Miriam · Leader Guide

How to Use

• Each meeting covers one lesson. The passage, questions and notes are all on the lesson page, and group members can print their own copy.
• Leaders need only this guide: first the flow that is the same every time, then the focus points and tips for each lesson.
• A lesson takes about an hour. Meet weekly or every other week — whatever fits your group.

Each Meetingabout 55 min

• Opening: Start with last time’s ‘This week’: ‘Did you do it? How did it go?’ For the first lesson, ask everyone to say in one sentence why they want to read about this person. The leader goes first.
• Read together: Take turns reading the passage, a few verses each. The leader reads the short notes between sections.
• Discussion: You don’t need to discuss every question in ‘Think It Through.’ Pick one or two from each group, add this lesson’s focus points, and that is plenty.
• This week: Read it together, and ask each person to decide on the one small thing they will do this week.
• Close: You can pray using a verse from the lesson. If some aren’t used to praying aloud, a minute of silence together is fine too.

Principles

1. The leader is not a teacher, but someone walking alongside everyone else.
2. Give everyone a chance to speak. If some talk a lot, you can gently say, ‘Let’s hear from those who haven’t spoken yet.’
3. Don’t rush to give answers. If there is silence, wait a few more seconds.
4. If you can’t answer a question, it’s fine to say, ‘I don’t know — let’s look into it together,’ and come back to it next time.
5. What is said in the group stays in the group.
6. At the start, the leader can share their own answer first. Keep it simple and honest.
7. In the lessons, words in double quotes with a reference are scripture. What the passage does not say, we can only guess; guessing is fine, as long as we say we are guessing.
8. Don’t press on painful things. If someone becomes upset, stay with them after the meeting; if needed, involve a pastor from their church or a professional counselor.