What if they won't talk?

Probably one of the fears that we all have as leaders is silence in the group.  You pose a question or the question that appears in the Why Catholic book falls flat.  It can feel like you are a failure as a group leader.  The truth is that even experienced group leaders are very sensitive about this.  What can we do to make sure the sharing in the group is lively and meaningful? 

It is best to begin with the attitude that this is OUR group and everyone in it has a responsibility to move the process along.  It doesn't all depend on you.  Here are a few other things for you to consider...

First of all maybe you have a quiet group.  Some groups are more thoughtful and less expressive.  Don't force it.  If a question falls flat, move on if you need to.

Some questions may not be helpful.  It always helps to check the questions in advance and ask yourself, "How would I answer that question?"  If you have a hard time coming up with something, think of ways to rephrase the question.  Some people have already discovered that the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults has some very good questions for sharing.  Use that as a resource.

Don't panic if there is no immediate response to the question that is posed.  Just wait, allow for silence.  Often people need some time to ponder.

If it is a question that requires some thought, it may be that asking the group to take some time to write their responses would help.  Also some group leaders have people pair off and share first and then share with the larger group.

It always helps to have some standard questions in reserve.  Here is a list of questions that you can use when the group doesn't seem to understand or respond to the question given:
          What word or phrase struck you?
          What did you like about what we read?
          What didn't you like?
          What does the passage say about God or faith?
          What does the passage say to you?
          How does the passage challenge us?
         
You might even try a rating scale approach.  Ask people to indicate their response to the passage between 1 and 5 (one being very bland and five being very powerful).  When they indicate their rating it can open the door to further questions such as "Tell us more about why you gave it a 3."

I hope this helps.  The beauty of small groups is that the Holy Spirit takes over and miracles happen.  So pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and trust in his presence.