What Challenges You Most as a Life Group Leader?

Do you lead or facilitate a Life Group, or have you in the past?  Do you lead a Bible Study, Men's or Women's Group or ongoing Bible class?  Here's a question: What Challenges You Most as a Life Group Leader?  There is a poll for your answer on the bottom left for ten days.  Your answers will help shape this blog!

Restart with GroupLink

In the New Year we plan to present something cool called GroupLink.  GroupLink takes place twice a year - in January and August.  Please set aside Sunday, January 13th (after second service) for a time to connect with those who have not yet enjoyed the Life Group experience here at Hydesville Church.  Lunch will be served.  We will hear a short video from Andy Stanley and then connect in community groups for eight weeks.  After eight weeks each group decides whether they want to continue on as a group or to assimilate into other groups.  Each group decides where and when they want to meet.  If you currently have a Life Group this is a great place to ask a couple others to join your existing group.  If you are not currently in a group, but have led in the past this is a great place to restart with a group for the new year.

Andy Stanley said something profound as it relates to his very large church in Atlanta and the Life Groups they have in their church.  You may or may not know Andy Stanley (son of Charles Stanley) has an incredibly popular ministry with the mission of creating a church that unchurched people love to attend.  Andy Stanley is personally very popular - he is a pastor, in demand conference speaker and and a very successful author.  That is why his words on this subject mean so much.  He said, basically, that if something terrible happened to his church building (like it was leveled in a natural disaster), and he was also suddenly not able to physically pastor the church would still go on because they would tend to meet in circles (groups) all around the city in their version of Life Groups.  The people are connected within the church community and would continue to meet without a church building or without Andy Stanley.  Said a different way, their church is constructed around "circles" (Life Groups) rather than "rows" (the worship service being the only point of connection). 

And so from Andy's illustration we can see why it is so important for our church to be connected personally in small groups...in Life Groups.  And, that is why we are restarting with GroupLink!    

Promoting Your Group

You may have started with a larger group, but between people moving geographically, varied work schedules, and the new sports season for some of the children -  your group has decreased to a number that feels more like a "couple of couples getting together" rather than a "group."  What to do?

While one can always let the Life Group Director know the state of the group, it is important as a growing leader to also seek to expand your group.  After all, who knows the complexion and personality of your group better than you?  Who could best discern a good fit (humanly speaking)?  That would be you!

So here are some tips to get started on inviting others to join your group!

• When you meet people at the worship service, simply invite by asking something like, "are you in a Life Group?  We meet on _________ nights, and we'd sure love to have you join us!"
• Intentionally build relationships.  Do lunch or a latte with someone with whom you seem to connect.  Take the initiative!
• Follow up on prayer requests.  Do you know someone on your prayer list who could use some encouragement?  Often the troubles of life tend to isolate us from the needed support of our church family.  Ask that person how they are doing and see if they need any specific help you can provide - like an extra meal or a little handyman work around the home. 
• Pray through the church directory.  In this age and time people move a lot.  Life changes quickly, and far too soon we get disconnected from those who used to sit next to us in church.  Pray for that person or family on your heart and follow up that prayer with a call or note of encouragement. 
• When your group starts a new study that you think is exciting, call the church Life Group Director and ask her to highlight it in the church bulletin and list online in the Life Group Finder for a couple of weeks.
• When your group is studying a Bible passage or new book that has impacted your spiritual lives, be sure to tell others.  Let the Life Group Director know of good study materials you have found.
• Be involved in mercy (Micah 6:8) projects, and let the church know how you are ministering in the church and/or community.     

I Don't Know All the Answers!

So you have taken that step of faith and said yes when that church leader asked you to become a Life Group leader!  You read the material, previewed the teaching video and you are ready to open your home and heart to others so that you might have this Life Group experience together!  Awesome!   And, you are terrified!!  Terrified, because you just know they are going to ask you questions that you can't answer.  Terrified because they will figure out that you are not a great Bible Scholar and you are apprehensive about those awkward moments when you invite someone new over.  Guess what?  You are in a great place!

All those thoughts and feelings of inadequacy not only indicates a sense of humility but a recognition of a needed dependence on God.  And that is key! 

II Corinthians 3:4-6a tells us, "We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ.  It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own.  Our qualification comes from God.  He has enabled us to be ministers of His new covenant."  (NLT)

God is pleased when we step out in faith and obey Him.  Perhaps you experienced a prompting in your spirit to start a Life Group.  Maybe you saw the need and seeing no one else willing to step up, you looked around and said, "I'll do it."  Good for you!

Everything of spiritual significance that we step into needs to begin with prayer.  How often the Israelites got in hot water because they often went charging into battle without consulting the Lord.  We need to seek His will and His enabling through prayer.  So first base for being a Life Group Leader is to step it up in the area of prayer.  Pray for God's leading.  Pray for those God would have come to this group. 

Next, be a student of the word, but also be a fellow traveler on the journey of life.  People don't need an expert, but they do need someone who is real, who is growing in their walk of faith, and who is willing to say at times, "I don't know the answer to that, but I will study on it this week and we can talk about it next week.  There are great Bible study resources available and a church staff that would love to hear your Bible questions and direct your in searching for your answers.

Third, just be your self.  God has amazing ways of bringing together people in groups and finding that although they may be diverse, we have a common faith which causes us to be called brothers and sisters in Christ.  That indicates an amazing bond that is available to us as believers.

A great journey is ahead.  Pray, be a student of the Word, be humble, teachable, and yourself.  People want to such follow leaders!  God bless you on your new endeavor as a Life Group Leader!!    

Some Recommended Studies

Here are some great studies recommended by the pastors, counselor and life group leaders of Hydesville Community Church.  Some are available through the church and some are available through some of the provided links on this blog. 

RECOMMENDED STUDIES:
40 Days in the Word - DVD & book
40 Days of Purpose - book study
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University - DVD & book
Not a Fan - DVD & book
Great Chapters of the Bible - Ephesians - DVD & book
Marriage on the Rock - Jimmy Evans - DVD & book
Fireproof Your Marriage - DVD & book
Return to Intimacy - Jimmy Evans - DVD & book
When God Weeps - Joni Eaerkson Tada - DVD & book
Seeking Him - Nancy Leigh DeMoss & Tim Grissom - book
Max Lucado Studies - book
The Parables of Jesus by Matt Williams - DVD & book
The Prayers of Jesus by Matt Williams - DVD & book
The Miracles of Jesus by Matt Williams - DVD & book
Doing Life Together series from Saddleback - book
Heaven by Randy Alcorn - DVD, book & workbook
Parenting Your Teenager - Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott
The Truth Project - DVD
Beth Moore Bible Studies for Women - DVD & workbook
10 Basic Steps Toward Christian Maturity by Bill Bright
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney