Spiritual Growth

3 Ideas To Help Your Group Grow Spiritually & Relationally

Hi Group Leaders,

We are on the home stretch of the fall Community Group Trimester. 3 more weeks until the winter break begins (November 18).

As you look to make the most of your last 3 weeks, here are 3 ideas to help your group grow spiritually and relationally.

1. Prayer Partners

I've seen several groups, including my own, recently hand out 3x5 cards in the prayer time. Everyone takes a moment to write down their name and prayer requests before sharing them.

Then they exchange their card with another person in the group.

For those who have never prayed out loud, this is a great tool to make it easier to pray. All they have to do is read what their partner wrote.

To make sure that we don't forget to pray during the week, each group member is asked to reach out to their partner at least 1x during the week via text, phone call, or in-person to check on how their partner is doing and pray for them.

They can also put the 3x5 card in a visible place as a daily reminder to pray for them.

2. Acts Plan

As a Church we are teaching through the beginning of the book of Acts. Acts is 28 chapters long.

The book of Acts is perfect 4-week Bible reading plan to do with your group. We have 5 weeks left of the series.

Why not invite your group to do the Bible Project 28-Day Acts Reading Plan in YouVersion?

Each day my group has been reading this together, and sharing our takeaways in the YouVersion app so we can see what we are learning.

3. Celebrate Communion & Meal

This Sunday we are taking a look at what the first church looked like in Acts 2:41-47.

A huge part of the early church was eating in homes together and using bread and juice to celebrate communion.

Either this week, or before the group trimester is out, set up a meal and spend time meditating on the Gospel together through communion.

How Can We Help You?

How is your group going? Are there any challenges or issues you or your group are struggling with? Reach out to your coach to setup a meeting. We'd love to help!

2 Ways To Thrive Spiritually While Group is On Break

Our Community Group season is coming to an end next week. But just because your group is not meeting, that doesn't mean that community needs to stop.

Right at the beginning of the Bible, we read "It is not good for man to be alone." - Gen. 2:18

We do not do well when we live in isolation.

We are in a spiritual battle for our souls! And we can't survive alone.

If we are going to thrive instead of die spiritually this summer, here are 2 things I would encourage you and your group to do.

2 Ways To Thrive Spiritually While Group is On Break.

1. Set Summer Growth Goals for the Summer

You may not be seeing each other on a weekly basis, but in your last 2 weeks of group, talk with each other about one step you can each take to grow in your faith this summer.

Then touch base with each other throughout the summer on your progress:

  • You could assign Growth Goal Accountability Partners for the Summer.

  • Send a weekly text to check in with the guys or girls.

  • Schedule coffee or a bite one-on-one.

  • Set up a monthly, bi-weekly, accountability breakfast with the guys or girls.

  • Set a regular reminder on your phone to ask your group members about their progress.

2. Decide on Summer Plans To Connect by May 26th.

Enjoy the summer break. We all need to rest. And don't feel guilty about not meeting each week. This is a season of sabbath for Community Groups to replenish and hit the ground running this fall.

But Community Group is more than meetings.

What regular patterns can you establish with your group to stay connected throughout the summer when you are not meeting?

  • Pick a shared Bible Reading Plan

  • Text a Scripture each day to each other

  • Pick a book to read and discuss

  • Sit together Sundays

  • Decide after which Sunday service you'll visit together in the lobby

Check out these 10 ideas for summer connections.

Get some dates or plans on the calendar now, or your summer is likely to pass you by without your group connecting.

Questions?

If you have any questions about groups or anything else at Northridge, reach out to your coach.

We'd love to support you in anyway that we can.

Upcoming Dates

Additional Resources That May Be Helpful

Do This At Your Group This Week

Hi Group Leaders,

This week we begin the final Community Groups trimester of the year.

As we get ready for the last 6 weeks of the group, here are few details you should know to help you finish strong.

