GROUPS
This is where we Learn, Grow and Encourage
You were never meant to follow Jesus alone. Groups provide an intentional opportunity for you and other Christians to encourage one another, to pray for one another and to serve one another. Sunday services are important, but God intended us to gather together in community with other believers. That’s where Groups come in. You’ll have the opportunity to study God’s Word, ask questions & make new friends. Some groups meet in a home, others meet online. Some twice a month and others every week - they all study the message from Sunday’s sermon and pray together.
Why Join ?
7 REASONS TO JOIN A GROUP
Fellowship
Being able to come together each week with others who have the same interest as I do is a true blessing. Fellowship is so important and is spoken about many times in the Bible.
God knows the best way we can grow our relationship with Jesus isn’t by doing it alone but by coming together with other believers to help bring more knowledge and insight through God’s Word. We should be doing this more than just a few hours on Sunday but always trying to surround ourselves with believers in Jesus Christ.
Sharing God’s Work
Sharing the many ways God has been working in your life is one of my favourite things to listen to and share. It is personal and many times you can see the difference or the impact that the event has made on another person in your group.
Sharing God’s work is also great because it reinforces your faith, letting everyone know that something didn’t just happen by chance but an act of God made it happen! God wants to help us and by sharing His wonderful blessings and answers to our prayers, it will only make God’s work that more apparent in each other’s lives.
Support
We often reach out to those who are close to us for advice and support. The main question you should be asking yourself is this, is the advice I am seeking coming from a worldly view or a Godly one? This is so important because often we will reach out to those friends or family members who are going to tell us exactly what we want to hear. Instead, we should be first pray to God then reach out to other believers for support.
This is another reason why attending a Group is so beneficial for our walk with Jesus. We are surrounded by others who are reading God’s Word and applying it to their daily lives. So when we get support from within our Groups, we can support the advice Bible says.
Planting & Watering
There will be believers in many different stages of their walk with Jesus. Some members may just be reading the Bible for the first time and the scripture you cover each week will be something new they have never heard and others may have verses memorized and have been in a relationship with Jesus for years. This is the beauty of groups!
Whether we pick up on it or not the gatherings you have with your group can have a planting and watering effect on the group. Meaning, by discussing scripture and your experiences with God you can be planting new seeds among the group especially those who have gained much wisdom from the Bible. Just as others may be planting seeds, others can be right behind you watering them, supporting those thoughts and deep discussions then it is God’s turn to do the rest!
Discussing God's Word
Being part of a Group allows me to focus on God’s Word 7 days a week. Some weeks it can feel difficult to prioritize this first but it truly replaces anything else I could fit into that time because it brings me true living wisdom.
Meditating each day on a piece of scripture before my day starts, I find to be the best and most effective way to fill myself with God’s Word before anything in this world does. By ending my day in the middle of the week with in-depth discussions on these verses fills me in a different way. It widens the meaning of the scripture and lets me see if from a different light by hearing it from another group member. This is something I always benefit from because I get to hear and see the scripture’s effect on others’ hearts, not just mine.
God’s Word has an amazing way of speaking directly to you based on what is on your heart which I find remarkable! Never have I found a piece of literature more profound and applicable than the Bible and nor will I ever! This is because the writings found from within the Bible are God’s Words.
Growing Together
As you take on new studies within your group you will get to see the fruit that your group produces, both individually and as a whole. I can already see group members blossoming and ever changing from the beginning of our journey. Some of that growth can be small but it doesn’t mean it is not fruitful.
The best thing to do with your group when you notice these changes is to let others know the changes you have seen. You might be surprised to find maybe they had no idea of their progress and it may be something they needed to hear!
Praying Together
Ending each small group gathering with prayer is so important. It allows you to pray intimately for the other group members, build a stronger relationship, and it gives the Holy Spirit an opportunity to be present at a quiet moment.
I know for me praying in a group was difficult at first, I truly thought I had not the right things to say or I feared nothing would come to mind in that quiet moment of prayer. But the exact opposite would happen because I would put my trust in the Lord and know that the Holy Spirit would work through me.
Group Resources
Links & DOWNLOADS
ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY
Why Groups
The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ remained pure for the first 300 years during which time much persecution from the Romans took place against the Christians.
In the year 313 AD, Kaiser Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, resulting in the Christian faith becoming the state Church. In Biblical days the Church of Acts gathered in houses as well as congregating on the first day of the week (Sunday).
