LG LEADER GUIDE
Welcome / Share Vision for LG
Briefly welcome the group & pray before eating.
Welcome to life group! Life group is a safe, committed community to walk out our journey with Jesus together.
Dinner / Fellowship (30 mins)
We share dinner together as an act of fellowship. Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus constantly interacting with people over a meal. The act of eating is so universal that eating together both fills a practical need and helps us open up again to community together. As we eat and share, let’s intentionally reflect on God’s presence in our lives. Encourage people to share, not report.
Optional: you can have the elements of communion to take communion together to start or end the meal.
Welcome to life group! Life group is a safe, committed community to walk out our journey with Jesus together.
Dinner / Fellowship (30 mins)
We share dinner together as an act of fellowship. Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus constantly interacting with people over a meal. The act of eating is so universal that eating together both fills a practical need and helps us open up again to community together. As we eat and share, let’s intentionally reflect on God’s presence in our lives. Encourage people to share, not report.
- How have you encountered God this past week?
- What is something you’re thankful for?
Optional: you can have the elements of communion to take communion together to start or end the meal.
Announcements
(5 mins)
Unbound Now Awareness Team
Join us for a six-week free course on human trafficking - everything from prevention, awareness, and educating Northern Colorado communities. Our hope is to gather and train a core team as we continue to build our Unbound Now chapter. Apply on the app or at antiochfc.org.
Hospitality Team Training | October 1st, 1:30-2:30pm at the church
Our Hospitality Team is getting a make-over! Join us October 1 to hear about what the hospitality team is all about, how you can get involved, and learn all the details to succeed! Let us know you’re coming on the app or at antiochfc.org.
Encounter Night | September 22nd, 7-8:30pm in the auditorium
As a people who are passionate about Jesus, encounter nights are a way to come into his presence and worship Him!
Unbound Now Awareness Team
Join us for a six-week free course on human trafficking - everything from prevention, awareness, and educating Northern Colorado communities. Our hope is to gather and train a core team as we continue to build our Unbound Now chapter. Apply on the app or at antiochfc.org.
Hospitality Team Training | October 1st, 1:30-2:30pm at the church
Our Hospitality Team is getting a make-over! Join us October 1 to hear about what the hospitality team is all about, how you can get involved, and learn all the details to succeed! Let us know you’re coming on the app or at antiochfc.org.
Encounter Night | September 22nd, 7-8:30pm in the auditorium
As a people who are passionate about Jesus, encounter nights are a way to come into his presence and worship Him!
Bible reading
(10-15 mins)
Split into groups of 8 or fewer if necessary. Together, read out loud John 15:1-8. Pause for a minute or two after for individual reflection.
Here are some questions for group discussion.
Split into groups of 8 or fewer if necessary. Together, read out loud John 15:1-8. Pause for a minute or two after for individual reflection.
Here are some questions for group discussion.
- What does this passage say about God?
- What do we learn about ourselves and others?
- What stands out to you and how could that change you?
Practice: Lectio Divina
Read this overview aloud together. (5 mins)
Lectio Divina is latin for divine reading. It is a practice of praying through scripture by slowing down, savoring the word, and allowing God to speak personally to us through it. It is not a study or discussion of the bible but is focused on listening - on quieting ourselves to allow God to speak afresh to us through the gift of scripture. In Lectio, the bible is a meeting place to encounter the Living God; it is about formation, not instruction. We do this by reading a passage multiple times while prayerfully sitting in a question during each reading.
Lectio Divina as a group (15 mins)
Encourage everyone to sit comfortably. Then begin to breathe slowly and deeply to slow yourself and be present. Start with a prayer asking God to speak to each person through the passage you’re about to read. An option in group lectio is to have different people and translations used for each reading of scripture. Use Matthew 5:25-34 for tonight.
