L.I.F.E. Small Groups

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Our Mission Statement:

The mission of LSGM is to provide care to group members in an atmosphere of love and fellowship where discipleship can take place, spiritual gifts can be exercised, accountability is provided, and Christianity can be modeled in the home.

Our mission supports the “ORGANIZE“, “EVANGELIZE“, “EDIFY“, and “ENCOURAGE” portions of the overall mission of First Pentecostal Church.

Where we meet:

L.I.F.E. Groups meet in various homes throughout the local community and varies from week to week.

When we meet:

Various weeknights from 7:00pm - 8:30pm

What Does L.I.F.E offer me?

The LSGM offers the following classes:

NEW CONVERT CLASS
The New Life Discipleship Course picks up where Exploring God’s Word Bible Study ends and helps those who are new to the Christian faith learn what it means to be a true and faithful follower of Jesus Christ.  Participants will discover how to apply Biblical principles to their everyday lives through this 20-week program.

MINISTRY DISCOVERY
This five week Ministry Discovery Course is designed to help individuals discover their God-given gifts, talents, and passion.  Upon completion, a personal consultation identifies the most appropriate areas of ministry in the church, providing the student with the steps to take toward finding fulfillment through service in the Kingdom of God.

Our Message to You:

It is our belief that every child of God is given unique talents, gifts and strengths for the edification of the Body of Christ.  It is the desire of L.I.F.E. SMALL GROUP MINISTRIES (LSGM) to help others develop these blessings from the Lord into a ministry that will help reach our community and eventually the world with the truth of God’s Word.

L.I.F.E. Groups at First Pentecostal Church are dynamic places to grow and learn as members reach out to one another as they reach up to God.

 

 

Our vision is three fold:

1. GROW in relationship with God
2. GROW in relationship to one another
3. GROW in number and multiply into another small group

Our goals for LSGM is to see the following results at First Pentecostal Church:

• An increasing SMALL GROUP ATTENDANCE
• An increasing number of GROUP FACILITATORS
• An increasing number of MEMBERS INVOLVED IN DIFFERING MINISTRIES
• An increasing number of VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH BODY
• An increasing number of CORE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
• TO SEE MEMBERS ACTIVE AND ONGOING GROWTH IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD

FAQs

What is L.I.F.E. Groups Ministry at First Pentecostal Church?

The L.I.F.E. Groups Ministry at First Pentecostal Church focuses on growing the Body of Christ:  Growing in our personal spiritual walk with Jesus Christ, growing in our relationship toward one another and growing the church through evangelism.  The L.I.F.E. Group ministry concept is based on the guiding principles utilized by the early church.  Acts 2:46-47 NIV:  “Everyday they continued to meet together…they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.”

What is a L.I.F.E.  Group?

A L.I.F.E. Group is made up of 3 to 12 people (not including children) who come together to build relationships through friendship, encouragement, accountability, Bible study, discussion, guidance, prayer and fun so that all members experience life transformation through Jesus Christ.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a L.I.F.E. Group Leader?

Lead the Group: Encourage each member of the group by helping them develop in their Christianity.  Help nurture a spirit of “ownership” in the small group amongst group members by inviting them to share in the meeting (hosting the meeting in their home, facilitating various portions of the meeting, etc.)

Vision:  Direct the small group in the group’s vision (evangelistic outreach, prayer community service, etc.)

Facilitate meetings:  Guide the general direction of each meeting by keeping the members’ discussions focused on the topic being discussed.

Growth:  Grow the group by encouraging members to invite friends and family and co-workers to the meetings.  Help nurture and develop additional Small Group Leaders from within your group.

Administration and Reporting:  Fill out monthly planning sheets and weekly meeting reports and submit to the L.I.F.E. Group Administrator.  Complete other forms as needed.

Training:  Attend the initial “Blueprint of Small Groups” training and other training as required.

How are new members added to a L.I.F.E. Group?

The L.I.F.E. Group Leader and the group members are responsible for inviting others to join their group.  Initially, the small group may be made up of friends and family members that are free to meet at the scheduled meeting time.  On occasion, the L.I.F.E. Group Administrator may place members in the groups.

Who can attend a L.I.F.E. Group meeting?

Everyone is welcome to be a part of a small group whether you are new in your faith or have long been a follower of Jesus Christ.

How often and when do L.I.F.E. Groups meet?

L.I.F.E. groups meet once a week.  The L.I.F.E. Group Leader is free to choose which day and time would work best for their group.  L.I.F.E. group meetings can take place any day or time except Monday evening, Wednesday evening and all day Sunday.

What is a L.I.F.E. Group meeting like?

A typical meeting lasts one and a half to two hours.  The meetings are broken into various sections:

Snack (15 minutes):  The meetings always start with a simple snack (i.e., chips and pop).  The snack time is used to get to know one another (if visitors are present) and is a good time to make everyone feel at home

Prayer:  Every meeting is started with an opening prayer.

Ice Breaker (15 to 20 minutes):  The Ice Breaker is a simple question designed to get the members relaxed and ready to have open discussion.  The question is asked and everyone in the group participates in answering the question.  The questions are very general in nature to allow everyone the opportunity to answer.

Worship: (10 to 15 minutes):  The Worship time is used to invite God into the Small Group’s presence.  Typically 3 or 4 worship songs are selected from a Worship CD and are sung by the group  (word sheets and worship CDs are provided).

Testimony and Scripture Sharing (5 to 10 minutes):  Group members have the opportunity to share with the group what the Lord has been doing in their lives and to share scriptures that the Lord has laid on their heart.

Edification Topic: (30 to 45 minutes) The Edification Topic is a pre-made Christian topic (provided by the L.I.F.E. Group Administrator) that is read by a member.  After the lesson has been read, a few questions are asked regarding the subject and members freely discuss their thoughts and opinions regarding the lesson.  These Biblically based lessons are designed to help members grow in their Christianity by applying Christian principles to their lives.

Vision and Planning:  (10 to 30 minutes) At the close the meeting, plans are made for future meetings and activities.

Closing Prayer:  Every meeting is ended in prayer.

Are children or teens welcome in the L.I.F.E. Group meetings?

Yes, both are welcome and are encouraged to attend.  It will be up to the group to decide how best to care for the children.  If a number of children or youth are present, Youth Topics and Young Children Topics are available from the L.I.F.E. Group Administrator.