Table Group Guide

Table purpose statement (Can be shared at the start or before the Discovery section):

This group exists for the purpose of discipleship. A disciple is someone who loves and obeys Jesus. (John 14:15) That means our focus is hearing from God and taking steps of faith. Our goal is to multiply another healthy Table. That means one day, some of you will lead a group like this! 

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Table Talk (⅓ of meeting) 

• Icebreaker- What time of day do you prefer? Mornings, afternoons, or evenings? 
• High/Low/Buffalo. Share something from your week that was good, bad, and weird/silly! 
• Spend time in prayer as a group, then worship God through song. Recommended: I Speak Jesus.

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Discussion Guidelines 

1. Everyone shares in sentences, not paragraphs. 
2. Focus only on what this passage is saying. (This keeps everyone on the same page) 
3. Share from your perspective – we won’t argue or give advice. 
4. Give everyone time to respond. Silence is OK. 
5. The facilitator will facilitate discussion, not teach. 

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Discover what God is saying to you. (⅓ of meeting) 

Big Idea: Words are seeds for beauty or brokenness. What kind of world are your words building?

Read James 3:1-12

• What do you like about this passage? What do you find challenging? 
• This passage tells us that much of how we use our words is shaped by what we experienced growing up. How would you describe the way your family of origin used their words? 
• If we played back a recording of your words from this past week, what do your words reveal about what’s happening in your heart? 
• When are you most tempted to speak in ways that don’t honor God?
• What boundaries could you set in order to tame your tongue? 

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Go do it. (⅓ of meeting)

• Much of our society seems entrenched in a war of words. Militaries use “rules of engagement" that determine what they will and won’t do. Brainstorm rules of engagement you can set for hard conversations. What can you add to these examples? 
  
  • Replace assumptions with questions 
  • Spend more time listening than talking
  • Be generous with blessing/encouragement   
• Pray for each other: 
  
  • To experience God's presence and guidance in these hard conversations. 
  • Ask God who you can speak life into this week. 

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