Thoughts of Spring and
ISSUE 5 VOL UME 2 March 2 4, 2 011
a New Season
Group
Focus 2011
A New Season
Today the sun is shining, I love it when the sun
shines into my office! Everything is brighter and
warmer, (well inside my office anyway) the day
is just better. The ground is covered in snow,
again, and the sun is deceiving because I’m
sure the temperature will not reach 30 degrees
today. But even with the snow, we’ve seen
signs of spring - longer days, the robins have
reappeared and we know it won’t be long and
the temperatures will follow.
I love spring. I love the Easter celebration and
the opportunity to express again my
gratefulness to God for the overwhelming gift of
His Son, not just to teach us and to set an
example for us, but to give his life, to willingly
die a terrible death to the pay the debt of my sin.
It is my hope that you can spend time with your
group this season remembering again the
greatness of our God!
With spring also comes the end of one season
of groups and the beginning of a new season.
Registration for Summer groups will begin in
May with Summer Groups beginning the first
week of June. The Catalog will be available
right after Easter so I will need to know in the • Teachable
next 2-3 weeks what your future plans are for
your group.
Summer is a unique season and we are always
looking for people who are willing to
facilitate PlayGroups in the summer. These
are groups that usually don’t meet weekly,
maybe only monthly, but they serve the purpose
of gathering people together around a common
interest, meeting people and building
relationships. It’s through these groups that we
stay connected with people through the summer
A publication to
encourage and equip
Group Leaders
www.NCGrouplife.blogspot.com
months when schedules are not as predictable
as other times of the year.
Please let me know if you have an idea for a
PlayGroup or if you know of someone who is
interested in leading a PlayGroup this
coming semester.
We also will offer both StudyGroups and Life-
Groups as leaders are available during the
summer. Calendar
With Easter toward the end of April - all
group descriptions for the Summer
Semester will need to be in by mid-April March
in order to publish the catalog by the What are your plans for
first week of May
the summer semester?
Also, we continue to ask you to be sensitive to
any potential leaders you may have in your
group or people you know.
April
Qualities to look for in someone you may 24th - Easter
recommend for group leadership:
Get your group info for summer
• A Christ-follower (not a new believer)
semester to Linda before Easter!
• Qualities of honesty & humility
• Flexible
May
• A heart for people All Group Leaders
• Ability to facilitate discussion Meeting coming up in the
middle of May.
Becoming a group leader is a process and
Watch for the date!
your recommendation is only the first step.
Please let me know of anyone you think would
be a good leader and I will begin that process
with them. You are a blessing to many - Thank
you!
Linda
WHY LEADERS EXIST
MICHAEL HYATT
INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP
Why do leaders exist? This is perhaps one of Determine the outcome you are after. This is
the most simple yet profound questions we can what is commonly called vision. Getting clear
ask about leadership. Oddly, I am not sure I on the what is more important than understand-
have ever heard anyone address it specifically. ing how you are going to get there. What do
you want to create in the place of the status
But until we answer this foundational question, quo?
leadership tips and techniques won’t make
much sense. Decide how you will achieve your outcome.
This is what is commonly called strategy. There
My answer to the question is this: Leaders exist are numerous ways to get to the same
to create a shift in reality. destination. Good leaders pick the one that will
produce the results they are after in the most
Without leaders, things drift along. They go
where they want to go, following the path of economical way.
least resistance. However, when this is not Create an action plan. It is not enough to
desirable—or acceptable—you hire, elect, determine your vision and decide on a strategy,
appoint or become a leader. The leader’s job is you must carefully craft an action plan with
to overcome resistance and make things flow in specific milestones and due dates. You have to
a different direction. His or her job is to create a be able to chart your progress.
different reality.
As you go through this process, you must enroll
So how do you create a shift in the status quo? your team. This is the mark of great leaders. If
Identify what needs to change. This is you don’t do this, you can expect resistance.
commonly called the situation analysis. What is And, it’s not because your people are
unacceptable about your current environment? rebellious, lazy, or stupid. It’s because you
What frustrates you? What disappoints you? didn’t do your job as a leader.
What needs to change? With a clear plan, and an aligned team, you can
move mountains.
“Why Leader’s Exist”
Applied
So what does this have to do with Groups?
Michael Hyatt suggests that “Leaders exist to
create a shift in reality”.
As a group leader, our hope and desire is to
help people shift their reality from being
self-centered (which we all lean toward) to a
God-centered life. Leaning into God,
surrendering our will and way of life to His.
Leaders help group members choose a
different way of life, a bigger story, God’s story
rather than our own story.
We are Michael affirms what we know to be true -
without leaders, “things drift along”. Hebrews
Better 2:1 says,
Together
1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, demonstrating His glory and His love for a
to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. broken and hurting world.
Your role as leader helps to keep people
6 Leadership
Essentials
1. THINK Life change:
Why We Do Groups
2. Cultivate RELATIONSHIPS
How We Build
Community
3. PROMOTE participation
How You Lead a Group
4. REPLACE yourself
How You Intentionally
Apprentice
5. Provide CARE
How You Handle Tough
Situations
6. MULTIPLY influence
How You Maximize
Impact
headed in the right direction, moving forward
and not drifting from what we believe to be true.
The questions we need to ask ourselves as
leaders is how will we achieve this? What
strategy will we use? If we don’t have a plan, if
we don’t think through a strategy, a “how-to”
plan, we too are in danger of drifting.
As leaders we need to be intentional, always
asking, “what’s the next step?” And “how will
we get there?”
After meeting together for a while it is easy to
get used to meeting, to be comfortable and
forget why we are meeting, and why we are
building community. As leaders we guide the
members of our group toward Christ. To loving
God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength
and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We exist to create a shift in reality, to point
people toward a living, loving God
What is the shift in reality you are making
for the members of your group?