Upcoming Sermon Series

Who is This Jesus? (On Location Israel Series)

Most Americans have heard the name of Jesus. Maybe they’ve even heard a few things He said or did. But who is Jesus really? What was He like? Where did He live? What did He really care about? We’ll explore these questions and more while on location in Israel, where Jesus walked and spent His days on earth.

  • 4/16 - Jesus invitation for Nicodemus to believe (John 3)

  • 4/23 - Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11)

  • 4/30 - Jesus cleansing of the temple (John 2:13-17

  • 5/6 - Jesus Transfiguration (Matthew 16-17)

Seven Subtle Sins of Society

What if there were things in our life that we had no idea were destroying us? Like a frog in a kettle who doesn’t know he’s about to be boiled, Christians in the 21st century often fail to notice the pieces of our society that are causing havoc to our souls. In this series, we want to expose accepted, overlooked, and subtle sins of society, so we can avoid their pitfalls and instead follow the path that leads to life. 

  • 5/13 - Comfort (Matthew 16:21-26)

  • 5/20 - Gossip (James 3)

- Spring Trimester Ends -

  • 5/27 - Control (James 4:13-17)

  • 6/4 - Comparison (Luke 18:9-14)

  • 6/11 - Complacency (Amos 6:1-7)

  • 6/18 - Consumerism (Haggai 1:2-8)

  • 6/25 - Gluttony (Philippians 3:18-20)

This Weeks Group Discussion

This week Drew is teaching on the story of Nicodemus from John 3. We see Nicodemus considering faith in Jesus, but not sure if he believes.

This is a great week to ask the people in your group where they are at in their faith journey. If you have people on the front end of faith or considering Christianity, this could be a good opportunity to encourage them to cross the line of faith, and potentially pray to receive Christ right in your prayer time.

If that may be too intimidating, perhaps you could setup a time after your group meeting to grab coffee or a meal with them and talk with them about placing their faith in Christ.

Inconsistent Attendance

I see this every year, after a long Rochester winter, group attendance tends to drop off in the spring. It may be the Sunday holidays, kids sports schedules, or it could be that when the days are longer and warmer, people would rather be outside doing something else.

While you can't make people show up, one of the ways to push against the trend of drifting at the end of the groups year, is to set Growth Goals together as a group.

It doesn't take long when we are disconnected from Christian Community to make decisions we regret or grow distant in our relationship with Christ.

Take some time in group this week to set goals together.

Upcoming Dates

Questions?

If you have any questions about groups or anything else at Northridge, please reply to the email or reach out to your coach.

We'd love to support you in anyway that we can.

Additional Resources That May Be Helpful

How To Find and Keep New People

How Do You Get People To Show Up To Group?

Only Half Of My Group Showed Up Last Night

Why Group Relationships Are Ineffective

5 Reasons We Need Group Relationships In Addition To Our Existing Relationships

When & How Should Your Group Multiply?

Northridge Group Leader Podcast

3 Things To Do Before Group Ends and Summer Begins

We have 2 weeks left of our Community Group season. As you wrap up your final few weeks, here are 3 things to do to set your group up for success this summer and fall.

1. Set Summer Growth Goals

Community Groups are about spiritual growth. If we don't set goals for spiritual growth, we are not likely to make progress.

As you review your growth goals from this past semester, make sure to take time to set a goal for this summer:

  • Read a book

  • Memorizing scripture

  • Invite an unbeliever over for a BBQ

  • Replace TV time with reading time or devotions with family or friends

  • Listen to the A Little Better Podcast weekly

  • Etc.

Text each other throughout the summer, or connect for coffee or a bite and ask each other about your progress.

2. Get Feedback From Your Group

Do you know what your group members actually think about your group? Are there things they love or things they are frustrated about that you are unaware of? You won't know until you ask.

In a few weeks we'll be surveying all Group Leaders and Group Members to learn about what we can do better as a church to have a more effective groups ministry. We value your feedback as we seek to improve.

