Christian Life Program - Team Manual

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER’S GUIDE

A. PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION GROUPS

1. To help the participants to understand and digest the material presented.

2. To allow them to express their thoughts and feelings, and to give them a chance to ask
questions.

3. To help people to open up and respond to God’s invitation and grace.

4. To provide a place for them to begin to experience Chris¬tian fellowship, preparing the
way to participation in Christian community (CFC) after the CLP.

B. THE ROLE OF A DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER

1. To help set the right tone.

a) Come promptly to each session at the time indicated by the team leader, so t
hat the team meeting may be held as scheduled and there will be enough time
for you to greet the participants as they come in, especially the members of your
discussion group.

b) Be warm and friendly, even if people are a little stiff at first. New people will warm
up as you are warm with them. Take special care to establish an atmosphere of
love and interest in the group.

c) Be joyful and outgoing. Meet other men and women who are not in your group.
Encourage your group members to get to know more people outside their own
group.

d) Participate enthusiastically in whatever is going on. Sing the songs, listen

attentively (even if the talk is familiar), and follow quickly any lead the team leader
gives.

e) Pray out where there is an opportunity. Express your prayer in a way that teaches
the new people how to pray, but does not overwhelm them (e.g., grant that we
may be martyrs), and does not use unfamiliar jargon (e.g., Jesus, thank you for
your all sufficient and substitu¬tionary sacrifice, that purchased my redemption).

2. To help evangelize those in your discussion group.

a) Remember the names and important details of your discus¬sion group members.
By this you communicate a great amount of concern.

b) Tailor the program inputs to your members’ needs during the discussion. You
have freedom to lead discussions as you think best, with the goal of making the
message of the talks connect with each one in a personal way.

c) Follow up regularly with your group members during the week, especially during
Module One of the CLP. If neces¬sary, meet with them for further discussion.
Encourage them to be open, to persevere and to turn to the Lord to seek out His
will for them. Contact those who miss talks and get together with them for make
up sessions.

d) Intercede for them and do spiritual warfare on their behalf. Fast and pray for
them.

e) Do whatever is appropriate to bring to issue each one’s relationship with Christ. It

is your responsibility to help them personally and to do all you can to bring them
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 to commitment to Christ.

3. Important general comments:

a) The team members’ love for one another and for the participants is a crucial
element of the program.

b) Participating in the singing and fully in the prayers is crucial, because that is the
way the participants will learn how to pray.

c) Faithfulness to all meetings is absolutely essential. Being punctual is

presupposed.

d) Prepare for the sessions by studying the goals and content of the sessions
beforehand. Pray and think about the discussion starters and guides. Know
what your members should be taking home from the session and help them to
appropriate that.

e) READ AND STUDY THIS TEAM MANUAL!

C. LEADING A DISCUSSION GROUP

1. The discussion groups form and begin right after the talk. The men meet separately from
the women.

2. When first meeting as a discussion group, try to establish a relaxed atmosphere. Don’t
be overly serious, but main¬tain control. Inspire confidence in others that you know what
everybody is supposed to be doing. Remember that many people have never been in
this type of discussion group. Be clear about instructions like sitting in a circle, etc.

3. Start and end every discussion with a short prayer. Moving into Module Two and Module
Three, you may ask others in your group to lead the prayer if they seem ready, but don’t
put them on the spot.

4. For the first session, start with introductions and let everyone get to know one another.

5. Assure them that the principle of confidentiality is at work in your discussions. Whatever
is shared basically remains only within the group. General reports during team meetings
maintain the anonymity of sharers.

6. Let the group know that they are free to ask relevant questions or bring up relevant
problems.

7. For Module One, if the participants are still not very open or are still shy, you may
have to begin the sharing your¬self. This also is a good way of showing them how the
discussion/ sharing is to be handled.

8. If the group is eager to respond to the talk, allow them to, without bothering with the
discussion starter.

9. Encourage shy people who don’t speak much by asking them questions. Don’t put them
on the spot, however. Start with easy general questions at first, then work your way up
to more specific things about themselves. Make sure every¬one gets to talk during the
discussion. Don’t allow any¬one, including yourself, to take too much time and dominate
the discussion.

