LIFE GROUP LEADER HOW TO BE A - Hope Church Singapore
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HOW TO BE A LIFE GROUP LEADER
How To Be A Life Group Leader (Core Resources)
Copyright 2018 by Hope Church (S)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, sorted in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without prior written permission of the church.
Bible quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® NIV® ©1973,
1978, 1984, 2011 by the International Bible Society.
All rights reserved.
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Welcome to the Disciple Step!
Discipleship is about living out the reality of following Jesus! We celebrate your journey with God and
we welcome you to the Disciple Step. In Hope Church, we do our discipleship in four simple steps. We
call it ABCD Discipleship. Using ABCD Discipleship, you can discover where you are and the next step
you can take in your discipleship journey. There are milestones you can use to track your growth and
resources you can tap on.
At the Disciple Step, we invite you to Disciple others to follow Jesus.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Session 1 3
What is a Life Group?
Session 2 8
What makes a Life Group Leader?
Session 3 13
Life Management of a Life Group Leader
Session 4 16
Leading our Life Group in DOC
Session 5 18
Leading Great Life Group Sessions
Session 6 22
Life Group Operations
Session 7 38
Start Strong, Finish Faithfully
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SESSION 1
What is a Life Group?
As the church grows bigger in size, we must make every effort to also grow “smaller.” In this way, as we
move forward, no one gets left behind. We don’t meet after all to do church, but we meet to do life
together. Hence we call these gathering of believers Life Groups.
It wasn’t just the synagogues and big assemblies that people gathered together. In Acts 2, on the day
of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the people of God, they were in fact gathered in a home
and sharing their lives together as a community. Life Group was church then, and is church today.
In essence, we believe a Life Group is:
A small biblical community built around self-replicating volunteer leadership, with a
clearly defined purpose of authentic Discipleship, intentional Outreach and
loving Care. It is a gathering of believers for a common purpose of outreaching to
pre-believers, as well as discipling and caring for believers.
The Life Group in the context of the church
God gives His purpose to His church, to be the instrument to reach the world with the Gospel of Christ.
As the people of God align their personal visions with the Life Group, the Life Group in turn functions
like a mini version of the church. They run in line with the church vision, and carry out the mission that
God has given.
Life Groups exist not to be kept within the walls of the church. They are to be out there, to reach out to
the lost and bring the church into the marketplace. When we say out there, it means outside the walls
of the church, to wherever and whoever needs to hear the good news of salvation in Christ! This applies
both locally and globally.
Finally, Life Groups are for everyone! They are diverse, they are out there, they are relevant to the world
we live in. At Hope Church Singapore, we have over 600 Life Groups scattered across our island, across
different age groups and vocations. There is bound to be one where someone can Belong and feel at
home in.
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Types of Life Group
There are three types of Life Groups (LGs) in Hope Singapore. They are described in detail below.
Age or Life Station Life Group
These are LGs that consist of members of similar age or life station. These are typically LGs based in
secondary schools, Junior Colleges, ITEs, Polytechnics and Universities.
Geographical Life Group
For most Adult Groups, they gather on a geographical basis. Such LGs meet in a local area, within a
particular sub-zone, zone, and region respectively. Such LGs physically meet in public areas or homes
of Life Group members. An example is given below:
Region Zone Sub-Zone LG Name
Central Bishan Bishan East BishanEast 1
North-East Sengkang Compassvale Compassvale 2
LGs gathering by geography aim to impact the area in which they live or work, essentially places where
they spend significant time in. In addition, this form of gatherings facilitate their ease of meeting given
that they stay or work in that area.
Specialised Life Group
A Specialised LG consists of people of the same vocation or people group. For instance, there are Life
Groups that are solely made up by groups such as businessmen, homemakers, musicians, and people
working in the Food and Beverage industry.
Similarly, there can be LGs of people from the same country working in Singapore. Examples include
the Indonesian, Vietnamese, Myanmese, China, India, and South Koreans Life Groups.
More than just having common interests or heritage, such LGs share the same passion of sharing the
Gospel and witnessing Christ to the respective sector of society or people group.
As a Life Group Leader (LGL), we can adjust our Life Groups’ gathering time and location to meet our
needs. Choose a time when most of our members can gather, and that the LG can meet with and engage
the unreached people in the area. Don’t be afraid to meet at unconventional hours.
No matter which type of LG you may be leading, whether you meet once a week or once a month,
whether you meet in your school, office or at home, what is crucial is that we bring the church to where
the people are. That is the purpose of the LG.
Remember, we are called to go out there, and win the world for Christ.
The LG functions to Disciple Followers, Outreach to Pre-believers and Care for its members. It is easier
to refer to this in the acronym D.O.C.
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Objectives of a Life Group
As a church, we believe that life transformation takes place the best within the context of the LG. This
LG then is a small Biblical community built around self-replicating volunteer leadership, with a clearly
defined purpose of authentic Discipleship, intentional Outreach and loving Care. It is a gathering of
believers for a common purpose of outreaching to pre-believers, as well as discipling and caring for
believers. These are the objectives of an LG.
Discipleship
Authentic discipleship means to raise people who wholeheartedly follow Jesus Christ and live their lives
surrendered to the Gospel. Such people are therefore willing to disciple others with the Christ and their
lives as role models. The Great Commission is about making disciples of Jesus Christ.
In our role as LGLs, we need to help those in our group to understand the next step that they can take.
Discipleship is not simply a good idea. There are very concrete steps that every believer in Christ can
take.
In Hope Church Singapore, we adopt the discipleship framework called ABCD Grow.
We begin by identifying where our LG members along the track ABCD. This clarifies where each
individual is in the discipleship process, and thus makes it clear, and easy on what each individual can
do to move to the next step. This tool therefore helps us move our LG members individually to become
a disciple-maker.
