Lifegroup Leader Orientation Packet
31/02/2012
I.
Introduction
Thank you so much for taking the time to review this Lifegroup Leader Orientation
Packet. Over the next several pages you should better understand why and how
we do Lifegroups at Rotorua Elim Church.
It all begins with our church’s mission statement, which is to lead people to an
authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
We believe that this mission statement is not simply for the pastors and leaders but
for all those that consider Rotorua Elim Church their church. Becoming a
Lifegroup leader is one of the best and most practical ways of participating in the
vision.
It is our desire to see everyone at Rotorua Elim Church in a community connecting,
growing and serving. Being involved in Lifegroups is a huge part of helping people
get connected, helping people grow and giving opportunities to serve.
Over the next several pages, this booklet will present the vision, the purpose and
some of the basic details necessary for leading a Lifegroup at Rotorua Elim
Church.
As Rotorua Elim Church continues to grow, it is important that more and more
people take on the responsibility and privilege of Lifegroup leadership. So, again,
thank you for taking the time to learn more about leading a Lifegroup at Rotorua
Elim Church.
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II.
Rotorua Elim Church DNA
This diagram displays what we call the core “DNA of Rotorua Elim Church”.
We believe that a follower of Christ at Rotorua Elim Church is involved in:
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Creative Worship: Experiencing Jesus Christ through worship and larger
group gatherings.
Lifegroups: Living Jesus Christ through simply choosing to live life with one
another through connecting, growing and serving together.
Global Project: Serving Christ through local or global opportunities outside
the church or serving those in the church through usher, greeter, kids, etc.
Growth: Devotion to Jesus Christ through personal relationship developed
by prayer and Bible study is at the centre of our DNA. A personal growth
attitude.
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III.
WHY do we have Lifegroups at Rotorua Elim Church?
1. We are designed to do life together. We were not designed to be alone.
 Genesis 2:18 It is not good for man to be alone…
2. A small group was the model that Jesus Christ used to build His Kingdom.
 Matthew 10:2-4 Jesus chose twelve disciples…
3. It is the primary model of caring for one another at Rotorua Elim Church.
 John 13:34, 2 Corinthians 13:11, John 13:1-20, Galatians 6:2
4. It is the most effective way for individuals to connect, grow and serve.
 These are the core characteristics of a healthy Christ follower. One
without the other creates an imbalanced life but the reality is at times
we need to emphasize one without neglecting the others.
IV.
WHAT do Lifegroups look like at Rotorua Elim Church?
More than the specific details of when, where or how often a group meets, it is our
desire and prayer that our Lifegroups are identified by the following core values:
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Relentlessly Christ-centered – all about Christ, not just a fun, social
club
Intentionally life-giving – supportive, encouraging, optimistic, positive
environment
Courageously authentic – despite our flaws and failures we are going
to allow God’s grace to be displayed through us
Creatively caring – creatively showing our love to each other
Extravagantly hospitable – showing people that they are always
welcome
Selflessly sacrificial – we want to follow Jesus’ example by
sacrificially serving one another
Strategically inclusive – not exclusive or select group but open to
anyone and everyone
Painfully honest – even if it is hard to admit or say, we are going to
be vulnerable and honest with one another
Cautiously confidential – creating a safe environment for people to
share openly without fear of gossip, judgment or condemnation
Mutually accountable – we are in this together, challenging each
other, no one is better than the other
Constantly learning – growing as individuals and together as a
community
Endlessly multiplying – always looking how to make more room for
those not yet connected
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V.
What is our VISION for Lifegroups at Rotorua Elim Church?
It is our vision to see everyone at Rotorua Elim Church in a community connecting,
growing and serving together.
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We want to be a place for everyone to find a community where they can
connect, grow and serve.
We do not want to be a church simply with small groups, but a church of
small groups. In other words, we want to be a church made up of a
bunch of small groups of people caring for each other.
As a growing church, we are constantly in need of more qualified leaders and
quality groups.
Please know that we need you and others to take on the responsibility of becoming
a Lifegroup leader and help lead people to an authentic, life-changing relationship
with Jesus Christ.
VI.
What is our DEFINITION of a Lifegroup?
