Worship Ideas for Small Groups
Remind your small group often that worship's number one goal is to bless God, not bless us. Our blessing is a by-product of worship.
Lead members in a time of testimony. Have them share one of the following:
- Their answered prayers during the week
- One or two special things God did for them this week
- The thing about Christ that makes them love following Him
- One attribute of God that was demonstrated to them this week
Then have a time of praise with song and/or prayer reflecting the testimonies shared.
Have a time of positive biblical confession: Confess your faith in God. Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord. Confess your willingness to serve Him. Confess your love for God.
Use a hymn or worship song. Read it and discuss how it relates to each member's life. Pray it to God. Then sing it together.
Have a time of silence before the Lord to hear His voice and worship Him.
Study Tools for Mentoring Worship Module together. This short but powerful study includes Scriptures about your attitude during worship, various physical expressions of worship (see next idea), and dozens of psalms to use for worshipping God.
When you read the Scriptures about various physical expressions of worship, practice one or two during each small group meeting. Position is more important than we think; the outward is a reflection of the inward. Consider a person slouching in his seat who doesn't budge when someone important walks in. It says something. Often when we use our body in worship our heart responds and we are able to enter into God's presence more easily and quickly.
Discuss these questions:
- Describe a time in which you really sensed God's presence in a close way.
- What are things you do to draw close to God?
- Choose a few ideas and practice them together as a group.
Read Romans 12:1-2 and talk about how we worship by dedicating every action we do to the Lord: our work, studies, conversations, as well as our songs when we gather. Ask the group to share specifically what it would look like to work, study, or speak as acts of worship. Invite them to share one next step to put one of their ideas into practice this week.
Have times in worship where your small group members, one by one, speak out the names and attributes of God from the article on this website. You can print a copy for each member. They could circle the ones that are most meaningful to them right now
Have each group member finish the sentence: "Lord I thank you for…"
Use psalms to worship God. Remember to stress listening to the words and worshipping God with them. Read with expression and from the heart. Some good psalms for this are 23, 27, 40, and 103. See list of psalms for worship at the end of this article.
- Have small group members take turns reading one or two psalms out loud from their hearts. Then pray in response. Or ask them to speak their praise to God using the words of a psalm.
- Choose an appropriate psalm and have each person read a verse. Or use a psalm as a responsive reading where one person reads a verse and the group responds by reading the next verse in unison.
- Use Psalm 136 as a responsive reading. Have one person speak the descriptive verse and the group respond with the repeating verse. Read from the heart.
Use God's creation as a catalyst for worship:
- Read Romans 1:20 or Psalm 104. Then, spend time reflecting how nature reveals God's character. For example, the mountains reveal His majesty. Either go outside for a walk or look out a window. Ask each person to reflect on one thing in nature and how it reveals what God is like (e.g. a tree, the clouds, a blade of grass). Then come back and share.
- Write your own psalm: Find a place outdoors where you can see some aspect of creation. Give everyone some paper and a pen. 1) Read one or two psalms aloud that use creation to describe God. Or take turns reading a sentence. Read expressing your love and wonder for God. 2) Each person by themselves, write their own short psalm of worship to God using something in His creation. Take 15-20 minutes. 3) Come back together and each one read their psalm to the group. Appreciate each person's contribution no matter how simple or profound. It's the heart of worship that pleases God. (You could print a copy of Psalm 62:5-8, 11-12 and Psalm 36:5-9 for everyone to read together, meditate on alone, and write their own psalm on the back of the paper.)
Psalms for Worship (from Tools for Mentoring Worship Module)
- God's character: Psalms 4, 33, 31:14ff, 40, 86, 100, 111, 117, 130, 138, 143, 145
- God's character in creation: Psalms 19, 36:5-9, 57:7-11, 65, 95:1-7, 97, 98:4-9, 100, 104, 121, 148
- God's love: Psalms 13:5-6, 17, 26, 33, 62, 107, 136, 139
- Psalms of praise: Psalms 66, 67, 103, 113, 135, 150
- Psalms of trust and comfort: Psalms 16, 23, 25, 27, 42, 51, 57, 63, 71, 73, 91, 118
More:
Build Your Own Bible Study
Small Group Helps
One-on-One Discipleship
Free Bible Studies
Refusing Bitterness: Joy's Story
Chi Alpha Campus Missionary In Training Objectives
Father Heart of God Seminar
Appointment Information
