Telling someone what they need to know is seldom effective. Think back to all the pearls of wisdom you ignored from your parents… teachers… and even your youth pastor!

Telling someone what they need to know is ineffective for at least two reasons: 1) The learner is passive and uninvolved 2) The learner may not be convinced they need the truth, and therefore the lesson doesn’t “stick.”

The eternal truths of God and wisdom for everyday living are too important (and complex) to reduce to a lecture of platitudes and clichés.

As a discussion leader in a youth ministry small group, you are a teacher of God’s truth. One thing you ought to continually work to master is The Art of Asking Questions.

The Benefits

A good question puts the ball in the court of the learner. Aside from generating verbal interaction, everyone can answer the question quietly and softly in the privacy of their own thoughts…when you hear a question, it’s almost impossible not to think about your answer. Questions create an opportunity for your students to become active participants. Good questions allow for self discovery, as after the need is recognized by the leader, he or she seeks to fill that gap in his or her knowledge, maturity, etc. Personal understanding and ownership can be facilitated by good questions. Teach people to think for themselves!

Some Keys to Good Questions

1. Think through a series of questions. Phrase the same thing in a couple different ways. Because people think differently, at times a single truth ought to be expressed in several different ways.

2. Discern the particular truth you hope to communicate, and then create good questions to lead your group there. Good questions build on one another and lead to a particular destination.

3. Ask questions that are understandable. In the curriculum, I will try to be clear as possible. But don’t settle for that! If you can say something better, then do it!

4. Use every ounce of imagination you have, and consider where your students are really “at.” Use this wisdom to craft your question beforehand and to make adjustments during your small group.

5. Maintain eye contact. It’s more personal and encouraging.

6. Don’t settle for the “Right Answers.” When someone gives you a quick answer, press them to determine confidence level—are they saying something they believe, or repeating something they’ve heard before. Ask them, “Ok, I hear what you’re saying, but what does that really mean?”

7. Create confusion, don’t shy away from things that are difficult and controversial. Don’t let your students “off the hook” with difficult issues. Healthy confusion leads to growth. This is based upon the “Poor in Spirit” Principle: if a learner doesn’t feel the need to learn, he or she won’t.

8. Admit confusion. You don’t know everything, so don’t worry about hiding this when you’re confused.

9. Be positive. According to the example set by Jesus, only hypocritical religious leaders deserve negative input…chances are you don’t have too many of those in your small group.

10. Be focused. Being sensitive to the Spirit doesn’t mean wandering around every spiritual truth, guided only the tangents of your group. Rather than covering a ton of subjects on a surface level, go deep with just one or two.

11. Repeat long answers with a quick summary, when one student talks for a long time, and is confusing, you’ll loose the rest of your group. To bring them back in, give a quick summary, or gently ask for one.

12. Don’t answer your own questions… or let other leaders answer.

13. When you ask a question, don’t settle for just one answer from a single person—even if it’s the “right” answer. Prompt further responses with phrases like “Good, who else…what’s your take?” “Does anyone have something to add?” “Who agrees with what was said? Ok why?” “Who disagrees…why?”

14. Learn multiple sides of an issue. Consider common misapplications/misunderstandings/myths. This will help you create “healthy confusion” and present different angles on the same subject.

15. Be transparent. Share your inadequacies in understanding different truths.

16. Jesus commanded us to teach others to OBEY has commandments. Keep your discussions real. Head knowledge is for the classroom. You’re at a small group; keep the significance of the conversation in front of your learners.

17. Learn to push things to the extremes. We often accept truths because they are nice in the few situations in which we apply them. Challenge the answers your students give you by applying them in all kinds of situations, test them for consistency and accurately consider the implications.

18. Have students write down especially good questions and tell them to journal on them. This is also great for questions you don’t have a chance to get to… but be realistic, don’t dish out a dozen questions!

19. Ignite your passion. If you’re never passionate when you teach God’s Word, spend a day or two fasting and studying and praying. If that doesn’t work, you need to talk with someone about your spiritual health, and you probably shouldn’t be leading a small group.

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

Some Basic Discussion Group Dos and Don’ts

Don’t be afraid of silence

Let the students sit for a moment and think.

