From Expert to Equipper: Key Shifts for Catalysts and Facilitators
What is my role in the room? What posture can ignite momentum, invite breakthroughs and multiply leaders?
In the KC Underground, our Hub Leaders focus on the role of equipping. The biblical term "equip" in Scripture has three meanings: mending nets, setting bones, and outfitting a ship. Therefore equipping is holistic training to repair, heal and outfit disciples to effectively do the work of mission.
Relationship is the means or environment for transformation and equipping. One of the relational spaces that has been very catalytic in terms of equipping in the KC Underground are training huddles. The huddles center on equipping ordinary people to live as missionary disciple-makers. These huddles emphasize discovery-based, obedience-faith learning in a relational environment. Facilitators create space for participants to listen to the Spirit, share insights, and take practical, Spirit-led next steps. Rooted in high-support, high-challenge dynamics, the training prioritizes conversation over content, tools over concepts, and immediate application that leads to immediate sharing with others, and therefore, multiplication. The huddles are designed to be reproduced by those who through them.
When it comes to leadership in a training huddle, there’s one temptation that always lingers in the background: stepping into the role of an expert instead of a facilitator. Let’s be honest—we all love to sound like we know what we’re talking about. But what if the real power of leadership isn’t found in having all the answers? What if it’s about creating space for others to discover Jesus, hear His voice, and step forward in obedience?
At the heart of this shift is the call to move from being the sage on the stage to being the guide on the side. It’s less about lecturing and more about equipping. Less about spotlighting ourselves and more about multiplying others. So how do we make this shift? What’s the DNA of a good facilitator? And why does it matter so much for the multiplication of disciples, leaders, and churches?
Setting the Stage: The Reverse Classroom
If you’ve been part of a KC Underground training huddle or a Starfish Accelerator, you already know the approach: it’s a reverse classroom. The content isn’t yours to preach—it’s been delivered ahead of the gathering. Your job isn’t to teach the group. It’s to facilitate what the Spirit is already doing in the community. Your role is to foster conversation, action, and transformation. You are a midwife, not the main attraction.
Think about it this way: you’re not a chef plating a perfectly cooked meal. You’re a host inviting others into the kitchen to cook together. You might provide the recipe, but everyone is chopping, stirring, and tasting. And by the end of it, they’re equipped to cook the next meal on their own.
What Is a Facilitator, Really?
Let’s unpack this idea a little more. To help paint the picture, here are 10 key metaphors that describe the role of a facilitator:
Gardener—You tend the soil, planting seeds of insight, nurturing growth, and weeding out distractions.
Compass—You offer direction without dictating the path, helping others find their way forward.
Conductor—Like an orchestra leader, you bring harmony, ensuring every voice contributes to the whole.
Guide—You walk alongside others, pointing out paths and possibilities without taking every step for them.
Mirror—You reflect back what others share, helping them see their own thoughts, struggles, and victories more clearly.
Storyteller—You weave together themes and insights from the group into a meaningful narrative.
Shepherd—You gently guide the group toward a common goal while leaving space for individuality.
Weaver—You intertwine diverse perspectives and contributions into a unified tapestry.
Catalyst—You spark momentum, encouraging others to step into action.
Fire Starter—You ignite passion and purpose, ensuring the group stays energized and focused.
Take a moment to reflect: Which of these comes naturally to you? Which one will require more intentional effort? A great facilitator knows their strengths and actively works to develop in the areas where they’re weaker.
Facilitator vs. Expert: The Key Differences
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. The shift from expert to facilitator requires embracing a new mindset:
Experts deliver answers; facilitators ask better questions.
Experts fill silence; facilitators embrace it. (Pro tip: sometimes the most profound insights come after an awkward pause!)
Experts lead with authority; facilitators lead with humility.
Experts focus on themselves; facilitators focus on others.
Experts inform; facilitators equip.
This shift matters because it positions others to discover, learn, and grow. You’re not just passing on knowledge—you’re multiplying disciple-makers.
Practical Tools for Effective Facilitation
So what does good facilitation look like in a Catalyst? Here are a few practical principles to keep in your back pocket:
1. Return to Jesus
The primary purpose of every gathering is to help participants return to Jesus. He is the center, the teacher, and the guide. As a facilitator, create space for people to connect with Him personally and hear what He’s saying.
Key Practice: Start with a reflective question like, “What does it mean to return to Jesus?” or, “What is He speaking to you today?” Then let the Spirit do the heavy lifting.
2. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Your goal is to create a culture of reflection and engagement. Ask open-ended questions that invite participants to share their thoughts, experiences, and insights. Avoid yes/no questions or jumping in with answers.
Examples:
“What stood out to you in this session?”
“How can you apply this in your context?”
3. Be Comfortable with Silence
Silence can feel uncomfortable, but it’s a powerful tool. It allows time for the Spirit to move and for participants to think deeply. Resist the urge to fill every pause.
4. Manage Group Dynamics
Under-Talkers: Gently prompt them to share (e.g., “We’d love to hear from someone who hasn’t spoken yet.”).
Over-Talkers: Encourage balance (e.g., “Let’s make space for others to share, too.”).
5. Debrief and Celebrate
End each gathering by celebrating wins and sharing insights. Use tools like the “I WILL…” statements to encourage participants to take practical, Spirit-led steps of obedience in the coming week.
Facilitators Multiply Facilitators
One of the most important aspects of your role is to reproduce yourself. If the work stops with you, it won’t go very far. But if you equip others to lead, the impact will multiply exponentially.
How to Identify Future Facilitators:
Look for people who lean in during gatherings, and are taking Spirit-led steps on mission in the everyday stuff of life.
Start planting seeds: “You’d be great at facilitating one of these!”
Invite them to co-facilitate a session with you. Give them small opportunities to practice leading, and then debrief with them afterward: “What went well? What could improve? How can I support you?”
Facilitating Transformation, Not Just Information
At its core, facilitation is about creating space for transformation, not just transferring information. The goal of a huddle isn’t for people to leave with notebooks full of new ideas. It’s for people to leave more intimate with Jesus, having embodied more of His life on mission in Spirit-led steps of obedience.
As Brian Sanders puts it in Microchurch, “The church is at its best when it functions as an extended family committed to worship, community, and mission.” A good facilitator helps cultivate those rhythms by creating space for others to:
Worship—return to Jesus, hear His voice, and respond in love.
Community—share life together, celebrate wins, and carry one another’s burdens.
Mission—take practical steps to love and serve others, and make new disciples in their network of relationships.
Final Takeaways: The Starfish Mentality
Remember: this is about multiplication, not addition. We are not the center. Our role is to equip others, release them, and trust the Spirit to guide the process.
Here’s the bottom line:
You don’t have to be an expert. You just need to be available.
You don’t have to have all the answers. You just need to ask the right questions.
You don’t have to build something massive. You just need to plant seeds.
Like the Starfish, every facilitator you equip is capable of reproducing. If we embrace this role—if we shift from being the expert to being the equipper—then the movement will spread in ways that no one can control.
Want to see a training huddle that has been reproduced out into many generations on many strands by ordinary people? Take a look at https://themissionarypathway.com/