Let’s start with an enormous understatement: This school year has been difficult. Both teachers and students have had to deal with incredible challenges.
Since August I have been teaching my classes in a hybrid style—some students are in the classroom and some are joining the class remotely. My main struggle has been participation. Especially for remote students, it is much easier to stay quiet and let others do most of the interacting. Consequently, I’ve been thinking a lot about silence.
Silence in the classroom and silence in Bible studies are not that different. They can both be deflating for the teacher/leader, and they usually come from one of three sources.
Why to Minimize Silence
The main strength of a small group Bible study is the interaction that takes place. But if there’s no dialogue, the meeting falls short of its potential.
Small group silence usually happens when the leader asks a question that gets no response. After a second or two, the leader rephrases the question or gives an answer himself.
Not All Silence Is Bad
We should note that not all silence is bad. Thinking takes time! So, if a leader asks a thought-provoking question, some silence is natural—especially if the group has not considered the question before.
One of the essential skills for all teachers and small group leaders is the ability to sit in silence. Most people hate silence and will do anything to fill it. But that won’t do in a setting that thrives on conversation. A leader who can’t allow silence short-circuits the thinking and learning that can happen in the group.
What’s the difference between good silence and bad silence? That largely depends on the group, but here’s a rule of thumb. When I was first training as a teacher, a mentor advised me to count silently to fifteen after I asked a question.
For those just learning this skill, fifteen seconds is an eternity. But, comfort comes with repetition. And by allowing this silence, the leader emphasizes that they genuinely want to hear from others.
3 Reasons for Silence
If silence in a group routinely stretches beyond fifteen seconds, something might need to change. There are at least three reasons why a small group leader’s question might be met with silence.
A Bad Question
A group might be silent because the question is bad. It is much easier to ask a bad question than a good one! The older I get, the more convinced I am that asking helpful questions is essential to excellent teaching and fruitful leadership. And asking good questions is hard work.
What makes a bad question in a small group Bible study? Here are three possibilities.
- The question is too personal. If a small group leader shifts too quickly from textual to personal questions, this whiplash may cause people to close up.
- The question is too obvious. Leaders should avoid asking fill-in-the-blank questions. Group members may feel insulted by questions with trivial answers.
- The question is too difficult. While a leader has been studying the passage for hours, some group members have just read it for the first time. Asking people to perform high-level analysis without the proper lead-up is sometimes asking too much.
A Bad Atmosphere
So much of what happens in a small group depends on the climate of the group. Start/stop times, topics for small talk, even who prays and for how long—these are among the many aspects of a small group that develop over time and are a part of its atmosphere.
How much a group values discussion is a foundational part of a small group’s culture. And the small group leader has a huge influence.
Simply put, if the Bible study leader doesn’t value or desire input from group members, discussion is much less likely to occur, regardless of how many questions are asked.
A small group’s atmosphere may also be affected by dominant group members, conflicts between people, or other issues that do not arise from the leader. These may make the climate unfriendly to participation.
Reluctant Group Members
The first two reasons for silence were problems to be fixed. The third reason falls in a different category.
Some people are, by nature, less willing to answer questions in a group setting. They may be afraid of giving a wrong answer, they may take longer to think through answers, or they may just not enjoy talking in a group setting.
A person’s physical or mental health can also play a role in their participation. A group member who is ill, tired, grieving, or depressed may be more withdrawn during group meetings. These are natural and understandable reasons for not answering questions.
Encouraging Conversations
Any small group leader who wants their group to bear fruit is frustrated when they ask a question and hear no response. The good news is that there are ways to improve as a leader to minimize these stretches of silence.
In my next post we’ll start to explore how a leader can ask questions that stimulate thought and illuminate the Scripture. We will also learn some tips to create a culture of friendly interaction within the small group. Finally, we will discuss ways to understand, value, and encourage group members who don’t often participate.
Josh says
Thanks, Ryan, for the helpful and timely article. Any additional/modified advice for a “not so small” group? I currently lead a Romans study group of about 25 that I would like to be more interactive rather than simply lecture. Discussion questions are given ahead of time (~1 week in advance) but still there is silence at times. One example: What is the “therefore” there for in Romans 5:12? … silence. I had a possible answer but was honestly looking for additional insight to see what others may have learned from the context.
Ryan Higginbottom says
Thanks for the encouragement, Josh! I think there are some qualities of good questions that are almost universal and some that are specific to individual groups. (Incidentally, my next post will be all about good questions!) Regarding your example, it may depend on how common that sort of question is for your group—are they used to answering questions like that? Have you built up to the question at all? (Reading preceding verses, giving a brief summary of preceding chapters/verses, etc.) A lot of what makes a question “good” is how well you’ve primed the pump. Finally, sometimes a leader can put in a lot of work to craft a good question and it still falls flat. Part of preparing good questions involves anticipating what you’ll do in response to various answers (or even silence). Could you throw out a possible answer? Or walk the group halfway down the path to an answer? Rephrase the question?
Josh says
Ryan- No. Thank you! Truly appreciate your post and reply. Great wisdom here from someone I can tell has been “down in the trenches” endeavoring to serve God and His people in the truth. Thought you might be happy to hear that we just had our next study night on Romans 6 tonight and it was a really powerful and enlightening time — and I really believe it was due in large part to some of the wisdom you gave me here. I gave extra space for folks to think and I was not afraid of the silence times. It really went so wonderfully. Some of these simple points you mentioned helped me as leader let God work in His people without feeling constrained to move on too quickly — it helped me remember that hungry people may just need a little bit of time and some help to think more deeply. So thankful to be able to understand better with hungry people what God is telling us about our union with Christ’s death and life unto God. I think God’s kingdom was furthered tonight. Thanks for contributing to that, Ryan. In Christ, Josh
Ryan Higginbottom says
This is wonderful to hear. Thanks for sharing. I praise the Lord for the way he continues to teach us!