Do you ever get frustrated with the lack of growth in you or your group members faith? Does it seem like most of the people in your group are stagnant? Maybe its worse than stagnant. Your group members actually seem to be taking steps backward. You wrap up a group night and think to yourself, "What's the deal? Can't they just get their act together?"
One of the challenges with spiritual growth is it can be hard to measure. It is a lot easier to notice growth over a long period of time than a weekly or monthly basis.
So how can we help our group members to grow? And how can we tell if they are growing spiritually?
Here are 3 Ideas:
1. Set the Example In Pursuing Christ
At the Re:Group Leader Training last month we emphasized that the most essential thing you can do as a Group Leader is to Pursue Christ! If we are not growing spiritually, how we can expect to lead our group members to grow in their faith?
The number one way we can influence the growth of our group members is to set the example in Pursuing Christ.
But how do we do that?
At Re:Group we shared a number of breakouts to help you Pursue Christ.
Take sometime over the next few weeks to listen to these breakouts and review the notes. You can listen on your commute, while you fold laundry, rake leaves in the yard, or do the dishes.
Click on the links below to access the audio and notes from the Re:Group breakouts:
Increasing Your Personal Desire To Pursue Christ
The Best Thing I Ever Did To Grow Spiritually
In God We Trust?
Why Technology Is Irresistible (And How You Can Resist It)
What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do
New Leader Breakout
2. Set Growth Goals
One of the best ways we have found to help each other grow spiritually, and to be able to see clear progress, is to set growth goals at the beginging of each trimester with your group members.
Take part of your prayer time each trimester to read off or hand out a list of the growth goals, and then have everyone write down a growth goal for the trimester. Then bring these goals up with each other throughout the trimester in prayer time, in text messages, in meals one on one, etc. At the end of the trimester, ask each other about your progress and continue to encourage each other to follow through with the goal(s) you've set.
"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." 1 Timothy 4:15-16.
Has your group set growth goals yet this trimester? Take some time in group to do that this week.
3. Pray
Maybe your are thinking, "Well duh, isn't that obvious?" We know that people can't change without God intervening, but how often does the way we pray reflect what we believe to be true?
If I spent as much time praying for my group members as I do being frustrated with their lack of progress, sinful decisions, or their last minute "I can't make it" texts, my group members may be in a better place. For sure my heart would.
God changes hearts, but he has chosen to use our prayers as the means to Him accomplishing His will in each of our lives.
So, let's fight hard to pray for our group members, placing our dependence on God to help our group become more like Jesus.
"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:13
Additional Resources
Why Don't We Pray For Our Community Group?
Here are 5 ideas to help you pray for your group members regularly.
Why Confronting Is Showing Love And How To Do It Well
Here are some tips on when to confront, and 10 ideas on how to do it well.
Fall Re:Group: Main Talk - Pursue Christ
Questions?
Contact your Group Coach or search this website to find answers to your questions.
Jason DeGraaff
Community Groups Pastor
Life is better connected!