10. One way to control dominant people in discussion groups is to speak to the person
before the session begins. Encour¬age their sharing but impress them with the limited
amount of time and the need for everyone to share.

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 Christian Life Program - Team Manual
11. Don’t let the discussion get off the subject. Gently but authoritatively tell them that it
is time to stop this line of conversation. Suggest another time or place to the people
involved.

12. It is usually best to open up the discussion to any ques¬tions only after you are sure
they have understood the main points of the talks, or if they won’t share. Quite often
questions asked do not have anything to do with the talk.

13. When answering questions, you don’t need to offer every¬thing on the subject, but only
what will help the person most at this time in his/her life. On the other hand, be willing to
say “I don’t know” and/or “I’ll find out”.

14. Don’t take up serious theological issues in the discus¬sions.

15. Don’t talk down to people or appear to be an expert on something you are not.

16. Avoid Christian jargon. There is a way in which new people cannot enter into the
meanings of the phrases we know so well.

17. Take notes and write down significant details of conversa¬tions in your group so that
you can keep track of your people’s progress and also as a basis for the team meeting
afterwards.

18. As you listen to the talk, discern which points your people especially need to hear and
try to bring those out in your sharing or in theirs.

19. Keep your eye on the time. Make sure that there is enough time for everyone to share.

D. TEAM MEETINGS

Team meetings are usually held both before and after the session itself. The pre session
meeting helps prepare for the session. The post session meeting is for evaluating what
happened in the session.

The team meeting is almost the only opportunity that team members have to discuss the
progress of the CLP. It should be a time for support and encouragement, a time that builds
unity, faith and love. The team should spend time not talking about administrative details but
having a concrete discussion of the problems and situations they are facing.

Aside from these, the team meetings also help to create a spiritual unity among the team
members, help the team members to learn to better serve the Lord, and communicate what
is happening in the CLP as a whole.

E. MAKE UP SESSIONS

Any participant who misses any talk will have to have a make up session, which consists in
listening to a recorded talk (audio or video) and having a short discussion with his/her leader.

It is the discussion leader’s responsibility to give personal¬ly the make up session. It should be
done within the week immediately after the session missed. The purpose is to ensure that
the participant understands the talk and to give him/her an opportunity to discuss the same.

F. GUIDELINES FOR PERSONAL DIALOGUES (one to one)

1. First Dialogue.

After the talk on Repentance and Faith ending Module One, the discussion group
leaders meet individually with each of the members of their group. These meetings
should be held within the week prior to the start of Module Two.

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 The purpose of this meeting is to see how the participants are doing, and more
importantly, to see whether they are ready to go on.

Readiness to go on consists in being willing to repent and turn away from serious
wrongdoing. Has the person repented for serious sin? You need to ask them directly
and get a direct response. If they are unclear as to what is serious sin, go through the
list. Note that what is important is willingness to turn away from sin. Sometimes the
actual turning away may not be accomplished in a single, immediate act (e.g. breaking
off with a mistress or giving up addic¬tion to liquor). But if they are willing to repent and
continue with the CLP, they may be allowed to go on. Work out with them a timetable
for finally setting their lives right, and follow up on them through the succeeding weeks.
NO ONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO TAKE MODULE TWO IF THERE ARE SERIOUS
THINGS THAT THE PERSON IS NOT WILLING TO TAKE STEPS TO AMEND.

Readiness also involves a willingness to follow Jesus and to learn more about Him.

These individual meetings may be held at any place conven¬ient to both leader and
participant. It may be at either’s home or office, in a church, in a restaurant, at a park,
etc. The only requirements are privacy and a peaceful atmosphere.
If there are any issues on wrongdoing that you cannot resolve, refer them to the team
leader. Also inform the team leader of any participant who cannot be allowed to go on,
prior to the start of Module Two.

