Tips for Leading a Better Small Group

Discussion/Reflection Questions

What in this video stands out to you?
What did you learn from this video?
What action can you take this week as a result of watching this video?

Lead from a Personal Dependence on God

Your own walk with the Lord will be the foundation for your leadership with your small group. As you lead by example and involve your students in ministry, you are developing leaders for your movement. If you depend on your own abilities it will be seen by the students in your group. Likewise, they will see when you depend on God in everything you do.

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

– 1 Corinthians 11:1

Your Personal Study Preparation Is Essential

There are some amazing resources out there. Thrive Studies is one of them. Thrive Studies come with a leaders guide, complete with step-by-step instructions on how to begin each study, how to explore the verses, and how to apply the truth in practical ways. But amazing resources cannot overcome a lack of preparation.

Be sure to work through each lesson prior to leading your small group. Read and meditate on the referenced scripture passages. Imagine your students answering the questions. Are there some questions you should not ask? Are there some of your own you would like to add? Every group is different and only you know how to best lead your group. Your advanced preparation is one way you can show love to your students as your familiarity with the material will allow them to have a more meaningful group experience.

Remember, the lesson is not just for your students, it is also for you. Ask the Lord how it applies to your own relationship with Him. Often a leader will find the lesson is timely for them. No matter how much we know or experience with God, there is always room to grow. Look for what God might want to say to you through the study.

No matter how much we know or experience with God, there is always room to grow.

Lead Your Group by Creating a Learning Environment

While leading a small group may feel daunting, your role as a small group leader is more of a facilitator than a teacher. Students will not learn simply because you have taught them the truth.

Learning Involves Active Engagement

Studies show that we only retain 20% of what we hear in a presentation, but when we are actively involved in the process of learning, our retention skyrockets to 90%. For example, imagine yourself in a science class teaching students about mining for gold. You might give them an instruction booklet and perhaps show a picture or two. But what if you could take your students to an actual mine and let them experience digging for gold? Their five senses would come alive, and they would be able to see and touch the damp stones, hear the slow drip of water, smell the moisture and dust, and taste the mineral powder in the air. Once they discover gold for themselves, they would be motivated to keep digging for more.

Similarly, knowing ABOUT God is a far cry from being in a relationship with Him. You want students’ five senses to come to life as they dig into the character of God and into His Word to discover nuggets of truth for themselves about how to live the life God designed for them. Your time together will actually become a time of discovery.

Learning Involves Asking Questions

Asking questions will engage your students and will help them evaluate and personalize where they are in their walk with God. At the beginning of your study each week, briefly highlight topics you have already covered. Then launch into your time with an activity or discussion question that gets them thinking about the central truth of your study, something that will relate to their world. Again, there are great suggestions in the Thrive Studies leaders guide for you. Each Thrive study comes with review questions to refresh their memories of past studies and activities or discussion questions to kick off the lesson.

Here are some helpful questions to ask your students:

What do you think is the main point of this story?
Are there any words you do not understand?
What does this story teach us about God and His plan for us?
What does this story teach us about ourselves?

Learning Involves Discovering Where God Is Leading

Students regularly need to locate the “you are here” red dot in their personal walk with God. As they study scripture, you want them to discover where God is leading them. To assess where they are on God’s path and learn how to follow God’s leading, ask questions! Here are some examples of questions to help them process:

In light of these verses, where am I in my walk with God?
How does this passage apply to my life right now?
Is there anything standing in the way of me walking this path with God right now?

Create an Environment of Trust and Safety for Your Group

Students will be at different points in their relationship with God. You may have a student who has never seen a Bible and another student who has memorized parts of the Bible. You can still provide great encouragement and camaraderie along the way as you foster an environment of trust and safety.

Lead Each Person to Take Their Next Step With God

Help your students know the Christian life is lived one step at a time, one decision at a time. The next step is always the most important one. To help them apply what they have learned, you may want to close in prayer and have them ask God a few questions like the following:

What is my next step?
How does God want me to respond and apply these truths right now in my life, my relationships, my decisions?

Depending on the group, you may want to ask if anyone would share what the next step might be for them and pray for one another in closing.

Repeat the Process

Lead your small group to experience these things again and again and you will start to see students deepen their relationship with Christ. Leading students to these questions every time you meet, “Where am I, where is God leading me, how do I get there, what are obstacles in my path, and what is my next step?” As you lead your small group, create an environment to build a great internal process they can use in their personal times alone with God. God has much in store for each student and the ministry on your campus. Enjoy this great adventure and time of discovery together.

Next Step

Schedule time to prepare the next Bible study you are leading, intentionally setting a learning environment that will equip students to act on what they have learned.

Next Step

Who are some students you work with that might make good leaders? Make a list of 5 students and begin praying that God would show you opportunities to help them step into leadership.

Start with a Global Vision

Pray with Intention: Guide students in praying for teenagers around the world using tools like Operation World.
Teach Global Themes: Use studies like Thrive: GO GLOBAL to highlight how God is moving globally.
Host a Global Experience: Invite a missionary speaker, serve international food, and bring global stories to life.

