How Do I Help My Lifegroup Engage The 5 Circles?

Q: The early church wasn’t just engaged house to house but they were active all together and following Jesus in their daily lives. How do I help my group do this?

The early church didn’t limit their relationship with the Lord or with each other to a fixed time, place and location. They walked with Jesus everyday. We want to build Lifegroups marked by this value. This guide is designed to equip you to lead both yourselves and others in this!

What This Value Is: 

Acts 2.46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. 

The disciples in the early church were engaged both house to house and as a part of the broader church community. House churches didn’t exist in isolation but were part of a broader church family. 

We follow their example. Our Lifegroups are integrated and are part of our broader church family. Our vision is that each disciple would be part of the 5 Circles of church and that each group would be integrated and a part of our broader church family. 

Why This Value Matters: 

Being connected to the broader church provides strength to both the individual disciple, the Lifegroup and the church as a whole. 

Disciples benefit from the gifts, wisdom and ministry of the broader body of Christ, not just the gifts, wisdom and ministry of those they are in Lifegroup with. Lifegroups benefit because they are under the shepherding leadership, encouragement, equipping and accountability of the elders and pastors. The church as a whole benefits because kingdom impact can be multiplied through the collective resources and prayers of the broader church coming together. 

Cultivating This Value As Leaders: 

Jesus is our model for this value. As leaders we want to follow His example in our own lives and in leading our Lifegroups

Here are a few ways He lived this value out: 

  • Jesus practiced spending time alone with the Father (Circle 1) Luke 5.16 "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

  • Jesus practiced life on life discipleship (Circle 2): Matthew 4:19 - "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."

  • Jesus practiced sharing life house to house: (Circle 3): Luke 22.14 14 When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer...

  • Jesus practiced gathering with the people of God: (Circle 4):  Luke 4.16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom...

  • Jesus practiced living on mission as a witness in the world (Circle 5):  Luke 19.10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

As leaders, our goal is to follow Jesus in the way we live, love and lead. As we do this, we will partner with the Lord in cultivating a community engaged in each of the five circles. 

How Can We Cultivate This In Lifegroup:

Here are ways to follow the Jesus and early church’s' example and build a community engaged in the 5 circles:

1. Lead by example: You and your leadership team practicing the 5 circles of church personally sets the tone for your Lifegroup.

2. Be overseen (with joy!) by the elders and pastors of the church. Hebrews 13.17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

3. Teach your Lifegroup members about the value of being members of the church and engaging the 5 Circles. Help them connect in each of the circles.

Next Steps:

What is the Holy Spirit highlighting as you and your group's next step in growing in this value?