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Great Ideas to make the most of Summer with your Group
Check out this article for some great ideas on how to build a deeper community and friendships with those in your lifegroup this summer! Enjoy the summer season!
The summer season is here. Time for groups to get outside and enjoy the outdoors and sunshine together. I want to give you a few tips on how to lead an successful summer lifegroup. Here are a few ideas to help you get your group off to a great start:
Know where you want to take your group this summer. Having some purposeful direction for your group will help your group stay engaged and growing. This might be reading through a book together, sharing devotionals or personal testimonies, have some clear prayer direction. Allow your group an opportunity for some focused conversation.
My group will be taking turns sharing testimonies and stories from our lives and then praying for each other before the start of each group.
Everyone has a next step to take. As the group leader try to identify the next step your group members need to take and encourage them in that direction. Here are some great next steps at Abundant Life: Get baptized, Attend Membership Class, Serve on a Ministry Team, decide to start/lead a new lifegroup next season, Connect to a Care Group, Invite a friend to church.
All of these are next steps that can help a person grow in their faith. What next steps do those in your group need to take?
I hope that you have a fantastic lifegroup this summer. Don’t forget to share your stories and lifegroup pics with us at groups@alcpdx.com.
Colossians 2:7 (NLT) –
“Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
This powerful verse illustrates one of the core reasons why lifegroups are so important. Lifegroups are a place for us to connect with the Bible through STUDY and grow our faith in Jesus. As we grow stronger in faith and our understanding of what Jesus did for us on the cross grows, we can’t help but feel gratitude and “overflow with thankfulness.”
I believe that a key result of our thankfulness overflow should be that we SERVE God.
Hebrews 12:28 (NKJV) –
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
I think it is clear from this verse that we are to respond with service. A great way that we can start serving is right in our church on Sundays. There are many ways to SERVE on Sunday, but this week we are taking some time on Saturday to kick-off our first impressions ministries for spring as we get ready for Easter. Serving in first impressions is meaningful because it gives us the chance to take an active part of the core goal of Abundant Life Church: Reaching as many people as possible for Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) –
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”
I want to invite you to join us for our first impressions kick-off. If you already SERVE on Sunday then it’s a great time to meet with your team in community, hear a brief message from Pastor Jeff, and have a great time building our team. If you are are looking to get involved, then this event is the perfect way to get connected with a SERVE opportunity on Sundays at Abundant Life. Join us for the First Impressions Kick-Off Saturday March 16th, 9-11AM at Happy Valley Campus. See you there!
Michael Inman
Abundant Life Church
Small Groups Director
michael@alcpdx.com
It is vital that lifegroup leaders not lead alone. This means that leaders must intentionally seek out someone from within their group to help own portions of the group. This person is called a Coordinator. A Coordinator is someone who is learning how to be a lifegroup leader by assisting the leader with the group. It is important that every lifegroup have at least one.
Part of the responsibility of a lifegroup leader is to help the people in the group grow spiritually. Part of this process includes helping them take steps of growth outside of their comfort zone. Giving people jobs within the group gives them ownership and will increase their commitment to the group. Ultimately one goal of leadership is to create leaders who in turn create more leaders. Help someone in your group take a step up this season by asking them to be a Coordinator.
There are many areas of the group that a coordinator can help with. This includes leading prayer time, writing and sending out prayer requests, facilitating the discussion, leading an icebreaker game, organizing a PLAY or SERVE activity, calling the members of the group – especially those that miss a meeting, organizing snacks for the group, and hosting the group. There are many things that go on in a lifegroup and one leader can only do so much, but by working together a group can become great.
Develop a Coordinator for your group this season. Specifically a Coordinator being developed for group leadership should participate in four key ways:
1. Care for lifegroup members by writing and sending out prayer requests and assisting with group follow up during the week, especially with group members who missed a meeting.
2. Facilitate the discussion for at least one of the meetings during the season. This is vital because every group needs someone who can facilitate the study when the group leader is missing.
3. Attend lifegroup training events to develop skills for leading a group in future seasons.
4. Plan at least one other area of the group (see list above.)
Be sure to identify the coordinator for their group. Make sure they understand their role within the group. Then let your team leader know who your coordinator is so they can be praying for them during the season. Who is your Coordinator?
