Vision and Values

Mission Statement and Ministry Philosophy for Small Groups

A mission statement and ministry philosophy are key to the success of your
ministry because they function as navigational tools necessary to chart an
accurate course toward a worthy destination.
The questions “Why do small groups exist?” and “For what purpose do small
groups exist?”

Mission Statement
“To connect people relationally in groups (four to ten individuals) for the
purpose of growing in Christ-likeness , loving one another, and contributing
to the work of the church, in order to glorify God and make disciples of all
nations.”

Our Mandate
Jesus Christ, as Head of the church, intends His followers to become like
Him
It is God’s plan that those who call on His name should be like Him in
attitude and behavior. The church exists not just to collect the saints, but to
transform them.
Church life is the sum of all the activities that promote Christ’s work of transformation.
Programs and sub-ministries in a church should be designed to serve His goal of
changing lives, and should be surrendered as obsolete when they fail to achieve this end.
“The Five G’s”: Grace (the individual appropriation of the saving work of Christ),
Growth (the ongoing evidence of a changing life and pursuit of Christ-likeness), Group
(connection with others in significant relationships), Gifts (serving Christ’s body
according to spiritual giftedness and passion), and Good stewardship (honoring God
with our resources through what we give to the church and what we keep).

Our Method
A variety of small groups are necessary to meet the individual needs of believers as well
as the diverse needs of the body as a whole. People can grow in Christ-likeness, care for
each other, and make a contribution in any group, whether it be a disciple-making
group, task group, nurture group, Christian twelve-step group, counseling group, or any
other type. However, ministries in a local church that don’t have small groups built into
their structure generally can’t produce optimal life change for people looking to that
ministry for growth and service opportunities.
Our Mechanism

Groups must expand and multiply so that eventually every believer can
be connected to others

A small group does not ultimately exist for itself. Christ-like people resist the urge to
be selfish – they desire to include other unconnected people in such a way that they
too may experience group life. Small groups therefore must have a viable strategy for
growth and reproduction so that someday everyone who gathers as a part of the local
church is included in some kind of identifiable relational connection.

Our Means

Effective ministry happens in an atmosphere of prayer and celebration

God is sovereign, and He sovereignly declares that we should pray. Great ministry
follows great praying – believers who talk to their heavenly Father receive because
they ask; when they knock, He opens. Leaders are to pray as Jesus prayed: publicly as
well as privately, authentically as well as powerfully, specifically as well as
continually. Those who seek God’s blessing on their work must seek His presence in
their work through prayer.
God’s activity must be noticed, shared, valued, and celebrated. A climate of
fund and festivity should permeate gatherings related to ministries.
Leadership successes should be a source of public as well as private rejoicing.
Small group gatherings do not take the place of many people coming together
for public exaltation of God, teaching of His word, and calling attention to
what He is doing among the members of the church in small groups. What
happens at the small group level should happen at the large gathering, and
vice versa.

Developing Fully Devoted Followers

The ultimate purpose of small groups is to move people toward a greater
relationship with Christ and to transform people into His image. But often the
question is asked, “What does it mean to be like Jesus?” Below, you’ll find
some teaching on discipleship, and then you will see how we define a disciple
of Christ on terms of the local church. As you read, think first about your own
development as a disciple. Then, decide how you will function as a Christ
follower in your local assembly.
What Is a Disciple?

In the simplest form, a disciple is a follower and learner of Jesus Christ

At Willow Creek we define discipleship as “living as Christ would if He were in my place.”
Discipleship – in these broad terms – implies a life of transformation and continued
yieldedness to the Holy Spirit.

How Does a Disciple Function in the Local Church?

We have now expanded on that definition of a disciple by describing the function of a
disciple in and through the local church. As one functions as a Christ-follower in the local
church, one becomes a “participating member” of that local body. A participating
member at Willow Creek (that is, a Christ follower or disciple) is described as one who is
maturing in the following five areas.