For example, in the table below, if an LG has more people in Step C and D and fewer people in Step A
or B, it reflects the LG has the capacity to enfold more believers. Such an LG is primed to grow and reach
out to others. It is a wonderful opportunity to outreach!
STEP A B C D
Represents Acknowledge Belong to a Contribute to a Discipling
Christ Local Church Local Church Others
Sample Names Zacchaeus Mary Paul
Matthew Martha Timothy
Lazarus James
John
Conversely, if a group has more people in Step A and B and fewer in Step C and D, the focus of the LG
may be to encourage people to progress to the next step by contributing and through discipleship.
STEP A B C D
Represents Acknowledge Belong to a Contribute to a Discipling
Christ Local Church Local Church Others
Sample Names Zacchaeus Mary Peter
Matthew Martha John
Judas
Lazarus
For more details on how an LGL can effectively lead and disciple the LG, refer to Session 4.
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Outreach
Meaningful outreach is helping a pre-believer know Christ as we live out an authentic expression of
Christian love. This includes bringing God’s love out there. By out there, we believe that Christ is not
meant to be kept in the church but brought outside the walls of the church, reaching locally and globally.
Outreach from Luke 10:5-9
5
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your
peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give
you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 “When you enter a
town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The
kingdom of God has come near to you.’
In Hope Singapore, we believe in a simple outreach model called Bless, Fellowship, Minister, Proclaim,
or BFMP. Let’s see how these steps lead from one to the next:
Prayer Evangelism Stages What does it mean? What do I do?
Step 1: To declare God’s blessing upon the land Bless people with a token,
Bless (where he placed us) either in prayer or like a drink, cards etc.
literally over a person.
“When you enter a house, Bless people with words that
first say, ‘Peace to this lift up
house.’
(Luke 10:5) Bless people with your
presence and not be
distracted
Step 2: To build trust in the relationship by Have meaningful questions
Fellowship spending meaningful time with the pre-
believers so that they will be open about Celebrate birthdays and other
Stay there, eating and their struggles and needs in life. milestones
drinking whatever they give
you, for the worker Do activities together from
deserves his wages. café hopping to sports to
(Luke 10:7) board games etc.
Step 3: To meet the needs of pre-believers by Pray for tangible needs
Minister offering to pray for them.
Pray for healing
Heal the sick who are there Share our personal testimonies with
and tell them, them and open conversations about Share testimonies
(Luke 10:9a) Jesus
Share conversion story
Step 4: Introduce the Gospel using
Proclaim To proclaim the Good News to the pre- the bridge diagram
believers after praying for them
“Say to them, ‘The kingdom Share verses from the Bible
of God has come near to related to the needs of the
you’” (Luke 10:9) pre-believers
Through BFMP, LGs can engage with pre-believers and bring them closer towards Christ. Hope
Singapore encourages all LGs to conduct GO LGs. GO LG is about bringing LG gatherings out there.
There is a GO LG Guide that has been produced to equip the Life Group to reach out to the lost
together. The guide contains a teaching about empowerment for the Great Commission and the Bless,
Fellowship, Minister and Proclaim (BFMP) strategy in outreach. LGLs can show their mentees how to
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apply BFMP in their everyday life, inspiring them to go out of their comfort zone to share the love of
Christ with pre-believers.
For more details on how an LGL can effectively lead the LG to outreach, refer to Session 4.
Care
Loving one another in the church family is a natural result of loving God. At Hope Church, we show
love by using the Celebrate, Affirm, Remember, Encourage (CARE) structure. LGLs can lead by
example in showing CARE to the spiritual family, encouraging LG members to do the same for one
another.
Refer to the Appendix XXX for more information on CARE.
For more details on how an LGL can effectively care for the LG, refer to Session 4.
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SESSION 2
What makes a Life Group Leader?
Leading an LG is more than just doing the right actions. Our life should reflect the right character. As an
LGL, we should aspire towards having both the competence to lead, and character to be a servant of
Christ. As we lead God’s people to know God and make Him known, let us lead the way in our own
growth and pursuit of Christlikeness.
CHARACTER
When we experience God’s grace, we reasonably respond with gratitude. Out of gratitude, we want to
serve God by leading; leading not just with the right skills but also the right character. God’s grace is
not a license for careless living.
The Bible speaks of believers as new creations who will slowly but surely grow “to be conformed to
the image of His Son” (Rom 8:29). When we place Christ at the centre of our lives, we will naturally
become more like Him.
At Hope Singapore, we take the character of our LGLs very seriously. LGLs are challenged towards
exhibiting four essential qualities represented by the acronym FAST - Faithfulness, Availability,
Submissiveness and Teachability. In addition to FAST, we aim to help LGLs develop traits of personal
integrity and security.
Faithfulness
To be faithful is to make the most of the service opportunities God entrusts to us. When He calls us to
a ministry of leadership, we are faithful when we answer with a “Yes God, I’ll do it!” Though we may
have doubts and fears, we respond with a can-do spirit, trusting that God will empower us for our
leadership roles.
The parable of the talents
Jesus taught about the faithfulness of God’s servants in the parable of the talents (Mat 25:14-30). Two
servants do their best to make the most of the talents their master had entrusted to them. However,
the third servant buries the money. The master gives the same praise (“Well done, good and faithful
servant!”) to the two servants who have different abilities and achievements (Mat 25:21; 23). This
shows that God looks beyond the outcome of our labour to the faithfulness of our hearts.
Making the most of what we have
Faithfulness is not about skills or results, but our readiness to steward well the opportunities that God
has entrusted to us. For LGLs, we have the mandate to steward our leadership well.
