A Note from the Author

I’ve used this questionnaire with 2 life groups with great results. It gets me deep into my students’ lives quickly. Their answers tend to be much deeper than what most would tell me within the first few weeks of forming a new small group.

By putting their answers in a document rather than verbally answering questions, there’s a certain feeling of anonymity they can have, even though they are writing their contact information at the very beginning. One caution with this tool is to not stand over them while they fill it out.

Some will not share as much as others. That’s okay. You’re providing them with an opportunity to share, not a mandate to disclose what they may need more time to reveal. Many will welcome the opportunity. Others won’t be ready. Reading through the questions will get their minds thinking about what they can be free to share with you when the time is right.

As a leader, here are some ways this improves my effectiveness:

• Students who share openly through it allow me to know them better than a month of chit chat conversations. I am able to talk with them on a deeper level sooner than without this product.
• Students who don’t share very much reveal something about themselves by being shallow. A student being disruptive while filling out the document, communicates what to expect behaviorally. I don’t punish that. I use that lack of focus to know how to prepare my lessons.
• This year I had a student write in one of his answers, “I have something to share about this, but I’m not ready, yet.” That shouted to me that he wants some follow up, but doesn’t want pressure to share before we know each other better. That’s an invitation I can’t pass up.

I created this resource because the questionnaire our high school ministry gave me to use asked questions I didn’t care to know the answers to. For instance, I don’t care what a student’s favorite candy bar is. What I do care about is knowing my students on a deeper level. This resource has met that goal very effectively for me. I’m sure it will for you, too.

Product Includes:

• Life Group Awesome Questionaire.pdf
• A Note from the Author.pdf
• About your VYM Resource.pdf (not directly related to the resource)