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)
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!
Evangelism Equipping | Sunday, September 24 from 7:15-8:15am in the Eastside Classroom
Are you looking to share your faith with the lost around you? Want some help and encouragement? Come get equipped and encouraged to engage those around you with the Good News.
Missions News | Join the announcement board on the app!
If you would like to stay up to date with prayer requests and new things happening in the missions department, find our group in the app messaging under “Discover.” Or you can click this link.
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!
Evangelism Equipping | Sunday, September 24 from 7:15-8:15am in the Eastside Classroom
Are you looking to share your faith with the lost around you? Want some help and encouragement? Come get equipped and encouraged to engage those around you with the Good News.
Missions News | Join the announcement board on the app!
If you would like to stay up to date with prayer requests and new things happening in the missions department, find our group in the app messaging under “Discover.” Or you can click this link.
Bible reading
(10-15 mins)
Split into groups of 8 or fewer if necessary. Together, read out loud John 10:1-10. 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 10:1-10. 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: Immanuel Journaling
Read this overview aloud together. (5 mins)
Every believer is capable of hearing God directly through the Holy Spirit. We often have to slow down and make space to hear the voice of the Lord as we may expect a thundering roar when he often speaks in the quiet moments. We see this as the Lord called Samuel in the calm of the night or him speaking in a still, small voice to Elijah. Immanuel Journaling is a practice that helps us slow down to become aware of God’s compassionate presence and to hear him speak into our lives. As a group, we’ll do an abbreviated version of this. Use the full practice on your own this week. The single, simple question is also great to use with kids of all ages! (In question form as, “God, what do you want to tell me today?”)
As a group (15 mins. Paper and pens are nice to have.)
We’re each going to take a couple of minutes to listen to the Lord using the following prompt. Fill in your name at the beginning and then we can expect to hear God speaking to fill in the ending with what he wants to share. This is a practice in training to recognize the voice of the Lord. But we can risk in hearing! We also know that the Holy Spirit will align with scripture, so if you think you hear something that doesn’t align with scripture, know that it’s not the Holy Spirit speaking.
Encourage everyone to sit comfortably. Then begin to breathe slowly and deeply to slow yourself and be present. Start with a prayer thanking God that he knows everyone present and has things to share with each of them.
______, I want you to know that _________.
Leave space for up to 5 minutes. 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. If what someone shares doesn’t feel like it aligns with scripture, try to encourage them towards scripture without outright correcting them (unless clearly needed). The goal is increased intimacy.
On your own during the week
The fuller practice of Immanuel Journaling simply has more questions to have a larger conversation with the Lord. The essence is the same as the abbreviated version we did as a group. If you are short on time, you can just do the single question.
For the individual practice this week, you can either use the simple question / phrase we used as a group OR you can use a similar but fuller practice. The essence is the same as the simpler group activity but has expounded questions to engage in more of a conversation. The full resource is here on the app.
Every believer is capable of hearing God directly through the Holy Spirit. We often have to slow down and make space to hear the voice of the Lord as we may expect a thundering roar when he often speaks in the quiet moments. We see this as the Lord called Samuel in the calm of the night or him speaking in a still, small voice to Elijah. Immanuel Journaling is a practice that helps us slow down to become aware of God’s compassionate presence and to hear him speak into our lives. As a group, we’ll do an abbreviated version of this. Use the full practice on your own this week. The single, simple question is also great to use with kids of all ages! (In question form as, “God, what do you want to tell me today?”)
As a group (15 mins. Paper and pens are nice to have.)
We’re each going to take a couple of minutes to listen to the Lord using the following prompt. Fill in your name at the beginning and then we can expect to hear God speaking to fill in the ending with what he wants to share. This is a practice in training to recognize the voice of the Lord. But we can risk in hearing! We also know that the Holy Spirit will align with scripture, so if you think you hear something that doesn’t align with scripture, know that it’s not the Holy Spirit speaking.
Encourage everyone to sit comfortably. Then begin to breathe slowly and deeply to slow yourself and be present. Start with a prayer thanking God that he knows everyone present and has things to share with each of them.
______, I want you to know that _________.
Leave space for up to 5 minutes. 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. If what someone shares doesn’t feel like it aligns with scripture, try to encourage them towards scripture without outright correcting them (unless clearly needed). The goal is increased intimacy.
- What did the Lord share with you?
- How does that relate to your life right now?
- What is hard or easy about using this prompt to engage with the Lord? Why?
On your own during the week
The fuller practice of Immanuel Journaling simply has more questions to have a larger conversation with the Lord. The essence is the same as the abbreviated version we did as a group. If you are short on time, you can just do the single question.
For the individual practice this week, you can either use the simple question / phrase we used as a group OR you can use a similar but fuller practice. The essence is the same as the simpler group activity but has expounded questions to engage in more of a conversation. The full resource is here on the app.
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 practice. 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 practice. One of the leaders should close out the night with a final prayer and thanking everyone for coming.