Workshop offering techniques for teaching and facilitating Bible-Based groups to be August 6

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. —Proverbs 27:17

Those who lead an adult small group or Sunday School class often face common scenarios such as:

• the participant who dominates every conversation
• the participant who never speaks up although others in the group know s/he has much to offer to the discussion
• a group/class who meets regularly but doesn’t seem to truly connect with each other
• a group/class who meets for years but never participates in the overall mission and ministry of the congregation

Although these scenarios are all-to-common, often group leaders / facilitators feel unqualified to work through them.

To help churches develop strong teachers and facilitators, the Adult Discipleship Team of the North Alabama Conference has created Sharpen: A Creative Teaching Workshop.

This interactive workshop focuses on helping Sunday School teachers and small group leaders grow more accomplished in four areas:

• Understanding how and why to develop class goals that move your church mission forward
• Building a toolkit of teaching and facilitation techniques that engage group members
• Creating an inviting and participatory learning environment
• Building strong relationships among group members

The next Sharpen workshop will be August 6, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at DesignLab in Huntsville. The cost is only $20 and includes lunch and supplies.  The workshop will be led by Anne Jolly, the Central District Lay leader and a former Alabama Teacher of the Year.

Video Overview

The Adult Discipleship Team believes the building blocks of spiritual learning and growth include small groups of learners who meet and work together regularly to become devoted disciples of Jesus. Vibrant classes and small groups depend on leaders who know the Bible, care about their class members, and understand principles of good teaching and facilitating.  Therefore, they invite your congregation’s adult class teachers and facilitators to take advantage of this opportunity to sharpen their skills and learn with and from others throughout the North Alabama Conference.

To register go to www.umcna.org/sharpen.