Listening is a lost art. When someone talks to us, we tend to be processing information instead of truly listening.
We collect the factual data, then craft our responses and make judgments without really listening to the deeper truths, feelings, and emotions behind the other person's words.
Needless to say, this can cause problems — especially in a small group setting.
Bill Donahue and Dr. Henry Cloud continue their yearlong Groups That Grow small group leadership series on CCN by helping leaders learn how to be better listeners.
Listening Beyond the Words provides practical tools to help small groups pastors and volunteer leaders really hear what's being said in small groups.
“ Every group leader and every group member needs some pointers on becoming a better listener,” Dr. Cloud says. “If we want our relationships to deepen and our hearts to grow in faith, we must all become better at the art of conversing — and that requires active listening.”
Cloud and Donahue will help leaders:
- Create an atmosphere of acceptance rather than judgment
- Clarify words and their meanings
- Hear the messages behind the words
- Listen at a soul level
- Engage other group members in the listening process
- Be attentive to non-verbal signals and actions of group members
Jesus said, “Those who have ears, let them hear.” Isn't it time to put those ears to good use in your small groups?
Dr. Henry Cloud is a clinical psychologist, international speaker, and best selling author. He is the co-host of the nationally broadcast “New Life Live” radio program. He co-founded the Minirth-Meier Clinic West and served with Dr. John Townsend as the clinic's co-director for nine years. Dr. Cloud is the author of Changes That Heal . With Dr. Townsend, he co-authored the best selling Boundaries series, How People Grow, Safe People, and What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do .
Bill Donahue is the executive director of Small Group Ministries for the Willow Creek Association. He is the author of Leading Life-Changing Small Groups, and with Russ Robinson the coauthor of The 7 Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry, Building a Church of Small Groups, and Walking the Small Group Tightrope. He also teaches at several seminaries and has written and edited many small group studies, including the Interactions Series, the New Community Series and the Bible 101 Series.
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