In fact, here are the top 2 things we usually hear from Group Members:

  • I wish my group started and ended on time.

  • I wish my group did more gatherings outside of weekly meetings.

Here is the top thing we usually hear from Group Leaders:

  • I wish people showed up more consistently! (We always survey you at the end of the year when attendance is most spotty, so that is usually at the top of our minds as leaders.)

What do your group members think about your group?

Hand out a 3x5 card the last week of group and ask people to answer two questions:

  1. What do you like most about our group?

  2. What do you wish was different about our group? What would you change?

If people miss that meeting, email them those questions.

That feedback will be invaluable as you seek to create a group environment where people can experience community and grow in their faith.

3. Plan Summer Gatherings

Summer is almost here and groups will be on break. While we encourage you to take advantage of that break to refresh yourself, don't completely disconnect.

If you don't put gatherings on your calendar now, they probably are not going to happen.

A good goal could be to have 1 gathering each month throughout the summer.

Here are some ideas:

What summer gatherings have worked well for your group?

I'd love to hear your ideas so we can pass them along to other leaders! Email me HERE.

How Can We Help?

How are you doing? Is there anything we can help with? Reach out to your coach.

If you haven't had a chance to meet up with your coach about how your group is doing and what's next for your group, we'd love to connect.

Upcoming Community Group Dates

  • Spring Community Group Trimester: April 3 - May 28th (8 Weeks)

  • Red Wings Baseball Game (Group Leader Thank You): Friday, June 3, 7:05pm (RSVP HERE)

Keep up-to-date with what happening in our group ministry on the Group Leader's Website, Facebook Group, and Podcast.

Additional Resources

9 Tips To Finishing Your Group Well

Why Summer Is Dangerous For You And You Group

5 Reasons We Need Group Relationships In Addition To Existing Relationships

Only Half of My Group Showed Up Last Night

8 Simple Steps To Raise Up New Leaders

The #1 Priority In Leading Your Group

One of the most discouraging aspects of leading a group, is seeing group members stagnant, backsliding, or simply repeating the same struggles in prayer time week after week.

How do we help them change and grow?

While there are many ways we can help, what rises above all of them, is the example we set.

Your example will have far more influence than any ice breaker, group discussion, prayer time, or social gathering.

You've heard it said, "show me your friends, and I'll show you your future."

So here is a question, what does the future look like for those you are rubbing shoulders with?

If we become most like the people we spend the most time with, what will your group members become like after spending time with you?

We have boiled down successful Group Leadership to 6 Leader Essentials.

Essentials #1 is pursuing Christ!

Pursuing Christ is always important, and always urgent.

As Jesus said,

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5

If we want our group members to experience an active and growing faith, it starts with us modeling it.

Paul challenged Timothy about the importance of his example,

"Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity...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 4:12, 15-16

He didn't just challenge Timothy about his example, he modeled it himself,

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” - Philippians‬ ‭4:9‬

Who you are will have far more influence than any role you play.

So take heart, when leading group is a struggle and you wonder if you are making a difference, don't discount the influence of your example when you faithfully pursue Christ.

What are our thoughts? As you think about your own group experiences, who's example has most influenced your own faith?

Share your ideas on the Northridge Leaders Facebook Group.

Upcoming Sermon Series

  • Grace Anatomy (February 28-March 7)

  • All Rise (March 14-April 4)

Trimester Dates

  • Winter: January 17 - March 27 (10 weeks)

  • Spring: April 11 - May 29 (7 weeks)

Additional Resources

8 Ideas To Help Your Group Engage The Bible

Several years ago, the Willow Creek Church Association did a massive study to examine how churches were doing at developing mature disciples.

They found that the number one influence on a person's spiritual growth was engaging the Bible for personal application.

While God grows our faith through a variety of influences (private disciplines, providential relationships, personal ministry, practical teaching, pivotal circumstances), engaging the Bible is at the top of the list.

