Notes to Group Leaders or Self Study Individuals

Its a Guide

The guide below is just that – a guide. These topics are not easy to discuss for everybody.  It is OK to have different opinions.  It is OK to not even come to a final, resolute answer.  Be patient with yourself and others.  Enjoy the journey.  

You do not need to answer every question.  Some questions will resonate with your group more than others.  You can certainly pick and choose between the ones you would like to focus.

You can use the guide online, or you can download the PDF to take the materials with you off-line.  The materials themselves are basically the same.  The PDF does not have the images and videos that are on-line, but organizes white space in the participant guide for taking notes.

Facilitation

Please take time now to consider how you will help your group maintain a safe environment for sharing in a dialog that has few, if any, finite answers. We hope this guide facilitates self-discovery, healing, and curiosity in life-long conversations. We pray that you and your group will welcome and recognize God’s presence within your conversations.

Invitation

Our Library of Leaders’ Guides (to be developed) will grow over time as groups and individuals like you provide guides from multiple perspectives and religions. We welcome additional leader guides from all life affirming faith traditions to send us their customized section introductions.  Check back again to see if alternate leader guides are posted, or join our newsletter and we can let you know when we post a new leader guide.

We invite leaders to upload their own customized Introduction Sections, Notes Column, and a recommended reading list for their own study group and the FamilyCut community to use.

Perhaps over time we can provide mini comparative overviews on selected discussion topics from the various leader guides received…  The community’s interest will determine if we are able to achieve this aspiration.

Prime the pump

Sometimes a conversation group can get stuck.  Here are a few generic suggestions to help the conversation.

• How did the characters in the film react to this topic? Did each character respond similarly?
• Is there a relevant scriptural theme or cultural writing that your members share related to this topic?
• What related topic are members of your group experiencing in their lives now?
• Can you summarize one or two key points to conclude the topic and go to the next?
• Share how you have experienced this topic in your life and how you may or may not have recognized God’s presence at that time.
• How did the movie affect you related to this topic?
• Consider how to make room for multiple perspectives on the topic.
• What steps could we implement in our daily lives to be proactive and enhance our self-awareness and development?
• How can we help our community related to this topic?