Life
Groups
Where No One Walks Alone
Summerville Church of Christ
Introduction
After praying, researching, and collaborating, the Summerville Elders have developed a strategic plan for Life Groups based on the following observations:
· Summerville has a few effective discipling and community-building small groups.
· Summerville has attempted to develop a coordinated means of assimilating visitors and new members for several years with limited success.
· Many Summerville adult members attend church only on Sunday morning.
· Equipping the church for the great commandment and the great commission requires more discipling and community building than the Sunday morning experience provides.
· Many adult members desire some form of small group interaction.
· Those who do not participate in the worship assembly or the current small groups on Sunday night may be attracted to join a small group if they are invited and made to feel welcome.
Many healthy large churches have the following three environments:
· Large Size Groups – Sunday worship assembly of 100 or more.
· Middle Size Groups – Sunday and Wednesday Bible classes of 20-60 adults.
· Small Size Groups – Weekly home based Bible discussions of 8-16 adults.
As stated in Summerville’s BELONG “We must grow smaller to grow larger”
This strategic plan makes several broad proposals:
· Continue a weekly Sunday night assembly for those who prefer it.
· Schedule designated Sunday nights when the entire church meets together.
· Establish LIFE Groups that meet weekly for Bible study, prayer and fellowship.
· Train and support LIFE Group leaders.
· Begin to build a comprehensive small group structure for Summerville.
· Coordinate the launch of LIFE Groups.
General Overview of LIFE Groups
Core Values
· Spiritual Growth – individuals becoming more like Jesus.
· Congregational Growth – becoming a growing church serving our community.
· Relational growth – Christian relationships for sharing life’s struggles and joys.
Mission
· “To help members and visitors grow spiritually together in a community of openness and fellowship while creating hearts for discipleship.”
Immediate Vision
· “By fall of 2009 Summerville will have 8 LIFE groups of 8–16 adults meeting at least three times a month led by trained and highly-motivated individuals that provide a place for members, seekers and visitors to connect.”
Conceptually:
· LIFE Groups consist of 8-16 adults
· LIFE Groups meet weekly in members’ homes from September through May
· LIFE Group meetings include Bible discussion, testimony and sharing, prayer, service projects and fellowship. An empty chair may remind the group that others are always welcome.
· Life Groups will focus on discussions surrounding life applications from the Sunday morning sermon.
· LIFE Groups will not meet on Special Events or first and fifth Sunday nights.
· LIFE Groups will be established initially by selecting and training group leaders and hosts, then allowing members to choose a LIFE group based on leader, location, and or shared interests. New members and those who want to be placed in a LIFE Group will be assisted in finding an appropriate LIFE Group.
· Each LIFE Group will have more than one leader to share the responsibilities of leadership and to train new leaders for the birthing of new groups. “Birthing” may occur when the group size exceeds 16 adults or as part of the annual reorganization of LIFE groups.
· Members will be asked to make a nine-month commitment to their LIFE Group.
· Each group will offer an opportunity for its members to host if they so choose.
· LIFE Groups will be reorganized each September to encourage new relationships, form additional LIFE Groups, and strengthen weak LIFE Groups.
Sunday Nights at Summerville
This proposal attempts to be sensitive to those who want a Sunday night worship assembly and to those who are comfortable with a small group experience.
· A Sunday night assembly and LIfe Group(s) at the building will be offered each week.
· LIFE Groups will meet on Sunday nights from September through May.
· On the first Sunday evening of each month everyone will meet at the building for worship.
· On Special Event Sundays, the evening assembly will adjust as needed.
· During the summer, the evening assembly schedule will adjust as needed.
· The youth ministry will continue to meet on Sunday evenings and a life group will meet close to the building for parents with teenagers involved in the youth ministry program.
· The children’s ministry activities will continue on Sunday evenings and a life group will meet in the annex for parents with small children.
What Do We Gain?
· A sense of community, being known and cared for
· Deeper relationships
· Commitment to consistent discipleship
· Training and accountability of leaders
· Opportunities for evangelism
· Avenues for assimilation of new members
· Teams for service
Leadership Structure for LIFE Groups
Coordinating Leadership Team:
· The elders will oversee and promote the small group structure.
· One deacon/ministry leader per 8 – 10 life groups will serve as coordinator for the group leaders.
· Staff ministers will develop curriculum and provide support.