Grace
Christ followers understand and have individually received Christ’s saving grace. They
have abandoned all attempts to earn God’s favor through accomplishments of their own
and find security only through Christ’s sacrificial death on their behalf.
Growth
Christ followers know that the grace of God that saved them is only the beginning of His
work in them. They gratefully respond by actively pursuing a lifelong process of spiritual
growth in Christ and by seeking to become conformed to His image. To this end, they
consistently nurture their spiritual development through prayer, worship, and Bible study.

Group
A Christ follower honors God’s call to participate in community in order to grow in Christ-
likeness, express and receive love, and carry out the ministry of the church.
For this reason, Christ followers give priority to attending corporate gatherings of the
church for the purpose of worship, teaching, and participation in the sacrament of
communion, and are connected relationally to a small group of believers for the purpose of
mutual encouragement, support, and accountability.

Gifts
Christ followers recognize that the church is composed of interdependent members, each
uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up the body and furthering
the ministry of the church. They therefore seek to discover, develop, and deploy those God-
given gifts and to seek a place of service within the church with the support and
affirmation of the body.
Good Stewardship
Christ followers realize they have been bought with the price of Christ’s blood,
and that everything they are and have belongs to Him.
In light of this, they desire to be responsible caretakers of the material
resources with which God has entrusted them. They recognize the tithe (ten
percent of one’s earnings) as the historical standard of giving in Scripture. But,
moreover, in response to Christ’s abundant giving, they increasingly submit
their resources to His lordship and display a spirit of generosity and
cheerfulness in supporting the work of the church and reaching out, with
compassion, to a need world.

What is Biblical Community?

Believers in Christ are called to live in mutually accountable relationships as
they reflect the loving character of God, walk in step with the Spirit, and build
up the church in order to proclaim the Good News to the world.

Definition of Biblical Community:

“Christian Community is the body of Christ expressing the life and message of
Christ to build up one another and redeem the world for God’s glory.
Key Scriptures About Community in the New Testament
The new community that formed on the Day of Pentecost immediately began
to function in small groups. These groups wholeheartedly devoted themselves
to the teaching of the apostles, to fellowship with one another, to practicing
the Lord’s Supper together, and to praying for one another. These new
communities were characterized by mutuality, accountability, servant hood,
love, and evangelism.
Small groups are a place of mutual ministry among members. Each member
uses spiritual gifts to serve other members in the body. Mutual ministry is a
trademark of a Christ-following community or small group.
A small group gathers together to provide fellowship and mutual support so
that the church can have an impact in society. They encourage and build up
one another so that the body of Christ can be cared for and the world can be
influenced through their good deeds.
Small groups exist to teach the truth and develop future leaders who can
shepherd others and disciple them in faith. For this purpose, each leader, or
coach, has an apprentice he or she is developing toward greater responsibility
and leadership.
Biblical Leadership

The foundation of Biblical Leadership

Biblical leadership is the task of leading God’s people into mutual ministry with
one another for the purpose of building up the body of Christ and reaching out
to the world (Eph. 4:11; Matt. 28:18-20).
In order to accomplish this task, learners need to

* Establish a growing and maturing relationship with the Lord (John 15:5)
* Sense a calling or passion from the Lord to lead people (Ex. 3:1-10);
* Have a vision for building up future leaders (2 Tim. 2:2)
By far the most challenging model of leadership in the Bible is the Lord Jesus
Christ. Jesus said “follow me” (Matt. 4:19), expecting men and women to
abandon self-centered lifestyles and follow Him. In return, He gave meaning
and purpose to their lives. He nurtured, trained, and equipped them for a
mission that was far bigger than anything they could have imagined. What
caused people to follow after Christ? Two things: His vision and His example.
Jesus had a compelling vision. He was looking for men and women who
were willing to become His disciples and go into the world on His behalf
(Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). In Matthew 9:36-38, we find Jesus casting
vision for His disciples. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on
them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a
shepherd. Then he said to his disciple, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the
workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers
into his harvest field.’” Jesus saw thousands of neglected people in cities
and communities who needed shepherds. Leaders are shepherds who have
a vision and a plan to appropriately care for and lead people.

