g goals—every small group needs guidelines to function effectively. a covenant is a great way to lay out your group’s goals and parameters so it stays on track. once you’ve agreed on what your covenant will include, draw up a formal covenant and have group members sign and date it.  
 
  h hobbies—do you enjoy playing basketball, making scrapbooks, leading a book study, or helping others with their finances? consider starting a small group around your passion—attracting others who share it with you. that’s the idea of “free-market” small groups, bringing people together who have common interests.  
 
  i interruptions—when you encounter repeated interruptions during your time together, keep the conversation going. silence draws more attention to the disruption. if the problem repeats week after week, you may want to change your location or amend your group’s covenant.  
 
  j Jesus—your number-one goal should be growing relationships with Jesus. in luke chapter 10, martha missed out on spending time with Jesus because she was focused on less important things—things like cooking and cleaning. don’t let distractions keep your group from enjoying Jesus together.  
 
  k keepsakes—during your group’s study, sometimes you’ll need a take-away item that reinforces your lessons. these “spiritual souvenirs” can help your group members remember the more important points of your group study. you can find great examples of these keepsakes at unforgettables.org.  
 
  l learning styles—you can make learning more “sticky” when you take advantage of the four primary learning styles of your group members. Imaginative learners ask “why?” analytic learners want the facts. common-sense learners ask realistic questions like “so what?” and dynamic learners love variety of thinking out of the box.  

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