Go Fish

What Does It Take to Lead a Small Group in 2016-2017?

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This “Small Group Leader Job Description” post has been updated for 2016.

Are you considering using your God-given gifts to lead in the LCCC Family?

Great!

But, that raises some questions, like: “What does it take to be a Lake City Small Group Leader?” and:“What does leading a small group involve?”

First, read our mission and vision statements for Lake City Small Groups. These statements are the lens through which we try to see everything:

Small Group Mission Banner 8 logo1

Now, here (in green) is the official position description for the significant role of leading a small group, including qualifications and “job description”:

Lake City Small Group Leader Description

 Small Group Leader’s Qualifications:

  1. Be a member of the church, or be in membership process.
  2. Attend the leader trainings, in fall and January.
    • Small Group Leader Fall Series Material Meeting is Sunday, August 24, 10:50AM (during 2nd service) in the Gym. It is primarily for small group leaders, but open to everyone.
    • The LC3 Ministry Summit is Saturday, Sept. 13, 9am-1pm. It is for ALL ministry leaders of LCCC, including small group leaders.
    • January training date TBD. 
  3. Be approved and blessed by small groups pastor and an elder.

Small Group Leader’s Job Description:

(Trying to do less than this will fail almost every time.  Co-leaders or “Inner Circles” will share this load with you.)

Time Commitment:  Prayer and preparation before the group; the group meeting time; relationship-building and discipleship time outside the group.

Length of Commitment: Semester and/or entire 9 month ministry year. 

Primary Roles:

  1. Model someone growing spiritually.
  2. Lead the group meetings and ministry, and delegate responsibilities to group members as they are gifted.
  3. Build relationships by regularly contact group members between meetings (through phone calls, emails, cards, coffee, invite for dinner, notes on Facebook, etc.)  Follow up with absent members to let them know they were missed (Think “shepherd” – Luke 15:1-7).
  4. Assess where each of your members is spiritually and what they need to grow.
  5. Meet with your coach monthly.
  6. Disciple and raise up new generations of leaders, as you are able.
  7. Complete the simple, occasional evaluation reports requested by small groups pastor and elders.

 

Tools Provided for LeadersToolkit

1.  As the small groups pastor, I or a coach sits down with everyone who expresses interest in leading or co-leading our small groups. We will come prepared with some resources like our Lake City Small Groups TOOLKIT, the semester calendar, answers to frequently asked questions, and an enthusiasm to answer your additional questions.

2.  Because of the importance of this role, all leaders are designated a pastor (that’s me) and a coach who will walk with you through your growth as a leader and as a follower of Jesus.

3.  Gatherings for extra training (if requested), prayer, and fun throughout the year!

4.  Electronic sources like weekly emails, social media, and this blog are great tools for enhancing many aspects of small group leadership.

(Stay in touch with everyone throughout the year by “liking” the Lake City Small Groups page on Facebook!)

How to Become a Leader

As you can see, these are attainable qualifications and expectations. We are happy with our bar for leadership – not too high and not too low.
       “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” (1 Timothy 3:1 ESV)
Are you ready to step up to this noble task of leading a group, or “under-shepherding” some of flock in Jesus’  church? Then here’s what you need to do, right now…

Join our great team of leaders this year, by:Happiness cover

  1. Letting me know of your interest, at reg.overstreet@lc3.com or 253-582-8040, or by marking your interest on a Communication Card in the weekend services
  2. Attending the August 28 Leader Training and “Happiness” Materials Meeting
  3. (Or) Attending the Sept. 10 LC3 Ministry Summit
Blessings on our stewardship of leading God’s people,
Pastor Reg
Lake City Small Groups: Making disciples who make disciples in relational environments.
MOST of our leaders at the End-of-Year Celebration, June, 2014

Some of our leaders at the End-of-Year Celebration, June, 2014

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GO FISH – LCCC’s Fall Series, 2014

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And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19

Go Fish 2 - with text We are excited to announce that our fall series for 2014 will be based on the series, GO FISH, by Andy Stanley. It has great potential, and a backstory that includes the entire LCCC Family.

