4. The role of the facilitator is to facilitate, not to dictate. The facilitator should talk less than 25% of the time during the study. Encourage others to contribute ideas by asking questions and waiting for responses. Resist the temptation to fill silence with words. Take at least seven seconds before responding to let people process and respond.

Ask open ended questions such as “How do you think Peter’s Jewish upbringing impacted his response?” instead of yes/no questions.

If some individuals dominate discussions, suggest that others also be heard by saying, “Let us hear from someone else.”

For quieter individuals, use eye contact and gentle nods to encourage their contribution without placing them on the spot.

5. Dealing With Theological Questions: Whenever a theological question arises during a study, tie the group back to the scripture by asking, “What does scripture say about that?”

As the study comes to a close, transition into focused prayer. Ask each individual in attendance to express prayer requests related specifically to their walk with Jesus based upon the study.

If the passage was about anxiety, ask how people plan to see change in this area by the end of the week.

Also, do not underestimate the importance of building relationships outside of the formal study. Pastoral care takes place frequently on the front porch or coffee shop after the formal study ends.

6. Hybrid studies refer to gatherings where people attend physically, while others join remotely through video conferencing.

These types of gatherings require more intentionality than in-person studies. The primary concern is ensuring “Presence Equity”: that all attendees (whether in-person or remote) feel included equally throughout the study.

Audio quality is crucial. Remote participants must be able to clearly hear all speakers and discussions occurring in the room.

Do not depend solely on laptop microphones. Invest in a high-quality, wireless Bluetooth conference microphone placed centrally within the room so all in-person attendees can be heard well by those online. Also, remind in-person participants to refrain from having side conversations which will appear as audio static/mud to remote participants.

Position your webcam so remote participants can see your facial expressions. Display your Zoom participants’ faces at eye-level with yours so it appears they are interacting directly with you.

Assign a digital advocate in the room to observe any activity taking place in the Zoom chat and raise hands for remote participants. When a remote participant wants to speak, interrupt any comments happening in-person so they receive recognition.

Apply the principle of “Zoom First”. Always ask remote participants for their feedback prior to engaging with those participating in-person.

After an in-person attendee responds, acknowledge them verbally by repeating their statement or referencing them by name. Use the “share screen” function to display both scripture and handouts to all participants simultaneously.

Schedule 5-10 min of casual hang-out time prior to formally beginning your hybrid study. Allowing in-person and remote participants to interact socially helps establish connections among all attendees.

Do not immediately log off after concluding prayer. Leave your Zoom room open for remote attendees to continue conversation informally.

This ensures remote attendees do not feel as though they have merely dialed-in for content. The O.I.A. method is useful for hybrid studies too, provided all attendees (in-person and remote) have an opportunity to participate equally.