Life Group

How can a pastor be involved in discipling relationships with five hundred regular attendees and at the same time attempt to reach five hundred new people who have not yet come into a relationship with Jesus?

By taking an in-depth look at the ministry plan of Jesus ofNazareth we see how Christ planned to reach the world with the message that the Kingdom of God had arrived. Jesus focused His teaching and training ministry on twelve disciples who would carry His message forward in His absence. For three years, Jesus poured His life into these men. He had no other plan to reach the masses, but through these twelve men. Mark 3:14a reads, “He appointed twelve-designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out”.

The basic structure of the Life Group is for the pastor to invest his life in twelve men. In time,each member is commissioned to disciple twelve others. Each subsequent generation of disciples has the same goal as the previous generation, to make disciples who make disciples. The pastor wife echoes the same structure by investing herself in the discipleship of twelve women.

Life Groups were designed to meet the following objectives:
·To model New Testament Community
·To utilize a discipleship model as part of leadership training
·To discover what areas of New Testament Community might be lacking in ourchurch
·To instill into members the conviction that true disciples of Jesus make disciples.

As local churches grow, pastors must narrow their focus to train a small group of leaders to do the work of ministry. The pastor cannot personally disciple the masses but must train a few faithful servants.

A healthy church always has two components, the first being celebration. The church must meet in large groups to celebrate what Christ has done. The second component for a healthy church is the cell: small groups who disciple one another, care for one another,and hold one another accountable. A healthy believer in the world today should worship God with a large group of Christians for celebration and should meet within a small group for more intimate fellowship and discipleship.

 Encounter Retreat

Encounter Retreats are spiritual retreats, held twice a year, that are designed for the participants of Life Groups and as an entry point for new people into Life Groups.Members of current Life Groups that are launching a new group are encouraged to invite their prospective disciples to participate in the next Encounter Retreat as an entry to their Life Group experience. Others attending the Encounter Retreat are encouraged to join a Life Group.