CNS732 Facilitating Support Groups Syllabus

LOGOS Equivalent Course Numbers          

          Undergraduate: CNS332 Group Counseling

          Graduate: CNS732 Group Counseling

Course Description: Small groups are one of the most effective ways to attract people from the community into a church that would otherwise not be reached for Christ, help the largest number of people in the church with a minimum expenditure of resources, and provide a forum for one-on-one evangelism. Many persons coming to small groups in churches even expect a spiritual approach because they are familiar with the format of Alcoholics Anonymous groups. Leading a small group can be very rewarding but it can also have its challenges. This course will provide for the group facilitator all that is needed to start and maintain a support group ministry in a church.

Text Book: How to Make Small Groups Work by Cloud and Townsend

Experiencing God Workbook by Henry Blackaby

Graduate Text:  None

IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THIS COURSE YOU MUST MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS.

1. Read the text book Making Small Groups Work and underline important material on leading small groups.

2. Watch the DVDs and take any additional notes not covered in the manual. Prepare for the open book final examination.

3. Write a 5 page paper on the subject matter of a particular type of group you are interested in leading. Use your Bible or additional resources to expand on what you have already learned. Do additional research on this type of group and cite at least 3 references other than the Bible.

4. Write 3 page paper on your proposal to your pastor for beginning and leading a small group in your church. Discuss how you would use the material in the text book to ensure that you had a successful group.

5. FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY write an additional 5 page paper on why small groups fail and what you would do to ensure that it does not happen in your church. Compare your ideas to the methods Jesus used in leading his small group of disciples. Use additional books or information on the Internet on small groups to gather your detailed information for this paper citing at least 3 additional references other than the Bible.

6. Submit your papers to Word of Life Institute for grading via E-mail at treiner@wolm.org.