.
TRY THE TEST
.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

LifeGroups

The Scriptures say that the early church did not meet in lavish religious buildings. They met in two types of settings; a gathered community in celebration, and in small groups for relationship. Someone has likened this to a bird with two wings. Both are needed to fly. We want to be a two-winged church, meeting not just as a worshipping community but also in small groups during the week. We call these LifeGroups. With God in the midst of His people, we want to learn by practice how to meet needs and show real love. 

Our LifeGroup Church reflects the way the Church actually lived together in the times of the New Testament. Our LifeGroup Church is built on the fact that all Christians are ministers, to do the work of the ministry. According to Ephesians 4, God has provided "Gifted Men" to equip "Believers Who Are Gifted"

Such a church is not built around the assembly of all it’s members, but the clustering of believers to become "Basic Christian Communities" which do the work of the ministry from LifeGroups that meet in homes. These Groups then cluster for an area Congregation activities, and assemble regionally for special Celebrations.

The life of the church is in the LifeGroups, not in a building.

While it has weekly worship events, the main focus of the church is in the home LifeGroups.

(Acts 2:42-47)

Some differences between "Traditional" Churches and a "LifeGroup" Church:
 
 

The Issue:

Location: 

Size of groups: 

Activities:

Support systems: 

Relationships:

Discipling: 
 

Primary task of leaders:
 

Prayer life: 

Pastor's duty:

Expectations of members: 

Perspective:

Key words: 

Teachings: 
 

Spiritual gifts: 
 
 

Commitment:
 

Evaluation test: 

Source for securing staff personnel:

 The New Testament Church: 

Moved from house to house. 

Small, informal, & personal groups. 

Daily fellowship with one another. 

Building up one another. 

Intimate; helping one another. 

"Mouth to ear" modeling, personal values shaped by mentoring. 

Every believer equipped to do the work of the ministry. 

Assisted daily, easily encouraged. 

Model the life of a believer. 

Ministering to others; total servanthood and stewardship. 

LifeGroups the focal point. 

Go and make disciples.

Apply the scriptures to needs and relationships. 

Regularly exercised by all believers to build up others in the LifeGroup.
 

To increase the Kingdom of God, unity, and body life.

How you serve. 

Servant workers developed from within the ranks, tested before they are set apart for ministry within.

 The Church of Today:

Meets in church buildings.

Large impersonal groups.

Weekly worship services.

Got a problem? See the pastor.

Remote, little transparency.

Classes, notebooks, little modeling, values not shaped.

Directing the "Program base design."
 

Individual choice; limited.

Preach good sermons.

Attendance, tithing, work in the programs
 

Congregation the focal point.

Come grow with us.

Subscribe to the distinctive beliefs of this church.

Some do and most don’t know, let alone use theirs, even used as a “Crowd pleaser", an attention getter.

To enlarge the institution, uniformity.
 

What you know.

Trained, professional, clergy hired to do a job, or anyone willing to do it.

Ask yourself:

Is the church I'm a part of "doing church things"? 
Or is my church really "being the church" as God called us to be?
Where are you?

Where do you want to be?
 
 

We've been praying and asking Jesus to answer us: 
"Then He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; 
therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest." 
(Luke 10:23)

And again:

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest." 
(Matthew 9: 37 & 38) 

Read Acts 2:46 & 47: 
"So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."
 
 

A church that meets daily, and in houses? 
Whoever heard of such a thing? 
Read Acts 2:46 & 47 again.
 
 

A church that God is adding to daily? 
Whoever heard of such a thing? 
Read Acts 2:46 & 47 again.
 
 

How does this effect us?

To what extent should we follow the example in Scripture? 
 
Want to get in touch with us? Click here to get our email address