Cross-Cultural Connections Without Leaving Town

Connect Locally: Encourage students to build friendships with international students or serve in diverse neighborhoods.
Create Cross-Cultural Moments: Include speakers, stories, or worldview discussions to expand their understanding.

“Mission starts with awareness, grows through connection, and takes off through action.”

Help Students Prepare to Go

Adopt and Learn: Choose an international city to learn about, pray for, and possibly visit.
Partner for Missions: Team up with another ministry to co-lead a mission trip.
Explore Digital Options: Try virtual mission trips, Zoom calls with international students, or global prayer events.

Send Students Into the World

Join a Cru Trip: We offer global trips built for high school students to share the gospel around the world.
Support Students Who Go: Celebrate them, help them fundraise, and pray for them.
Lead a Trip Yourself: It might be one of the most transformational things you do for your students—and for you.

Want help connecting to Cru High School mission trips or figuring out what is next? We are here for you. Let’s raise up a generation of students ready to go anywhere for Jesus.

Next Step

Explore Student Mission Trips
Visit our mission page to see upcoming opportunities for you and your group.

student mission trips

Are Adults Allowed on a Public High School Campus?

Are Adults Allowed to Go on a Public High School Campus?

The short answer is yes, with this caveat: “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

Many high schools today have fences—both literal and figurative—to protect students from unknown adults. Still, schools often welcome safe, trusted adults who bring value through programs, mentorship, and encouragement. Every campus looks different, but if you approach with humility, respect, and a servant’s heart, you’ll often find a door that opens. Being present on campus might feel uncomfortable—but God can use that discomfort to foster authentic connections and change lives.

Here are some practical ways adults can begin engaging with high school campuses wisely and confidently.

On All Campuses, Adults Are Allowed to…

These ideas work even in the most security-conscious schools:

Walk the perimeter. Position yourself near the school before or after classes, when students are arriving or leaving.
Attend public events. Go to football games, concerts, plays, and other community gatherings.
Hang out nearby. Visit the local coffee shop or café where students gather.

Use the main entrance. If you want to go inside, walk straight to the office. Smile, explain who you’re there to meet (e.g., a teacher or administrator), and show your ID. If you’ve scheduled ahead and it’s appropriate, schools usually provide a visitor’s pass.

“The question isn’t if you can be on a high school campus, it’s how you can be there wisely and with purpose.”

On Most Campuses, Adults Are Allowed to…

Stay on campus after dismissal to engage with students or staff.
Attend or observe after-school sports practices.
Offer to share a motivational talk or lead a team-building activity.
Know that school administrators often welcome community partners—if you use formal, respectful channels.

On Some Campuses, Adults Are Allowed to…

Join approved programs that allow youth workers to share lunch time with students.
Partner with Christian teachers or staff who are eager to see students connect with caring adults.

Why This Matters

Being on campus isn’t just about proximity. It’s about presence. Many students spend much more time at school than in church—or may never step inside one. Seeing you in the hallways, cheering on the sidelines, or offering support during lunch reminds them they’re not alone. Every student deserves at least one trusted adult who sees them, listens to them, and reflects Christ’s love. Showing up in their world—not waiting for them to visit ours—allows us to serve, encourage, and build relationships that last beyond a single moment. It may take effort, perseverance, and creativity—but that presence is worth every step because it shows students, “You’re valued. You’re not overlooked.”

Next Step

Choose one simple way to show up this week—a game, a walk nearby, or a visit to the office—and take that step toward being a trusted presence at your local high school.

Finney’s Story

From Isolation to Purpose: Collin’s Story

In 2020, Collin Finney found himself in a dark place. The pandemic had upended life, and a move to a new part of San Diego left him feeling isolated and disconnected. Away from friends and unable to meet new people, he realized he was trying to fill a “God-shaped hole” in his heart with things that never satisfied. In the midst of this struggle, Collin’s wrestling teammates invited him to a long-running Bible study tied to Cru. Through their invitation, he met Jason, a leader who embodied what it meant to love God deeply. For the first time, Collin experienced faith as his own—not a family obligation, but a relationship he chose to pursue.

Cru became a place where Collin discovered a community of people walking the same path toward Christ. Through small groups and spiritual conversations, he came to understand a truth he had never grasped before: God’s love isn’t something to earn through achievement. As someone driven by success, this realization was transformational. Collin saw that God’s love is unconditional, rooted in grace, and freely given through Christ’s sacrifice. With this new understanding, his priorities shifted. Life was no longer about being “enough” in his own strength but about accepting the love and purpose God offered.

Eventually, Collin stepped into leadership within Cru, even though he doubted whether he was qualified. He learned that being a leader wasn’t about perfection but about stepping out in faith to guide others toward God. Those experiences gave him opportunities to have deep, meaningful conversations about faith and share the hope he’d found. Collin now lives with a new purpose: glorifying God in everything he does, from his athletic pursuits to everyday interactions. His story reminds us that God’s love transforms not just our hearts but the direction of our lives, giving us a reason to live that’s bigger than ourselves.