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I. Introduction (7 Minutes)
- Pray briefly for the couples.
II. Sharing Session (88 Minutes)
- Ask what 2-3 people wrote on pages 44 and 46 in the handbook (3 minutes).
- Call on people who wrote answers in the handbook.
- Briefly and positively affirm each answer.
- Tell about the three chairs on the side (3 minutes).
- Introduce the person from the first chair; others slide down; someone fills in the last chair.
- Allow them to come as volunteers—volunteer them if you need to.
- Have them answer questions on page 47 in the handbook.
- Encourage them not to read answers from the page but to talk freely.
- Explain again how applause gives affirmation and support.
- Remind them to use page 49 in the handbook for the group encouragement time.
- Start the group sharing (81 minutes).
- You and your assistant go first—be open and answer each properly, not using notes.
- Fill your sharing chairs.
- Introduce the first sharer.
- Applaud after each sharer.
- Affirm each sharer in turn.
- Introduce each new sharer in turn.
- Do this until everyone has shared and been affirmed.
- Recap and vote for the person showing the most honesty and transparency in examining themselves and sharing with the group (3 minutes).
- No one votes until the recap concludes.
- The assistant collects the votes.
- No one ever hears there was a tie.
- The assistant breaks ties for first or third place and fills in the card or book.
- Dismiss the group to their break.
III. Break (15 Minutes)
IV. Final Session (30 Minutes)
- Present the award to the recipient (2 minutes).
- Ask the three honorees to stand one at a time and applaud for each.
- Make sure all sit down before presenting the award.
- Have the award recipient thank the group and pass around the book.
- Explain next week’s homework (1 minute)—refer to page 50 in the handbook.
- Closing Activity: Group Discussions regarding personal accountability to the Love Bank model (20 minutes).
- Quickly divide into groups of 4.
- Give them 3 seconds to select a chairperson. (His or her only responsibility is to keep the group on task; there are no group reports.)
- Ask each group to discuss these three questions:
- What Love Buster are you having the most difficulty controlling? Why?
- What Emotional Need of your spouse are you having the most trouble fulfilling? Why?
- What could your spouse do to help you overcome this Love Buster or practice the right habits to meet the emotional need of your spouse?
- Group Affirmation (10 minutes)
- Give everyone 30 seconds to select one person who touched him or her, and thank the person for his or her message, attitude, example, or encouragement.
- Remind everyone to confer with his or her Prayer Notes.
- Keep time on each person to avoid going over time.
- If your time runs out before the entire group has an opportunity to affirm another, stop the activity anyway.
V. Conclusion (5 Minutes)
- “What did you learn tonight?”
- Give a brief, encouraging pep talk.
- Closing prayer (Ask the couples to pray for themselves, then for one other couple in the class they feel especially needs prayers.)
Class Preparation Checklist:
- Listen to “Facilitator Skills” and “Session 6” messages on the Facilitator audio message.
- Pray for each couple by name; pray for God to use you.
- Bring name tags, award, pens, ballots, and tissue.
- Make sure the refreshments are coming.
Classroom Set-up Checklist
- Arrange room furniture for classroom set-up.
- Put “Do Not Enter” signs on all doors to the classroom.
- Write the sharing session questions on the board (see page 47 in the student handbook).