Jesus will return for us someday. We do not wait passively for His return but actively prepare for it by
serving God with all that we have. God has given each of us abilities, passions, life experiences and
resources. Some of us may seem more influential and talented or have more resources than others,
but all of us as leaders can be faithful in leading in excellence for Him.
Instead of squandering our privilege to lead, we diligently make the most of them. Instead of
comparing our abilities and achievements with that of others, we focus on honouring God with all that
we have, knowing that He is pleased when we have done our best.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few
things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Mat
25:21, 23
Reflect
How are you being faithful in leading today? What may hinder you from being faithful? In what ways
can you grow in faithfulness?
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Availability
To be available is to offer our inner life, abilities, time, experiences and resources to God and allow
Him to use them for His purpose.
The commissioning of Isaiah
Isaiah was commissioned by God to serve during a time of national unrest in Israel. The death of King
Uzziah plunged the nation into a state of fearful uncertainty about their future, with their powerful
enemy, Assyria, on the rise. In Isaiah’s vision, he was so awed by the holiness of God that he declared
his sin in shame and despair. Graciously, God forgave Isaiah. In response, Isaiah availed himself to
serve God (Isa 6:1-8). God gave Isaiah the challenging mission of proclaiming His truth to a sinful
nation on the brink of judgment and destruction (Isa 6:9-13).
Availing ourselves humbly
We serve the Holy God with reverence. Isaiah’s story shows that our service starts with the recognition
of our inadequacies and God’s grace for us. Instead of taking pride in our strength and abilities, we
humbly acknowledge our weaknesses and repent of our sins. This means that we avail our inner life to
God, allowing Him to sanctify us.
Availing ourselves wholeheartedly
Isaiah confidently answered God’s call even before he knew what the task would entail. Like Isaiah, we
ought to serve the King of Kings with a bold offering of ourselves. Instead of being transactional in
our service to God, we avail ourselves wholeheartedly because God is worthy of our all. This means
that we are willing to be inconvenienced and disrupted. We are willing to realign our priorities so that
we can serve God by leading, even at a short notice. Instead of fearing that we will lose out, we serve
with confidence that God will provide for our needs. As we lead our LGs, we trust that God knows
what we need.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I
said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isa 6:8
Reflect
Is there ever a “right” time to serve God? Servants of God throughout history persevered in their
service despite setbacks and opposition. Similarly, God may call us to lead His people at a time when
circumstances are unpleasant and tasks are difficult. In fact, that may be the very reason why God
wants us to lead!
Submissive
To submit is to respect, give in to or back down in favour of the other party. We may not fully
understand or agree, but we choose to respect and follow our leaders because we trust that God is
ultimately in control.
Submission begins with trust
Instead of relying on our imperfect and limited understanding, we trust God that He will reveal to us
the right path when we submit to Him (Prov 3:5-6). The first key to knowing the direction we should
go is not information or agreement, but trust.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6
Often, serving God involves submitting to our leaders whether in agreements or disagreements, so
that they will have joy leading us.
9|PageHave confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over
you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden,
for that would be of no benefit to you. Heb 13:17
Submission applied to ourselves
As we serve as LGLs, our first thought of submission may be that others should submit to us. Yet, it is
humbling to remember that at times, authority figures such as parents, teachers, bosses or other
leaders have abused their authority and took advantage of those they were leading. Figures in
authority must give an account to God for what they have done. LGLs are no exception. In that regard,
let us lead with all excellence and also submit to the authorities over us, for they must give an account.
God Himself establishes authority for His purposes (Rom 13:1-2).
We too may be tested in our submission. In moments where there is a lack of information or clash of
views, we may raise our doubts respectfully and find the right platform and time to ask and
understand. When the final decision is made, we support it as a united body of Christ. At the very
least, we do not attack the decision (or decision makers) as that may lead to more conflicts and
misunderstandings within the family of God.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Eph 4:3
Reflect
Why do you think people struggle to submit? Identify scenarios where you may find it difficult to
submit to God and/or leaders. What are some steps you can take to grow in submission in these
areas?
Teachability
To be teachable is to actively learn from God, leaders, and even the people whom we lead, as we
serve. When we are teachable, we will grow in attitude, skills and knowledge as we lead God’s people.
Learn from leaders
We can learn from leaders in how they live out God’s truth in areas of ministry, family, relationships,
career, studies, and finances. By observing the lives of our leaders and proactively asking questions,
we can glean biblical principles for decision-making. It is a blessing to have more mature Christians to
help us grow in our discipleship journey!
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their
way of life and imitate their faith. Heb 13:7
Learn through discipline
We are tested in our teachability when we experience criticism or stinging feedback about our
leadership. Yet these unpleasant moments are prime opportunities for us to learn how to be and do
better. Many times we learn best through discipline and correction (Prov 15:32). Instead of losing
heart and giving up, we learn from our mistakes and carefully change our ways to become more like
Christ.
Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,
but the one who heeds correction gains understanding. Prov 15:32
Learn using resources
Being teachable may include consulting resources (books, videos, articles etc.) beneficial for one’s
development, and attending classes to improve one’s skills and deepen one’s appreciation of Christ
and the Gospel. Leaders can aspire to have a culture of learning!
Reflect
What is your main hindrance to being teachable? How can you guard against it? What is one thing
you want to learn as you contribute? How can you go about learning it, or who can you learn it from?
10 | P a g eCharacter Counts – Upholding Personal Integrity
As we wrap this section on our character, we quote from the late Billy Graham,
Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep
our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is
lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
Many outstanding pastors who have done great church applauded by many have succumbed to
failings in their personal life. From their moral failures and inconsistency, the people whom they lead
are markedly affected. Prudent LGLs will remember that we are not above temptation. While we will
not reach perfection this side of heaven, our consistency of character and struggle for holiness define
us. Let us live with nothing to hide as integrity is about who we truly are.
