Life Transformation Groups --Small Groups with a Big Purpose!

Here's the guts of a hand out for the Phos Hilaron Church body that we'll begin to work with on Sunday, March 30, 2008. It outlines some of the big ideas behind our small groups (what we call Life Transformation Groups or 'LXG's)

Go Small to Get Big!

Challenge by choice = to grow stronger means risking growing smaller …it’s all up to you how far you go in this process… The Smaller you go and the more ‘real’ you get with a few others the better chance you have of growing into the person God dreamed you to become – YOUR BEST LIFE NOW!! (yep, I know I'm ripping off Joel Olsteen here! But, it's apparent that most of us want our best life right now when I take a look at all the hottest books at Barnes & Noble these days...and, I'm not endorsing, nor trashing Olsteen....I don't know enough to say one way or the other yet, but he sure has a HUGE church!)

X = 'transformation' (Romans 12:2) is ‘growth’ into the person God designed you to be.

Zone -- A public middle school region where you’re most likely to connect naturally with people who live relatively close to you. (Randy Frazee's book 'Making Room for Life' impacted this thought process a ton)

LXG (Life Transformation Group)
Purpose –transformation (growth) into full on apprentices of Jesus because that takes us to our BEST LIFE NOW!

Framework for LXGs
➢ One Big Thing (O.B.T.) is the starting point of each session—PHC on the same page across generations to simplify life and allow us to grow stronger faster. (The Big Idea
by Dave Ferguson, impacted this thought process)
➢ Bible is the core text, but it’s not a ‘Bible Study’ – it’s application to real life (Rick Howerton, Small Groups Guru of Serendipity House Publishing taught me this....)
➢ Real friendships are a possible by-product / not the goal
➢ Spiritual Growth into a full on Apprentice of Jesus is the desired outcome. (this is the central mission of PHC -- turning spectators into players! -- ordinary people into full-on apprentices of Jesus)
➢ in person, online, over the phone, at a home, in a coffee shop – whenever, wherever fits the participants (other than Sunday AM and Sunday PM so we are able to focus key people & energy on working with Weebees, Kiddos & Teens during these most available time slots--thanks Northpoint Community Church and Andy Stanley for this concept)
➢ 5 to 12 people
➢ designed to reproduce new LXGs

Key Players in the LXG Process…
-H.O.S.T. = Heart for people / Open up your house / Start the Coffee Pot / Talk through the OBT Discussion Guide provided each week.
Virtually no prep and no training required. (this concept came from my incredible Launch Coach, Mike Woods after he'd spent some time with Rick Warren of Saddleback Church at Ebenezers in downtown D.C. a few weeks ago)

-Transformer – a person who will be studying the art of Spiritual Life Coaching & will work with those ready to grow strong now. Requires a deep personal relationship with Christ, ongoing training experiences, study, and a high level of prep. Kind of like a ‘Fitness Trainer’ for your soul! Transformers work with individuals in LXGs to help them grow spiritually via customized spiritual life plans and Spiritual Life Coaching in even smaller groups than LXGs. (this concept is based on Bobby Clinton's concept of the Mentoring Matrix and the book, How People Grow)

When LXGs gather....
-Weebee LXGs – Sunday Mornings
-Kiddo LXGs – Sunday Mornings
-Teen LXGs – Sunday Evenings
-Adult Groups – All Kinds / All the Time / In Person / Online / Phone

NEXT STEPS
Lobby Today … Meet some people from your Zone today.
Teens = This evening –bowling –see Laura in the Lobby
Join us for Upcoming Worship Experiences at PHC—6th at TT / 13th at South Oldham Little League where we’ll divi up the work by M.S. Zones…
The Next Zone Party is on Sunday, April 27th for Sermon on the Mound at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park – what a great way to get to know your neighbors.
Wanna H.O.S.T. or train to be a Transformer? See Meredith

We are being ‘connected’ into the body of Christ brick by brick
Ephesians 2:21-22 –we’re being connected into God’s dwelling – the Body of Christ on earth…