Adults

Posts Tagged LIFE Group

Feb
24
F Leader , Jay Fennell

Leading an Externally Focused LIFE Group

by Jay Fennell

One of the biggest challenges in leading a LIFE Group is keeping the group externally focused. An externally focused group intentionally builds bridges into the lives of others, especially non-group members. Externally focused groups travel together toward Christlikeness but always looking outward for others to bring on the journey with them. It’s a challenge to lead a group to be externally focused because the natural tendency for any group is to be internally focused, especially groups a year old or older.
The key is to lead the LIFE Group to be internally healthy, but externally focused. Internally, the group prays and cares for each other, strives to build Christ-honoring relationships and studies and applies the Word together. But they also have their eyes focused outward toward others who aren’t connected in community, passionate about developing new relationships with new people, and inviting them to join the journey.
The leader sets the tone for a group that operates this way. Here are some practical ways a leader can keep a LIFE Group externally focused:

    • Fight the natural inertia of inward focus. Regularly remind the group members to make room in their lives for new relationships. Remind them there are people who are disconnected but desperately looking to be connected. Keep it ever before the group that there are people that still need to be reached.
    • Recognize the empty chair. Always have at least one empty chair or seat to represent the person who is not present. Draw the attention of the group to that chair, challenging them to prayerfully consider the person who needs to be in it.
    • Make invitation an expectation. Inwardly focused groups don’t invite their friends, neighbors and acquaintances. Stress the importance of inviting people, expect them to do it and make it a cultural norm of the group. It’s typically true that the LIFE Group leader must model this behavior before it becomes adopted by group members.
    • Consider what God is doing outside the walls. The LIFE Group leader must be sensitive to the work God is doing outside the walls of the classroom or living room, and he/she engages the group to partner with God in that work. Groups that serve together outside the walls have externally focused hearts and minds and God blesses the work of their hands.

 

Feb
3
F Leader , I Leader , Susan Hill

3 Easy Ways to Create a Welcoming Environment in Your LIFE Group

Part 3: The Importance Of Following Up With First-Time Guests

By Susan Hill

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been discussing simple ways to create a welcoming environment in our LIFE Groups. As leaders, it is important that we remain mindful of the needs of both our members and first-time guests.
Obviously, we want visitors to have an excellent first experience in our LIFE Groups, with the hope that they return and become a part of biblical community. One easy way to increase the likelihood of return guests is to do a follow-up shortly after their first visit.
Ideally, the follow-up will come in the form of a quick call, email, or text within a day or two of the newcomer’s first visit to your group. It’s important to communicate that you are glad they came and to invite them back. This simple gesture takes just a couple of minutes and has the potential to have a significant impact on whether the guest returns. Following up with newcomers acknowledges the effort it took them to attend and communicates to the visitor that you value their presence and would like for them to come back.
Hospitality isn’t difficult, but it does require intentionality in a group setting. In summary, placing a greeter at the door, wearing nametags, and following up with first time guests are three simple ways we can be intentional about creating a hospitable environment in our LIFE Group. As leaders, we have been given an enormous privilege and responsibility to disciple people in their relationship with Christ. Let’s be intentional about making sure our LIFE Groups are a place people feel welcomed and want to return.