One of our favorite nights of the year as a Dinner Group is when we get to have an encouragement night. Encouragement night is an evening when we can take time to stop, reflect, and share on how we value and appreciate one another.

Encouragement is something we’re already doing in groups by just showing up and being willing to listen and support one another in their own spiritual growth, but by vocalizing that encourage we are able to love those around us at the next level.

“So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 MSG

Here are three questions you can ask to lead your group on an encouragement night:

What do you value and appreciate about others in this group?

Over the year we’ve learned this is valuable because it’s rare that we take time to let others know how we appreciate them. Your and your group members love group. The biggest reason you like group is because of the people in the group. By stopping to reflect on others in the group allows us the space to think about why we value others. Most of the feedback in life can be how we don’t measure up or that we could be doing more. This is where we get the opportunity to flip that. Spoke encouragement from others stirs up one another to love well.

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

What are the strengths you see in others?

We’ve learned that as individuals we can struggle to know what are strengths are because we live with an assumption that because it comes easy to us it must . When our group members recognize this strength as a gift from God that makes them unique it empowers them to use it in service of others.

How have you witnessed others in this group grow?

Because we are in it every day it can be a challenge for us to witness our own growth. If you’re group member is consistent in group it’s rare that they are not growing. Helping them to see how they’ve mature can really motivate them to keep going and to overcome the next hurdle they face in life.

A few tips that we’ve learned along the way:

• We recommend hosting an encouragement night quarterly, but we’ve also found it’s super helpful at ending well. So if you group is coming up on a break or about to wrap up because you’re about to launch a new group hosting an encouragement the last time you meet really puts a bow on it.
• As a group leader you need to make sure everyone has been encouraged. You may need to think a head of time what you might say about everyone in the group in case someone is overlooked. I have found this rare but it’s helpful just in case.
• Just because we want to make sure everyone is encourage it’s important to make sure what you are saying is true. Don’t lie. Lies are not encouraging. If your stuck think, “what does this person bring to our group? What is unique about them?”

Have you done and encouragement night in your group? Share with us how it went! Email dinnergroups@hobokengrace.com

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