How Should A New LIFEgroup Get Started?

Using an agricultural analogy, the ideal process for LIFEgroup formation looks like this:

1 -- Germination. A group of people decide they would like to partner together for spiritual growth. They determine together to launch a new LIFEgroup.

2 -- Formation. Having determined how they plan to be formative, caring, and missional together; they invite a few people to join them. At a given time, they launch their group.

3 -- Invitation. Once the group is moving, they are careful to not lose sight of the ongoing need to expand their relationships to include others in the group. Living missionally will mean people are regularly being invited to and added to the group.

4 -- Multiplication. Eventually a group will grow in two ways. They will grow numerically and reach a point where they can no longer foster the same type of relationships. They will also grow spiritually, and some group members will discover and develop the necessary gifts to launch and lead a new LIFEgroup. Rather than fear a divisive "split", the group should embrace and celebrate this growth as an opportunity to begin the process again by germinating a new group.

Comments

Discussion Questions for Easter

Have several people ask the question, “What’s the most important thing you’ve ever done?” Ask other people, “What do you hope to accomplish in the next several years of your life?” Tell your class that today you’ll be talking about “life mission” or the one most important thing you do that drives everything else. Tell them that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the defining moment in history, so it should be the defining moment in our lives. Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. How does the resurrection impact some of the crucial beliefs of Christianity? How would Christianity be different if there was no resurrection? How would you be different without the resurrection? Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. What are some specific ways that the resurrection gives us hope? If you had been a friend of Jesus when he was on earth, how would the resurrection have impacted your life? How do you think his followers then were effected by the resurrection? Read 1 Corinthian...

FIGHT CLUB! (iron sharpening iron)

Our youth pastor, Keith Sandison, has implemented "Fight Clubs" with the young men of our church. While these teenagers and young adults aren't actually pummeling each other physically, they are using the opportunity to aggressively challenge one another to be more attentive to their spiritual formation. Right now my son is participating in a fight club focusing on Proverbs. I love it. Keith has created a handout he uses for the fight clubs which lists seven different methods of "generic Bible study". I think the idea started with this post a few years ago, but as he often does; Keith took my thoughts and made them immensely more substantive and beneficial. Check out his system below:

Every Small Group Leader Needs These 4 Tools To Be Successful

Leading a small group for the first time can be intimidating. Many people are afraid they are not capable, gifted, or intelligent enough to lead a group of people as they follow Jesus together. I think they are wrong. Matthew 28:18-20 is often called the “Great Commission”. In these verses, Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and make other disciples. Interestingly, though, He did not tell them to do this in their own power or using their own strength. Rather, He made it clear they would be successful because He has all power. Jesus’ authority is what makes it possible for us to make disciples. If you are a disciple of Jesus, you have been empowered by Him to make other disciples. Not everyone can lead a small group, but almost anyone can. Of course, there are a few qualifications that every small group leader should have: They must be a follower of Christ. They should be a mature enough believer that they know their way around the Bible and can help ot...

Creative Community

Search This Blog