The Backstory

LCCC has been growing steadily for several years, adding members, small groups, discipling relationships, ministries, and a third worship service which is also now filling up. This growth continually prompts our leadership to pray and make decisions for the future. Our leadership and congregation have agreed, now, to both expand our present facilities and look towards church planting in the next several years. With these major decisions behind us, by God’s calling and through the leadership of Pastor Jim and other church leaders, LCCC’s focus returns this fall to Jesus’ Great Commission for His church to go and make new disciples in the world where He has planted us. Our church is surrounded by people in our community, and we in our personal lives, who do not yet know Jesus’ love and righteousness. That needs to change. They need to be told. The mission of the church is to reach them; to be “fishers of people.” We are setting out to do that; to GO FISH, this fall at LCCC!

Here are the details:

The Plan

As always, fall is LCCC’s season of unity and momentum, when every small group, ministry, and every sermon shares a united focus.

We will follow the same basic plan as in our previous fall series (such as Forgotten God, Heroes, and Why Am I Here?). Small groups, Family, Children, and Youth Ministries will design their fall ministries to coincide with the emphasis. It is always a great time of unity and momentum.

The Resource

Our team of researchers, Chuck Mathews, Pastor Jim, and my wife and I, reviewed eight highly acclaimed church resources for evangelism, seeking the best fit for our church this season. From these excellent possibilities, we chose Andy Stanley’s GO FISH. It comes with a six-session DVD and participant’s guide.

Here is the assessment I wrote to the team regarding this resource:

We (Sarah and I) really enjoyed reviewing GO FISH. In fact, Andy Stanley’s message in the first video penetrated me personally, and I have thought about it often over the last couple days. He is a great communicator, and his team did a great job abbreviating his messages for small group use. We read every word of the workbook, and even filled out several of the discussion pages together. It was a rich experience. Again, it is perfectly laid out for our small groups’ use – in simplicity, form, function, number of weeks, coherence with our philosophy, and impact.  As we noticed before, the only apparent weakness is lack of in-depth Bible study. But, his teaching is biblically authoritative. And, of course, our sermons will provide biblical depth. I believe the resource’s simplicity will actually prove a strength by making the study usable by everyone, and allowing us to add our own relevant supplements to the groups through the sermon applications and through additional small group leader resources, especially including the “Love the World” section in the updated Small Group TOOLKIT. The theme verse given each week could easily be made into memory verses for the week – a strong idea.

The Schedule

So, pull out your calendar. Here is the complete fall schedule, including leader training, small group signups, kickoff and events:

  • August – New leader recruitment month. Is God possibly calling you to lead? Read all about that, here.
  • Aug. 23/24 – Small Group signups begin, via foyer table, small group catalog, and church website
  • Sunday, Aug. 24 – GO FISH Small Group Leaders Materials Meeting – Gym, 2nd service (10:50-12:10PM)
  • Week of Sept. 7 – Small Groups Kick Off – start meeting weekly; getting to know each otherMinistry Summit 2014
  • Saturday, Sept. 13 – LC3 Ministry Summit – An exciting day of equipping, for everyone wanting to do better ministry for Jesus in our church, communities and homes.  (9:00AM-1:00PM)
  • Sept. 20/21 – Go Fish Series begins.  Go Fish #1 – We Were All Fish Once
  • Sept. 27/28 – Go Fish #2 – Why Fish?
  • Oct. 4/5 – Go Fish #3 – Fish Guts
  • Oct. 11/12 – Go Fish #4 – Fishing Buddies
  • Oct. 18/19 – Go Fish #5 – Muddy Water 
  • Oct. 25/26 – Go Fish #6 – The One That Got Away
  • Nov. 8/9 – Veterans Day – Big Outreach Weekend, with Scotty Smiley
  • November – December 14 – Since the series finishes a few weeks before the fall semester ends, leaders will schedule their own important small group activities like worship/communion nights, outreach and service projects, fun nights, planning for next semester, a Thanksgiving Dinner, and a finale Christmas Party to end the semester on a joyful note!

