One of the best ways to really get to know each other in your group is to share a short testimony each Sunday before your group starts. I have found that people who have studied God’s Word together each week for years really do not know each other. I have heard incredible testimonies of how people have been saved or blessed.
It is important lay some ground rules.
- People are experts on their lives and can share for an hour at the blink of an eye. Limit them to 3 minutes. Not 5 minutes as that means 10-15 minutes for some people. You have seen the speed limit sign of 17 MPH.
- Start by letting people sign up for the week they are willing to share.
- Do not assign people to share as they may not be able or willing. Let them volunteer.
- Keep on Theme. Start with how they got saved. Later you can have them share testimonies of how they shared Jesus with someone, how God answered a prayer for them, or how God has worked in a mighty way in their lives.
These 3 minutes each week can become a highlight and will help your class focus on each other. I have also had members come up and share that they do not have a salvation testimony like the ones they have heard and want to get right with God. It is exciting when someone hears these stories and gets saved then shares with the class that reason they got saved was because members had shared their stories.
Dr. Mark Yoakum is the Director of Church Ministries for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
