How to do Life Groups AND have them work.

What are life groups and why do we do them?

What would you say is the most important thing about Life Groups?

I have always thought that it is a necessity in life to remind ourselves why we do what we do. Theres an old saying “If you forget the why then you will forget your way.” Remembering our purpose and motivation helps us stay on the right path. So I think we need to ask ourselves why do we do life groups?

Life Groups are an essential piece to our ministry and your relationship with God.

The fellowship that believers share as a result of their common union with God through Jesus Christ is expressed in life together. 1 John 1:3

1 John 1:3 (ESV)

3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

What do we see in the early church? Acts 2:42

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

This happened after three thousand come to know the Lord and were baptized in the family of God. This love for one another was immediate. In the beginning of the church, once people started identifying themselves as a part of the Way movement, they were ostracized; separated from synagogue or even family.

So not only did they want to be together, they needed to some type of community, and their love for Christ brought them to do life together.

How has your love for Jesus effected the way you live your life?

Jesus prayed for our unity and desired it for us. Right before he goes to the cross, Him and his disciples are in the upper room and Jesus begins to pray this long prayer called, “High Priestly Prayer.”

In this prayer, he prays for you and I. He prays for unity amongst the believers.

English Standard Version John 17:20–21

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

The early church wanted to do life together out of the love of Jesus. Jesus prayed that we would be one together just as the father are one. Life groups are plainly this:

People who walk through life together.

We are not meant to do life alone. You all probably know the study and have heard this said about our generation, but we are the loneliest generation, but yet we are the most connected generation.

How do we fight against that? There is something about just being physically around people. When we gather together just as the early church did, we share in a common devotional life.

Here are 3 things I believe will make our time together every Sunday worth your time.

Be consistent.

If you work out one time a here and another time 2 weeks later do you think you are going to see a difference in your fitness? No. Consistently going to the gym will improve your fitness and help. Hebrews 10:24-25

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Be real.

If the only thing you get out of this talk is to be honest with your group, then thats okay. We have created the groun rules for a reason, to make everyone in the group feel safe enough to share whats going on in their life.

A lot of times we don’t want to go deep in our walk because we are nervous about what others might think. When you get something out into the light, God heals us. 1 John 1:7

1 John 1:7 ESV

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Be ready.

Come prepared to grow in your relationship with God. Bring your bible and notebook. Write down prayer requests so you can keep up with them from week to week.

Engaging during discussion is vital for a good group time. Come ready to discuss.

Thats how to have a good group time. The 3 “Be’s”

The fellowship that believers share as a result of their common union with God through Christ is expressed in life together.

Life together in the family of God is simply this: Bearing one anothers burdens, encouraging one another, and putting the needs of others first.

Bear one another’s burdens.

Galatians 6:2–3 ESV

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Let me even the field out: we are all broken people and don’t have it put together. Thats what some of want others to think about us, but lets be real. Paul says that if we think we are hot snot, we deceive ourselves.

How can we bear one eachothers burdens when we don’t share them.

Encouraging one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Make it a habit to encourage not discourage. We are in some difficult times. Let us not tear down but build up each other up by helping them to overcome a sin that they are struggling in their lives or as they walk a difficult time.

Let us encourage and build up!

Putting the needs of others first

1 Corinthians 10:24 ESV

24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

In other words put others before yourself. This is that agape love that we talked about over the summer. A love for our brothers and sisters that doesn’t expect anything in return.

If we implement these 3 things in our life groups, I promise that you will grow deeper in your love for Jesus and our brothers and sisters.

Life groups is where we do life together.