But Jesus not only had a vision – He embodied vision by becoming an

example. The scriptures provide us with the most vivid example of all when
“he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel
around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to
wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped
around him” (John 13:4-5).
Qualification of Small Group Leadership

Leaders are servants who communicate God’s truth and lead their groups in prayer,
ministry, and spiritual growth. As a leader, you model the Christian life to others.

Christ Follower – Having a Passion for Christ

Our goal as believers is to become complete in Christ.

* Turn from sin in your life (1 John 1:9; Rom. 6:6)

* Spend time in God’s Word and in prayer (Col. 3:16; 1 Peter 2:2)
* Be filled with the Spirit – let the Spirit control you (Rom. 7:6; Eph. 5:18)
* Use your gifts in ministry (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11)
* Learn to persevere in adversity (Rom. 5:3-5; Phil. 1:29; 1 Peter 4:12-14)

Character – Paying Attention to the Heart

Depth of character is a matter of becoming more like Christ and less like the world. It
also refers to the spiritual qualities or characteristics listed below:
Being transformed into the image of Christ instead of conformed to the world (Rom.
8:28-30; 12 :1-2; Phil. 1:9-10)
Developing a character worthy of leadership (1 Thess. 1:3; 1 Tim. 1:5; 3:1-15; 6:11; Titus
1:5-9)

Calling – Called to Shepherd God’s People

Leaders have a heart for being caregivers. They see others with compassion, as Christ
saw them in Matthew 9:36-38 – distressed and downcast, in need of a good shepherd
who will protect them and provide nurturing care for them.

Competence – Able to Lead and Guide a Group

Leaders set direction, keeping the group focused and guided toward its purpose.

Compatibility – Having the Temperament and Passion for Leadership

Leaders lead well because it is part of the way the Holy Spirit has designed them. Their
design is compatible with the ministry to which they are called and with people with
whom they must work.

Commitment – Doing What it Takes

Spirit-led leaders are committed to the vision of the ministry, to Christ, to their calling,
and to helping develop the members of their groups.
Capacity – An Ability to Serve People and Provide Care for Them
Leadership is serving others and doing whatever it takes to accomplish the ministry. This
means having time, energy, and resources at your disposal.

Motives for Leadership

Appropriate Motives for Leadership

Glorify the Lord

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since
you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord
Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:23-24).

Bear fruit in your life

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my
disciples” (John 15:8).

Keep watch (shepherd) others

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” (Acts
20:28).
Be an example
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseer – not because you
must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but
eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Use your gifts to serve one another

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and
some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the
body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in knowledge of the
Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ”
(Eph. 4:11-13)

Give God’s message of reconciliation

“…that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against
them. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no
sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor.
5:19-21).

Wrong Motives/Hindrances to Leadership

Self-exaltation
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.”
(prov.27:2)
To feel important or gain prestige
“We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are
not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.

Because someone pressured you

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers –
not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be”
(1 Peter 5:2).

Having a short fuse or exhibiting outbursts of anger

James tells us that the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of
God (James 1:19-20).

Unconfessed sin
We are commanded to confess our sins. John says, “If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Biblical error or false teaching

Paul wrote Timothy and warned him to watch for false teachers who lead
people away from the words of faith and of sound doctrine: “For the time
will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.
Leadership Responsibilities

Small Group Leadership Responsibilities

Build a Leadership Team

How to build a leadership team

1. Sense God’s calling for you to lead a small group.
2. Choose a person to mentor as you lead your group (an apprentice)
3. Find a host/hostess for your group (a place to meet and a person to be
responsible for the meeting place).
4. Receive the training needed to lead a small group and continue growing
spiritually as a leader.

Conduct Life-Changing Group Meetings

Leading your small group

1. Identify who will be in your group and challenge them to make a
commitment for a period of time. It is best to meet with each individual (or
couple) to get to know them before inviting them to be in your group.
 a. Use the natural connections or relationships that you already have to
find your group.
b. Set your meeting time, place, and frequency. We recommend that you
hold a group meeting at least twice a month.
2. Use the most appropriate resources available for small group study
that seem to fit the needs of the group.
 