Do value student input

Do whatever it takes to affirm the comments of student input, but do not be artificial with your praise. Be delicate with answers that are clearly wrong (you probably don’t want to put a big red “idiot” stamp on their forehead). Do not feel like you have to finish, complete, or correct a student’s answer.

Don’t feel like you have to know all the answers

We are human, and it’s good for your students to see that you are limited. You are, but most of them don’t think so.  Don’t pretend like you have every theological answer.  Here is a great line: I don’t know.

Don’t read questions off the leader’s guide

Understand the questions and be prepared to ask them in your own terms. Feel free to generate your own questions during your preparation AND even “on the spot.”

Don’t talk more than the students

Ask questions to generate discussion, ask students to explain their answers and go into more depth. Allow multiple students to respond, even if the first person gets the “right” answer.  We love to hear our selves talk too.

Do ask students if they have questions

Encourage them to deal with the material on their own terms. Create a climate where people feel the freedom to ask any question.

Do echo some responses to your questions

If a student’s answer or comment is long-winded or unclear, repeat it back (summarize it) for clarity. This proves you are listening and it keeps the attention of the rest of the group.

Don’t move to a new question too quickly

After a student answers a question, ask, “Would anyone like to add to that?” or “Does everyone agree/disagree with that?”

Do keep the group focused and on purpose

Don’t go down a rabbit trail and leave the topics and/or Scripture passages unless something “big time” comes up (e.g., a family crisis). Be sensitive to the Spirit (but that’s not an excuse to be lazy and let the group wander). Wandering is easy, being a leader isn’t!

Do require and maintain confidentiality

This allows students to open up because they feel their environment is safe. However, don’t keep potentially dangerous information to yourself (e.g. abuse, suicide, destructive intentions, etc.)

Don’t be discouraged

Welcome to my youth ministry career.  Even if you don’t have enough students for your own small group . . . we will give you phone numbers of students to call and invite to your small group.

AGAIN Don’t be discouraged

When (not IF) you have a “bad night.” There is not a small group leader alive in the world that hasn’t had bad nights.

© 2009, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.

Preaching and teaching in youth ministry is fun but a very difficult task. I am love looking for improving my communication and homelitical methods that engage not only the student, but the Word. I am communicator who heavy relies on the ethos and pathos.

In my youth ministry communication resource tool belt, I rely on 5 teaching methods.

SCORRE (my least favorite) – Subject, Central theme, Objective, Rationale, Resources, and Evaluation.

Homiletical Plot – Eugene L. Lowry argues that in a plot there are five essential stages: 1) opps, 2) ugh 3) aha 4) Whee and 5) yea.

Essentially the preacher takes his/her audience on a journey. It is imperative to off set the equilibrium (opps). The second and third stages are analyzing the discrepancy (ugh) and disclosing the clue to resolution (aha). The fourth stage is all about experiencing the gospel ( Whee) while the consequences/resolution (yea) is presented in a “how to” format.

Communication for Change (Andy Stanley’s book) – Andy and the North Point crew has an attractive and easy method for a communicator to internalize. Andy suggest there are five movements in a talk: 1) Me (share personal story relating to the central theme), 2) WE (what does culture say against the central theme. This section builds the tension), 3) God’s Word (what does God say?), 4) WE (what is the application to your context audience?), and 5) Landing (how do we apply the scriptural principle? )

The Power of Story – My buddy Drew Sams enlightened me on the 8 ingredient story method.

Ingredient #1 – Point of View
Ingredient #2 – Setting
Ingredient #3 – Characters
Ingredient #4 – Protagonists
Ingredient #5 – Antagonists
Ingredient #6 – Conflict
Ingredient #7 – Climax (Turning Point)
Ingredient #8 – Denoument (Resolution)

Socratic Method – is dialogue focused that pursues a balance (positive and negative) inquiry. I typically start by asking a series of questions surrounding a central issue, and answering questions of the others involved. I encourage different perspectives. The best way to land the conversation is to make the opponent contradict themselves in some way that proves my own theological point.

What are some other youth ministry communication methods?

© 2008 – 2010, Jeremy Zach. All rights reserved.