Captivating Small Group Facilitator’s Guide

Section 2: Leader's Guide

There's great power walking through this journey with like-minded women, as each session takes them deeper with God into the restoration of their feminine heart. As you begin this study, we recommend that each participant have a copy of:

Captivating (book)
Captivating Study Guide

The Captivating Guided Journal is also available, designed more for personal use and deeper, further study than most groups have time for. It is an option for the women to have a copy, but it is not needed for this study. 

Session 1: The Heart of a Woman

Chapter to have read for this week: Captivating chapter 1

About This Session: What did God mean when he meant you? Your feminine heart has been created as a reflection of God's own heart. And though we are all unique, we also each share the same core desires. Discover how every woman longs to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a heroic adventure, and to unveil beauty.

Initial Welcome: As the group first gathers, start your time with introductions (if the ladies don’t know each other). Begin with yourself (you can share your name, how long you’ve been a follower of Christ, if you have a spouse and/or children, and what you hope to learn most from this study.) Going first will put the group more at ease.

Core Scripture: Proverbs 4:23; Take a few minutes and invite women to read from various translations aloud. Listen for fresh insights and share any thoughts about this verse with the group.

Watch Session 1 Video: After introductions and sharing of Proverbs 4:23, jump right into watching the video teaching, getting things started on a strong note:

Discussion: Pick the group discussion questions from the Study Guide (found on page 4) for Session 1 ahead of time that you know you definitely want to cover, just in case you end up only having time to discuss a few of them. However, it may be difficult at this first meeting for the women to want to open up. That's ok. If your group is very large, it may be helpful to break up into smaller groups for the discussion.

As You Close:

  • Remember to end on time, especially this first week. You can close by briefly reviewing the summary of Session 1 (found on page 2 of the Study Guide)
  • Pray—Close your time with prayer, simply talking with God. The leader or a volunteer can use the prayer found on page 5, which is based on the topics of Session 1, if helpful.
  • Encourage the women to work through the questions in their Study Guide in the coming week. This is designed to take them deeper into the themes from Session 1. The primary goal of this is for personal growth and private reflection.
  • Let the women know it will be helpful to read Chapters 2 & 3 in Captivating to prepare for Session 2

 

Session 2: Fallen Eve

Chapters to have read for this week: Captivating chapters 2 & 3

About This Session: Eve fell to the lies of the enemy because she was convinced that God was holding out on her. We make that same choice today. Having forfeited our confidence in God, we believe that in order to have the life we want, we must take matters into our own hands. So we do…only to then ache with an emptiness nothing seems able to fill.

Welcome: If there are new members in your group, take a moment to introduce yourselves to one another. We suggest simply sharing your name, some brief details about your life, and why you decided to join this study. If you feel there is time, you can also take a few moments to see if anyone wants to share brief insights from their personal reflection during the previous week—but be careful this doesn't hijack the time for today's session. 

Core Scripture: Genesis 2:18; Take a few minutes and invite women to read from various translations aloud. Listen for fresh insights and share any thoughts about this verse with the group.

Watch Session 2 Video: After the welcome and sharing of Genesis 2:18, jump right into watching the Session 2 video:

Discussion: Pick the group discussion questions from the Study Guide (found on page 20) for Session 2 ahead of time that you know you definitely want to cover, just in case you end up only having time to discuss a few of them. 

As You Close:

  • You can close by briefly reviewing the summary of Session 2, found on page 18 of the Study Guide.
  • Pray—Close your time with prayer, simply talking with God. The leader or a volunteer can use the prayer found on page 21, which is based on the topics of Session 2, if helpful.
  • Encourage the women to work through the questions in their Study Guide in the coming week. This is designed to take them deeper into the themes from Session 2. The primary goal of this is for personal growth and private reflection.
  • Let the women know it will be helpful to read Chapters 4 & 6 in Captivating to prepare for Session 3.
Session 3: The Wound and the Healer

Chapters to have read for this week: Captivating chapters 4 & 6

About This Session: Some women's lives look perfect from a distance. But only from a distance. We all have sorrows and pains. The offer from God is to heal our broken hearts and set free the places that are held captive within us (Isaiah 61). But to be healed, we must let God tenderly open our wounds and expose them to his light, to his love, and to his truth.

Welcome: If you feel there is time, take a few moments to see if anyone wants to share brief insights from their personal reflection during the previous week—but be careful this doesn't hijack the time for today's session. 

Core Scripture: Psalm 56:8; Take a few minutes and invite women to read from various translations aloud. Listen for fresh insights and share any thoughts about this verse with the group.

Watch Session 3 Video: After the welcome and sharing of Psalm 56:8, jump right into watching the Session 3 video:

Discussion: Pick the group discussion questions from the Study Guide (found on page 42) for Session 3 ahead of time that you know you definitely want to cover, just in case you end up only having time to discuss a few of them. 