We recommend any biblically based material that is application-oriented and
good for discussion.

3. Share the responsibility of teaching, leading discussions, social time,

prayer, and ministry involvement with gifted members of your group.
 
Some in your group might be more gifted than you in certain areas. Allow
them to exercise their gifts in the group.

4. On a monthly basis, report the progress of your group using the Touching
Base (TB) forms your coach provides.
Shepherd the Members of Your Group

Shepherding the members of your group

Pray for your meeting time and for each member of the group (Phil. 1:3-11; Col.
1:9-12).
Exercise oversight of your members (1 Peter 5:1-3). Another word for oversight
is care or shepherd.
Model Christ-likeness to your group. Serve as Christ served His disciples with
acts of kindness (John 13:1-5)
Create a safe place for others to share their feelings, hurts, pains, and concerns.

Expand the Ministry

Key Skills for Small Group Leaders

Develop Leadership
 Character development
 Vision casting
 Knowing why and how to develop an apprentice
 Mentoring
 Managing group logistics
 Modeling accountability
Shepherd Members

 Care-giving
 Building relationships
 Prayer in the group
 Resolving conflict
 Meeting special needs
 Serving together
 Practice listening skills

Conduct Meetings
 Planning a meeting
 Troubleshooting
 Asking good questions
 Leading discussions
 Using the Bible in groups
 Choosing curriculum
 Opening a meeting creatively
 Praying creatively with the group
 Evaluating progress
Multiply the Ministry

 Filling the open chair

 “Fishing pond” activities
 The birthing process
 Minimizing the trauma of birthing
 Sub-grouping

Personal Growth

Spiritual Practices

Why are Spiritual Practices So Important?

The apostle Paul compares the Christian life to running a marathon. We run to
win, reaching forward to what lies ahead, always pressing on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Spiritual “disciplines,” or practices, will help you live the Christian life with
authenticity, stamina, and perseverance. Disciplines are practiced in preparation
for hearing God’s voice. They prepare you for the race you were intended to run.
Hebrews 5:8 say that Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered.”
Practicing the disciplines prepares you to meet God and understand His will, to
battle the flesh, engage in loving relationships, make w
ise and godly decisions, love your
family, and be a leader in your area ministry.
What Are the Spiritual Disciplines?

Disciplines of letting go

These practices allow us to relinquish something in order to fain something

new. We abstain from “busy-ness” in ministry, family life, and work. We stop
talking for a while to hear from God.

Solitude – Spending time alone to be with God. Find a quiet place away from
noise to hear from God.
Silence – Removing noisy distractions to hear from God. Find a quiet place
away from noise to hear from God.

Fasting – Skipping a meal(s) to find greater nourishment from God. Choose a

period of time to go without food.

Frugality – Learning to live with less money and still meet your basic needs.
Chastity – Voluntarily choosing to abstain from sexual pleasures for a time
(those pleasures that are deemed morally right in the bond of
marriage) to find higher fulfillment in God.

Secrecy – Avoiding self-promotion, practice serving God without others

knowing. Give in secret.
Sacrifice – Giving of our resources beyond what seems reasonable to remind us
of our dependence on Christ.

Disciplines of activity
Dallas Willard writes, “The disciplines of abstinence must be counter-balanced
and supplemented by disciplines of engagement (activity).”
Study – Spending time reading the Scriptures and meditating on its meaning
and importance to our lives.
Worship – Offering praise and adoration to God. His praise should continually
be on our lips and in our thoughts.
Service – Choosing to be a humble servant as Christ was to His disciples when
He washed their feet. Consider opportunities in the church and
community to serve.
Prayer – Talking to and listening to God about your relationship with Him and
about the concerns of others.
Fellowship – Mutual caring and ministry in the body of Christ. Meet regularly
with other Christians to find ways to minister to others.
Confession – Regularly confess your sins to the Lord and other trusted
individuals.
Submission – Humbling yourself before God and others while seeking
accountability in relationships.