COMPETENCE
Thus far, we have talked about the importance of our character. For us to be effective LGLs, of equal
importance to a leader is our competence. In an LG context, this is measured by our competence in
leading LGs to DOC.
In terms of Discipleship, there would be a spiritual growth amongst members, with people becoming
more Christ-like and living lives with greater surrender to God. There will be a constant flow of new
mentors and new LGLs emerging from the LG.
In terms of Outreach, our Life Groups would have a culture to go out to the world and invite pre-
believers and unchurched people to join us and hear the Gospel of Christ.
In terms of Care, people in LGs would not just know but experience how a Christian community loves
one another through everyday interactions.
For more details on how LGLs lead LGs in DOC, refer to Session 4.
11 | P a g eAppendix
HOPE CHURCH SINGAPORE LEADERSHIP HONOUR CODE
Anyone who wants to be a leader is asking for a noble task (1 Tim 3:1). Good leaders make a positive
and at times lasting impact on the lives of those they lead. God uses leaders to nourish, correct and
guide His people to grow as disciples of Christ. Because leadership is such an important task, leaders
are called to high standards of conduct.
As a leader of Hope Church, you represent Christ and ought to set a godly example in speech and
action for others. You also represent the church in what you say and do. It is important that your
conduct reflects a strong commitment to God’s expectations of leaders.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, you pledge to be above reproach (ie blameless) in the following ways:
1. I will be a good testimony for Christ in my family. As a child, I promise to honour my parents.
If I am a parent, I promise to manage my household well and bring up my child(ren) to be
obedient.
2. I will be reasoned, respectable and trustworthy in my actions and speech in all settings,
whether face to face, on social media, or in text and email correspondences etc.
3. I will strive for the highest standard of sexual purity at all times, publicly and privately.
Knowing that I ought to glorify God with my body (1 Cor 6:12-19), I will flee from sexual
immorality of all forms, including adultery, sexual intercourse outside marriage and
homosexuality. I promise to treat members of the opposite gender with honour.
If I am married, I promise to be faithful to my spouse. If I am in a courtship, I promise to treat
my partner with honour, and reserve sexual intimacy for marriage, defined as a lifelong
commitment between a man and a woman. I will not cohabit or go on holidays alone with my
partner.
4. I will cultivate lifestyle habits that place the Gospel in positive light in the eyes of outsiders. I
will avoid behaviours such as deceitful and dishonest practices, profanity, smoking, gambling
and drunkenness etc that will give others a negative impression of Christ and the Gospel.
5. I will worship Christ alone. I will not engage in the rites or practices of other religions, or any
conduct that suggests an allegiance to anyone or anything else but Christ.
6. I will be faithful in tithing 10% of my income or allowance to God through Hope Church.
7. I will faithfully teach the Word of God. I agree to teach the doctrines stated in the church’s
statement of faith, which is stated in Appendix A and can be found at
hopesingapore.org.sg/what-we-believe/
By signing below, you agree and commit to abide to the Hope Church (Singapore) Honour Code
according to your best knowledge and ability.
Name:
Date:
Signature:
X
12 | P a g eSESSION 3
Life Management of a Life Group Leader
Through the letter 1 Timothy, Paul purposefully taught, exhorted, and encouraged his disciple Timothy
as he continued his service to God. At one point in his letter, Paul wrote
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both
yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16
Even as Paul gave Timothy instructions and advice for his life and ministry, Paul took time to exhort his
disciple to watch his life and doctrine. It has the potential to save not just Timothy himself, but also
those whom Timothy is speaking to, leading, and serving. In our context, we can see ourselves in the
place of Timothy. LGLs have many tasks to perform, people to serve and problems to solve. Even amidst
our responsibilities, let us learn to watch our lives and our doctrine, for by that we are best able to lead
ourselves and the people we are charged with.
Watching our Life and Doctrine
To watch our life and doctrine is to pay close attention to the way we live and to our understanding of
God and His Word. Church history has shown how believers have fallen into false doctrine carelessly,
without consideration for what the Bible truly says. Teachers have taught convenient messages
according to their own beliefs; there are even those who teach to pursue their personal agenda. Such
messages then get passed on from one generation to another, influencing many believers. Whenever
we hear our LG members share a misinformed statement about God, we see the impact on believers
today. Before we begin working out the life and knowledge of our LG members, let’s humbly ask
ourselves hard questions.
What are our beliefs about God?
How are we growing in our understanding of Him and His Word?
What are we reading?
How is our life doing?
Take time to read 1 Timothy 4:1-16. Understand how false teaching that emerges has power to influence
others. Yet, be encouraged to provide sound teaching. As we train ourselves in the Word of God, and
for our lives “to be godly” in Him, we will be equipped to teach others with our words and our life. By
that we protect our own spiritual life, and those whom we are leading. There is such great potential for
impact, what type of impact would we have?
6
If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ
Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
7
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be
godly. 1 Timothy 4:6-7
Practical Life Management
Living in 21st century, we have many areas of our lives to juggle. Amongst them all, a significant concern
for us as a Christian and a Leader in God’s Church would be this – to keep our hearts beating for Christ
to the end of our days. We want to serve God out of a loving relationship with Christ and out of our
gratitude towards God and what He has done for us.
Our ministry is tied with the quality of your relationship with Christ.
As we take care of our relationship with Christ, we also have three other constant arenas of our life that
we must consistently pay attention to and manage. They are our Family, the Church and the
13 | P a g eMarketplace. Together, these four areas are what we call constants. As the word suggests, constants
take a high priority in our life management as they affect our day to day living. They are the main arenas
in which our godly living takes place.