We’ll read the passage three times with a specific focus each time where we listen, ponder, then pray. As we listen to the passage, we’ll patiently wait for the Lord to speak to us through it. We don’t have to be in a hurry and can trust that God has something for each of us.
First, we’ll listen. Listen for a word or phrase that stands out to you or the Holy Spirit is impressing on you. Meditate on that word or phrase by repeating it to yourself in your head. You can write it down.
Read the passage. Sit for a minute after.
Then, we’ll ponder. Carefully ponder the word or phrase revealed to you. How do you feel about it? How does it specifically relate or connect to your life right now? Is this a single prayer or sentence that is coming out of how God is speaking through this word or phrase?
Read the passage again. Sit for a minute after.
Finally, we’ll pray. Pray into the Lord’s personal invitation from this passage. What is he inviting you to know, to become, or to do? In the silence following you can either ask for God’s grace to step into what his invitation or simply sit in his presence and truth revealed. You may want to write down the invitation from the Lord.
Read the passage a final time. Sit for two minutes afterward.
As a group, spend a couple of minutes sharing your experience and what God spoke. Not everyone has to share. This also isn’t a discussion to comment on what another shares.
Individual Practice
This week, try using Lectio Divina as part of your prayer time. Make sure to write down or journal after each reading to encourage prayerful meditation throughout the day after the time is over.
Lectio Divina is latin for divine reading. It is a practice of praying through scripture by slowing down, savoring the word, and allowing God to speak personally to us through it. It is not a study or discussion of the bible but is focused on listening - on quieting ourselves to allow God to speak afresh to us through the gift of scripture. In Lectio, the bible is a meeting place to encounter the Living God; it is about formation, not instruction. We do this by reading a passage multiple times while prayerfully sitting in a question during each reading.
Lectio Divina as a group (15 mins)
Encourage everyone to sit comfortably. Then begin to breathe slowly and deeply to slow yourself and be present. Start with a prayer asking God to speak to each person through the passage you’re about to read. An option in group lectio is to have different people and translations used for each reading of scripture. Use Matthew 5:25-34 for tonight.
We’ll read the passage three times with a specific focus each time where we listen, ponder, then pray. As we listen to the passage, we’ll patiently wait for the Lord to speak to us through it. We don’t have to be in a hurry and can trust that God has something for each of us.
First, we’ll listen. Listen for a word or phrase that stands out to you or the Holy Spirit is impressing on you. Meditate on that word or phrase by repeating it to yourself in your head. You can write it down.
Read the passage. Sit for a minute after.
Then, we’ll ponder. Carefully ponder the word or phrase revealed to you. How do you feel about it? How does it specifically relate or connect to your life right now? Is this a single prayer or sentence that is coming out of how God is speaking through this word or phrase?
Read the passage again. Sit for a minute after.
Finally, we’ll pray. Pray into the Lord’s personal invitation from this passage. What is he inviting you to know, to become, or to do? In the silence following you can either ask for God’s grace to step into what his invitation or simply sit in his presence and truth revealed. You may want to write down the invitation from the Lord.
Read the passage a final time. Sit for two minutes afterward.
As a group, spend a couple of minutes sharing your experience and what God spoke. Not everyone has to share. This also isn’t a discussion to comment on what another shares.
- What word or phrase was highlighted?
- How does it relate to your life right now?
- What is the Lord’s invitation to you in that?
Individual Practice
This week, try using Lectio Divina as part of your prayer time. Make sure to write down or journal after each reading to encourage prayerful meditation throughout the day after the time is over.
Prayer / Worship
(15 mins)
Split into groups of 2-3 to pray together to end the time. You can either share praise & prayer points or base prayer from what was revealed & shared during the Lectio time. One of the leaders should close out the night with a final prayer and thanking everyone for coming.
Split into groups of 2-3 to pray together to end the time. You can either share praise & prayer points or base prayer from what was revealed & shared during the Lectio time. One of the leaders should close out the night with a final prayer and thanking everyone for coming.