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BASIC FACILITATION TRAINING

Teaching vs. Facilitating

Teaching:
Teacher - centered
Teacher provides most of the ideas
Teacher does most of the talking, while participants take down
notes
Teacher is the Subject-Matter experts
Teacher is more concerned with effectiveness of delivery and content

Facilitating:
Participant - centered
Facilitator draws from the participants
Participants do most of the talking, facilitator keeps discussions
focused and alive
Facilitator is the process expert
Facilitator is more concerned with management of group discussions
and learning

Facilitator Roles
A facilitator is simply another member of the group who is helping to make the
discussion happen.
He looks for opinions not answers. He asks what the person thinks or feels.
He aims to bring everyone into the discussion.
He is a learner. He doesnt focus his own ideas.
He summarizes and asks for applications.

Facilitator Skills
A. Planning
Who will I Invite?
Family
Friends
Colleagues
Community/ Neighbors
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B. Preparation
Setting the stage for an effective small group meeting
Make sure everyone knows exactly
Where /When
What time the meeting takes place
Create a warm caring atmosphere

Key Areas of Preparation
1. Know Your Venue
Seating arrangement
Room temperature / ventilation
Noise
Lighting
Cleanliness

2. Know Your People
Who are in your group? What are their needs? Where are they spiritually?

3. Know Your Material
Logical Outline do you understand the lesson that you will present?
Clear objective what do you want them to learn? Apply?

4. Know Your Lord
Personal spiritual preparation
Commune with God through prayer

C. Communication
Verbal
Non-Verbal
Body language
1. Physical Appearance
2. Posture
3. Gestures
4. Eyes
5. Facial Expression

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Paralanguage
1. Pitch the highness or lowness of the sound of your voice. Intense
feelings of joy, fear or anger
2. Tempo the speed at which words are spoken. Conveys excitement
and persuasiveness
3. Volume the loudness or softness with which you speak. Desires to
make a statement.
4. Rhythm the speed or tone of your sentences Emphasis is placed on
different words and the cadence of speech for importance.

5. Six Rules For Facilitating A Productive Discussion

1. Explain the ground rules
Discipleship Covenant
Confidentiality
Ensure your participants that you will keep everything shared
confidential and that they too must commit to keep all matters
private and not pass it on to others.
Honesty
Express to your participants that all sharing must be open and
honest so that you can care and help one another.
Respect
Everyone should commit to respect the group by attending
meetings regularly and punctually and inform you as the
facilitator ahead of time if they will be absent.
Intercession
Pledge to pray regularly for one anothers needs and their
families.
Spiritual growth
Explain that the purpose of the small group is for spiritual growth
and as such no one should use the group to promote, sell,
recruit, or conduct business or borrow or lend money to each
other.
Timothies
After the participants have spiritually matured they should be
encouraged to start their own small groups as well.

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2. Encourage others to talk

3. Be an active listener
Listen carefully to the words they use
Listen to their heart (emotions, feelings)
Listen with empathy to be able to relate to the sharing
Listen with sincere intentions to help or give advice at the
right time

4. Ask the right questions

Types of Questions to Ask:
A. Observation Questions
Ex. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have eternal life.
o Who did God love?
o What did God do to demonstrate His love?
o What are we given if we believe in His Son?
You simply ask questions wherein the participants can easily find
the answers by observing what they read in the verse.
Anyone who has never read the Bible should be able to
answer your question.

B. Open-Ended questions
Why did Jesus say that?
What does the verse say? What does it mean?
How does it apply?
Greater Response Questions
Describe/ Explain

C. Redirection Questions
What do you think __________?
What do you feel ___________?

D. Feedback and clarification questions
Who can paraphrase our position.?
Will someone summarize.?
If I heard you right, you are saying?
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Dos in Questioning
a. Distribute your questions equally among members. Give
everyone a chance to talk.
b. Use easy questions at the start of the session (to get the
group used to answering questions successfully) and for the
shy or quiet person (to encourage participation).
c. Ask a direct question to the inattentive person by name.
d. Prepare questions for your lesson in advance.
e. Rephrase your question if a member does not understand it.
f. Silence after asking a question is not wrong. Dont be afraid
of silence.

Donts in Questioning
a. Dont question the group in a regular order (for example, from
right to left or around in a circle).
b. Dont use long, difficult questions.
c. Dont use leading questions that can be answered by yes or
no.
5. Respond appropriately to questions and comments

Paraphrase
I heard you saying
Please correct me if Im wrong, but heres how I understand
you

Summarizing
Offer concise and timely summaries
Summarize to REVIVE and END a discussion
Wrong Answers KKK (Kiss-Kick-Kiss)
I see that you have a great idea there. HoweverBut heres
what we can do





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6. Conclude by asking each member for an Application
(How shall I apply this to my life?)
Personal I will read me Bible
Specific During quiet time
Measurable 5 times a week
Realistic Mornings before 8am
Time-bound Starting tomorrow!

The Facilitator in a group discussion is like a musical conductor. He regulates the
pace, timing and volume of the group interaction.

When In Doubt
Honestly, I dont know the answer but Ill find out and let you know next week.
Thats very interesting, Im not really certain about what to say right now. Let me
ask our pastor and take it up with you next week?

Facilitators Part
To serve members of your small group.
To keep discussions on track and not drift from the topic.
To manage the group interaction.
Ultimately, to lead members to a personal relationship with Christ

Support Your Members
Cheer, motivate and inspire them
Keep in touch during the week
Dont just meet for lessons go out and do fun things together.

Close Your Group In Prayer
Keep your prayer short and simple
Be sensitive with the words you use
Dont ask participants to pray if new