· Sixteen LIFE group leaders to lead eight groups.
Leadership Diagram
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Life Group Organizational Chart
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Life Group (LG) Support
Life Group Coordinator
Elders
Ministers
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Life Groups (LG)
LG 1
LG 2
LG 3
LG 4
LG 5
LG 6
LG 7
LG 8 – teen parent group
LG 9 – meet in annex
Pm Worship
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Life Group Curriculum
Fall of 2009
· Focus on Sermon. The Sunday morning sermon topic will be developed and supplemented with practical applications.
· David Clayton will facilitate these discussions by posting the Study Guides on the Life Group Bulletin
Board on Wednesdays and e-mailing and emailing them to each group leader on Wednesday's.
Life Group Coordinator Responsibilities
· Lead the initial Life Group leader training sessions with assistance from ministers as needed
· Coordinate the bi-monthly meeting of all Life Group leaders and co-leaders to include the following activities:
o Accountability
o Sharing
o Calendar & Communication
o Training
· Assist any Life Group leaders that are having difficulties with their group by making routine contact with each leader for group updates
· Assist with any group that is ready to “birth” a new group due to growth
· Assist any existing members, new members, or visitors that need assistance finding a Life Group to attend
Church Calendar
General Plan
· First Sunday and Special Event Sunday nights will be scheduled ahead of time for September through May to avoid conflicts with LIFE groups.
· During the summer, a Sunday evening service or Special Event will take place each Sunday.
2009-10 Calendar of Sunday evening and Special Event Sunday Nights
· May 31 Final Life Group: Begin Summer Break
· June 7 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
· June 14,21,28 “Parenting is Heart Work” Video Series
· July 5 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
· July 12,19,24 “Parenting is Heart Work Video” Series
· July 12,19, 24 Life Group Training (Sunday sessions option)
· July 15,22, 29 Life Group Training (Wednesday sessions option)
· July 27-30 Vacation Bible School
· August 2 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
· August 2 Life Group Training (Sunday Session option)
· August 4 Life Group Training (Wednesday Session option)
· August 9.16,23,30 “Parenting is Heart Work” Video Series
· August 16,23,30 Life Group Signup
· September 6 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
· September 13 Life Groups Begin
· October 4 Mens' Retreat Weekend: No evening service John Smith guest speaker
Life Group Leader training
· November 8 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
· December 6 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
Life Group Training
· December 27 Life Group Winter Break
· January 3 Life Group Winter Break No Birthday Party
· January 10 Life Group resumes
· February 7 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
Life Group Training
· March 7 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
· April 4 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
Life Group Training
· May 2 Worship, New Songs, Birthday Party
· May 30 Final Life Group Meet: Begin Summer break
GROUP LEADERSHIP JOB DESCRIPTION
Assignment: To lead, facilitate, and equip the members of a group, creating a place to
minister to others and encourage each other to have a closer relationship
with the Lord.
Life Group Leader Qualifications:
- Member of Summerville for at least one year.
- Person or couple with a desire to exercise his/her spiritual gifts.
- One who shares and believes in the vision of the church to disciple others. The Life Group ministry is a powerful way to carry out this vision.
- One who is teachable.
- One who has an ability to communicate well with others
Selection Process
- Everyone will fill out an Life Group Interview Form (May & June)
- Support Team of Elder(s), Ministers, and Life Group Coordinator will review and interview prospects.
- Support Team of Elder(s), Ministers, and Life Group Coordinator will select leaders
and co-leaders during to attend Life Group Summer Training (July-August)
- At the end of training, Support Team assigns Group leaders and co-leaders.
- During the Life Group meeting time (September- May) when a group grows large
enough to multiply- the co-leader of the group will lead the new group and a new
co-leader for both groups will be assigned by the Support Team.
- Everyone must meet the above Leader Group qualifications to attend training
and be considered for Life Group Leaders/Co-leaders.
Responsibilities of Life Group Leader
- Commit to summer training (July- August)
- Commit to serving for 9 months (September- May)
- Commit to leading your LG three times a month.
- Working with and developing co-leaders in your group. Mentor the co-leader
and encourage regular attendance in training sessions.
- The LG commits to
a. reporting to the LG coordinator
b. continued training and development sessions (4 held every two months)
- With the assistance of the co-leader and initial group members, secure host homes
from within your group.
