WHY LIFE GROUPS EXIST
Life Groups have one, simple purpose—to bring people together. We believe God created us to live in community with others and only then can we experience the full life He intends for us.
We believe life change happens in the context of Relationships.
Meaningful relationships can be hard to find, and Small Groups exist to make life-changing relationships relevant and accessible to you.
Passion Church Life Groups Model
At Passion Church, we believe our church must grow larger and smaller at the same time. We grow larger to reach as many people as possible with the life-giving message of Jesus. We gather in Life Groups to build community and care for people.
Passion Church is a church of Small Groups, not a church with Small Groups.
We base our Life Group model on the early church as described in the Bible in the book of Acts. In Acts, you can read about the tremendous growth of the first church in Jerusalem, where small group meetings in homes helped lay the foundation.
Small Groups Offer People:
1. A Place to Connect
2. A Place to Protect
3. A Place to Grow
We believe life change happens in the context of Relationships.
Meaningful relationships can be hard to find, and Small Groups exist to make life-changing relationships relevant and accessible to you.
Passion Church Life Groups Model
At Passion Church, we believe our church must grow larger and smaller at the same time. We grow larger to reach as many people as possible with the life-giving message of Jesus. We gather in Life Groups to build community and care for people.
Passion Church is a church of Small Groups, not a church with Small Groups.
We base our Life Group model on the early church as described in the Bible in the book of Acts. In Acts, you can read about the tremendous growth of the first church in Jerusalem, where small group meetings in homes helped lay the foundation.
Small Groups Offer People:
1. A Place to Connect
We were not made to do life alone. God created us for community, and Small Groups provide a place to connect with others, share life, and grow in faith together.
2. A Place to Protect
It is through life together that our problems become smaller, and God uses others to bring support and encouragement to our lives. Life Groups become a place where others don’t just know your name, but care about what is happening in your life and want to support you in your spiritual journey.
3. A Place to Grow
We believe every person is created with God-given potential to make a difference in the world. Life Groups are a place you can grow with others to become more like Jesus and reach the potential God has put inside you.
WHAT LIFE GROUPS LOOK LIKE
Your Life is Your Group
At Passion, we use a free market approach to Small Groups. This means we want people to gather together based on the things they enjoy and are important to them. Essentially, the things you are already doing in your life are the things that can make up your Life Group!
Free market leaders form their group around their gifts or interests.
From sports groups to lunch groups, mom groups to student groups, Bible study groups to creative arts groups, our groups are as varied as we are. All groups fall within one of seven hubs.
Group Structure
At Passion, we use a free market approach to Small Groups. This means we want people to gather together based on the things they enjoy and are important to them. Essentially, the things you are already doing in your life are the things that can make up your Life Group!
Free market leaders form their group around their gifts or interests.
From sports groups to lunch groups, mom groups to student groups, Bible study groups to creative arts groups, our groups are as varied as we are. All groups fall within one of seven hubs.
- Common Interests
- Men
- Women
- Marriage and Family
- Youth
- Young Adults
- Spiritual Growth
Group Structure
Groups meet throughout the year in three semesters.
- WINTER/SPRING - 12 Weeks (FEBRUARY - APRIL)
- SUMMER - 8 Weeks (JUNE - JULY)
- FALL - 12 Weeks (SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER)
Groups meet weekly or bi-weekly during each semester.
We encourage groups to meet weekly but it really depends on what you are doing as a group.
Groups meet in a variety of places like homes, parks, restaurants, coffee shops and office buildings.
New groups start every semester making it easy to build community and enjoy different types of groups.
No matter what your group meets about, each meeting should be made up of four things:
1. Casual Fellowship
Laid back time for group members to talk and get to know each other.
2. Activity or Discussion
This will vary based on what kind of group you’re leading. It could be an activity like frisbee or outreach or a discussion about a book or Sunday message.
3. Prayer
Ask for prayer requests from group members and pray at the beginning and/or the end of each group meeting.