Conversely, there are events that occur in our lives that come and go. We may be sent for overseas
training. A family member or love one may require intense caretaking. These are what we call seasons.
These seasons can influence the routes and choices that we make, such as where we live, where we work
and the we relationships we form.
What is important about seasons is that they are constantly changing. As we go through our seasons,
we know that they are not permanent arrangements and have a definite end in sight. While we go through
our seasons, we remember to keep constant our vibrant, passionate relationship with Jesus and to
manage the 3 arenas in our lives – family, church and marketplace.
Relationship with God and Personal Growth
Like our physical health, our spiritual health requires consistent care and exercise, to keep it strong and
healthy.
As leaders, we constantly serve and give in ministry. It is crucial that our spiritual health is kept vibrant,
to ensure that we do not “run on empty” and burn ourselves out.
When Jesus was asked what was most important commandment in all of Scripture is, He replied,
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and
with all your strength.”. Mark 12:30
This is the most important commandment because it tells us what God desires is our relationship with
Him. God wants us to have a vibrant, living, passionate relationship with Him.
To have a vibrant relationship with Jesus, we need to know Him and spend time with Him. God wants
to be involved in everything we do. He wants us to fellowship with Him, communicating with Him
throughout the day like we do with a very close friend. Remember, God loves you, and enough to die
for you.
Managing the Arenas of Life
1. Family Arena
God’s creative intent was for us to flourish in our families. From the OT times, families passed down
stories of who God is and the works He had done. In our modern times, we too can orientate our families
towards God, making Him and His ways the centre of our families.
4
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works. Psalms 145:4-5
The Bible is rich in guidance towards family relations. Take time to study passages such as Ephesians 5-
6 and Colossians 3. Even the stories of Joseph and his family in Genesis provide rich insights into what
not to do as we manage our families.
14 | P a g e2. Church Arena
Just as we have our physical families, the church is our spiritual family. Through Christ, we are of one
covenant, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither Chinese nor Indian! One day, Christ will be returning
for His Church, the radiant bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).
When we observe the imperfections of man, we will realise that God could have used so many other
(probably) better ways or methods to communicate His message of salvation to the world. Yet, He has
chosen the Church to be the instrument. In that light, make church and church life a constant in our
lives. In this place, we grow to know and God and make Him known. Together, we go through our
Christian journey, exhorting and strengthening one another as we pursue holiness in Him. Some
practicals involve:
Commit to the local church
As members of the church body, commit to serve and build the church as she seeks to lift God up.
Commit to help the church fulfil her mission in reaching the lost and making disciples of all nations. We
disciple others with the teaching of God’s Word, and set them off on their journey with Christ.
Give to the local church
Honour God with your tithes and offering, just as the Israelites did for the Levites in the tent of meeting.
Our giving supports the operations of the church, and the activities that reach and disciple people in
Christ.
Love and pray for one another
By intentionally choosing to love and pray for one another regardless of our differences, we fully realise
that we are one body with many parts. As a body, we celebrate and mourn together.
3. Marketplace Arena
Whatever our vocations, we spend a tremendous amount of time in the marketplace. Whether it be our
workplace or our school, we can take many steps to manage our life in this arena:
Be Excellent at work
Whatever your work may be, do it to the best of your ability. To the servants, Paul urged in Colossians
3:23-24 to work as if for the Lord and not for human masters. Our excellence is pleasing to God, and
testifies God in our workplace.
Influence others for God
Through the way we live, we show people how great (or lousy) our God is. It is always humbling to
remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi,
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Display the full character of the person whom we follow through the way we live out godly character
and love of Christ. Our marketplace is filled with pre-believers who are looking at us.
Start a Life Group
We can start a Life Group for people in the marketplace, lighting up the neighbourhoods and workplaces
with biblical communities, so that the unchurched can hear the Gospel and come to know God.
15 | P a g eSESSION 4
Leading our LG in DOC
Why DOC?
Every LG does DOC to fulfill the Great commission. As we do DOC, our LGs will grow in both quantity
and quality. As we serve as LGLs in doing DOC, we believe and expect every member and LG to be
continually growing.
LGL’s role in leading DOC
Discipleship
We seek to make disciples who make disciples. We do that through bringing every member on a
ABCD discipleship journey. The end goal is we want to become more like Jesus.
It is not just about sending our members to classes. What are other things you can do as a LGL?
• Teach the word of God
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2
Tim 3:16-17
Make sure they understand the gospel, it is the foundation of their faith!
Teach what they need.
Encourage participation in Grow classes.
Teach past sermons.
• Facilitate discussion and mutual accountability to grow
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise
man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds
blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a
foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the
winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27
In the Bible in James 1:22, James writes, “do what it says…” The goal of sermon discussion is to help
people cross from theory to application. Sermon discussion is not just talking about the sermon, but
carefully selecting specific parts which will be the most applicable to our LGs. Through discussion and
hearing from one another’s viewpoints, we guide our LGs to understand the message in a deeper
manner, and lead them to better application in their lives.
When the LG shares application and action points, they can keep each other accountable about their
growth and the different areas in their lives.
Reflect: How can we create an environment in our LG that people are open to share about their lives?
• Empower each member to serve in ministry and discipleship
Help our LGs see that as they serve, service itself will draw them closer to God. Service helps us grow
to be a keen learner of skills, of the Word, and gives us opportunities to find role models for our lives.
Help our LGs discover their areas of strength and gifts which they can serve the church in.
• Set discipleship goals for your LG members
Discipleship goals can be qualitative and quantity goals. What are the next steps for our LG members
in terms of both ABCD and their personal growth?
16 | P a g eConsistently check in with them and their mentors to help them to grow in these areas. Through
follow-up. we will see life transformation and spiritual formation in them.
