Life Group Leaders and Facilitators (this includes those who lead or facilitate a Bible Study), please mark the date of January 13th, after second service on your calendar. This is GroupLink time! GroupLink is designed to happen twice a year (January and August) to facilitate brining in more individuals and couples into Life Groups! Even if your Life Group is full and you are cruising along nicely, your participation is needed to help communicate the benefits and blessings of being part of a Life Group.
The afternoon will start with registration, lunch, gathering around community areas and watching the video promts that get us started on what to do. We will also see a short video from Andy Stanley that gives us a vision and understanding of the significance of Life Groups in the life of the overall church.
Please join us, and thank you for your commitment to your Life Group!
Showing posts with label Life Group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life Group. Show all posts
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
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!
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!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Leading and Facilitating ...A Great Way to Learn
So you have stepped out if faith and said, "o.k., I'll lead." Or rather, "no! I'm not leading,...I'm FACILITATING!" O.k., o.k., fine, you are facilitating!
Now you are in for an adventure! There is something highly motivational about having a bunch of eager leaders right at your heals to make one want to learn! Keeping one step ahead can catapult us in the areas of learning Bible knowledge, how to learn leadership skills and draw us to that all important position of being on our knees!
Living in the information age has made resources more available than ever. On this blog notice the long list of links to access great Bible teacher resources. Our church library of a few thousand volumes lovingly cataloged by sweet saints like Eva Fry, Estelle Trammell, Linda Clark and others. The staff would LOVE to point you to more Bible resources! Make a list of questions and pepper them with questions!
Great books and DVD's give us access to the brightest, gifted and insightful communicators on the planet! Take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.
Schedule some time with a Life Group leader who has years of experience. Take a pencil and paper, some questions and listen well! Ask for prayer in the areas where you struggle. You will make a friend and possibly even a mentor.
A leader is a learner! All right, all right, and a facilitator need be a learner as well!
Now you are in for an adventure! There is something highly motivational about having a bunch of eager leaders right at your heals to make one want to learn! Keeping one step ahead can catapult us in the areas of learning Bible knowledge, how to learn leadership skills and draw us to that all important position of being on our knees!
Living in the information age has made resources more available than ever. On this blog notice the long list of links to access great Bible teacher resources. Our church library of a few thousand volumes lovingly cataloged by sweet saints like Eva Fry, Estelle Trammell, Linda Clark and others. The staff would LOVE to point you to more Bible resources! Make a list of questions and pepper them with questions!
Great books and DVD's give us access to the brightest, gifted and insightful communicators on the planet! Take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.
Schedule some time with a Life Group leader who has years of experience. Take a pencil and paper, some questions and listen well! Ask for prayer in the areas where you struggle. You will make a friend and possibly even a mentor.
A leader is a learner! All right, all right, and a facilitator need be a learner as well!
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!
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.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
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!!
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!!
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