The Word does the work! That’s my favorite tag line for Coffee Break. The ripple effect of transformation begins when people meet God through and in his words.
What can a Bible study or Coffee Break leader do to encourage the influence and impact of the Word in the lives of group members? Here are a few ideas that came to mind but please add to the list by posting a comment below or on the Coffee Break Facebook page.
Pray. Ask God to prepare your group to be good soil (Matthew 13, Mark 8, Luke 8).
Dwell vs Tackle. This might sound crazy, but I wonder if wanting to know all there is about a passage distracts us from really experiencing the text? Encourage group members to wonder about the setting, the people, and the words. What would it have been like to be there? Or encourage the experience of the text by asking volunteers to read the text two or three times while group members simply listen.
Watch for Aha Moments. Expect people to react with questions, excitement or silence as they hear God speak. Encourage them to share what they are discovering or experiencing with gentle probing questions: What makes this significant to you? What emotions are going on inside of you? Tell us more about what you are thinking.
Model. Share with your group how God is impacting your life. What are you hearing? What changes are you making and what challenges do you face as you try to make changes in your life?
Practice Gentle Accountability. We know God’s word is powerful. Encourage group members to prepare. From a learning perspective, Coffee Break is a fabulous tool because group members first read and reflect privately. They hear the text again as the group reads it together, then they talk about what they have learned with others. People learn 5% of what they hear, 10% of what they see, 25% of what they read and 50% of what they discuss. And, another benefit, people learn 95% of what they teach. Coffee Break leaders facilitate rather than teach, but I imagine leaders still gain deep knowledge of the text as they lead conversation.
Challenge for Change. Ask application questions that challenge new ways of thinking or acting. You might even encourage group members to discuss possible action steps or decisions and report in on how it went.
What would you add?
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