day no. 12,964: connection group leading and training‏

As CG leaders it is sometimes easy to come up with a great list of questions and then pose them to the group and hear the answers and then move on to the next question and fire away until your time is through.

It can easily produce the quiz master effect. Here’s what I mean. Studies have shown that the person asking the questions (the quiz master, a la Alex Trebek) is perceived as more intelligent than the group. Why? Because they never get a question wrong for one. And they control the questions and answers. Those combined: never being wrong and always being in control, leads people to interpret that the leader is smarter and better than them in some regard (in this case being more intellectual, more holy, etc…).

 

That can happen in CG. If the leader fires penetrating questions off at other people and then comments in response to their confessions, but never themselves experience the bulls-eye of the question, it can be interpreted by some that the leader has it all together and is the quiz master.

 

Disciples making disciples thrive best, I imagine, when the leader is themselves doing as Paul commanded Timothy:

 

1 Timothy 4:15

 

Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all.

 

People need to see our progress. How can they see our progress if they never see our weakness or failure? We must place ourselves under the scalpel of God’s Word in front of them and lead by that example.

 

Why?

 

That they can see us practicing, committing and progressing in Christlikeness and discipleship before them. We want them to do what they see us doing.

 

Practicing, committing, progressing.

 

People don’t need you to be Jesus for them.

They need to see you needing Jesus in front of them.