- Build and deepen relationships within your spiritual community.
- Minister to each other, as you share personal needs, concerns, challenges and joys.
- Deepen spiritual awareness as you discover how truth principles apply to your life.
This overview will provide you with insight into some common questions about small group ministry.
What is a Small Group Exploration?
A small group study is an intentional gathering of usually not more than 12 people, who come together regularly to explore specific spiritual themes. Each exploration unit is designed to last for seven sessions, meeting once a week.
What is the spiritual basis for Small Group Exploration?
All exploration units are based upon Unity truth principles. Some use a Unity book for a main resource of study and most incorporate Bible stories in at least some of the sessions.
Jesus was a master at small group exploration. Much of his teaching was directed at his inner group of 12 disciples and there are historic indications that show that he also worked with smaller groups within this group. He was a master at using story to illustrate or reveal a spiritual truth. Unity's small group exploration series is story-based, using stories that are designed to draw forth the truth and wisdom from the participants themselves, just as Jesus did with his followers.
How is the small group meeting structured?
Each session is designed for a meeting of one and one half hours, not including refreshments. If your group chooses to serve some, doing so before or after the designated meeting time is highly encouraged rather than during the content exploration.
| The Gathering | Discovery and Exploration | Caring and Closing |
| 15-20 minutes Welcome, check-in & community building |
35-55 minutes Explore theme through story & creative expression |
15-25 minutes Prayer requests & prayer |
What are the basic elements of each session?
The Gathering
- Opening prayer and check-in reminds the group of their connection with God and engages each individual in the present moment.
- Community-building is usually a light or playful activity designed to help participants get to know each other better.
Discovery and Exploration
- Story-focused exploration gives the group a common experience to explore core issues.
- Open-ended questions allow each person's unique wisdom and life experience to be drawn forth.
- Creative expression deepens the exploration and grounds each person's learning in a tangible way.
Caring and Closing
- Prayer requests and the closing prayer give the small group community the opportunity to support each other in a meaningful way, deepening their sense of connection with God and each other.
- Suggested exploration for the coming week gives participants a way to deepen their understanding of the topic or issue in the context of their own lives.
How are the discussion questions designed and why?
The discussion questions occur in the exploration section of each session, usually after a story. They intentionally move from asking for basic facts about the story to a deeper, more heart-centered expression of how the story is happening in the world and in our lives.
The first set of questions relates to "what is happening in the story." Participants are invited to "stay with the facts and save interpretation for later." Some of these questions might ask for a specific response, while others may be more open-ended, asking, "What do we know about ...?" some aspect or character in the story.
When we rush ahead to interpret the story's meaning, important elements of the story can be lost. This first part of the questioning process helps participants come to a common agreement about what actually is happening in the story and to notice details that might otherwise be overlooked.
The next set of questions usually happens after the group has had an experience of the story through art, journaling or role-play. Participants are then ready to move into deeper reflection, relating the story to the world or community around them, and especially to their own lives. These questions offer the group an opportunity to share their own personal stories both factually and from their hearts which deepens their sense of community in the process.
What are the roles and responsibilities in the group?
The effectiveness of the small group increases as each person assumes responsibility for the experience that is being created.
Each Participant
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Keeps group agreements, i.e. confidentiality, being on time, etc.
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Participates fully, i.e. listens intently, shares as comfortable, engages in activities of the group, approaches each session with an open mind and heart.
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Holds the prayer consciousness with the rest of the group, in and between meeting times.
The Facilitator
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Gathers and prepares materials for each session.
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Opens and closes meetings on time.
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Guides group into agreement decisions, i.e. promotes confidentiality within group.
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Creates an environment for spiritual growth.
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Maintains awareness of Spirit's presence.
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Facilitates prayer and meditation.
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Facilitates effective group interaction.
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Stimulates discussion by acknowledging responses.
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Asks follow-up questions to clarify what is being said and felt.
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Places discussion within the group rather than answering a person.
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Encourages involvement by giving nonparticipants an opportunity to speak.
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Keeps discussion on track.
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Summarizes main ideas when needed.
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Encourages application to life.
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Recognizes when the discussion becomes "counseling" and moves the
group back to discussion.
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Facilitates community building.
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Maintains an atmosphere of love and acceptance.
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Maintains group consciousness in prayer between meetings.
The Host/Hostess
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Provides the home or facility, if group is meeting somewhere other than church.
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Prepares environment for meeting.
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Supplies refreshments or arranges for volunteers to bring them, if that is something the group wants.
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Cleans up after meeting.
Resources
What resources are available from the Association?
Seven-lesson exploration books are available for spiritual exploration from the Association of Unity Churches International. Each lesson can be easily facilitated by a group leader as each includes a script for facilitators to follow, a relationship building activity, a reading which is the base for the discussion questions and a variety of ways to share requests for prayer support.
For those wishing to learn more about what Unity believes, try Proving the Power of Principle .
For those wishing to learn more about Jesus' teachings, we recommend Cultivating God Mind Through Parables . Others available include:
Spiritual Social Action
Creative Living
Creating a Life of Prayer
Living an Abundant Life
Knowing the Truth About Healing
Meeting Myself in the Bible
Trusting the Process of Change
Spanish:
Conociéndome en la Biblia
La Demostración del Poder de los Principios
You can view a sample lesson from Cultivating God Mind Through Parables.
A brief overview of each book's content can be seen in the Scope and Sequence Chart.
Resources are available for Minister Talks for one exploration book, Cultivating God Mind Through Parables.
Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these documents. Download it free at www.adobe.com.