In the year 313 AD, Kaiser Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, resulting in the Christian faith becoming the state Church. In Biblical days the Church of Acts gathered in houses as well as congregating on the first day of the week (Sunday).
As described in the book of Acts, the Church was vibrant, every believer was a minister, agape love flowed freely, and the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit were evidenced daily on the streets and in people’s houses.
There were no Bibles or Bible Schools, no Theological Seminaries, no Church buildings or Cathedrals – people just ministered to one another in the early days of the Church.
Something major went wrong with the Church from ±300 AD onwards causing the Church to slide into the “Dark Middle Ages”. Christianity became a “religion”, the Church an “organization”, and religious activities were centred around the cathedrals and monasteries.
Only the official clergy had access to the Bible and were allowed to minister the Word of God. In the 20th Century, the Church recovered to a great extent from the lowest point of the “Dark Ages”, but was still a far cry away from the pattern of the Church in the book of Acts. We believe that the “Cell Church” is the closest model to the Church in the Book of Acts, and this concept will be explored in this course.
There were no Bibles or Bible Schools, no Theological Seminaries, no Church buildings or Cathedrals – people just ministered to one another in the early days of the Church.
Something major went wrong with the Church from ±300 AD onwards causing the Church to slide into the “Dark Middle Ages”. Christianity became a “religion”, the Church an “organization”, and religious activities were centred around the cathedrals and monasteries.
Only the official clergy had access to the Bible and were allowed to minister the Word of God. In the 20th Century, the Church recovered to a great extent from the lowest point of the “Dark Ages”, but was still a far cry away from the pattern of the Church in the book of Acts. We believe that the “Cell Church” is the closest model to the Church in the Book of Acts, and this concept will be explored in this course.
In Jesus’ ministry, He operated mainly out of homes, not formal buildings. He often taught His disciples in houses (Mark 2:1; 7:14-27; 9:33; 10:2-12; Matthew 13:36). His disciples lived with families in homes wherever they went. Living in a home was part of His plan for bringing people into a personal faith experience. In Luke 10, Jesus assigned the 70 disciples to enter homes, offering peace to all who lived within. When they found a “man of peace” (one desiring to find peace), they remained in that home, eating and drinking whatever was set before them. In this way, a household would be converted to Christ, and another Home Cell would be established.
We endorse the New Testament pattern of the church gathering in public meetings and in homes
We know that if you become part of one of the Groups at LFCC, you will be well cared for. To make it easy for you to find out in what district you stay and who your district pastor will be, please click on the link called "Geographical Districts."
Once you have determined in what district you fall then click on the "Find a group" link, this will help you to get connected very easily. May God bless you as you grow spiritually in a group near you!
Once you have determined in what district you fall then click on the "Find a group" link, this will help you to get connected very easily. May God bless you as you grow spiritually in a group near you!
Home Group Districts
What is a District?
We are Geographically Separated into Districts with each district having Pastors as oversight.
These help us to serve our Church better and connect our members to Groups where they can become part of a local community. This is where we learn, grow and receive encouragement.
District Pastors
George & Augusta Brandon
BLUE DISTRICT
Amarosa, Breaunanda, Chancliffe, Featherbrooke, Helderkruin, Honey Hills, Honingklip, Homeshaven, Horison Park, Kenmare
Kloofendal, Kromdraai, Noordheuwel, Little Falls, Pinehaven, Poortview, Roodekrans, Rangeview, Rant-en-Dal, Silverfields, Ruimsig, Ruimsig Country Estate, Willowbrook, Wilropark
Toerien & Elize Begemann
Purple District
Eagle Canyon Golf Estate, Cosmo City, Hartebeespoort Dam, Harveston, Honey Park, Honeydew, Honeydew Manor, Honeydew Ridge, Honeydew View, Jackal Creek Golf Estate, Lanseria, Lazerpark, Muldersdrift, Radiokop, Sonnedal, Strubens Valley, Tres Jole, Wilgeheuwel, Wilgespruit, Zandspruit, Zonnehoewe
Jacques & Elaine Roussouw
Green DISTRICT
Allen’s Nek, Blue Valley Golf Estate, Boksburg, Bryanston, Centurion, Chartwell, Constantia Kloof, Cresta, Diepsloot, Dunkeld, Edenvale
Farmall, Flora Cliff, Florida Glen, Florida Hills, Florida View, Forest Town, Fourways, Houghton, Killarney, Melrose Estate, Melville, Midrand, Nietgedacht, Northcliff, Olivenhoutbosch, Panorama, Parktown, Parkview, Parkwood, Pretoria, Randburg, Rietfontein, Sandton, Strijdom Park, Weltevreden Park
Hugo & Hesta Fourie
Gold District
Alberton, Aucklandpark, Bosmont, Brixton , Carletonville, Claremont, Dan Pienaar, Delarey, Discovery, Florida, Fochville, Germiston
Hamberg, Horison, Krugersdorp, Kagiso, Lindhaven, Luipaardsvlei, Maraisburg, Randfontein, Roodepoort, Soweto, Sophiatown, Mindalore, Monument, Munsieville , Newlands, Ontdekkerspark, Tarlton, Westdene, Westonaria, West village, Whiteridge, Witpoortjie
How Groups Work
THE 4 W'S
Welcome
This is the informal time when the Group arrives, settles down, relaxes, interacts with each other, and shares their day or the happenings of the past week. Almost all of your Group will have come from a busy and rushed day. It is a time when everyone feels welcome and at home. It is a time to build friendship and relationships. It can be the appropriate moment to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or some other special event. Some Groups have refreshments at this time, others close the evening with refreshments.
