Meeting Formats

Meeting together weekly and almost always in a lecture format will probably not get you very far. Many of the topics you’re interested in focusing on during large group meetings lend themselves to creative and varied formats. By varying your format you can help others learn more and keep your meetings interesting.

As you consider your topics, check this list to see which of these formats might best suit the topic and your group. You can combine some of these at one meeting, but not too many. Add some creativity to our meetings by trying a:

Concert of prayer
Formal debate
Bible exposition
Question/answer
Open forum
Lecture
Presentation with rebuttal
Lecture with prepared student response
Mini-missions conference (different stations to visit)
Panel discussion
Multi-media, film, slides, video
Musical concert
Dramatic readings
Interview
Simulation games
Reader’s theater
Mime
Acting out parable or other scriptures
Evangelism resource fair (stations with materials, demonstrations)
Story telling
Role plays
Book reviews
Skits to introduce topics
Dinners to raise awareness of issues (e.g. hunger)
Interpretive dance
One-act play
Contemporary song festival
Silent meeting (extended time for silent reflection)
Hymn festival
Clowning (clown actions to illustrate parables)
Soliloquoy (e.g. Moses speaking to God)