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The Study Harder Challenge

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As you are planning small-group studies to begin in the Fall, the NC Conference Media Center presents to you the Study Harder Challenge.

The Study Harder Challenge invites your group to expand your circle of influence and try something new. Does your group feel stuck in a rut or have trouble coming up with new ideas? Use this challenge to discover new teachers, new studies, and new ways of being in community together.

How It Works

The Study Harder Challenge offers 12 characteristics of a study that will help you think outside the box. Download and print the challenge worksheet to keep track of the studies that your group completes that fulfill each of the tasks.
Bonus: You can count a study for more than one task!

When You Complete the Challenge

Post your worksheet to the United Methodist Small Group Leaders Facebook group for celebration by your peers and a certificate from the Media Center. You must join the group to do so. Otherwise, you may email it to the Media Center at ldallas@nccumc.org. Completed worksheets will be shared to encourage one another.

Help in Completing the Challenge

The Media Center will be posting study ideas for each of the 12 characteristics over the next few months. These posts will be linked from this page. You are also encouraged to join the United Methodist Small Group Leaders Facebook group to share ideas and feedback with one another.

Deadline

There is NO deadline! Groups study at different paces and studies are of varying lengths. We encourage your group to attempt the challenge any time that it suits you.

Study Harder challenge

  1. UMC-Endorsed
  2. Change format (add or remove DVD teachings)
  3. Female teacher (or male for women’s groups)
  4. Multicultural teacher
  5. Non-Methodist teacher
  6. Teacher from a different generation (young adult for older adults and vice versa)
  7. North Carolina-based teacher
  8. About Methodism
  9. Related to the Social Principles
  10. Controversial topic
  11. Features pop culture
  12. Free online study

Got your wheels turning? Post some ideas in the comments or feel free to ask questions. Enjoy broadening your horizons!

Note: The Study Harder Challenge is based off of Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge. I encourage you to check it out to expand your scope of reading.