- Follow up with all members through visits, phone calls, emails, and recognize
special events of members (births, deaths, anniversary, birthdays, etc.).
a. Evite. com is good site to help organize the group
b. Email directions to the home meeting.
c. send announcements to group members and look for guests at morning worship
to invite to an evening LG.
d. Download the LG study guide and prepare for lesson.
- Insure members are taken care of when sick, hospitalized, or during times of crisis.
- Pray for each member and prepare for each meeting.
- Accept responsibility of developing relationships with the group.
- Have a focus on outreach to the un-churched to bring them in and build up in Christ.
- Notify staff or elders of acute crisis conditions or troubles within the group dynamics
requiring a response.
- Make sure there is an organization of the meals.
a. Each group organizes the meals in whatever way best suits that particular group.
b. To help reduce the burden of meal planning use the following suggestions.
- Use only paper products
- Keep the meals simple
- At the beginning of each month, members sign-up to bring the main dish
for the Sunday of their choosing. The member makes enough of the main
dish to feed everyone.
- The Sunday one does not sign-up for the main dish, everyone else brings
side dishes (that can be posted on Evite.com), non-alcoholic beverages,
chips, cookies, salads, etc.
- The group leader makes sure that all Life Group Meetings are
“Smoke –Free.”
14. Child- Care (some LG will be designated as no-children) assignments need to
be organized in advance.
Education and Training
For LIFE Groups Leaders
Summer
LIFE GROUP DVD AND TRAINING MANUAL by Buddy Bell
· LIFE Group Leaders will meet for initial training during July 2009
· LIFE Group Leaders will meet for additional training each summer.
· LIFE group leadership training may take place on Sunday evenings or may be offered as a Wednesday night class.
First Sunday Leaders Training
· LIFE Group Leaders will meet on the first Sunday in October, December, Feburary and April.
· The LIFE GROUP deacons or coordinators will facilitate leadership training. Each leadership meeting will include the following items:
o Accountability
o Sharing
o Calendar & Communication
o Training
LIFE Group Formation
Before Formation
· All Life groups will cease meeting on last Sunday in May.
· LIFE group leaders will be selected and asked to commit to one year (9 months) as a leader.
· LIFE group Brochure produced listing each new LIFE group and its information.
Initial Formation
· Sign up for Life Groups will be during the month of August.
· Sign up sheets for each LIFE group will be posted in a central location. Everyone will be able to select the LIFE group of his or her choice.
· During formation there will be a maximum space of 12 adults per group. After 12 adults are placed, the LIFE Group will be considered “full.” Later, the LIFE GROUP leaders or coordinators may add additional members at any time.
Timeline
May 2009
First week Sunday May 3rd Elders meet with Deacons.
Elders meet or contact core members
Elders make a personal phone call. “I personally wanted to call you because you have been such a vital part of Summerville. You have shown commitment through your attendance on Wednesday night. Because of that commitment, I wanted to share with you the announcement we are making on this Sunday, May 10th.”
· We are committed to discipleship.
· The entire church will gather on the first Sunday night of each month from September – May.
· We will meet as one assembly every Sunday night during the summer months.
· Great means for evangelism.
· After the announcement, please see me or any of the elders with any further questions or comments.
Who will call? (Elders will call within their Shepherd’s group.
Third week Sunday May 10th Announce to congregation the launch of Life Groups in the fall.
Sermon- “Being Gods Family”
Publicly reassure Sunday evening worship participants.
Forth week Monday May 11th Mail letters to membership from elders announcing the new
Life Groups offering.
Monday May 11th- June 14th Recruit LIFE Group leaders and hosts
Sunday May 31st All present Life Groups end
July
Wed July 15th & Sunday July 12th Session one Group Leader Training
Wed July 22nd & Sunday July 19th Session two Group Leader Training
Wed July 29th & Sunday July 26th Session three Group Leader Training
Wed August 5th & Sunday Aug 2nd Session four Group Leader Training
August
Month of August LIFE group recruitment and signup.
Sun, Aug 9 Life Group Sermon Introduction
Sun, Aug 16 Life Group Video Testimonies
Sun, Aug 23 Life Group Actual Testimonies
Sun, Sep 13th Begin LIFE Group Meetings
Sunday night Oct 4th; Dec 6th; Life Group Leader Training
Feb 7th and April 4th
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