Worship
All Groups are different, some are blessed to have singers and musicians, perhaps most do not. That does not mean the group cannot worship – you can still sing together! Be creative, ask people to bring a favourite CD and to play a song, then invite them to say why it is a blessing to them. Worship will flow naturally. Ask others to bring a scripture, or a psalm, and ask them to briefly say why it encourages them or has been a blessing – this will lead to worship. Yet another approach is to ask for meaningful testimonies. Ask someone to prepare a short paragraph from a good Christian book or devotional, these too can lead to praise and worship. The leader will need to direct the Group’s attention to that which will result in them praising, giving thanks and worshipping the Lord. It is important that those participating be asked ahead of time in order to prepare and pray for this important segment of your time together.
Word
It cannot be emphasized enough that the teaching and practical application of scripture in a cell group is of paramount importance. It therefore follows that diligent preparation by the leader is absolutely essential together with the use of excellent small group material. Build a good resource library of good material in your church. It is becoming popular today to use teaching DVDs with work books, some of which only require one to fill in the missing word or words. Many of these series are good, and it helps to vary one’s approach, however, there is a danger that people are not using their bibles, nor digging into scripture or systematically working through God’s Word. It is essential that groups learn to study the scriptures together. The cell leader as a facilitator. This is another important element of the Word segment. Being a good facilitator means the Group is drawn into discussion and encouraged to study the passage, to participate and be involved in the application of scripture to their personal lives. This does not mean it is ‘a free-for-all,’ a kind of ‘spiritual potjiekos’ resulting in every shade and flavor of theology and personal opinion being boiled up in the pot for all to savor and enjoy. Once when visiting Swaziland I saw the notice board of a church which advertised all the activities of the church for that week as ‘Our Menu.’ A facilitator does not provide a menu that people can choose to eat from. It is true that we do learn more when we dig into scripture and discover truth for ourselves, and then participate in the application of scripture to personal living, but it must be carefully guided discussion. The leader must grasp and understand the meaning of the text or passage being studied. Wrong teaching or misunderstanding must be clearly identified and corrected. A meeting should not close without the Group clearly understanding and applying the correct application of scripture to daily living in a practical and dynamic way.
Works
This final segment of a cell evening moves to giving attention to the following important matters:
[a] Group ministry. Brief discussion and planning of any practical opportunities to serve one another, your church or community. If your group has a project, give time to briefly discussing this.
[b] The personal needs of your group. Encourage people to share these for prayer and pastoral care. It is important to follow through with a word of personal encouragement at church the following Sunday, by email, sms, text message or a phone call. One needs to be cautious and circumspect about sharing very personal and intimate details in a group context. If there are sensitive or confidential matters encourage that person to share them with you personally and privately, or with the pastor. The cell leader is able to keep the pastor well informed of needs in the congregation that he may not be aware of, and therefore cannot respond to.
[c] Praying for your church. Again, it is important that someone be delegated to be responsible for collating prayer needs from the pastor, bulletins, announcements of illness or bereavement made on a Sunday. Someone should be delegated to prepare a regular and systematic prayer program for the needs of your church and then distribute to all the cell groups by email during the week
A LIFE OF PRAYER
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
Prayer should reflect the relationship we have with God. After all, it is beautiful to think that we have been given the ability to communicate with Him. In any moment and from any place, we can thank Him, ask for His strength, discern His will and become more like Christ. As James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”