Reflect: What are some next steps for your LG members?
Outreach
As LGLs, we lead our LGs to bring the gospel to the community we are in.
Found people find others. As our LG members experience the love of Jesus, it is only natural that they
want to tell others about it. Jesus commands us to preach the gospel to the ends of the world.
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony,
“He told me everything I ever did.” John 4:39
Found people find people. How can we lead our LG in this?
• Model Personal outreach (BFMP)
• Rally and create platforms for LG outreach
• Set goals for multiplication of LG
Our motivation for LG multiplication is not in the goals we set, it is rooted in our conviction of the
gospel and the drive to fulfill the Great commission!
When we lead our LGs in outreach, it is natural to expect our LG to grow. Yet, growth is a result of
both divine intervention and human leadership. We can do our best and leave the fruits to God.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.
1 Corinthians 3:6
Care
Build a community that loves one another and spurs one another towards Christ. A refresher on CARE:
• Community
• Acts of Service
• Remember Occasions
• Encourage
How can we lead our LG in this?
• Model and encourage members to CARE for one another
• Create a safe environment for openness and relationships
Discussion: What are some ideas for CARE and systems of CARE that you can build in your LG? Eg
birthday celebrations
The Outcome of DOC
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the
apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property
and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together
in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere
hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47
Observe how DOC was done in the early church and outcome: multiplication of the church!
17 | P a g eSESSION 5
Leading Great Life Group Sessions
Life Group Gatherings
Manpower and programs planning is required for a LG Meeting to take place. As a leader, we should
make this an opportunity to train leaders and increase ownership of the life group. If you intend to
produce a team that can run the LG program, or train your next LGL, there is no better place to do it
than in planning and executing the LG together.
Never Keep Leadership Thinking Cap to Yourself
As an LGL, we want to be predictable to our team so that they can complement us. One way of being
predictable is to allow them to understand our thought patterns through Life Group Planning – life
group planning are expressions of leadership decisions. By planning and explaining our decisions, our
team will learn our thoughts and understand why we do what we do. This will also help them in their
own leadership growth.
Be Open to Receive Feedback
After being transparent about our thought patterns, we want to create a safe environment for our
team to ask questions and propose new ideas. Through questions and ideas from them, it sharpens
our leadership and promotes innovation.
Increase the sense of ownership in the Life Group
It is wise to consider and adopt opinions and ideas from our team members to increase their
ownership. A good leader allows calculated failure so that the team is encouraged to step out and try
new things. We can all learn and grow from the mistakes together.
How Can My Team Grow?
In the context of leadership growth, many LGs fall into the trap of events planning instead of investing
in new leaders. We must constantly ask ourselves whether our team is growing in their leadership. Am
I running Life Group for the sake of events or people? Evaluations done in both private and public
settings are equally important. Public evaluation promotes the spirit of excellence while public
evaluation gives customized feedback to a single person for growth. When our team is actively
seeking to grow the LG to achieve better DOC, we are producing leaders.
Planning of Life Group Gathering in Six Steps
Step 1: Gather a Team
Select a team with people who are available and committed to make LG a spiritual home.
Step 2: Decide on the Culture
You should communicate the values that you appreciate as a leader. Such as but not limited to:
• Respect for every members’ inputs
• Participate in evaluation
• Respect the final decision made and flow along with it
Step 3: Decide the Focus at this Season
Every LG will have their seasons. As the LGL, we can set the focus of the season and all LG Gathering
should be planned according to the focus. For instance, a newly formed LG should focus on
relationship building. An LG with majority members at Steps C and D should focus more on outreach.
An LG with majority at Steps A and B should focus more on discipleship.
Step 4: Prepare your Proposal
Before communicating our LG Gathering Plan to our team, we should come up with a rough proposal
and expect changes based on the team members’ input. For example, we could select a life group
18 | P a g eformat to be discussed later, and produce a 2 months’ roster. Over time, we may discover and develop
the talents and skills of the individuals through the roster.
Step 5: Meet the Team and Communicate the Plan
Share the culture, focus of this season and life group operation (roster) with our team and seek their
inputs. Remember that at the end of the day, as an LGL, we should make the final decisions.
Step 6: Finalize and Execute
When the roster is finalized, execute them by communicating the roster plan with members involved.
Always conduct a short and sweet evaluation after each life group to encourage and develop
members.
Sample Roster
28 Mar 2018 4 April 2018 11 April 2018 18 April 2018 …
Chair Person Joy Matthew Joy Matthew
Worship Peter N/a Peter N/a
Guitarist John N/a John N/a
Holy Comm Jimmy N/a Jane N/a
Sermon Matthew Joy Matthew Joy
Discussion
Announcements Jane N/a Jimmy N/a
Remarks:
- This is a new life group, I want to explore various LG format.
- On 4 April and 18 April, I promote more interactions among the people.
- I want to engage Jane and Jimmy to serve as they are our new believers.
