X Transformational ISSUE 1 VOLUME 1 2010

Connections………………...1

XSermon Series:
“Seek”........................................2 Welcome to the first addition of Group focus, a weekly publication providing
encouragement along with the practical for doing life together in groups. You can
also find Group focus at www.NCGroupLife.blogspot.com

Group
X News & Notes for
Leaders…………..…………..2

Transformational focus
Connections You are a window influencing
someone's eternity
...Carl F. George
We were created by a relational God God-ordained gathering of people that is so
with relational needs for significant con- strong that even “the gates of hell
nection…. will not overcome it.”
The kind of connections we
need are more than casual. Casual That is what God has
connections aren’t life-giving. They called the church to be about:
can’t provide what Jesus dreams for creating environments where
and what He died for. They can’t pro- authentic community can take
vide the kind of oneness with God or place. Building relational, trans-
oneness with each other that makes forming communities where
the world take notice. The kind that people are experiencing one-
God uses in the hearts of people. The ness with God and oneness
kind that transforms lives. Only the with one another. Communities
church in community can display that that are so satisfying, so
kind of relational oneness. Only God’s unique, and so compelling that
Spirit unleashed through His Body can they create thirst in a watching
make that kind of difference. world.
Randy Frazee says it well: (Andy Stanley, Creating
Community p. 44,45)
The development of meaningful relation-
ships where every member carries a How can you demonstrate
significant sense of belonging is central to community in such a way that
what it means to be the church. This is a others will become thirsty?

PRAYER
Transformational prayer goes beyond praying for physical needs. We should absolutely pray
for one another and any health concerns someone has — scripture teaches us to do so. And
then our prayers need to also reach into the health of each of our hearts, minds and attitudes
as well. We must recognize that none of us have arrived, we all have heart issues and we
are not meant to fight those battles alone either. Just as we don’t expect our friends to fight
the physical battle of health issues alone, neither do we expect our friends to fight the battles
of the heart alone. Prayers that transform the heart require courage. What heart issues are
you willing to have group members pray for as you seek God? May you be strong and
courageous in prayer!
 Sermon Series—
”Seek” B ETTER
The next 40 days are designed to prepare our
T OGETHER :
hearts for Easter. Don’t miss out on what God We need each other!
wants to do in your heart and in your group!

Make sure to encour- In the next several great to encourage your

age your group to be
at New Covenant on
Sunday mornings, as
we work through our
series Seek. During
these 40 days
Together, we’re going
to be talking about the
need for us to place a
renewed value on
prayer. We’ll be
challenging one
another to look for
opportunities to care
(maybe in or WITH our
groups), and we’ll be
challenging people to
share…to share the
good news of Christ in
people’s lives.
weeks, we’ll be:
• Seeking HIS Life to
Revive the Church
• Seeking HIS Light
to Awaken the Lost
• Seeking HIS Glory
in Evangelizing all
People
• Seeking HIS
Righteousness in Our
Community
• Seeking HIS Peace
among ALL Peoples
• Seeking His
Visitation
These will also be our
prayers through our
prayer journal, so it’d be
groups to continue
praying through that on
their own!
You guys are the front
lines…the ones
influencing, challenging,
and encouraging
people!
TRANSFORMING
LIVES,
TRANSFORMING
CULTURE!
- Phil
Encourage group
members to pick up a
prayer guide if they
haven’t already!

Nuts & Bolts for
Group Leaders
Syllabus
Make sure you hand out a
syllabus to your group so
everyone knows what you are
doing when. For some people
this takes away some of the
fear of the unknown. It also
helps people know what’s going
on if they do have to miss.
Service Project
All groups are encouraged to
participate in one service pro-
ject this semester. We will pro-
vide a list of possibilities, but
you are not limited to the list.
It’s not too early to begin talking
to your group about the kind of
project they are interested in—
anything from serving others
through physical labor to writing
notes of encouragement or
providing a meal for someone.
And now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to
His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout
all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
Play Date
Make sure you find some time
to play together (unless you are
a play group☺) outside of your
normal scheduled group time.
Sharing a meal together, having
a game night or going sledding,
help the group to connect in a
different way than just meeting
in group time. A few hours of
playing can create a new
dynamic in your group meeting.
Coordinator
If you have a coordinator, be
sure to communicate with them
and encourage them. They
should be able to assist you by
staying in contact with group
members through e-mail and
sending out reminders. Also
invite them to participate in
leading the group. Pray that
God strengthens them to be-
come the kind of leader He
Ephesians 3:20,21
“God has designed us to need each other! For us to
reach our community, much less the world, we will need
every ministry doing its part and every congregation
excitedly doing church as a team.”
Wayne Cordeiro, Doing Church as a Team
needs them to be
in whatever role He calls them
to take.
If you haven’t found a coordina-
tor yet, keep praying that God
will lay someone on your heart
and then make the ask. Give
them opportunities to lead if
they’re comfortable and inter-
ested. Sometimes new leaders
just need a chance.
Remember, someone once saw
the potential in you! Finding
and developing new leaders
is crucial to the future or our
group ministry and you are
the most important person to
help us identify and train new
leaders!
Hang on!
The adventure is just
beginning!