The Prayer Life of a Leader

An Outline for Prayer – ACTS

A Adoration (Psalm 100)

Practical Suggestions:
1. Choose one of God’s attributes; list your blessings because of it.
2. Paraphrase a psalm.
3. Pray back a psalm.
C Confession (1 John 1:9)

Practical Suggestion:

Take an inventory of yesterday. Is there anything there that displeases the Lord?
Make a list, then destroy it.

T Thanksgiving (Luke 17:11-19; 1 Thess. 5:16-18)

Practical Suggestion:

List your blessings using the follow categories:

1. Spiritual
2 .Relational
3. Material
S Supplication (Phil. 4:6-7; 1 John 5:14-15)

Practical Suggestion:
Categorize your needs under the following headings:

1. Major concerns
2. Relational
3. Physical/material
4. Spiritual
5. Character

Then wait and listen for the Lord.

Four Principles of Prayer: Rom. 8:26-29

1. The Holy Spirit helps us to know what and how to pray (v.26)
2. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf (v.26).
3. God hears our hearts more than the words in prayer (v.27).
4. Prayer is always answered (vs. 28-29), though not always according to
our agenda. Bill Hybels has coached many people about God’s four
basic responses to our prayers.
No – Your request is not in God’s will
OT: 2 Sam. 12:15-16, 22-23
NT: Matt. 26:36-39
Slow – Your request is not God’s will at this time
OT: Gen. 15:2-6; 21:2
NT: John 11:3,6,14-15,17,43-44
Grow – Your motives are wrong
OT: Num. 14:26-45
NT: James 4:3
 
Go – Your request, timing, and spiritual condition are okay…Yes!
OT: 1 Kings 18:36-39 (cf., James 5:17-18)
NT: Acts 12:5-7, 12-17

Spirit-led Leadership
A common characteristic of great leaders in the Scriptures is that their lives and
ministries were led by the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18-20 Paul says, “Do not
get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Speak to one another with psalm, hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves.
Keep in Step with the Spirit

This is the Bible’s way of saying “conduct your life in obedience to God. Keeping
in step with the Spirit means allowing Him to control you as you read Scripture,
pray, and hear the voice of God.

Devote Yourself to the Word of God

Scripture is clear in this regard. Ephesians 5:17 says, “Therefore do not be foolish,
but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

Set Your Mind on the Things of the Spirit

Romans 8:6-9 tells us, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled
by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit
to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please
God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the
Spirit of God lives in you.
Apprentice Development

Why Do I Need an Apprentice Leader?

Apprentice development utilizes the principle of multiplication. For example, an
effective evangelist who reaches 1,000 people a day for Christ will win the world
to Christ in 13,515 years. But a very effective discipler who teaches or trains two
people a year to reach others for Christ has the potential to win the world to
Christ in 33 years. As we continue to multiply ourselves, we multiply our ministry
as well.

How Do I Spot a Rising Apprentice Leader?

1. Look for group members who take the group seriously.
2. Consider those people who challenge your leadership. These may be
potential leaders who are frustrated.
3. Look for gifted people whom you can recognize and affirm.
4. Pray regularly for new apprentices (Luke 6:12-16).
5. Look for people who embrace the small group vision.
6. Observe people in your ministry as they perform tasks or with people. Give

them additional ministry opportunities and responsibilities to see if

perhaps they have some leadership potential.
7. Try to look for people who exhibit the following spiritual, emotional, and
social qualifications:
 Spiritual qualifications
Do they see God working in their life?
Are they self-feeders? (Do they consistently spend time nurturing their
own spiritual growth through time in God’s Word and in prayer?)
Are they eager to learn? (Do they actively participate in spiritual
discussions?)
Do they share the vision of small groups?

 Emotional qualifications
Are they secure enough to be vulnerable and honest with the group?
Are they emotionally stable? (Are they aware of their own strengths and
weaknesses and not subject to mood swings that affect the group dynamic.)
How do they respond to confrontation and character development?
Defensively? Responsively?

 Social qualifications
Do they openly participate without dominating? (If this is an issue, how did
they respond to confrontation on the issue?)
Are they able to listen to others in a caring way?
Are they able to facilitate discussion?
How Do I Overcome the Objections of Potential Apprentices?