Michael Inman
Abundant Life Church
Small Groups Director
michael@alcpdx.com
Yesterday I posted a response to the recent tragedies we have experienced in our nation and in our community. Today I am posting four specific ways that I will respond to these events daily.
These choices will be tough to live out, and I am sure that I will be challenged and tested. What will your response to tragedy be?
Michael Inman
Abundant Life Church
Small Groups Director
michael@coolchurch.com
I, like most of you, have been spending time reacting to and grieving for the recent tragic shootings that have made national news, one of which happened in our community. Just when I was beginning to come to terms with the shooting at Clackamas Town Center, the horrific events of December 14th unfolded and it was learned that 20 children and six adults had lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. These events represent the worst kind of evil, almost unfathomable and unimaginable in scope and detail. It is easy to be overcome by sadness, apathy, depression, and the sheer darkness of the news of recent events, but for me they only serve to clearly illustrate the level of need for Christ in our community, country, and world.
Pastor George addressed these events in his message this weekend, specifically some of the questions we may have. If you haven’t seen it I encourage you to watch it here
I think it is important to remember that the universe was not created in darkness. It says so right in the front of your Bible. “Before creation, God existed, and He created the heavens and the earth” – Genesis 1:1 (My Paraphrase). God existed before the world, and He is light. “…God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all.” – 1 John 1:5 (NLT). God created a wonderful and marvelous world, but because of the choice of sin, death, sickness and tragedy were introduced into that creation. “For the wages of sin is death…” – Romans 6:23 (NIV). Indeed, we now find ourselves in the deepest of need for reconciliation with God through Christ. Thankfully, God provided Christ as a light in the darkness. “Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” – John 8:12 (NIV). Jesus is the only way that we can be truly redeemed. “…‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” – John 14:6 (NLT). People are hurting, lost, and miserable. They need Christ now more than ever, and Jesus came for people such as this. “For the Son of Man (Jesus) came to seek and save those who are lost.” – Luke 19:10 (NLT – emphasis added).
Our hope is Christ. I choose to focus on that hope in response to these events. As a result of this decision, I have decided to do four specific things each remaining day of my life. Come back tomorrow and I will tell you more. Thanks for reading.
Michael Inman
Abundant Life Church
Small Groups Director
michael@coolchurch.com
Yesterday I said that during the break I like to focus on three things: Rest, Reflect, and Refocus. Let me elaborate.
Rest – This is a crucial part of the break, and it shouldn’t be overlooked. Lifegroup leaders should use the break to first just take a breath and relax. This is healthy and part of a normal growth cycle. It’s part of how we were designed by God. Plants have a rest phase as part of their growth cycle. Children tend to grow in spurts. God created everything and then rested. The purpose of our Sabbath is not just worship but also a day to set aside for many reasons, including rest. The group seasons use this principle as well.
Reflect – While rest during the break is important, it is by no means the only purpose of the break. As the season is winding down and the break is beginning, I want to spend some time intentionally evaluating the results of the season. This allows me to understand better how I should lead the group going forward. I ask questions like: “What was effective and not effective with the STUDY, PRAY, SERVE, and PLAY portions of the group?“ “Who in my group stepped up and is looking to take more of a role in the group?” “Who should I spend some time investing in on a one-on-one basis?” “How can I improve my leadership style to encourage growth in my group?” The answers to these questions and prayer lead me to the next phase of my break.
Refocus – I think of this as an implementation phase for the break. I spend time reading the material we will study the next season to make sure it is appropriate for the group and that I am ready to lead. I spend time with some of my people to encourage them, grow them, and increase their involvement with the group. During this time I also like to have monthly group activities to keep the relationships alive and keep the energy of the group focused into the next season. The goal of this time is also to get the details for the next season nailed down so that I can register the group and get that done. Having the practical when, where, and what details squared away frees me up to focus on the people and relationships in my group. People are what groups are all about.
I filled out my webform a couple days ago, so I am ready for the next season! Fill your out at coolchurch.com/startgroup and lets get ready for an awesome Spring season together!
Michael Inman
Abundant Life Church
Small Groups Director
michael@coolchurch.com
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