As You Close:

  • You can close by briefly reviewing the summary of Session 3, found on page 40 of the Study Guide.
  • Pray—Close your time with prayer, simply talking with God. The leader or a volunteer can use the prayer found on page 43, which is based on the topics of Session 3, if helpful.
  • Encourage the women to work through the questions in their Study Guide in the coming week. This is designed to take them deeper into the themes from Session 3. The primary goal of this is for personal growth and private reflection.
  • Let the women know it will be helpful to read Chapter 5 in Captivating to prepare for Session 4.
Session 4: A Special Hatred

Chapter to have read for this week: Captivating chapter 5

About This Session: The story of every woman's life is the story of the long and sustained assault upon her heart by the one who knows who she could be and fears her. You are under regular spiritual assault. In order to have the life God wants for you, you must rise up and take your stand in him. Resist the enemy…and he will flee (James 4:7).

Welcome: If you feel there is time, take a few moments to see if anyone wants to share brief insights from their personal reflection during the previous week—but be careful this doesn't hijack the time for today's session. 

Core Scripture: Ephesians 6:12; Take a few minutes and invite women to read from various translations aloud. Listen for fresh insights and share any thoughts about this verse with the group.

Watch Session 4 Video: After the welcome and sharing of Ephesians 6:12, jump right into watching the Session 4 video:

Discussion: Pick the group discussion questions from the Study Guide (found on page 62) for Session 4 ahead of time that you know you definitely want to cover, just in case you end up only having time to discuss a few of them. 

As You Close:

  • You can close by briefly reviewing the summary of Session 4, found on page 60 of the Study Guide.
  • Pray—Close your time with prayer, simply talking with God. The leader or a volunteer can use the prayer found on page 63, which is based on the topics of Session 4, if helpful.
  • Encourage the women to work through the questions in their Study Guide in the coming week. This is designed to take them deeper into the themes from Session 4. The primary goal of this is for personal growth and private reflection.
  • Let the women know it will be helpful to read Chapter 8 in Captivating to prepare for Session 5.
Session 5: Beauty to Unveil

Chapter to have read for this week: Captivating chapter 8

About This Session: The world's view of beauty is unattainable. Yet our constant pursuit of it, apart from God, has caused us countless tears and untold pain. Each of us, as a daughter of God, has a captivating beauty all our own to unveil. Because we bear God's image, we reflect his beauty—inside and out. A beautiful woman is a woman whose heart is alive.

Welcome: If you feel there is time, take a few moments to see if anyone wants to share brief insights from their personal reflection during the previous week—but be careful this doesn't hijack the time for today's session. 

Core Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7; Take a few minutes and invite women to read from various translations aloud. Listen for fresh insights and share any thoughts about this verse with the group.

Watch Session 5 Video: After the welcome and sharing of 1 Samuel 16:7, jump right into watching the Session 5 video:

Discussion: Pick the group discussion questions from the Study Guide (found on page 82) for Session 5 ahead of time that you know you definitely want to cover, just in case you end up only having time to discuss a few of them. 

As You Close:

  • You can close by briefly reviewing the summary of Session 5, found on page 80 of the Study Guide.
  • Pray—Close your time with prayer, simply talking with God. The leader or a volunteer can use the prayer found on page 83, which is based on the topics of Session 5, if helpful.
  • Encourage the women to work through the questions in their Study Guide in the coming week. This is designed to take them deeper into the themes from Session 5. The primary goal of this is for personal growth and private reflection.
  • Let the women know it will be helpful to read Chapter 12 in Captivating to prepare for Session 6.
Session 6: Your Irreplaceable Role

Chapter to have read for this week: Captivating chapter 12

About This Session: A woman doesn't come alive being merely useful. We want our lives to matter and to matter deeply. We want to be needed. Irreplaceable. And so does God. He has written something on your heart. Give yourself permission to dream. If you could do anything, what would it be? Now pursue that…with him!

Welcome: If you feel there is time, take a few moments to see if anyone wants to share brief insights from their personal reflection during the previous week—but be careful this doesn't hijack the time for today's session. 

Core Scripture: Genesis 1:28; Take a few minutes and invite women to read from various translations aloud. Listen for fresh insights and share any thoughts about this verse with the group.

Watch Session 6 Video: After the welcome and sharing of Genesis 1:28, jump right into watching the Session 6 video:

Discussion: Pick the group discussion questions from the Study Guide (found on page 100) for Session 6 ahead of time that you know you definitely want to cover, just in case you end up only having time to discuss a few of them. 

A Strong Close:

  • You can close by briefly reviewing the summary of Session 6, found on page 98 of the Study Guide.
  • Pray—Close your time with prayer, simply talking with God. The leader or a volunteer can use the prayer found on page 101, which is based on the topics of Session 6, if helpful.
  • Even though this is the last week of your group meeting together for this particular study, encourage the women to finish strong by working through the questions for Session 6 in their Study Guide this coming week.
  • Encourage the women to stay in this message. You may recommend the Captivating Guided Journal at this point, for continued personal growth, and as a helpful tool to stay in the themes of Captivating and everything God wants to continue to do in their lives.