HOW TO BE A GOOD 3THIRDS GROUP LEADER
THE M.A.W.L. PROCESS
Model
- Demonstrate each step. Followed directions.
- Clear, confident, prepared example of leading the meeting.
- Keep it simple, follow the plan consistently.
- Be obvious about the plan, explain the process.
- Manage the time, keep everyone focused and on task.
- Keep a participatory process that many can do.
- Don’t assume your trainee will just get it.
- Present vision for the group from the start. Making sure you’re casting clear vision as a disciple-makers training group.
- Tell them there will be role changes and others are going to lead. Let them know about MAWL.
Assist
- Let them lead.
- Keep the new leader on time, in a way that does not undermine them.
- Meet one on one before the meeting and go over the plan and make sure they are ready.
- Sit next to the leader in the meeting and quietly help redirect.
- Tell the group you are assisting the new leader. (We tell the whole group what’s happening, “I’m here to assist my good friend Susan, and you may see me lean over and share with her.” This puts the group at ease.)
- Meet after the meeting and evaluate, offsite.
- Be a model participant.
Watch
- Very observant of the overall meeting.
- Good participant.
- Continue to model the purpose, values, and practices of a 3/3rds meeting.
- Ensure the right DNA is going downstream. You’re doing quality control. You’re praying to ensure the overall process is going forward correctly.
- Before the meeting will participate with the assistant as they prepare the model person.
- After group meeting will focus on the assisting process and modeling process.
- If the Watcher sees something go wrong they’ll engage the assister. I let the meeting fall apart at the Watch stage, and I pick up the pieces later apart. Amy, his wife, does not but rather intervenes. In both cases, they make sure training happens. You need to trust the downstream process and the Holy Spirit. Some style and finesse here.
- May need to whisper in Assister’s ear and say, “you need to meet with Modeler after meeting and cover such and such.”
- Planned absences.
Leave/Launch
- Total absence. Not a total relational end. But relationship has changed. In the leave phase you’re busy with other people.
- End of any control. Not really the end of influence. They know you’re off starting new streams, training new people, and that has an influence.
- Don’t be in the room.
- Tell people well in advance.
How to get a 3Thirds Discipleship Study Group going? Lots of ways. Be creative. One man put an ad in Craiglist. He was a new believer in San Antonio. He said, “Hi I’m Tony, I live in this neighborhood. I used to be far from God. I’d like to get a group together to talk about the claims of Jesus.” 30 responses in 1 day.
Group size: 6 – 8 people is a good size for a group. You can do 12-13 but some trainers handle the group differently. For example, they break the group into pairs for first 3rd. Then, come back together for the vision casting and middle 3rd. Then break into pairs to answer the looking forward questions and to do the practice. Beyond 15 you begin to lose intimacy.
Be in two groups: attend the group that is your spiritual family, but help gets other groups started through MAWL process.
Working people who are helping others to start a group may go to an every other week format. That is, they’re in two groups, but they only go to one meeting a week.
THIS POST WAS ADAPTED FROM LESSONS WITH CURTIS SERGEANT