Our Vision for LifeGroups
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
We were created to live within the power of community; it’s who we are. And it’s in the context of these trusted relationships that life change often happens. At Life.Church, LifeGroups are also an invaluable space for discipleship to happen.
We define discipleship as the lifelong, relentless pursuit of Jesus’ way of living through being with Him and becoming like Him. There are three key elements to discipleship:
-
- A committed group of believers
- A guided journey with trusted voices
- A choice to live like Jesus every day
And as our lives more accurately reflect who Jesus is and how He lived, we’re better equipped to reach people who don’t know Christ with the gospel—the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
This is why LifeGroups are the heartbeat of our church, because they help people share their lives, grow spiritually together, and encourage one another through the highs and lows of life.
Every LifeGroup is unique because each group is shaped by the vision and direction God has given the LifeGroup Leader.
Types of LifeGroups
LifeGroups are designed to foster spiritual growth and connection around a shared interest, topic, or passion. Because every community is different, there are a variety of LifeGroup types that help people find the right fit.
Most LifeGroups are ongoing, creating consistent community without a defined end date, while some are short-term, designed to meet for a specific season, typically lasting 4–12 weeks.
LifeGroups can also vary based on demographics, such as gender, age range, or season of life, helping people connect with others in similar stages. In addition, some groups have a more specific focus; for example, Neighbor Groups center on serving the local community, and Mentoring Groups focus on intentional, one-on-one coaching or development.
The LifeGroups Search Tool helps bring all of this to life by making it easy for people to find a group that fits who they are and what they’re looking for. Whether someone is searching by schedule, location, demographics, or group focus, the tool helps connect them to the right community and take a confident first step into meaningful relationships and spiritual growth.
Remember: No matter what type of group you lead, the vision and direction are set by you—the leader!
Your Role as a LifeGroup Leader
As you step into leading a LifeGroup, you play a key role in creating a space for life-changing relationships to form. You might feel like you need to have all the answers or know the “right” things. The reality is that you don’t have to have it all figured out.
Pastor Craig reminds us that, “People would rather follow a leader who is always real than a leader who is always right.”
Here are three simple ways you can live that out as a LifeGroup Leader:
-
- Create a welcoming, consistent space where people feel known and valued
- Help people grow in their relationship with God through conversation, accountability, and prayer
- Build a meaningful community where people can do life together
The Role of Your LifeGroups Coach
Every LifeGroup Leader has the support of a LifeGroups Coach. This person walks alongside you as you start your group, supports you as you lead, and helps you grow spiritually. They’ll connect with you on a regular basis to check in on you, pray with you, and hear how your LifeGroup is going.
Getting Started
Creating Your Vision and Plan
Each LifeGroup is unique and will go in its own direction. And the best part is that this direction is determined by your vision.
It’s important to know what your group is about so you can clearly share it with others. You can use the accompanying LifeGroup Vision and Plan to determine what your LifeGroup will look like.
Registering Your Group
Once you know what your LifeGroup is about, you’ll be ready to register it.
The LifeGroup Registration Form is often the first impression someone will have of your group, so it’s worth taking a few extra moments to make it clear, inviting, and reflective of what your group is really like. A strong profile helps the right people find your group and feel confident taking that next step.
As you build your profile, focus on a few essentials:
-
- Choose a strong LifeGroup name that captures what your group is about.
- Write a brief and accurate description of what your group does together.
- Add a photo of yourself or your group so people can begin to feel a sense of connection and know who their leader is before they even arrive.
Once you’ve submitted your registration, your Community Pastor will review your form and publish it when it’s time for your group to launch.
Growing Your Group
As your LifeGroup gets started, people might find your group by:
-
- Using the LifeGroups Search Tool online or in the Life.Church app
- Receiving a personal invitation from you or others, like your LifeGroups Coach or Community Pastor
- Hearing about your group on the weekend in the Get Connected Space or during a lobby conversation
When someone finds your group through the LifeGroups Search Tool, they will have the option to submit an interest form. You’ll be notified via text and email of their interest. When you reach out:
-
- Introduce yourself
- Thank them for expressing interest
- Share one to two sentences about your group
- Ask if they have questions for you
Once you’ve reached out, please click the “I’ve Reached Out” button in your text or email notification. This helps your campus team know someone has been personally followed up with and allows us to care well for each person who takes a step toward community.
It is best practice to reach out to a new prospect within 48 hours of receiving their interest form. Remember, it can take a lot of courage and faith to look for a faith-centered community.
Managing Your Group With My.Life.Church
My.Life.Church is where you’ll manage your roster and group details (like when and where you meet and if kids are welcome), send email communication to your group, and more.
Once someone fills out an interest form, they will be added to your group roster as a “Pending Prospect.” If they commit to your group, you’ll want to update their status to “Active Member.” You can also manually add new members to your group.
You can bookmark my.life.church or find it in the Life.Church app under the “Serving” tab.
Resources for Your Group
One of the key elements of strong discipleship is having a guided journey with trusted voices. This is simply any resource that helps you have intentional conversations around your relationship with Jesus and challenges you to live more in alignment with His way of living.
You can always partner with your LifeGroups Coach to find resources that align with the vision and goal for your LifeGroup.
Here are a few resources to help you get started:
-
- The Talk It Over is a weekly discussion guide based on the weekend message. You can use the questions in the guide as a jumping-off point, but feel free to follow the conversation wherever it goes. You can find it in the Life.Church app or at www.life.church/talkitover
- The Bible App houses endless resources, like Bible Plans, Scripture resources, and daily spiritual growth tools (including guided prayers and short devotionals). Partners from across the globe contribute to the content within this platform, helping you find unique guided journeys with voices you can trust. Get started today at www.bible.com
- Leaders.Life.Church is a resource created specifically for our Life.Church leaders. Within the “LifeGroups” page, you can find helpful articles like navigating difficult situations, facilitating conversations with excellence, and learning best practices for leading for the long haul. Learn more at www.leaders.life.church
- The Life.Church app houses video and audio content created for LifeGroups. You can find content under the “Media” tab at the bottom of the app. www.life.church/app
- Finds.Life.Church is a discipleship platform from Life.Church that helps people grow in faith through Bible explainers, spiritual encouragement, and practical steps for Christians. Finds makes faith approachable, practical, and personal—right where you are today. Start exploring at www.finds.life.church
Your Next Steps
- Watch all of the LifeGroup Leader Training videos to help you feel equipped and confident as you lead: www.go2.lc/trainingvideos
- Complete any unfinished leader requirements. You might have already completed or be in the process of completing these requirements. Take a minute to ensure you have everything you need to start strong as a LifeGroup Leader:
- Volunteer Application and Background Check: www.volunteer.life.church
- Leader Acknowledgment Form: www.go2.lc/leaderform
- LifeGroup Registration Form: Provided by your Community Pastor
- Download the Life.Church app to track your application process and spend time exploring the LifeGroups, Media, and Serving tabs.
- Decide when you and your LifeGroups Coach will connect again.
- Give yourself a high five and start leading an awesome LifeGroup!
Thank you for stepping up to lead as a LifeGroup Leader. We can’t wait to hear how God moves in and through your group!
You can find additional tips and guidelines for specific groups using the links below:
