LEADER’S GUIDE

Through my own experiences as leader of chronic pain support groups, I have learned that God chooses who will be in my Bible studies. Members become as important to me as they do to each other. I may be the facilitator and teacher, but I am also called upon to be a confidant, a port in the storm, a hand holder, a shoulder to cry on, a boo-boo kisser. These precious saints arouse compassion, require empathy, erase pity, and demand validation as they inspire, support, motivate, and stretch me. God brings us together because we need each other.

Now you have heard God’s voice calling you to minister, and you are willing to take on a most challenging good work. You have seized the opportunity to facilitate a group of physically hurting people, to teach them how to apply God’s words to their lives, to encourage them to break out of their confining lives of pain, to offer them a forum in which they may be heard and not judged, and to build them into a supportive community through laughter, tolerance, and shared experiences.

Before you begin, recognize that participants must expend a great amount of energy to go to the meetings, that special accommodations may be necessary, that physical comfort is crucial, that a routine needs to be in place at the beginning, and that trust must be established quickly.

This Bible study may be unlike any you have ever attempted. Lessons are short, questions are intense, and application of Scripture is essential. Provide “thinking time” for each person to consider the question carefully. Guide them toward self-application and not using other people’s experiences. Finally, expect each person to learn the Scripture Memory verse, since you will spend weeks learning each verse piece by piece. Encourage your group to embrace the verse(s) in their daily struggle with frustrating, painful situations.

Suggested Framework:

• meet weekly, it’s easier to establish a routine for participants, especially scheduling  dr. appointments
• require no written homework but suggest that questions need to be read and thought about before coming to group
•  time of day is critical: too early and members can’t get out of bed, too late and the day has worn them out
•  length of focused time no longer than ninety minutes

ü   30 minutes for sharing, building community (allows for tardiness), revealing answered prayers and reciting last week’s memory verse

 ü   30 minutes for study time using the book

ü   30 minutes for praises, prayer requests, and new Scripture verse, or section, to memorize

Commitment expected from members: Having expectations encourages efforts to comply. Create an atmosphere where each person is important to the group’s effectiveness. Chronic illness robs us of control in our lives; we need to re-establish order and goals for our days. This study is not a drop-in event but a significant part of each member’s life.

• be on time (recognize this will not always happen)
• attend each week
• pray for and with each other
• apply Scripture to daily challenges
• attempt to learn the weekly Scripture memory verse

 Rules for sharing:

• don’t try to fix anyone
• share only what works for you
• don’t make suggestions like, “Have you tried…”
• everything shared in the group stays in the group 
•  suggestions for treatments, medications, holistic methods, etc. can be shared after the meeting

 Pitfalls to watch out for:

•  pity-parties, blaming others, and/or complaining

• prayer requests for other people and not for self
• one person’s drama consuming all of group time
• non-attendance judged or criticized
• Bible study turns into counseling sessions

Leader preparation:

The Old Testament tells the story of God refining His chosen people, the Israelites, in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would take upon Himself the sins of humanity. The Salvation we gain through Christ allows mankind to once again have fellowship with Holy God. Though God chose a nation, it is the personal relationships He had with individuals that reveal His intention to have a personal relationship with each of us. Thus, intimacy with Christ, His one-on-one availability, is stressed throughout all four chapters of this book.

In the book, there follows chapter goals, memory verses, and Bible reading for the leader for each lesson.

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