The Rest of the Story

Everyone should be in a Lake City Small Group this fall. Leaders will be well equipped and encouraged in the two training events listed above, and by their coaches throughout the year. The GO FISH books and DVD’s will go on sale in the second half of August. Couples can share a book, but it’s usually preferred for each person to have his or her own. One DVD is needed per group. The cost of the DVD’s will be factored into the price of the book.

It will be easy to join a group in any of three different ways: our Small Group Catalogs will be passed down the aisles in the weeks leading up to kickoff. Groups and registration instructions will also be listed on the website, and displayed at the foyer table during the weekends.

Take a moment to pray for Lake City’s unity and effectiveness in reaching the lost world around us with the Good News of Jesus. Spread the word and excitement to everyone you know.

In Him, by Him, and for Him,

Pastor Reg

What Does It Take To Lead a Small Group in 2014-2015?

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I posted this “small group leader position description” last year, but have updated for 2014!

Are you considering using your God-given gifts to lead in the LCCC Family? If so, praise God! Now that raises the questions…”What does it take to be a Lake City Small Groups Leader?” And…“What does small group leadership include?”

Here (in green) is the official position description for this significant role:

Lake City Small Group Leader Description

 Small Group Leader’s Qualifications:

  1. Be a member of the church, or be in membership process.
  2. Attend the leader trainings, in fall and January.
    • Small Group Leader Fall Series Material Meeting is Sunday, August 24, 10:50AM (during 2nd service) in the Gym. It is primarily for small group leaders, but open to everyone.
    • The LC3 Ministry Summit is Saturday, Sept. 13, 9am-1pm. It is for ALL ministry leaders of LCCC, including small group leaders.
    • January training date TBD. 
  3. Be approved and blessed by small groups pastor and an elder.

Small Group Leader’s Position Description:

(Trying to do less than this will fail almost every time.  Co-leaders or “Inner Circles” will share this load with you.)

Time Commitment:  Prayer and preparation before the group; the group meeting time; relationship-building and discipleship time outside the group.

Length of Commitment: Semester and/or entire 9 month ministry year. 

Primary Roles:

  1. Model someone desiring to become like Jesus.
  2. Delegate leading and caring responsibilities to group members so they can use their gifts for the benefit of the group.
  3. Regularly contact group members between meetings (through phone calls, emails, cards, coffee, invite for dinner, notes on Facebook, etc.)  Follow up with absent members to let them know they were missed (Think “shepherd” – Luke 15:1-7).
  4. Disciple and raise up new generations of leaders, as you are able.
  5. Complete the simple, occasional evaluation reports requested by small groups pastor and elders.

 

Tools Provided for LeadersToolkit

1.  As the small groups pastor, I sit down personally with everyone who expresses interest in leading or co-leading our small groups. I always come prepared with our Lake City Small Groups TOOLKIT (a collection of our best training materials over the past seven years), and an enthusiasm to answer the frequently asked questions and your intriguing questions that are new to me.

2.  Because of the importance of this role, all leaders are designated a pastor (that’s me), an elder who prays for and is available to them, and a coach for assistance, encouragement and accountability of their own growth as a follower of Jesus.

3.  The blog you’re reading now is also an increasingly more comprehensive quick-reference for many areas of small group leadership.

4.  And, stay in touch with everyone throughout the year by “liking” the Lake City Small Groups page on Facebook!

How to Become a Leader

As you can see, these are attainable qualifications and expectations. We are happy with our bar for leadership – not too high and not too low.
       “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.” (1 Timothy 3:1 ESV)
Are you ready to step up to this noble task of under-shepherding some of Jesus’ flock? Then here’s what you need to do, right now…

Join our great team of leaders this year, by:

  1. Contacting me at reg.overstreet@lc3.com or 253-582-8040, or marking your interest on a Communication Card in the weekend services
  2. Attending the August 24 “Go Fish” Materials Meeting
  3. Attending the Sept. 14 LC3 Ministry Summit
Blessings on our stewardship of leading God’s people,
Pastor Reg
MOST of our leaders at the End-of-Year Celebration, June, 2014

MOST of our leaders at the End-of-Year Celebration, June, 2014