The first goal of Community Groups at Northridge is to Apply the Bible.

If helping your group engage the Bible personally will influence their faith more than anything else, how is that going?

Here are 8 ideas to help your group engage with God's word.

  • Starting Point - (Sunday mornings in-person, Thursday evenings online)

    • Do your group members have questions about the Bible you don't know how to answer?

    • Starting Point is designed for those who are newer to faith, exploring faith, or reengaging with faith, to ask any questions they have about God, faith, and the Bible.

    • Invite a group member to join you in a Starting Point Group (online or in-person). They'll have an opportunity to engage the Bible and ask any question they have!

  • Equip Class "How to Read the Bible" - (Sunday mornings Online & In-Person, February 7 - March 28)

    • Many of the people in your group have tried to read the Bible but found it confusing and discouraging as they struggle to understand it.

    • Invite your group members to join you for this class so you can learn together how to not just read the Bible, but understand and apply it.

  • RightNow Media

    • Pick a RightNow Media study on a Book of the Bible and watch and discuss it with your group each week.

    • Many of the studies include free discussion guides to help you walk through the Biblical text together, understand it and apply it.

  • Shared YouVersion Bible Reading Plan

    • The Bible has never been more accessible than now with the YouVersion Bible app.

    • Search through a list of Bible reading plans and invite your Group Members to join you.

    • You can see each other's progress, and even share takeaways as you engage the Biblical text together.

  • Bible Project Home Study

    • Sign up for the Bible Project weekly Home Study email.

    • Each email includes a short video (you can watch together with your group), Scripture readings, a short audio message, and discussion questions.

    • Your group members can watch, listen, and read before the group, and watch the video and discuss the questions in your weekly meeting.

  • Book of the Bible Study Guides

    • Here is a list of recommended study guides to read and discuss a book of the Bible together as a group.

    • Have your group members purchase a study guide, and then read the Bible passage during the week and answer the questions in the guide. You can use the guide to discuss what you learned in your next meeting.

    • You could also pair one of these study guides along with RightNow Media series on the same book of the Bible.

    • Here are some best practices from other Group Leaders who have done this.

  • Sermon Discussion

    • Help your group not only hear God's Words taught on Sunday, but read them together in group, and learn how to apply them.

    • Have you had mixed success with this? Review these sermon discussion tips.

    • Find Sermon Discussion Questions HERE.

  • Set Bible Engagement Growth Goals

    • Make Growth Goals a regular rhythm each group trimester.

    • Set goals on when, where, and what to read in the Bible.

    • Set scripture memorization goals.

    • Ask each other about your progress regularly.

Which one of these 8 ideas can you try this winter to help your group engage the Bible?

Upcoming Sermon Series

Here are the tentative dates for our upcoming sermon series:

  • Silver Linings - (January 10-31)

  • How to Be Rich (February 7-21)

  • Amazing Grace (February 28-March 7)

  • The Courtroom (March 14-April 4)

Trimester Dates

  • Winter: January 17 - March 27 (10 weeks)

  • Spring: April 11 - May 29 (7 weeks)

Additional Resources

Making A Hard Call

The point if this post is that I'd love every Group Leader at Northridge to go all out to invite others to join them in their group!

Simply stated, my goal for this post is that you would grab your phone and call everyone in your group who is not attending your meetings, and invite them to check out your group, or a group. 

Most groups have people on their group roster that either have:

  • never attended

  • not attended in a long time

  • only attended a few times

  • or just expressed interest in group for the first time. 

On top of that, each Sunday our services are full of people who lack relationships with other Christians who could help them grow in their faith.

Why do I want every group to go all out to invite those disconnected to connect? 

Why go to the trouble of finding time in our busy schedules to pick up the phone and call these people?

Because people can't grow spiritually if they don't connect relationally. 

And people can't connect relationally without first establishing a relationship.

Relationships begin with an invitation. 

When Jesus began his ministry, he found a few men and said, "Come, follow me."

