Placing a notice or flyer in the church bulletin often takes a nontrivial amount of time to execute. I would start the process ideally 2 months before the start of the study (one month minimum).

Having an announcement after mass can be key to a successful promotion, especially if your target demographic does not read bulletins. Like the bulletin, the task of marketing through a Sunday morning announcement should be started in advanced. Your study ultimately may not make the cut. Doesn’t hurt to try!

Social media is a possible tool. I have mixed feelings about this one. (What? You’re writing a blog? Don’t tell me you don’t like social media?) Often the time spent promoting events over Facebook is wasted because people can easily tune out events when pulled in lots of directions on Facebook. It is much harder to tune out a face to face invitation and possibly a follow up phone call. Plus this can exclude older and/or less technologically savvy people.

Note: It is a good idea to request participants to register (provide your name and contact info on the bulletins, flyers, etc.). This will help you have an idea of the number to expect and how many books to order.

5. Remember to Pray

Pray for the study and ask others to pray for you!

You can pray for your group members individually if you have a registered list, or pray for the TBD participants. God knows.

As leaders we always need to be praying to God for humility and wisdom. Asking for intercession of the Holy Spirit is key. This simple prayer works: Holy Spirit, help my sinful self to step aside so You can lead this group through me.

Pray for your team. Often the most spiritual growth is experienced by the people leading a study. What a great opportunity for God to work on your team and you!

6. Proceed with the First Meeting

The big day is arriving fast! If you are like me, you may feel a little anxious energy circulating in your veins before the first meeting. Consider harnessing that energy into preparing refreshments, gathering some household saint statues and flowers to decorate the study space, or say a Rosary or five. If you’re feeling wild, make a themed iTunes playlist to energize your participants during the welcome time (think Marian hits if you are starting a Marian consecration retreat). At a minimum, make sure you confirm team member attendance, show up on time, and bring the expected resources.

Final Thoughts

There are many reasons that God may have placed a desire in your heart to be part of or lead a small group study. The process of discerning that desire and whether you are to start a new study should not be overlooked. Again, I recommend talking to your priest and ministry leaders about your idea. If God is calling you for this purpose then chances are good there is already a path in place being cleared. On the other hand, if your first attempt to start a study is up against a bunch naysayers, don’t lose heart. Take some time in prayer to discern your purpose statement and determine if there is a different way you are being called to respond.

Let me know how it goes! I would love to hear from you if you are starting a study with help from this post. If you need an encouraging word in a sea of naysayers or a sounding board to troubleshoot your operation, I’m your gal!

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