Practical Tips for Leading Your Neighbor Group

As you’re preparing to lead your Neighbor Group, you probably have a lot of questions. Your LifeGroups/LifeMissions (LGLM) Coach is always your best resource when it comes to finding answers. Never hesitate to reach out to them if you’re looking for wisdom or advice.

Sometimes, though, it’s nice to have a cheat sheet—a place you can quickly check for answers. In this post, we’ve compiled some of the most-asked Neighbor Group leader questions, along with plenty tips and resources to help you get started. Give it a read and talk to your Coach about what you learn.

How do you get people to come to your Neighbor Group?

It might take some time for your Neighbor Group to grow. And that’s totally normal! As you get started, think about the people you see on a regular basis, like your coworkers or friends. Or the folks you see occasionally at your gym, favorite coffee shop, or at church on the weekend. One of the best ways to grow your LifeGroup is by inviting the people you already know.

If your Neighbor Group is open and public, people will also be able to find your group through the online LifeGroup Search tool. When someone shows interest in your group, you’ll receive an email with their contact information so you can follow up.

How do you set expectations for your group?

As the leader of your Neighbor Group, you get to decide what your group looks like. From the tone of your group, to where you’ll meet and serve, to how often you’ll get together, to whether kids are invited—you get to make these decisions and communicate them to your group.

Watching the LifeGroup Vision and Plan video and then filling out your Neighbor Group Vision and Plan document will give you a great foundation for figuring out what your group will be about. As your group grows and changes, it might become necessary to change things about your group depending on what works best for everyone. That’s okay—it’s good to be flexible! But it will still ultimately be your responsibility to make the call on those decisions and keep everyone in your group in the loop.

What resources exist for leaders as they’re getting started?

As you begin leading your Neighbor Group, you’ll not only want to focus on serving in your community and the spiritual growth of your people, but also on your own growth as a leader and follower of Christ. Some of the most valuable resources for leaders are:

• Your Coach and LifeGroups/LifeMissions Team. As you navigate the highs and lows of leading a Neighbor Group, your Coach and LGLM Team will walk with you every step of the way. Their role is to provide you with support and encouragement while also helping you identify areas in your life—spiritual, relational, emotional, etc.—where you’d like to grow. So don’t hesitate to share your experiences with them and ask questions as they arise.
• The Neighbor Group Overview. Find examples of what Neighbor Groups can look like in this short guide.
• The Neighbor Bible Plans. Learn more about the five key ways Neighbor Groups serve their communities by reading these Plans.
• For more information on growing as a leader, along with additional resources you can use, watch the Leader Development Training video.

What kind of spiritual growth content works best for a Neighbor Group?

Depending on how often your Neighbor Group serves, you might not need content like Bible Plans or study guides for your group. But if you would like content for the times your group meets while not serving, here are some possibilities:

• The You’ve Heard It Said podcast. Each season of this podcast (created specifically for LifeGroups) features stories of people exploring what it means to grow in their faith and living out what they’ve learned. Season 6, in particular, is all about the five key ways Neighbor Groups can serve in their communities, and could be a great place to start. To get the most out of your conversations each week, share an episode with your LifeGroup before you meet so everyone can listen on their own. Then, when you’re together, you can use the Conversation Guides to talk about what you learned.
• The Talk It Over guide. This conversation guide exists to help LifeGroups discuss the weekend messages. It comes with key Scriptures, discussion questions, and next steps.
• If there’s a specific theme, topic, or resource that you want to go through with your LifeGroup, talk with your Coach. Every campus has a content library that you can browse for great resources, too.

What tips do you have for online Neighbor Groups?

There are so many ways you can connect with people digitally, just like you would your family and friends. You could meet over a video call or keep in contact by texting or messaging.

If everyone in your online Neighbor Group lives in the same area, you could meet digitally, and then serve together in person. And if everyone lives in different places, you can serve separately, and use your online meetups to discuss your serving experiences.

Any other advice for new Neighbor Group Leaders?

We are all better together. This wisdom applies to your Neighbor Group, and it applies to you as a leader, as well. One of the best things you can do as a Neighbor Group Leader is identify a co-leader.

A co-leader is someone who makes you even better as a leader, because they bring new perspectives and skills to your Neighbor Group. Together, you can share ideas for your group, support each other in leading if one of you isn’t able to make it, pray for each other, and so much more.

It’s okay if you don’t have a co-leader yet. But ask God to reveal the right person to you at the right time. And when you find that person, connect with your Coach.

Next Steps

There’s a lot of information here, so make sure you’re having a conversation with your Coach about the next steps you’ll take to invest in your Neighbor Group.

Here are a few things you can talk about together:

• Talk about the different resources that are available to you and which resources you’d like to try.
• Commit to showing up for your Neighbor Group, even if it takes time for others to show up.
• What are some qualities you’re looking for in a co-leader?