In the six years since we began hosting discussion groups, we’ve now facilitated over 500 discussions. Here are a few things we’ve learned.
Many people doubt their ability to facilitate groups. The discussion materials are self-guided, with all necessary context and background information included. No teaching expertise or deep scriptural knowledge is required—just a willingness to explore together.
Groups need not be large or meet at breweries. Try hosting a conversation at a restaurant, coffee shop, brewery or in your home. Even one-on-one conversations provide significant value.
Watch for visitors, greet them, and connect them with others who share interests. We often spend the first 10–15 minutes of our meeting just simply hanging out and talking.
Smaller tables typically have the best participation and most meaningful conversation. We recommend splitting up into tables of 4–7 people. Quieter participants tend to speak less in larger settings.
Groups exceeding eight people benefit from a timing structure. Try sitting in a circle and give everyone 1 minute to answer each question. The timing formula is: (participants) × (questions) × (timer length). For an 8-person group, 6 questions should take approximately 48 minutes.
Some individuals prefer observing. It’s totally okay to pass if they don’t want to share. Removing that pressure often makes people more willing to contribute when they do have something to say.
Facilitators should actively include quieter members. Sometimes all it takes is saying something like “Let’s hear from [name]” to draw someone into a conversation they wanted to join but didn’t know how.
Questions themselves aren’t dangerous—it’s stopping at the question without looking for answers that’s problematic. Creating a safe space for honest questions and doubts encourages deeper faith exploration.
Complete agreement in the room may be a sign that people feel uncomfortable sharing their real thoughts. In reality, a room full of people will naturally be filled with different perspectives and opinions—and that’s where the richest conversations happen.
It’s no secret that the religious space sometimes struggles in this area. Pressure to convince others often backfires. As long as people are coming to your group, they’re still on the journey. Let the conversations do the work.
Early groups met at public restaurants without any dedicated space. Once your group grows, you may be able to negotiate a private party room with a food and drink minimum—but don’t let logistics stop you from starting.
If you’re meeting in a public place like a restaurant or brewery, some who come to your group may only be interested in the discussion and not order any food or drinks. A generous tip maintains goodwill with the venue and honors the people serving you.