X Transformational ISSUE 1 VOLUME 1 2010
Connections………………...1
XSermon Series:
“Seek”........................................2 Welcome to the first addition of Group focus, a weekly publication providing
encouragement along with the practical for doing life together in groups. You can
also find Group focus at www.NCGroupLife.blogspot.com
Group
X News & Notes for
Leaders…………..…………..2
Transformational focus
Connections You are a window influencing
someone's eternity
...Carl F. George
We were created by a relational God God-ordained gathering of people that is so
with relational needs for significant con- strong that even “the gates of hell
nection…. will not overcome it.”
The kind of connections we
need are more than casual. Casual That is what God has
connections aren’t life-giving. They called the church to be about:
can’t provide what Jesus dreams for creating environments where
and what He died for. They can’t pro- authentic community can take
vide the kind of oneness with God or place. Building relational, trans-
oneness with each other that makes forming communities where
the world take notice. The kind that people are experiencing one-
God uses in the hearts of people. The ness with God and oneness
kind that transforms lives. Only the with one another. Communities
church in community can display that that are so satisfying, so
kind of relational oneness. Only God’s unique, and so compelling that
Spirit unleashed through His Body can they create thirst in a watching
make that kind of difference. world.
Randy Frazee says it well: (Andy Stanley, Creating
Community p. 44,45)
The development of meaningful relation-
ships where every member carries a How can you demonstrate
significant sense of belonging is central to community in such a way that
what it means to be the church. This is a others will become thirsty?
PRAYER
Transformational prayer goes beyond praying for physical needs. We should absolutely pray
for one another and any health concerns someone has — scripture teaches us to do so. And
then our prayers need to also reach into the health of each of our hearts, minds and attitudes
as well. We must recognize that none of us have arrived, we all have heart issues and we
are not meant to fight those battles alone either. Just as we don’t expect our friends to fight
the physical battle of health issues alone, neither do we expect our friends to fight the battles
of the heart alone. Prayers that transform the heart require courage. What heart issues are
you willing to have group members pray for as you seek God? May you be strong and
courageous in prayer!
Sermon Series—
”Seek” B ETTER
The next 40 days are designed to prepare our
T OGETHER :
hearts for Easter. Don’t miss out on what God We need each other!
wants to do in your heart and in your group!
Make sure to encour- In the next several great to encourage your
age your group to be weeks, we’ll be: groups to continue
at New Covenant on
• Seeking HIS Life to praying through that on
Sunday mornings, as their own!
Revive the Church
we work through our
series Seek. During • Seeking HIS Light You guys are the front
these 40 days to Awaken the Lost
lines…the ones
Together, we’re going • Seeking HIS Glory influencing, challenging,
to be talking about the in Evangelizing all and encouraging
need for us to place a People people!
renewed value on • Seeking HIS
prayer. We’ll be Righteousness in Our TRANSFORMING
challenging one Community LIVES,
another to look for
opportunities to care
• Seeking HIS Peace TRANSFORMING
among ALL Peoples CULTURE!
(maybe in or WITH our
groups), and we’ll be • Seeking His - Phil
challenging people to Visitation
share…to share the These will also be our Encourage group
good news of Christ in prayers through our members to pick up a
people’s lives. prayer journal, so it’d be prayer guide if they
haven’t already!
Nuts & Bolts for “God has designed us to need each other! For us to
reach our community, much less the world, we will need
every ministry doing its part and every congregation
Group Leaders excitedly doing church as a team.”
Wayne Cordeiro, Doing Church as a Team
Syllabus Play Date needs them to be
Make sure you hand out a Make sure you find some time in whatever role He calls them
syllabus to your group so to play together (unless you are to take.
everyone knows what you are a play group☺) outside of your
doing when. For some people normal scheduled group time. If you haven’t found a coordina-
this takes away some of the Sharing a meal together, having tor yet, keep praying that God
fear of the unknown. It also a game night or going sledding, will lay someone on your heart
helps people know what’s going help the group to connect in a and then make the ask. Give
on if they do have to miss. different way than just meeting them opportunities to lead if
in group time. A few hours of they’re comfortable and inter-
Service Project playing can create a new ested. Sometimes new leaders
All groups are encouraged to dynamic in your group meeting. just need a chance.
participate in one service pro-
ject this semester. We will pro- Coordinator Remember, someone once saw
vide a list of possibilities, but If you have a coordinator, be the potential in you! Finding
you are not limited to the list. sure to communicate with them and developing new leaders
It’s not too early to begin talking and encourage them. They is crucial to the future or our
to your group about the kind of should be able to assist you by group ministry and you are
project they are interested in— staying in contact with group the most important person to
anything from serving others members through e-mail and help us identify and train new
through physical labor to writing sending out reminders. Also leaders!
notes of encouragement or invite them to participate in
providing a meal for someone. leading the group. Pray that
God strengthens them to be-
come the kind of leader He Hang on!
The adventure is just
And now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to
His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout beginning!
all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20,21
