Now that groups have discovered the ease of using an online meeting tool such as Zoom, it may be time to take advantage of a neat feature: breakout rooms.

My group has met for Bible study using Zoom. It allows us to see one another, use the Chat feature to pose questions, and our group leader has “shared screen” to place questions and Scripture verses in front of us.

But has your group used the Zoom feature called “breakout rooms”? It may be time to put this into service. It will truly enhance your group’s online Bible study experience.

Breakout rooms:

• Can be renamed
• Allow you to assign people to them

Here are three ways you could use Zoom breakout rooms in your next online study:

1. Ask a question and assign people to a room to discuss it. Using breakout rooms this way allows you to create virtual “buzz groups.”
2. Use the breakout rooms to allow group members to pray for one another. Prayer requests can be shared in a smaller group using breakout rooms.
3. Create Care Groups that meet in the breakout rooms. We are rediscovering the importance of caring for people during our COVID-19 sequestering. You can place people in Care Groups, assign a person to be the Care Group Leader, and use breakout rooms to give those groups a venue in which they can check in with each other and pray for one another as part of their online group experience.