How do you respond when someone in Small Group does not want to contribute?

You know, we all have been in a group where there’s somebody--some guy or some gal--that just sits there. They don’t do anything. Their eyes follow the group, the eyes follow the conversation, but they never contribute, they never share. And you say, “Well, how in the world can I get that person to open up and begin to share their heart?” Sometimes you’ve got to prime the pump and you’ve got to do that personally and privately. Sit down and talk with that individual and say, “You know what, I notice you don’t say much, but I bet you have an interesting story to tell. What are some of your thoughts when we’re discussing these issues? What are some of the thoughts that you have about sharing?”

They may have stage fright, they may just freeze up in front of people or maybe they feel like what they have to say really isn’t that important. You need to encourage them to get them to tell you their story. And then ask their permission and say, “Can I share a little bit of that story during the Small Group?” And when you do share that person’s story, then you can say, “Hey, is there something you’d like to add?” And a lot of times they’ll come in and add a few things. Sometimes you have to figure out ways. You’ve got to use your wisdom. Figure out ways to prime that pump to get them to begin to participate, and once they do I think you’ll have a good active member in your group.