4. Spiritual Component
Whether it’s through activities or discussion, always find a way to include the Word of God. This can be as simple as sharing something God is teaching you with the group or talking about a verse you read that week.
Small Groups are not a place for:
• Business
• Offerings
• Unapproved materials or speakers
• Controversial topics
LIFE GROUP LEADER ROLE
God has a part for all of us to play in the church, and Life Group Leaders come alongside the pastors and staff of Passion to help care for people.
The primary role of a Life Group Leader is to help group members move one step in their walk with God.
People in your group will be at different places in their spiritual lives and each person will have different next steps to take.
The Importance of Prayer
How to pray for your group:
Confidence as a Small Group Leader
When you feel uncertain about leading a group, use Scripture to overcome the lies of the enemy:
When you feel like you don’t know how to help someone in your group, remember ESPN:
E: Encourage
S: Share Scripture
P: Pray
N: Next Steps
Leadership Support
Preparing to Lead
The primary role of a Life Group Leader is to help group members move one step in their walk with God.
People in your group will be at different places in their spiritual lives and each person will have different next steps to take.
Here is a guide of some next steps you can help people take:
• Start attending Sunday services
• Start reading the Bible regularly
• Start praying regularly
• Be water baptized
• Complete Passion Next Steps Classes
• Join the Dream Team
• Start tithing
• Start attending weekly prayer meeting
• Invite a friend or neighbor to church or a Life Group
• Attend a Life Group Leadership Training to become a Life Group Leader
How to be a successful Small Group Leader:
1. Pray daily for the members of your group.
2. Consider partnering with a co-leader to help share the responsibility of caring for and leading your group.
3. Connect with group members between weekly meetings through phone, email, text, social media, or face-to-face. Encourage group members to connect with each other throughout the week as well.
4. Have fun through laughter and by creating an enjoyable environment. 5. Respect people’s time by beginning and ending your group on time.
6. Invite group members to attend church services and events with you like Prayer Meeting, or outreach opportunities.
7. Rally the group around a member going through a crisis. Use wisdom and be sensitive.
The Importance of Prayer
Prayer is a foundation of our church, and it is important for your Life Group.
How to pray for your group:
• Pray for any requests group members share.
• Ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit in your group.
• Pray that God will open people’s hearts to hear His truth.
• Pray for authentic community to develop.
• Pray for wisdom and strength to lead your group well.
Confidence as a Small Group Leader
If you only do what you feel comfortable doing, you don’t need God. God’s best is often found outside your comfort zone.
When you serve God and people by leading a Life Group, He will equip you and give you the strength and wisdom to lead well.
When you feel uncertain about leading a group, use Scripture to overcome the lies of the enemy:
1. When you feel like you don’t have the time, remember God has created you for this, and His timing is perfect.
2. When you feel unqualified, remember God has equipped you.
3. When you feel like your past disqualifies you, remember God uses imperfect people.
When you feel like you don’t know how to help someone in your group, remember ESPN:
E: Encourage
S: Share Scripture
P: Pray
N: Next Steps
Leadership Support
As a Life Group Leader, you are never alone in creating community. We have pastors, staff, and the Life Groups Team who are all working alongside you to invest in great Life Groups at Passion.
Preparing to Lead
All Life Group Leaders complete the following steps before leading: Become a member of Passion Church QC
- Complete the Passion Next Steps Classes
- Attend a Life Group Leadership Training
- Complete the Life Group Leadership Application
- Complete a Life Group Leadership one-on-one interview
- Sign the Small Group Leadership Commitment and Honor Code
HOW TO START YOUR GROUP
- Ask God for direction about what group to lead and who to invite.
- Once you decide on a topic or activity for your group, choose a place and time to meet.
- Register your group in the online Life Groups Directory at Passionqc.churchcenter.com so people can find it and contact you to attend.
- Invite people you know or meet to come check out your group.
- Pray for God to do great things through your Life Group.
Preparing for your group meetings:
- Send a message to group members reminding them about the first meeting. • Arrive early to set up a welcoming environment.
