Creating a Healthy Life Group

The goal of every group is to be healthy. Just like we want healthy bodies, we want healthy groups. But, how do we know are group is healthy. I am going to give leaders 3 questions to ask yourself to determine if your group is healthy.

Question #1 Are members experiencing Spiritual Progress? Are they maturing in the Lord?

• It is the goal of every believer to mature in the Lord
• We do groups to mature one another
• The apostle Paul: “Be joyful, Grow to maturity, encourage each other. Live in Harmony and peace.” 2 Cor. 13:11
• As leaders we should be looking for maturity signs in our members: Do they have a Bible Reading Plan, Do they discuss prayer in their life, Would they be willing to pray out loud in group, Are you seeing signs of serving in the church and community, are they sharing their faith with non-believers or the unchurched.

Question #2 Are members caring for one another?

• Do you see signs from the group moving from a group of individuals to a community
• Do they email each other outside of group?
• Do they call each other outside of group?
• Do they call you outside of group with prayer requests?
• Is your group starting to do social and serve events together?
• Are members starting to share the responsibility of the group? Are they owning the group?

Question #3 Are members caring about outsiders? Do they have a heart for the harvest?

• It needs to be the heart of every group to reach others, because this was the heart of Christ.
• When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36) Jesus looked at the crowds and knew they needed discipleship. They needed a spiritual mentor. He had compassion. This is the picture we need to have as leaders and members. Making Disciples!!!
• How do we do this? We need to cast vision regularly. We need to bring this into our meeting discussions. We need to bring this into our meeting prayer times. Our strategy hear at Antioch Church is invest and invite. We invest in people’s lives and then we invite them to a group or service.
• We should ask our members during prayer time: Who are you investing in right now for the gospel? How can we pray for them? Is there someone outside of group that could use a group like this?
• If we ask questions like this, it will get our members to begin to think out of the box. The box being our group.

As leaders it is our responsibility to keep our group healthy. If our group keeps these questions before us at all times and move them to growth, it will keep groups moving forward.