Lifegroup: a gathering of people connecting, growing and serving together
Notice, there is no focus on a particular number but the focus is on the purpose
and intent to connect, grow and serve.
If the focus is on the size of the group, the focus is on the wrong thing.
We want to help lead people to an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus
by connecting, growing and serving together.
In regards to group size, depending on the target and focus of your group 6 to 20 is
a pretty typical group size. Our vision is not to have large groups but to see
growing groups multiply and raise up new leaders and new groups.
Typically once a group grows to 16-20, it is time to identify another leader from
within the group that can step up and multiply the group.
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VII.
WHO is your Lifegroup designed for?
With the vision of seeing everyone at Rotorua Elim Church in a community
connecting, growing and serving together, it is our desire to include all ages and
life-stages:
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Kids – (intermediate and high)
Students – (typically in highschool)
Young Adults – 20’s/30’s
Adults
Men
Women
Family
Most groups have a primary “target” but many have blurred lines and are open to
more than one target group, but for administrative purposes, it’s most helpful to
primarily focus on one target age group or life-stage.
VIII. What TYPE of Lifegroup are you interested in leading?
Although all groups should be primarily focused on the mission of helping lead
people to an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ, there are three
primary types of groups that we focus on:
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Connect – using common interests to build relationships with each other
(Ex. sports, hobbies, activity, dinner group, hiking)
Growth – studying principles and teachings of the Christian faith
(Ex. Bible Studies, Devotionals, Christian Books, DVD series)
Service – using our resources to serve each other and our community
(Ex. – local projects, area of need)
There are lots of needs but the question we want you to ask yourself when trying to
decide what type of group you are going to lead is, “What is your passion?”. Find
something that you are passionate about or interested in and design a group with
that in mind.
We not only believe that people lead best when they are most passionate or
interested in the subject matter but we believe that people enjoy being apart of a
group whose leader is passionate and interested in what is being done or
discussed.
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IX.
WHERE do Lifegroups meet?
Lifegroups meet at locations within the community that are purpose appropriate
and create a comfortable, casual environment. (Examples: homes, coffee shops,
parks, community centers, gyms, restaurants, meeting rooms, etc.)
Philosophically, it is our desire that our Lifegroups meet in the community. We
want people to experience and connect with Christ in the community and not just at
the church.
Secondly, please note and understand that as we grow it is logistically virtually
impossible to accommodate all of the Lifegroups that would like to meet at the
church.
Childcare (if applicable) - There is no single solution for childcare needs. Each
individual leader decides how they want to handle their group’s childcare. Listed
below are some options:
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None provided - each individual/couple make their own arrangements
Rotate responsibility - each individual/couple takes a week to provide
childcare or involves older, responsible kids to watch the younger ones
Group/Leader responsibility - the leader or someone in the groups gets
the necessary childcare and the group collectively pays for the childcare
WHEN do Lifegroups meet?
Purpose appropriate is most important but here are the standard guidelines we ask
all our leaders to follow:
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A minimum of twice a month
Any day of the week
Any time of the day
Not during a weekend service, leader trainings or a church event.
Our Lifegroup schedule runs with the school term. The purpose for this is to give
leaders and attendees a clear starting and stopping point. This is important
because it allows leaders to have an opportunity to take a break if needed, and
group members the opportunity to choose a different type of group.
Although we run on a term schedule, many groups and individuals decide to
repeat/continue as a group the very next semester. We simply ask that you as a
leader revise your group profile and reset your group members so that you will
have room for new attendees.
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XI.
Lifegroup LEADER APPROVAL Process
The approval process for a Lifegroup leader is a three step process:
1. Attend the Lifegroup Leader Orientation
OR
Read the Lifegroup Leader Orientation Packet Online
2. Fill out the Leader Application
 Located on the Lifegroups webpage.
3. Pastoral Character Approval
 Once an applicant has completed the Lifegroup Leader
Application, we ask the Pastoral Staff to review the entire list of
Lifegroup Leader Applicants.
 The pastors are simply asked one question, “Based on character
alone, do you have any concerns with the individual leading a
Lifegroup at Rotorua Elim Church?”