- Consider having name tags available to help everyone learn names for the first few weeks.
Conversation
Here are a couple conversation starters to help get people talking as your group gets to know each other:
- How did you learn about our group?
- What are your hobbies?
- What are you looking forward to this year?
- What brought you here?
- What are you hoping to get out of this Small Group?
GOOD QUESTIONS TO HELP
How can I recruit people to come to my group?
Where can I hold my Small Group?
Does my group have to meet weekly?
Does Passion Church QC offer childcare during Life Group meetings?
How do I measure if group members are moving one step?
Everyone in your group will be at different places spiritually. The vision of helping them “move one step” is not to get them to do everything at once, it’s to help identify where they currently are spiritually and offer a practical next step to help them grow.
Here are some examples of next steps you can share depending where a group member is spiritually:
- Start with people who are already in your sphere of influence (co-workers, friends, and neighbors).
- Find people around you who are new to the church, are new believers, or have shown interest in getting involved.
- Look for people you think you can help to realize their potential.
- Ask God to send the right people to your group.
Where can I hold my Small Group?
We encourage Small Groups to meet outside the church building in places where you like to spend your time. Some of the most common meeting places are homes, restaurants, parks, coffee shops, and office buildings.
Does my group have to meet weekly?
We encourage meeting weekly each semester in order to build genuine relationships.
Does Passion Church QC offer childcare during Life Group meetings?
- You are welcome to choose to offer childcare at your Life Group.
- Passion Church QC does not pay for childcare at this point.
How do I measure if group members are moving one step?
Ask! Make it part of your discussion whether in a group setting or individually. Here are some great questions to guide your conversation:
- How did you get connected to this Life Group?
- What are you most looking forward to in the group?
- Do you attend Passion Church?
- What brought you to Passion Church?
- Have you ever been part of a Life Group before?
- What do you feel like God has been doing in your life lately?
- Are you familiar with 21 Days of Prayer?
- What areas of your faith are you hoping to grow in the coming months? • What are you focused on in your life right now?
- Have you been through the Passion Church Next Steps Classes? Do you remember what your personality type is or what your spiritual gifts are?
- Have you ever served on the Passion Dream Team?
- How can I pray for you?
Everyone in your group will be at different places spiritually. The vision of helping them “move one step” is not to get them to do everything at once, it’s to help identify where they currently are spiritually and offer a practical next step to help them grow.
Here are some examples of next steps you can share depending where a group member is spiritually:
- Invite them to attend a Sunday service with you.
- Share your personal story and what God has been teaching you.
- Share how the Next Steps Classes can help them discover their purpose and invite them to attend.
- Invite them to consider being water baptized. Invite your Life Group to be there to celebrate anyone getting baptized.
- Share how you find time regularly to pray, worship, and read God’s Word, and encourage them to make their own plan for time with God.
- If they are ready to receive Christ, offer to pray with them.
- Encourage them to learn more about areas like tithing, the Holy Spirit, prayer, and spiritual warfare by listening past messages at passionqc.church.
What should I do if someone asks a question I can’t answer?
It’s okay to not have all the answers. Thankfully, we can find guidance through prayer, God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit. Encourage them to spend time reading the Bible and praying. Also, let them know that you will do your best to get some information and get back with them at your next Small Group meeting. Do some personal research and call your coach to get advice.
What should I do if someone in my group shares something with me (or the group) that requires attention beyond what I (or we) can provide?
If you encounter a difficult situation within your Life Group, please know that you are not alone. If a member is going through a crisis, you can rally the group around them to provide prayer, encouragement, and support. Use wisdom and be sensitive to the situation. If you are unsure of what to do, don’t hesitate to ask your Coach. Also, you and/ or the group member can call the Life Groups Ministry Team at (563) 293-6867, if needed.
How can I share stories of life change from the Small Group semester?
We love hearing about lives that are changed through Life Groups. You can share your own personal stories through social media and tag #passionlifegroups