1. When you share, keep it about you. Focus on your own thoughts and feelings and not the motives or feelings of someone else. Please limit your sharing to 3-5 minutes.
V WHY? There is often a temptation to avoid our own issues. This makes us observers, not participants and puts a safe (and lonely) distance between ourselves and others.
2. Do not engage in side conversations. It is disrespectful to carry on a conversation with another person while someone else is speaking. Each person should be able to speak without being interrupted.V WHY? It is rude and disrespectful to “cross talk.” It conveys the message that what the person speaking is saying is not important or relevant.
3. We are here to encourage, support and learn together. Resist the feeling that you must make everything better. We are not called to “fix” each other.V WHY? We are not professional counselors. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and are here to point each other to the only one who can fix us – Jesus Christ.
4. Confidentiality is a basic requirement. What is shared in the group stays in the group! There will be no gossip disguised as prayer requests!V WHY? Telling outsiders what was said or done in the group violates trust and causes others to close up and not feel that they can be open and honest with sensitive issues.
5. Be respectful and follow the golden rule.V WHY? Because each of us has great value to God and to each other. A Christ-centered group is no place for disrespect or rudeness.