 If none of the pastors are able to confirm one’s character, we
simply ask that the applicant serve in other ways and connect with
one of the pastors and reapply at a later time.
XII.
Leader TRAINING
Typically, four times a year we will have trainings that are designed for Lifegroup
leaders. Each of the trainings are generally scheduled 2 or 3 weeks prior, so there
should be plenty of time to make necessary arrangements to attend:
XIII. Leader RESOURCES
It is our desire to provide all our leaders the resources that are necessary to lead
strong Lifegroups. Listed are several great places to get ideas and/or resources
for you or your group:
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Elim Bookstore online
Smallgroups.com
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If cost is a concern, we will do our best to provide you as the leader with the leader
resources you need, which can be requested. Please note that we cannot cover
the resources needed for each individual attending a Lifegroup.
XIV. Lifegroup CARE
As a Lifegroup leader, we want to create an atmosphere and culture of caring for
one another, as scripture encourages.
For Basic Care (i.e. sickness, job loss, hospital visitation), we suggest following the
principle of the Golden Rule. Do to others what you would want them to do for
you. You may also direct them to request pastoral care by filling in a contact card
at reception.
Another great resource is www.carecalendar.org, which is a free web based
system that helps groups organize meals for individuals/families during a time of
illness or crisis.
Please keep in mind that this is not exclusively your responsibility as the leader but
you as the leader should encourage and facilitate care within the group. In other
words, encourage the group to care for one another.
At times there are more serious situations that you do not feel prepared to handle.
Please do not hesitate to call the church office and ask for one of the Pastors.
XV. CREATING AND MANAGING a Lifegroup
As a Life Group Leader you will be given a password and a page on our website to
advertise your group. On that page you will have Something Like the following
example:
3D, dinner, devotions and dessert
Email Lifegroup Leader
Lifegroup Leader(s): Scott Smith Elena Smith
Day: Friday Time of day: Evening (time listed in desc.) Frequency: Every other week Start Date:
02/03/2012 Next Meeting Date: 02/03/2012
Location: Will Be different but will start below Study Topic: Will be different topics
Lifestage: Adult Childcare: Childcare not provided Cost: More than $10
Description: This group is for those who love to visit and eat. Every other week we will meet at a
restaurant for dinner as a group, then head to a house for devotions and dessert. We start at 6:30
and will enjoy the evening together.
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All Lifegroups need to be created and/or recreated 2-4 weeks prior to the start of
each new term. An email reminder will be sent out to all approved leaders
reminding you it is time to create your Lifegroup profile.
If you are repeating the same group, we do ask that you review your Lifegroup
profile, which ensures that all the details have been looked at and are current for a
new term.
XVI. PROMOTING a Lifegroup
There are three simple but very important ways to promote your Lifegroup:
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Lifegroups Online- Fill out your Lifegroup profile online through the link you
get sent.
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Personal Invitation - The single most effective way to build a Lifegroup is
through personal invitations. Please don’t underestimate the importance of
this responsibility. A personal invitation is more important than anything.
XVII. Customizable Invitation Cards - To be made
XVIII. Lifegroup SIGNUP
Most people will signup for Lifegroups through the Lifegroup section on the
webpage. For those that do not have internet access, one can simply call the
church office.
As the leader, you will receive an automated email notifying you that someone has
joined your group. The individual that signs up for your group will also receive an
automated email giving them the basic details of the group and a note that they
can expect to hear back from the group leader within 24-48 hours.
Please do your best to kindly welcome them to your group within 24-48 hours and
give them any other important information or updates that they would need, such
as a link to purchase the book your group will be reading together or what the
group will be covering at the next meeting.
XIX. Lifegroup QUESTIONS/CONCERNS
There are countless questions or concerns throughout any given term, so please
know that we are always available to help out in any way possible
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XX. The REVIEW
Thanks again for taking the time to read through the details of this Lifegroup
Leader Orientation Packet and for considering stepping up to help lead people to
an authentic, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
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Life Group Leader Application
Date:
Your Full Name:
Life Group Details
Day:
Time of Day:
Frequency:
Start Date:
Next Meeting Date:
Location
Study Topic:
Life Stage:
Childcare:
Description:
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