Then those men called their friends and family and invited them to come and follow Jesus.

Jesus’ relationships began with an invitation.

In a season when people are more disconnected than ever, we want to go all out to help as many people as possible step toward relationships, not away.

Picking up the phone can be hard. But will you make the hard call?

As Groups Coaches, we are going to work more diligently this fall to track those who are not connecting, and help them connect.

You'll likely be hearing from your coach in the weeks ahead asking you about people disconnected from your group. 

Thanks for helping us make disciples through phone calls.

Relationships begin with an invitation. Thanks for making the hard call!

P.S. Many people don't listen to their voicemail anymore, so if you get a voicemail, try sending a text after. They may be more likely to see your text than hear your voicemail. 

P.S.S. If your group doesn't work for them, let your coach know. We'd love to find a group that does work for them.

Additional Resources:

Still deciding on curriculum? Here are some suggestions:

Sermon Discussion

  • A Tale of Two Brothers (September)

  • The Life of Moses (October - November) 

The Bible Project "Church At Home"

  • A free study for small groups, churches, and house churches to help you continue to engage in Scripture with a multi-lesson Bible study

  • Access a weekly video, podcast, Scripture, and discussion guide HERE

Anthology

  • Free video studies from Andy Stanley and Northpoint Church 

  • Viewable on Roku, Apple TV, Google Chrome, Apple and Android devices

  • Access all studies HERE

  • If Money Talked

Right Now Media

I Said This, You Heard That

  • This 6 session video study explores how your wiring affects what you say, how you listen, and how others hear you

  • Watch video series on Youtube HERE

  • Access discussion guide HERE

Book

Book of the Bible

  • HERE are some recommended discussion guides for discussing a book of the Bible together

Miss Re:Group or want a refresher? 

Watch or listen here:

Have you checked out our Group Leader Podcast?

  • Listen to our past Re:Group Leader Training content: large group and breakout sessions

  • Access HERE

Have any other questions? 

Contact your coach or search the rest of our our leader page.

8 Ways To Find Mature Christians Who Will Help You Grow

This fall I started a series of posts to address a tension many of us feel in leading a group; "How do I grow spiritually if I'm the most mature person in my group?"

I wanted to write one final post to conclude my thoughts and give some potential next steps for you as you wrestle with that question.

The first post defined the end goal of spiritual growth as "looking like Christ."

The second post shared how relationships are 1 of 5 things that God uses to help us grow to "look like Christ".

The point of the second post was to highlight that relationships are part of what grows our faith, but that our spiritual growth is not contingent solely on the people we are surrounded by.

The third post talked about how God uses both more and less mature Christians to help us grow in our faith.

The point of the third post was to highlight that there is no one person we will have in our life that will lead us to full maturity...we grow in our faith in community.

All that being said, you may still be saying, "I've got plenty of spiritually immature people I can learn and grow from, and I need to be more humble about learning from them, but I'd love to also have some more spiritually mature people in my life who can help me grow. How can I find that? If there are not many or any in my group, what do I do?"

Where can we find spiritually mature people to help us grow?

That's what we want to talk about in this final post.

While each Community Group would ideally have a good number of mature Christians in addition to immature, groups are not the only pool for finding mature Christ followers to rub shoulders with.

So, if you find yourself hungering for connection with other Christians who are serious about growing in the faith, here are some ideas.

8 Ways To Find Mature Christians Who Will Help You Grow

1. Develop them in your group.

  • You have “potentially mature” Christians already in your group. Don't look past them too quickly.

  • Yes, this takes effort, but you may be surprised that some of the people in your group will welcome additional connections to grow their faith: 

    • a weekly accountability breakfast

    • memorizing Scripture together

    • reading a book together

    • discussing theology together

2. Grab a meal or coffee with your Community Group Coach or a Northridge staff member.

  • We'd love to share with you what we are learning as we seek to grow in our own faith. We're all in process!

