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.
- What is something you’re thankful for?
- How have you encountered God this past week?
Optional: you can have the elements of communion to take communion together to start or end the meal.
Announcements
(5 mins)
Ignite Hope: UnboundNow Benefit | March 22nd, 6:00 - 9:00 pm at The Coast
Join us at The Coast for a night to bring awareness to the reality of human trafficking in Northern Colorado. The night kicks off with a silent auction for exciting products and experiences from our local businesses, along with performances from local artists!
Antioch Movement-Wide Prayer & Fast | February 26th - 28th
As a movement of churches, we will be taking three days to pray and fast that the Lord might shape us and strengthen us as a multigenerational family on mission.
Evangelism Equipping | February 25, 7:15 am 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.
Ignite Hope: UnboundNow Benefit | March 22nd, 6:00 - 9:00 pm at The Coast
Join us at The Coast for a night to bring awareness to the reality of human trafficking in Northern Colorado. The night kicks off with a silent auction for exciting products and experiences from our local businesses, along with performances from local artists!
Antioch Movement-Wide Prayer & Fast | February 26th - 28th
As a movement of churches, we will be taking three days to pray and fast that the Lord might shape us and strengthen us as a multigenerational family on mission.
Evangelism Equipping | February 25, 7:15 am 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.
Bible reading
(10 mins)
Encourage everyone to sit comfortably as we engage the Word through Lectio Divina. Start with a prayer asking God to speak to each person through the passage you’re about to read. An option in group lectio divina is to have different people and translations used for each reading of scripture. Together, read out loud Micah 6:6-8.
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.
End the time of lectio divina with another prayer together thanking God for what he spoke.
Encourage everyone to sit comfortably as we engage the Word through Lectio Divina. Start with a prayer asking God to speak to each person through the passage you’re about to read. An option in group lectio divina is to have different people and translations used for each reading of scripture. Together, read out loud Micah 6:6-8.
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.
End the time of lectio divina with another prayer together thanking God for what he spoke.
Practice: Justice
Read this overview aloud together. (5 mins)
We seek kingdom justice in our lives and communities. We clearly see Jesus setting this as part of his mission in Luke 4 and we follow in his lead. This isn’t the same as how the world defines justice - they want “the Kingdom without the King”. The daily rhythm is choosing to be aware of the needs and brokenness in our church and the world. Then we seek the Father’s lead and actively step out as he directs us. Foremost, this is in sharing the good news of our good king. But this also looks like practical needs - such as giving food or clothes - or partnering with the Holy Spirit for healing, or larger efforts such as combating human trafficking. In doing justice, we partner with Jesus to step into the brokenness of the world as ambassadors of God’s kingdom.
As a group (25 mins)
As a group, there’s a unique opportunity to give voice to areas of injustice and come together as a people passionate about God’s purposes to seek wholeness in people’s lives. This hope and action towards justice should happen first within the body of the church, then outwards towards the world as a part of the gospel of Good News. Tonight, we’re going to take some time to honestly and openly talk about areas of injustice. We don’t have to solve any problems or commit to any action, unless that is what the Lord is leading you to.
Start by praying this prayer aloud: Lord, give us your heart for your church, people, and the world. Help us to see injustices without cynicism, the hurting without guilt, and brokenness without fear. Build within us your creative problem solving to the issues around us. And lead us in partnering with you towards bringing good news to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, to proclaim the Lord’s kingdom, and comfort for those who mourn.
Discuss the following questions:
Be aware of timing and the flow of the conversation. This is hopefully just a starting point to further, future conversations. Feel free to end discussion without needing a clear close or follow-up action.
On your own during the week
It can be hard to pursue kingdom justice because of our own human brokenness. This week, take some time to ask the Lord if you’re resistant to doing justice because of any of the following reasons:
If anything comes up, ask the Lord if there’s anyone you need to forgive and release to move forward in this area. Alternatively, you can process with the lord if there are lies you’re believing in these areas; if so, ask for his truth in its place.
We seek kingdom justice in our lives and communities. We clearly see Jesus setting this as part of his mission in Luke 4 and we follow in his lead. This isn’t the same as how the world defines justice - they want “the Kingdom without the King”. The daily rhythm is choosing to be aware of the needs and brokenness in our church and the world. Then we seek the Father’s lead and actively step out as he directs us. Foremost, this is in sharing the good news of our good king. But this also looks like practical needs - such as giving food or clothes - or partnering with the Holy Spirit for healing, or larger efforts such as combating human trafficking. In doing justice, we partner with Jesus to step into the brokenness of the world as ambassadors of God’s kingdom.
As a group (25 mins)
As a group, there’s a unique opportunity to give voice to areas of injustice and come together as a people passionate about God’s purposes to seek wholeness in people’s lives. This hope and action towards justice should happen first within the body of the church, then outwards towards the world as a part of the gospel of Good News. Tonight, we’re going to take some time to honestly and openly talk about areas of injustice. We don’t have to solve any problems or commit to any action, unless that is what the Lord is leading you to.
Start by praying this prayer aloud: Lord, give us your heart for your church, people, and the world. Help us to see injustices without cynicism, the hurting without guilt, and brokenness without fear. Build within us your creative problem solving to the issues around us. And lead us in partnering with you towards bringing good news to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, to proclaim the Lord’s kingdom, and comfort for those who mourn.
Discuss the following questions:
- What is an area of injustice that I see within the church?
- How have I responded or ignored this area?
- What is something I can do to address this area of injustice?
- What is an area of injustice that I see within my communities outside of the church?
- How have I responded or ignored this area?
- What is something I can do to address this?
Be aware of timing and the flow of the conversation. This is hopefully just a starting point to further, future conversations. Feel free to end discussion without needing a clear close or follow-up action.
On your own during the week
It can be hard to pursue kingdom justice because of our own human brokenness. This week, take some time to ask the Lord if you’re resistant to doing justice because of any of the following reasons:
- It is politicized
- It is confusing / complex
- You have experienced injustice
- Unhealthy beliefs / doctrine about justice
- Lack of capacity
If anything comes up, ask the Lord if there’s anyone you need to forgive and release to move forward in this area. Alternatively, you can process with the lord if there are lies you’re believing in these areas; if so, ask for his truth in its place.
End with Prayer together
(10-20 mins)
End in a time of prayer together. Start the time with a worship song. Then continue worship in the background but encourage members of the group to pray together. A leader should close out the night with a final prayer and thanking everyone for coming.
End in a time of prayer together. Start the time with a worship song. Then continue worship in the background but encourage members of the group to pray together. A leader should close out the night with a final prayer and thanking everyone for coming.