Moving from the relational portion of the evening into the more structured portion of the night can be difficult and seem somewhat cold in tone if done poorly. 
Our goal is that participants would be introduced to the curriculum in a way that would help them understand the importance of the material and the structure of our groups. Again, much like the group introductions this will be different for each group depending on the number of participants, current place in the curriculum, and how group leaders use the curriculum within the context of the group. Continue reading
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Dealing with Difficult Issues in Group
Inevitably, issues are going to arise within the group. 
No matter how well you facilitate the group, there will be times that the group will be difficult because these groups are comprised of hurting, broken people. The most important thing to remember when dealing with difficult people is that to the best of your ability, be sure that you are able to keep your cool. Below are some of the most common issues that might arise during group: Continue reading
Assessing the Group
In order to gauge the effectiveness of the group, there are key markers that distinguish an effective group. At semi-regular intervals, it is important that you evaluate the group to ensure that there is effectiveness and consistency among the groups. The following are questions that we as a ministry will use to assess groups for effectiveness and consistency: Continue reading
Basics of Group Dynamics
Leading recovery-support groups is as much about the group as it is about the capacity of the leader. Understanding what makes a healthy group will help you as a leader foster healthy group interaction so that participants are able to work both individually on their personal struggle but collectively as a unit. 
We cannot put individuals together and immediately expect them to work together, this will take time and typically follows a pattern of development. Below are the five standard progressions that each group will go through in its development. Continue reading
Introducing New Members
Introducing a new participant into the pre-existing group is one of the most difficult challenges present in G4 because our groups are open and can be joined at any time. 
Adding a new group member to a group that has already built trust can be difficult and that means that the method that is used in each group might vary slightly while the purpose remains the same. New participants should feel welcome by the group and have an opportunity, as much as they are willing, to share a portion of their story. Because each group is different in size and composition, this is much more like an art than a science. Done well, this can allow for a major win, by allowing participants at different stages in their journey to serve as either a reminder of how far they have come or the hope they have before them. Continue reading
John H. Chapman 