"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another."

Hebrews 10:25

• Start with people you know and trust. If you already know a number of people who may be interested in joining a small group study, a personal invitation is best. You may be part of a Bible study, networking group, or special interest group gatherings as part of an association you belong to. Start there.
  
  
• If you don't know where to begin, connect with a local church or a work/faith organization to obtain their assistance with a mailing list. There has been explosive growth in the work and faith movement over the past few years. In all likelihood, there's already an organization in your community. In the back of this book you'll find a resource guide that can help you get started.
  
  
• An effective small group can range in size from a one-on-one discussion with a close friend or mentor to a group of 12 people. Ideally, your group will include from five to eight people.
  
  
• Make the time commitment manageable. Most people can commit to meetings that are an hour to an hour and a half in length. A morning discussion time, such as from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., will start your day with focus and still allow people to meet their obligations.
  
  
• Discussion groups can occur anywhere from once a week to once a month. Let the group determine the frequency that works within their schedule. The important point is to make a predetermined and consistent time commitment.
  
  
• Focus on one topic per meeting. Personal spiritual growth is the goal. Therefore you should be seeking both intimacy and depth of understanding rather than surface interaction and breadth of information. You can set a goal of doing one chapter per session but depending on the number of people in the group, you may find that too aggressive. It may be appropriate to discuss just one deep question or an issue that arises from the discussion. The point is to not rush through a topic but allow for the Holy Spirit to lead and be discerning and flexible to where the discussion leads.
  
  
• While you may want to assign a group leader to facilitate the discussion, you may also alternate who is responsible for facilitating each meeting. Regardless, don't get hung up on how to be a good facilitator. By encouraging the members of your group to provide an honest response to the questions, the discussion will naturally follow.
  
  
• Keep the format simple. A good agenda has a brief introduction that identifies the goal of that day's discussion, then the discussion itself and then a brief closing. I would start the meeting in prayer, inviting the Lord into the meeting, and end in prayer.
  
  
• Create a safe and trusting environment. The ideal environment is one where trusted peers feel free to be totally open and vulnerable in sharing. Therefore, it's imperative that all participants agree to create a "safe" atmosphere that allows for deep discussion. While it's not necessary for a successful outcome, some groups decide on a set of ground rules before getting started (i.e., nothing discussed leaves the room, respect each other, don't interrupt, etc.).