Be a Connector

As a LH Group Leader one of your three primary roles is to be a connector. Just like the Lego pieces we as parents all cringe at the mention of, we are to connect and hold multiple unique pieces together as Jesus builds his church out of us. As a connector there are three connections we need to be seeking to make with our group members.

1. Face to Face - A Connection to Each Other - The most obvious of connections is that of face to face. One of the main reasons many group members join a group in the first place is to connect with other people. Your group is just that, a group of individuals seeking community and relationship. This is also the easiest of the connections, but it still requires some effort.

○ Create a Distraction Free Environment - Whether you meet in the church building or in your home, there is the potential for distractions which can interfere with group members getting to know and connect with one another. Details like lighting, smell, and position of seats, can all have an effect on how well people can connect. If the lighting is too bright and harsh, individuals may feel the need to shrink back and hide, or if the seats are arranged in an odd shape that makes it hard for people to see each other or hear each other, then there are now barriers to connection. Make every effort to limit distractions and barriers. In addition, details like the smell of coffee brewing or soft worship music playing in the background as people arrive can help to promote face to face connection.

○ Get Outside the Study - Sometimes it can be difficult for personal connections to made inside of the Group Study environment. The need to get through the agenda of praying and teaching and discussing can limit the amount of time for sustained face to face conversation. In these cases, mix it up and plan a night out for your group. Go bowling, to dinner, or anywhere else really where there is no agenda but for people to get together face to face, even if it’s just a night in with no study. You might be surprised on the impact this will have on your group members, and also on your Group Study. Groups that have done this in the past have seen a dramatic increase in the fruitfulness of their discussions.

2. Shoulder to Shoulder - A Connection to the Mission - The next connection we as group leaders need to seek to make is the shoulder to shoulder connection of being on mission together. Religious, churchy activities, no matter how spiritual or beneficial, are just busyness if they are not connected to mission. Our goal as group leaders is not merely to pass along knowledge, or create welcoming environments, but to equip believers to do what we’ve all been commissioned to do, reach the lost and make disciples. We are to co-laborors with Christ, working together with each other and Jesus, to accomplish Jesus’ mission. Here are a couple tips on how to make shoulder to shoulder connections

○ Outreach Projects - Every group should complete one outreach project each semester. We have compiled a list of suggested projects and outreaches, or you can come up with your own, but the goal is to put boots on the ground and impact the world around us.

○ The MVMT - Lighthouse can’t function without its amazing teams of volunteers. As a group leader you can help your members get plugged into a serve team that fits their gifts. Keep an eye out for talents, interests, or passion points your members might have, and make suggestions for teams they could get involved with.

3. Heart to Heart - A Connection to Jesus - Every other connection fails to matter if we are not connecting our people to Jesus. Without Jesus face to face connections are just like any other relationship, and are not the iron-sharpens-iron, comfort-others-with-the-comfort-you’ve-received type relationships that Jesus empowers them to be. Without Jesus shoulder to shoulder connections will fizzle out, rather than enflame the hearts of our people with a passion for the spreading of the gospel of Jesus. We need to connect our peoples hearts with the heart of Jesus.

○ Elevate Scripture - God’s Word is ultimately all about Jesus and as John 1 tells us Jesus is ultimately God’s Word. By continually pushing people back into God’s Word we continually push people closer to Jesus. Scripture should be the final authority for our lives, and the lens through which we see and interpret life. Connect your people to God’s Word by teaching the full counsel of it, explaining it clearly, and living it out it’s truths and commands in front of them

○ Elevate Prayer - Much has been written and said about prayer over the past two millennia, but suffice it to say prayer is THE single greatest connection to Jesus that we have. In fact, Jesus died to give us prayer, by giving us direct access to the Father through His death, burial and resurrection. Teach & model prayer to your people. Show them its importance and its power. Show them it’s about so much more than time before a meal and requests in a time of need. Show them that it’s about the truest form of connection.

○ Elevate Jesus - Finally, to help connect your people to the heart of Jesus, elevate Jesus. One of the main reasons Jesus came was to live his life as an example for us of how we are to live. So point to Him as the example in dealing with difficult people, in loving enemies, or in submission to parents. In addition when going through Scripture stories of Moses, David, or Joshua are not only about those historical events, but are also foreshadows of Jesus. Jesus is the greater Moses, as He leads His people out of captivity to sin and death, sets them completely free and leads them to a place of peace and joy. Jesus is the greater David as He slays the giants of Satan, sin and death and cuts their heads off in victory over them. Jesus is the greater Joshua, as He leads His people to fully conquer their enemies and take full possession of what has been promised them. As John 12:32 promises, when Jesus is lifted up, He will draw people unto Himself, so elevate Jesus and connect their heart to his.