3. Ask for a connection.

  • Some of you have requested help to find another mature Christian you can connect with.

  • While we are not match-makers, your Group Coach or a staff member may be able to help you make a connection with another mature Christ follower.

  • In fact, if you respond to this post it may give us a list of people we can pair together who are seeking mutually beneficial connections.

4. Serve alongside other Christ followers.

  • The most mature Christians are already investing their lives in serving others.

  • If you want to learn from them, find out what they are doing and serve alongside of them.

  • Join the Care Portal Team or find a role to serve at your campus.

5. Attend an Equip class with other Christ followers.

  • Those attending a class are taking an intentional step to grow. Get to know them and grow with them by participating in an a class together.

6. Connect with leaders from your former group.

  • Just because you are not in a group with them anymore doesn't mean you can't do life with them. 

  • Some of my closest friendships are with previous group members and leaders.

7. Take an online class from a Bible college or seminary.

  • Not only will you increase your knowledge but you'll be able to build relationships with Godly classmates and professors.

8. meet them through a book.

  • I've heard it said that books are like good friends who help guide and counsel us.

  • When we read, we get to know the author and hear their thoughts. The more we read, the more their ideas and their lives begin to influence our own.

  • This may be a one-sided friendship, but a friendship with a book/author in addition to our other friendships can help.

  • Need a recommendation? Check out our staff suggestions: www.northridgeequip.com/books

Our spiritual growth is a process, but He who began a good work in us will complete His perfect work (Philippians 1:6).

I'm looking forward to the day when the process of becoming like Christ will be complete.

What did I miss in these posts? What questions do you still have? How have these posts helped you? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Email me HERE.

Let's keep learning and growing together.

 

How Do I Grow If I'm The Most Mature Person In My Group?

How Do I Grow If I'm The Most Mature Person In My Group?

Have you ever wrestled with the question, "How do I grow spiritually if I'm the most mature person in my group?"

What do you do if as a Group Leader, you are continually pouring yourself into the people in your group, but you don't have anyone in your group who is ahead of you spiritually?

What do you do if you find your Community Group tends to be community through you, but not community for you?

This is a tension that comes with leadership. Who leads the leader? Who mentors the mentor? Who pastors the pastor?

If you have not experienced this tension yet, you'll likely wrestle with it at some point as you continue to grow in your faith.

So what's the answer?

There is more I'd like to say than you probably have time or would like to read in 1 post.

We've got lives to live, work to be done, and enough emails to get through. So instead of writing 1 long essay for you to read today, I'd like to take a few weeks to wrestle with this tension with you.

Today I just want to raise the tension and define what we are pursuing.

In the next posts we'll talk about practical answers.

Before we answer how we can grow spiritually, we need to define what growing looks like.

Spiritual growth can simply be defined as "becoming more like Christ".

Paul makes this clear in Ephesians 4:13 when he prays that Christians will "become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
As a Group Leader and a follower of Christ, this means that the end goal of our spiritual growth must move beyond simply learning more information about God to living like Him.
Some of the signs that we are growing spiritually include:

  • Love for God and love for people (Matthew 22:27-39)

  • Displaying the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Looking like Christ is the essence of spiritual growth and the end goal of becoming mature.

So that's the goal, but how do we get there? How do you grow when there are a lack of spiritually mature people in your group? How do you grow when you are the most mature member of your group?

We'll talk about that next time.

What do you think? I'd love to hear how you've wrestled with this tension. What questions or thoughts do you have? Just email me HERE.

Additional Resources

2 Ways To Help Your Group Know God Better

Staying Spiritually Vibrant (3 minute video)

How Do You Know If You Are Succeeding As A Leader?

4 Sure Ways To Burn Out As A Group Leader

Northridge Leaders Facebook Group

Questions?

Contact your Group Coach or search this website. We'd love to be a resource to you!

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Northridge Church Office | 2052 Saint Paul St. Rochester, NY 14621 | (585) 338-7810