Invite People – Most groups start small, with just one or two friends and grow organically as people share their experiences and what they are learning. Groups can range from 2-4 people to 12-14, with the ideal size being somewhere in the middle. Encourage your group to invite friends, neighbors, family members – even people outside their faith tradition or who’ve never done a Bible study before. You may be surprised at who is interested in exploring the Bible.

Determine the Schedule – Most groups meet weekly or every other week. Meeting in the Fall (September to November) and in the Winter/Spring (January to April/May) allows for groups to meet without running into summer or holiday activities. Groups typically meet for 1.5 to 2 hours and often get started with about a half hour of social time to catch up and build friendships.

Meet in a neutral location – If your group comes from a variety of faith backgrounds, consider meeting in a home, park, or restaurant (rather than a religious facility), where everyone will feel welcome and comfortable to learn and grow on their own timeline.

Share Responsibilities – As your group grows, consider sharing any of the following responsibilities to relieve pressure off the leader and encourage others to become more invested:

• Co-leading – You can be much more present with your group when you share the responsibility of leading and listening.

• Hosting – There’s a familiarity that comes when entering someone’s home and neighbors, friends and family members will be more likely to visit when they know who’s hosting.

• Sharing prayer requests – Asking someone to be in charge of facilitating prayer requests helps everyone stay connected and invested in each other’s lives.

• Providing refreshments – If your group enjoys having a treat or snack, put out a sign-up sheet for others to decide what day they’d like to contribute.