Typical objections to apprenticing include:

1. “I just don’t have the time.” Remember, people make time for those
things the count as important.
2. “I don’t have the gift of leadership.” Encourage people by reminding
them that leadership is mostly character.
3. “I’m not the leadership type.” At this point you need to simply explore
what the person means by “leadership type.”

Group Formation
Casting a Vision for your group

A vision is inspiring. It is a picture of a preferred future – what you want to

become. A vision should be compelling and something around which your group
can rally. For example, a vision statement for a group might be something like
this:
To become a Christ-like community of faith that is growing spiritually through
study of the Word, growing relationally through mutual service and caring,
growing emotionally through honest and vulnerable communication, and
growing numerically by adding two people to our group this year.
A vision Statement Must Be:

1.Concise. It takes work to get a vision statement that can be stated in a

sentence or two.
2.Clear. Make sure your vision has clarity and is easily understood.
3.Consistent. Is the vision consistent with the overall mission of the church?
4.Compelling. Is your vision statement something you can sink your teeth
into?
5.Easily communicated. Can the members of your group communicate the
vision?
6.Collaborative. Was the vision statement developed in collaboration with
the group?

Components of Group Life

1. Love. Love is expressed in a variety of ways in group life.
  2. Learn. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you and learn
from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your

souls.”
3. Serve. James says, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is
dead” (James 2:17).
4. Reach. Groups must make decisions that ensure the group’s purpose and
vision are carried out.
Communication in a Small Group

1. God to group. People want to hear from God. They seek His will and
desire to hear His voice.
2. Group to God. We not only hear from God, we respond to Him.
3. Group member to group member. Vulnerable, authentic, truthful
communication among group members will enable your group to become a
powerful vehicle for life change.
4. Group to world. It is our responsibility as believers to take the message of
Christianity to a lost and dying world.

Small Group Values

Key Small Group Values

1. Affirmation. It is important to create an atmosphere where group
members affirm and encourage one another, build each other up in Christ,
and help each other grow.
2. Availability. Group members and their resources should be available to
each other.
 3. Prayer. Prayer is valued in group life. The group comes together before God
to praise, ask, confess, and thank the Lord for all He has done.
4. Openness. Openness in the relationships within the group promotes honesty
and ease of sharing feelings, struggles, joys, and hurts.
5. Honesty. The desire to be honest with each other is critical to authentic
relationships.
6. Safety. Honest, open relationships must be guarded with an agreement of
safety – that what is said in the group will remain confidential, that opinions
will be respected and differences will be allowed.
  7. Confidentiality. As part of the concept of safety, confidentiality promotes
openness by promising that whatever is shared within the confines of the
group will not be repeated elsewhere.
8. Sensitivity. A commitment to sensitivity needs, feeling, backgrounds, and
current situations of other group members will help build relationships in the
group.
9. Accountability. In authentic relationships, accountability is voluntary
submission to another group member(s) for support, encouragement, and help
in a particular area of your life, giving them some responsibility for assisting
you in that area.
10.Evangelism. As a group, evangelism is being committed to expanding the
community of believers through such things as sharing your faith, using the
“open chair” to invite people into the group, or other types of outreach.
11. Multiplication. Having your group grow and eventually birth a new group
enables the group to carry out the vision of seeing more people connected in
Christian community, growing in their relationship with Christ.

Group Dynamics

Group Roles

Supportive roles

1. Information seeker – asks other members to tell more of their story.

2. Opinion seeker – takes an active interest in what others in the group think.
3. Initiator – offers new ideas, new ways of doing things. Often sets the pace in a
discussion.
4. Elaborator – wants more than just the facts in a story.
5. Tension-reliever – often uses gentle humor to relive tense situations.
6. Reviewer – tends to provide summary statements and clarity statements.
7. Consensus seeker – looks to see what the group is thinking and whether or not
there is agreement on issues or decisions.
8. Encourager – finds ways to build up others in the group.
9. Standard-bearer – holds forth the values of the group and defends them.