- Joy and Matthew is my next potential LGL or currently a mentor
Model of a Life Group
LG Model Description Pros Cons
Full LG • More avenue for • Require manpower
people to serve • Potential overrun
Welcome (10mins) • Minister to people LG and becomes
Testimony (15mins) • Avenue to disciple draggy
Worship (30mins) more people • Not easy to
Holy Comm (10 mins) replicate with
Discussion (40mins) quality when LG
Announcement (10mins) births
Supper (optional)
Worship Focus This is the same model • More avenue for • Require manpower
as Full LG except it people to serve • Not easy to
Welcome (10 mins) only does worship. • Focus to minister replicate with
Testimony (15 mins) via worship quality when LG
Worship (40 mins) • Can include births
Holy Comm (10 mins) prophetic gift
Announcement (10 mins) training
Supper (optional) • Avenue to disciple
more people
Discussion Focus This is the same model • More avenue for • Require manpower
as Full LG except it people to serve • Not easy to
Welcome (10 mins) only does worship. • Focus to minister replicate with
Testimony (15 mins) via word quality when LG
Worship (40 mins) impartation/ births
Holy Comm (10 mins) discussion
Discussion (10 mins)
19 | P a g eSupper (optional) • Avenue to disciple
more people
Low Manpower Choose to replay a • Strong ministering • Less people serving
video or podcast that • Easy to replicate • Less discipleship in
Welcome (10 mins) is ministering to you. with quality when LG roles
Discussion (60 mins) Pause the video to do LG births
Announcement (10 mins) discussion after each • Pre-believer
point. Share testimony friendly due to no
too. worship
• Focus in mentor
We avoid having training with the
worship if the nature reduced LG roles
of LG is pre-believer commitment
friendly. If a person
does not have
relationship with God,
worship session may
be awkward.
Minister & Outreach Same as previous • Develop outreach • Less people serving
model except for culture • Less discipleship in
Welcome (10 mins) additional outreach • Easy to replicate LG roles
Discussion (40 mins) activities. This model with quality when
Announcement (10 mins) are usually used at LG births
Evangelism (20 mins) outdoor basis. • Strong ministering
• Focus in mentor
training with the
reduced LG roles
commitment
Outreach Models for GO LG
Strategy Description Pros Cons
Street Outreach Quickly proclaim the Get direct conversion Low retention rate due
gospel as soon as on the streets to lack of relationship.
people on the streets
are open.
Support Group Convert Life Group Common grounds Some may continue
once a month to among attendees. coming even though
(Mummies, helper, support group. Invite rejected gospel. It is ok
single parent, LAN targeted pre-believers Build relationship. to continue engage.
Gaming, Sports, etcs) to participate.
Retention Rate is high. Fixed sets of PreB -
Proclaim is targeted at PreB renewal is needed
private sessions once in a while.
between members and
PreB.
Once Off Event Once off event to invite Meet new sets of PreB Have to keep thinking
PreB to join. PreB can at each event. of new ideas.
(Carnival, Mooncake be friends of members
Festival, Sentosa or street invitation.
Outing)
Proclaim is targeted
20 | P a g eafter relationship is
built or invitation to
service.
Retention
The keys to retentions are:
● Relationship
● Common Interests
To really retain new believers in our LGs, we must aim to cultivate relationships with them and connect
with them on common interests. In retrospect then, it is recommended that we choose the right GO
LG model according to the dynamics of our LG Members, to facilitate relationship and common
ground building.
21 | P a g eSESSION 6
Life Group Operations
Life Group Operations and Systems
LG operations and systems are often see as a burden. The administration can be complex as we
manage the various areas of our lives. Yet, these LG systems exist to serve:
• It serves the church as it helps in learning from the past, understanding the present, and plan
on how to follow and lift God up as a church for the future.
• It serves the LG as it ensures the LG is connected to something bigger than itself.
• It serves the individuals as it provides personal growth platforms and meets needs.
What LG Systems are there?
Life Group Stats
Stats are a means to an end. The end is to see people growing and taking the next step in their
discipleship journey. Stats would be filled in on a quarterly basis to understand how the Life Group
people have grown and what the current needs of the LG are.
Life Group Members Care
LGLs can use the following care system via e2hope for members. These includes:
• Wreath for funerals (Appendix I)
• Baby hamper for new born (Appendix I)
• Get well hamper (Appendix I)
• Advice for Marriage and Wedding applications (Appendix II)
*Wreath, baby hamper and get well hamper are only for members.
For enquiry, email to Belong@hopesingapore.org.sg
Life Group Finance
Every LG has some budget set aside to help in achieving the DOC. LGLs can tap on this budget for
equipping, outreaching and care for members. For details, do check with your Zone Leader.
*Do seek approval from Zone Leader before using the allocated budget.
Booking Rooms in Church
We encourage all Life Groups to gather in homes or even office places whenever possible as the
location will be convenient for the Life Group members to attend. In view of the need for rooms,
Life Group Leaders can book the rooms at Axis or Church office. (Refer to Appendix III for the
bookings of such rooms)
22 | P a g eAppendix I: Hamper and Wreath Request
A. How to request for Get-Well in e2Hope?
Login via e2hope with your assigned Username and Password
https://e2hope.hopesingapore.org.sg/HOPE/login.htm
Go to
Upon clicking Notification, the default page is the Hospitalisation Gift Submission
23 | P a g eFill in the details accordingly and click the “Submit” button.
Please read the delivery details. Hospitalisation Gift is only for local delivery.
24 | P a g eB. How to request for New Born Gift in e2Hope?
Login via e2hope with your assigned Username and Password
https://e2hope.hopesingapore.org.sg/HOPE/login.htm
Go to
Select
25 | P a g eFill in the details accordingly and click the “Submit” button.
Please read the delivery details. New Born Gift is only for local delivery.
26 | P a g eC. How to request for Wreath in e2Hope?
Login via e2hope with your assigned Username and Password
https://e2hope.hopesingapore.org.sg/HOPE/login.htm
Go to
Select
27 | P a g eFill in the details accordingly and click the “Submit” button.
Please read the delivery details. For very short wake, please email to care@hopesingapore.org.sg to confirm if
the wreath can be delivered on time.
For overseas delivery, please ensure that the full delivery address is submitted.
28 | P a g eRoles of LGL during a Funeral:
Work with the respective zone leader to render support to our member.
In the case where our member made a request for Hope Church Singapore to conduct a Christian wake, the LGL
would raise the request to the Zone Leader for decision and planning.
