Meetings
Ron Graham
Charles G. Finney was an evangelist, abolitionist, and founder of Oberlin College in Ohio. He wrote extensively on revivals of religion, and I found his remarks on how prayer meetings were to be run applicable to all sorts of meetings where people don't pray. :-) The remarks need to be interpreted in the appropriate context, distilled, and responsibilities assigned to meeting leaders and participants.

Finney's Remarks Interpreted in Context Distilled
  1. When there is an unhappy want of confidence in the leader, there is no hope of any good.
  2. Where the leader lacks spirituality, there will be a dryness and coldness in his remarks and prayers; everything will indicate his want of unction, and his whole influence will be the very reverse of what it ought to be.
  3. A want of suitable talents in the leader.
  4. Sometimes the benefit of a prayer meeting is defeated by a bad Spirit in the leader.
  5. Persons coming late to the meeting.
  6. When persons make cold prayers and cold confessions of sin, they are sure to quench the spirit of prayer.
  7. In some places it is common to begin a prayer meeting by reading a long portion of Scripture. Then the deacon or elder gives out a long hymn. Next, they sing it. Then he prays a long prayer, praying for the Jews, and the fullness of the Gentiles, and many other objects that have nothing to do with the occasion of the meeting.
  8. A great deal of singing often injures a prayer meeting.
  9. Introducing subjects of controversy into prayer will defeat a prayer meeting.
  10. Great pains should be taken, both by the leader and others, to watch narrowly the leadings of the Spirit of God. Let them not quench the Spirit for the sake of praying according to the regular custom.
  11. If individuals refuse to pray when they are called upon, it injures a prayer meeting.
  12. Prayer meetings are often too long.
  13. Heartless confessions injure a meeting. People confess their sins but do not forsake them.
  14. Injury is also done when Christians spend all the time in praying for themselves.
  15. Prayer meetings are often defeated by the want of appropriate remarks. The things are not said which are calculated to lead them to pray.
  16. It is a hindrance, when individuals who are justly obnoxious are forward in speaking and praying.
  17. When persons take part whose illiteracy is so pronounced as to cause disgust among people of taste and intelligence, attention is diverted.
  18. A want of union in prayer mars the meeting; that is, when one leads, but the others do not follow, for they are thinking of something else.
  19. Neglect of secret prayer is yet another hindrance. Christians who do not pray in secret cannot unite with power in a prayer meeting, and cannot have the spirit of prayer.
  1. The leader must have the confidence of the others.
  2. The leader must have some resolve and strength of character.
  3. The leader must have some talent for leadership.
  4. The leader must have a positive attitude.
  5. Everyone must show up on time.
  6. Everyone must be willing to own up to mistakes.
  7. The meeting must stay focused on the subject.
  8. "Ice-breaking" exercises may hinder progress.
  9. Controversy may hinder progress.
  10. "The way we always do it" may hinder progress.
  11. Everyone must be willing to participate.
  12. The meeting must end on time.
  13. Those with problems must be willing to be part of the solutions.
  14. Everyone must focus on the good of the group as a whole.
  15. Everyone must try to encourage the group.
  16. Obnoxious participants must be kept in check.
  17. Participants who don't know what's going on must be kept in check.
  18. Distractions must be kept in check.
  19. Personal agendas must be kept in check.
The leader

  • has the confidence of the particpants
  • has resolve and strength of character
  • has talent for leadership
  • has a positive attitude

The participants

  • show up on time
  • know (or learn) what's going on
  • focus on the group
  • participate
  • encourage others
  • admit and learn from mistakes
  • contribute to solutions
  • place personal agendas behind problem-solving

The agenda

  • focused on the subject
  • begins and ends on time

The environment

  • limited "ice-breaking"
  • controversy/disputes handled separately
  • controlling/obnoxious personalities controlled

A Christian church service often can be divided into four sections:

  1. Gathering -- note that the "Collect of the Day" will be used to collect people and their thoughts.
  2. Service of the Word -- this includes the sermon.
  3. Service of the Meal -- this includes communion, creeds, and prayers.
  4. Sending -- it's assumed that the faithful, having been refreshed, will go out to serve.

Notice the strong resemblance between this description and the contents of a successful business or technical integration meeting:

  1. Gathering -- which may include such things as announcements and donuts. :-)
  2. Presentation of Facts -- the background associated with the meeting's purpose; comparable to the sermon.
  3. Discussion of Viewpoints -- feedback from the participants; comparable to an exchange of greetings in the service and to individual prayers.
  4. Consensus of Actions -- agreement on what actions are to be taken and by whom; comparable to communion and responsive readings of creeds.
  5. Sending -- the major difference here is that action items are deliverables to the next team meeting. :-)

References

Finney, C. G. Lectures on Revival. Bethany House, 1989. ISBN 1-556-61062-9
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