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LIFEgroup Leader

Ministry Job Description

Complete a LIFEgroup application.

Responsible to:

• LIFEgroup Pastor

• Directly Responsible to a LIFEgroup Coach (couple).

Those who want to lead a LIFEgroup must be in complete agreement with the following statements:

* I confess that Jesus Christ is my Forgiver and Leader (Savior and Lord).
* I regard the Bible as the authoritative guide to my faith and life.
* I am a participating member of the LIFEhouse (or am actively pursuing membership).
* I have attended "Basic Leaders Training."
* I agree to come into the LIFEgroup Leadership structure and fulfill the requirements of a leader, and faithfully attend "LIFEoutfitters" team meetings.

LIFEgroup Leadership Responsibilities

You must be willing to commit to doing the following four major tasks:

I. Build a Leadership Team

Your leadership team should consist of you, an apprentice whom you will mentor and train, and a host or hostess for your LIFEgroup meeting.

How to build a leadership team

1. Sense God's calling for you to lead a LIFEgroup.

a. Do you have a passion for nurturing others in the Lord (John 21:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-4)?
b. Do you enjoy relating to others in a way that brings them together in group life (Hebrews 10:24-25)?
c. Do you sense you have a genuine walk with God that will be an example to others (1 Thessalonians 2:10-13)?

2. Choose a person to mentor as you lead your group (an apprentice).

a. Choose someone who has the desire to demonstrate the characteristics of a Life Group and who desires to help others grow spiritually (2 Timothy 2:2).
b. Include your apprentice in as many of your leadership activities as you can. Spend time with this person to disciple him or her (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 3:13-15; 2 Timothy 3:10).

3. Find a host/hostess for your group (a place to meet and a person to be responsible for the meeting place and environment).

a. Work with your host/hostess to plan your meeting schedule and any other important details such as refreshments and child care if necessary.
b. Remember to update your meeting schedule regularly with your host/hostess.

4. Receive the training needed to lead a LIFEgroup and continue growing spiritually as a leader.

a. Participate In:

* leadership huddles with your coach for information, problem solving, support, leadership gatherings, and celebrations
* training events as needed or as recommended by your coach
* annual LIFEgroup leadership retreat (in-town or out of town)

b. Make sure you are spending consistent time in the Word of God and in prayer (Psalm 1:1-3; Acts 1:13-14). You cannot spiritually impart what you do not have. Only growing leaders produce growing Christians. Read your Bible, asking God to teach you and give you a vision for your group.

c. Faithfully attend Life Outfitters with your coach each Sunday at 11:00am in the Small Auditorium.

3. Recruit and work with your apprentice(s)

So that he/they will meet the qualifications and be ready to lead when your group reaches the point of multiplying.

II. Conduct Life-Changing Group Meetings:

As the small group leader, your responsibility includes assembling the group and leading the time in a way that facilitates self-disclosure, understanding and application of the Word, and mutual care and support.

1. Identify who will be in your group and challenge them to make a commitment for a period of time. It is best to meet with each individual (or couple) to get to know them before inviting them to be in your group. A group can grow to about eight to twelve people and still experience discussion and vulnerable sharing.

• Use the natural connections or relationships that you already have to find your group. This might include people in your ministry, neighborhood, place of work, or acquaintances. Remember the body of Christ is diverse, so your group might include various kinds of people as well.
• Set your meeting time, place, and frequency. It is required that you hold a group meeting at least twice a month (consider your ministry when determining this).

2. Use the most appropriate resources available for small group study that seem to fit the needs of the group. We recommend any biblically based material that is application-oriented and good for discussion. See the approved list of resources on the net.

3. Share the responsibility of teaching, leading discussions, social time, prayer, and ministry involvement with gifted members of your group. Don't feel as though you have to do everything for the group. Use your apprentice. Some in your group might be more gifted than you in certain areas. Allow them to exercise their gifts in the group, such as teaching, leading worshipping, leading prayer, care-giving, et cetera.

4. On a monthly basis, report the progress of your group using the LIFEoutfitters forms your coach provides.

III. Lead and Shepherd your LIFEgroup:

It is your spiritual responsibility to care for and nurture your small group members so they become fully devoted followers of Christ and participating members of the church.

1. Pray for your meeting time and for each member of the group
(Philippians 1:3-11; Colossians 1:9-12).

2. Exercise oversight of your members (1 Peter 5:1-3). Another word for "over sight" is care or shepherd. It means to be concerned about the welfare of each member of your group just as you are concerned about your own welfare (Philippians 2:4, 20-21).

3. Model Christ-likeness to your group. Serve them as Christ served His disciples with acts of kindness (John 13:1-5). Help them grow in Christ. Encourage one another to live each moment of life as Christ would.

4. Create a safe place for others to share their feelings, hurts, pains, and concerns. People will be only as vulnerable as you are. Admit your weaknesses to the group in a way that encourages others to see themselves as they truly are (2 Corinthians 4:7; 12:10).

IV. Expand the Ministry

As the Lord grows the group, it will be necessary to consider birthing a new group in order to provide the appropriate amount of care for each person and to allow others in the church to experience life change through small groups. This should only be done when you feel the group is ready to birth and when the apprentice is appropriately trained.

1. Use the open chair to invite others to your group. There are many people who are in relationship with your group members that are unconnected to our church.

a. Invite prospective new members to a social event with your group.
b. You might need to cast the vision that growth is healthy and normal for a good group.

2. Encourage each group member to maintain a healthy relationship with the church. Members should aspire to become fully devoted followers of Christ who participate actively in the life of the body. This is best done by modeling it yourself.

3. Develop your apprentice by providing him or her with leadership responsibilities and people to shepherd. It is likely that these people will be shepherded by the apprentice when you launch out with a few people to form the nucleus of a new group.

Responsibilities:

1. Fulfill the qualifications of the LIFEgroup Leader.

2. Attend weekly LIFEoutfitters meetings for ongoing training, coordination and communication.

Currently we meet every Sunday morning.

3. Submit a written Leader's Report monthly.

You can submit this in the LIFEoutfitters meeting.

6. Seek to win at least one person to Christ a year, by building bridges to those outside of Christ.

Set the pace for the group by reaching out to your neighbors, family, fellow workers or fellow students.

Time Commitment:

The time required to multiply once and be ready to multiply a second time with two apprentices (approx. two years)

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