The LGL is to work with the Zone Leader on the coordination work. Please refer to the Funeral Manual available in
e2hope for details.
For this, the LG and the Zone will be mobilised to assist in the running of the Wake/Funeral service (this may
include Praise & worship, exhortation, prayers, ushering, printing of bulletins etc.)
The LGL can also check with the member regarding who he/she would like to inform about the passing on of
his/her loved one. The LGL can represent the member to inform the respective church/ministry mates.
For the case of a non-Christian wake, the LGL may still mobilise LG mates to visit the wake to provide support for
our member. Our physical presence can be a great encouragement and support for our member in such an
occasion.
The LGL is to logon to e2hope to submit Bereavement Request on behalf of the member.
29 | P a g eAppendix II: How to advice couples who are planning for marriage?
To prepare for wedding, there are 2 parts to it.
Marriage Preparation Course (MPC)
MPC is an in-house course conducted over 8 weeks (including 2 breakout sessions where each couple is
attached to a more senior couple for learning)
MPC is conducted thrice a year. LGLs, please check with your ministry Calendar for the exact dates
Participation must be believer of Jesus Christ to register for this course.
Registration is online where the couple is to fill up Segment1 which comprises their personal details and
Segment 2- where their immediate leaders are required to fill in.
http://hopesingapore.org.sg/come/learn/mpc/mpcsignup/
Prior to registration for MOC, couples are to first read and agree on the Marriage Guidelines. Please refer to
http://hopesingapore.org.sg/come/learn/mpc/marriage-guidelines/
Completion of MPC is a requirement for Wedding application. In the case the couple missed any session, the
couple is required to do make-up class.
Upon the completion of the MPC< each couple will be issued a MPC completion certificate
Wedding Application
• Wedding Application Form is made available at e2hope for download.
• Couples are to read up on the Wedding Guidelines prior to filling in the Wedding Application form for
submission. Some basic guidelines: We only marry a couple if they are both Hope Members, have
completed MPC and have been regular with church and Life Group.
• Completion of Wedding Application includes getting the SDL/Zone Leader to fill in his/her portion.
• Couples are to scan the Wedding Application Form and email to yshuo@hopesingapore.org.sg and give
up to 5 working days for a confirmation of the Wedding Application outcome.
• Couples are to refrain from making any commitment to any booking or/and making any down payment for
wedding venue, wedding shoot and HDB purchase prior to the confirmation of the Wedding Application
outcome (by church office). Couple is to first seek for clearance of wedding date with church office to have
a secured officiating minister available for their desired wedding date prior to securing any other further
arrangement(s).
• Upon a successful application, Church Office will send an email to the couple to inform. In the case the
desired date is not available, church office will flag the couple and inform them and get their input for
another date.
• For successful application, couple will be assigned a ROM licensed officiating minister from Hope Church. He
will meet up with the couple TWO months prior to their wedding to brief the couple on the procedure to do
E-filing and to run through the church wedding ceremony program with the couple.
30 | P a g eAppendix III - Online Facility Booking Guide
SUBMITTING BOOKING REQUEST
Step 1: Access “e2hope” login page via Church website www.hopesingapore.org.sg
Click
Step 2: Login with your “e2hope” account.
31 | P a g eStep 3: Once logged in, click on “Facility” icon as shown below.
Select “Booking Calendar View”
32 | P a g eStep 4: Click on the light blue square box that corresponds to your preferred Facility Venue and Time.
An online “Booking Request Form” window will appear on your screen.
Fill-in all the relevant fields in the form.
Read and agree to the terms & conditions by clicking on the Checkbox.
Then, click the “Submit” button at the bottom
33 | P a g eStep 5:
Upon clicking on Submit button, you will be prompted to double confirm the decision.
Click “Yes” to confirm submitting your booking for approval.
Click “No” if you would like to make any changes to your booking
Upon successful submission of your booking, the booking chart will auto refresh and you should see your booking
request shaded in “Light Green” colour (means Pending) in the calendar chart. You will also receive an
automated email “Booking(s) Received & Pending”.
Click
34 | P a g eProcessing of Booking Request
THE AXIS Facility Administrator will process all booking requests (approve or reject) within 1 working day.
For APPROVED booking, it will change from “Light Green” to “Dark Green” colour in the calendar chart. You will also receive
an automated email “Booking(s) Approved”.
For REJECTED booking, it will be automatically removed from the calendar chart.
You will also receive an automated email “Booking(s) Rejected“.
Advance Booking & Walk-In Booking
You can make advance booking(s) online up to 2 days before your event.
For less than 2 days, you will NOT be able to make booking online anymore.
Check the booking chart and if the room is still available for your required time slot, you may do “Walk-In Booking” personally
at Facilities Office on Level 8 on actual day of event.
Booking through phone will NOT be entertained nor accepted
No Show Penalty
If you do not come within 15mins after your booking time, it will be considered as “No Show”.
When you accumulated three (3) “No-Shows”, you will incur a suspension penalty from future booking for 3 months with
immediate effect. All existing booking(s) will also be cancelled automatically.
Hence, we advise that you cancel your booking at e2hope Online Chart immediately once you know the event is cancelled. If
you are unable to do so, you can call 8182 4080 for assistance. Inability to reach our Duty Staff in time does not absolve you
from your responsibility to cancel your event ahead of time.
35 | P a g eCancel a Booking
To cancel your booking on the online booking chart.
Click your booking on the chart.
Your “Booking Request Form” window will appear on screen. Scroll down to Section 2 “Requestor Contact
Information”. At the bottom of that section, click “Cancel Booking” button.
You will be
prompted again
to double confirm
your decision.
36 | P a g eYou can also read
