When I was a kid I was fascinated by the Viewmaster; a little box with eye piece, lever, and a slot for little circular cards full of pictures.  The Viewmaster was a pair of binoculars that allowed me to peer anywhere in the world without ever leaving home!  Every card seemed to transport me to someplace new; new sights, new discoveries, new adventures.  Today I realize what I observed was a blend of my imagination and someone else’s perception of the world.  Like the old Viewmasters toy, how I perceive the world is directly influenced by the ‘Viewmasters’ of TV, internet, friends, work, faith and so much more.  How we view the world around us is constantly in flux.  How we view the world around us effects every decision we make!  Welcome to ‘Viewmaster: Framing Your World View”.  Get ready to have your eyes opened!   
 

To prepare to lead your PIER Group in this vital series take some time to view the introduction on your video.  Next, move to page 2-5 of your participant guide.  These pages briefly explain each section of the guide.  Notice that there are three (3) video segments in each session!  The idea here is to watch a little and talk a little and then watch more and talk more, etc.  This will keep your discussion fresh and your group is less likely to get lost in too much content.  Your biggest task here is to know when to move on to the next video segment and discussion without going too long!  You will not have time to completely discuss and resolve each issue after you watched it.  It is a good thing for people to want to go back and talk more about an issue later with a spouse, friend, or spiritual partner.  It is important to avoid running out of time and not doing something in every section!  It is alright to skip a question, you do not have to do every section completely but you should do something in every section! 

The back of your guide has several pages of helpful group resources.  If your group is new you will want to review the ‘Helps & FAQ’s’ on pages118-123.  If your group is new or has not reviewed your group agreement recently then make sure to discuss pages 124-125 as instructed in session 1.  If you have room for new people have your group complete page 126.  Pages 126-131 provide the charts to record prayers mentioned in the group and to plan your group’s calendar to schedule locations, HOSTs and refreshments.

The issues of this series need to be considered more than once or twice a week.  So, encourage your group to complete the ‘Diving Deeper’ sections between meetings.  This section can be completed whether or not they read the Colson’s book, The Good Life.  

Finally, the biggest secret to leading a successful PIER Group is to prepare in advance.  To do this you need to watch the video and take your notes before the group meets.  Also, answer your questions in the guide before your group meets.  This allows you to focus on leading your group and not trying to come up with your answers at the same time!  By all means, prepare in advance by praying for your group!