Guide questions for the meeting

a) We have been talking and discussing basics of our faith. Are there any questions
that have not been answered? Is there any unclarity that I can help you with?

b) The first step to a full and committed life with the Lord is repentance, i.e., turning
away from serious wrongdoing and turning toward the Lord. If there is serious
wrongdoing in your life, are you willing to make a definite break with it? Serious
wrongdoing includes the following:

* Non Christian religions and non Christian practices (e.g., Freemasonry,

New Age, Transcendental Meditation, etc.)
* All forms of the occult, spiritualism, witchcraft.
* Sexual wrongdoing (adultery, masturbation, active homosexuality,
perversity, etc.)
* Murder, stealing, cheating.
* Lying, slander, gossip.
* Drunkenness, drugs.

Note for Catholics: To make repentance full and effec¬tive, go to sacramental

confession and make a firm resolution to lead a new life acceptable to Jesus.

c) Is there anything you wish to share or discuss with me? Is there any other way I
can help you?

d) Are you ready to turn away from sin, confess (if there is serious wrongdoing) and
commit your life to the Lord? Accept Him as Lord and Savior?

2. Second Dialogue.

After the 8th session on “Life in the Holy Spirit” ending Module Two, the discussion group
leaders once again meet individually with each of the members of their group. These
meetings should be held prior to the next session (Receiving the Power of the Holy
Spirit) which is the start of Module Three.

The primary purpose of this individual meeting is to help the participant prepare for the
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 Christian Life Program - Team Manual
prayer session where the participant is prayed with for a renewed outpouring of the Holy
Spirit. The Pray-over Session sometimes causes unclarity in the mind of the participant.
The discussion group leader will try to clear up any question concerning this. The
meeting also serves to give encouragement and support to the participant and to find
out specific areas where he/she needs to be strength¬ened and prayed for.

These individual meetings should be held as early as possi¬ble during the week so that
the participant may have enough time after this meeting to adequately prepare himself/
herself for the prayer session. Don’t wait till the last minute!

Guidelines for the meeting

a) Start with a prayer. Foster an atmosphere of concern, friendliness and informality.

b) Find out if there are any questions regarding what has transpired in the program
or if there are any problem areas. Discuss these.

c) Check the participant’s understanding of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, particularly
the gift of tongues. Explain these concepts again. If there is any hang up or fear
in any of these areas, help the participant to get over them.
d) If the participant has any involvement in the occult and the like (fortune telling,
card reading, spirit of the glass, etc.), which may or may not have been brought
out in the first individual meeting, lead the participant to renounce verbally this
involvement.

e) Make sure that any serious wrongdoing which the partici¬pant disclosed during
your first individual meeting is no longer present in his/her life. Find out if there
are other Areas of wrongdoing which the participant has not disclosed.

f) Find out if there are other obstacles to the full re¬lease of the Spirit in his/her
life. Check areas of unforgiveness, resentments, hatred, bitterness, etc. Lead
the participant to forgive the cause(s) of all these negative emotions. Pray for a
repentant and forgiving heart.

g) Find out if the participant has had any traumatic expe¬riences, so that you can
pray for healing of memories during the prayer session.

h) Find out if there are other areas of concern or diffi¬culties that the participant
would like to share with you.

i) Ask if the participant has any prayer intention, or any specific areas that he/she
would want to pray for during the Pray-over Session.

j) Encourage the participant (if Catholic) to go to confes¬sion, to go to Mass and

receive Holy Communion, and to pray prior to the Pray-over Session.

k) Pray together at the end of the meeting.

3. Reminders.

a) The principle of confidentiality is still very much in force. Keep to yourself

whatever information is brought out, except what you cannot handle, in which
case you should bring the same to the team leader. Any discus¬sion of
serious problems should be only with the team leader (or if necessary with the
supervising Unit Head or the Chapter Head), and should not be specifically taken
up during the team meeting. The team meeting is a time of sharing in general,
to see where people are at. Always avoid gossip, slander, or any wrong way of
speak¬ing about any participant.

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 b) Inform the team leader immediately of any problem you cannot handle or of any
obstacle to being prayed with for the Pray-over Session. Don’t wait till prior to the
prayer session itself.

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