Rush Servant Leader Guide: Leading Peer Groups
Welcome, Servant Leadership! Your role in guiding small groups during the Rush Conference is essential in fostering a supportive and enriching environment for all participants. This guide will provide you with valuable insights and strategies to effectively lead your groups.
Purpose
The first three small-group meetings are vital—they define your team’s culture and set the tone for the rest of the week. To ensure you build a strong foundation, follow the tailored guidance below for meetings 1–3 before launching into the speaker-based discussion questions.
Meeting 1:
Leaders: Get to know each other
- Ice Breaker:
- Introduction Round: Each participant takes turns introducing themselves by stating their name and their favorite ice cream flavor. For example, “Hi, I’m Alex, and my favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip.”
- Memory Challenge: After everyone has introduced themselves, challenge the group with the following tasks:
- Can anyone recall and state everyone’s names
- Can anyone recall and state everyone’s favorite ice cream flavor?
- Can anyone match each person to their favorite ice cream flavor?
- Share your hopes for the week.
- Proceed to texted discussion questions.
- Eat dinner with your group after first group time (other dinners are optional).
Meeting 2:
Leaders: Share your 2-minute story
- Examples of things to share:
- Tell about your upbringing and early experiences in your faith
- Share examples of how your beliefs have guided your actions, decisions, and relationships.
- Share some challenges and doubts you have wrestled with
- Explain how being a part of a small group has enhanced your faith experience.
- This fosters a culture of vulnerability between you and group members
- Advise members they will share 2-minute stories in Meeting 3.
- Proceed to texted discussion questions
Meeting 3:
Leaders: Share Ground Rule:
- Engage, Disengage, Distract
- Tell the members of your group that to have the best group time during the week; you will follow the ground rule: engage, disengage, and distract.
- You can either engage in the conversation or disengage and not say anything
- However, you CANNOT distract from the conversation
- This fosters a culture of respect for everyone in the group.
Members: share 2-minute stories
Leaders: Spiritual Scale:
- Ask members which number they feel best represents where they are in their faith according to this scale. Read the descriptions below and let members answer with their number only. Don’t stop to comment on their number because this may spark conversation in future meetings.
- 1 = Apathetic – You don’t care
- 2 = Unsaved/unsure – You wouldn’t call yourself a Christian and you are uncertain of whether not God exists.
- 3 = Saved/ unsure – You would call yourself a Christian, but you are unsure if you died whether you would “go to heaven”
- 4 = Faith of their own – You are a Christian and it is not mom and dad’s faith or anyone else’s. You are walking in a faith of your own.
- This fosters a culture of vulnerability and self-reflection
- Proceed to texted discussion questions
BEST PRACTICES:
Sharing Faith Stories: Encourage participants to share their faith stories as a means of building connections and fostering a deeper understanding of one another. Lead by example and be vulnerable in sharing your own story. Create a safe and non-judgmental space where everyone feels comfortable opening up. Remember to actively listen and offer words of encouragement and support.
Handling Distractions: During group discussions, distractions can arise. Here are some tips to address and manage them:
- Set clear expectations at the beginning, emphasizing the importance of active listening and respecting others’ perspectives.
- If distractions occur, gently redirect the conversation back to the main topic.
- Encourage participants to take turns speaking and actively engage in the discussion.
- Utilize active listening techniques, such as summarizing key points and asking follow-up questions, to keep the conversation focused.
Ice Breakers: Ice breakers are a great way to help participants feel comfortable and create a sense of camaraderie within the group. Consider using ice breakers that encourage self-expression, collaboration, and connection. Here are a few examples:
- Two Truths and a Lie: Each participant shares two true statements and one false statement about themselves, and the group tries to guess the lie.
- Human Bingo: Distribute bingo cards with different characteristics or experiences, and participants must find others who match each description to fill their card.
- Group Juggle: Participants stand in a circle and toss a ball while saying someone’s name, creating a sense of shared responsibility and focus.
Asking Good Small Group Questions: As a peer group leader, crafting thoughtful and open-ended questions will help stimulate meaningful discussions. Consider the following principles:
- Start with simple and non-threatening questions to warm up the conversation.
- Encourage participants to share personal experiences and perspectives by asking questions like, “How did this topic resonate with you?” or “Can you share an example from your own life?”
- Promote reflection and deeper thinking by asking follow-up questions such as, “Why do you think that is?” or “What impact did this have on your faith journey?”
- Be mindful of creating an inclusive environment by inviting everyone to contribute and ensuring that all voices are heard.
As a peer‑group leader, lean wholly on the Lord—your role is to guide students in Christ. Stay grounded in prayer, listening not just to people but to God’s Spirit at work among you. Offer a welcoming space shaped by humility and prayer, where each person knows they are cherished and heard by both you and the Lord.
Thank you for answering the Lord’s call to serve at Rush. Your leadership, rooted in prayer and dependence on Him, will bless our participants’ journey. May you feel His strength, guidance, and joy every step of the way. Enjoy the journey and have a truly Spirit‑filled conference!