Core Group Guide
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A Core Group (CG) is a group of 3-4 individuals from the same Lifegroup (LG) who meet together for intentional discipleship around Antioch Central Houston’s Core Values of Know and Love God, Love one another, Make Disciples. In this confidential, same-gender, safe environment people can grow in their love relationship with God and in love toward one another through obedience to Christ and sharing of His Word together. New LG members will join an existing CG. If a group consistently has 6 members, the CG multiplies into two groups.
While a discipleship group like this could take different forms, our Core Groups follow a simple and reproducible model that is driven by our three Core Values. The format we are going with fits the acronym CALL (Connect, Accountability, Learn it, Live it). With the Core Values in mind, this approach helps us experience and grow in Jesus as we do life together. If you are going to be facilitating a Core Group or training others to facilitate a Core Group meeting, check out our Core Group Facilitator’s Training!
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To grow in our love relationship with God together, we must have the opportunity to know each other deeply. At your first meeting, each person should spend up to 10 minutes sharing a few significant parts of their life journey (family of origin, significant others, faith background). The Core Group Facilitator (CGF) should go first to set the tone for honest sharing in the group. Minister to one another through prayer and encouragement after each person shares.
Example: Share three high points and three low points that have shaped your journey so far.
Set the expectation for future meetings by sharing the three values that will guide each meeting time (see What is a Core Group) and how you will use CALL to structure the time. Also cast vision for what will help the group be successful: consistent meetings, a growth mindset, and ministering to one another. This will require each member to be committed, teachable, and vulnerable. You should also stress that the group is confidential so long as there is not life-threatening information shared.
1. Connect (10 minutes)
Begin by having each person briefly share how they’re entering the group time. This can look like briefly sharing a high and a low from the week. It’s also good to hear about how the group has seen Jesus this week. Minister as appropriate. No matter what is shared, bless and thank God for who He is and praying for the time together.
2. Accountability (15 minutes)
Accountability is a chance to share how we have lived out or had challenges with the Core Values as disciples of Jesus recently. The idea isn’t to catch someone failing, but rather to spur one another on and affirm obedience to Jesus. The goal isn’t to just share and pray, but to live with authentic accountability in loving community.
If there was a specific response from the last meeting, such as an “I will…” statement, start there.
Additionally, ask a question or two from one or two of the Core Values that your group hasn’t discussed in a while.
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How have you been connecting with and enjoying Jesus recently?
Is there sin you need to confess?
How has the Holy Spirit been speaking to and guiding you recently?
Has anything been getting in the way of loving God?
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How have you been able to serve others, and how is it going?
Have there been any challenging relationships we can pray for?
How is your marriage, parenting, dating relationship, roommate relationships etc.?
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How has Jesus included you in proclaiming the Gospel this week?
Have you been praying for Jesus include you in what He is doing?
What relationships with unchurched friends have you been investing in and how can we help?
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As people share celebrate victories, breakthroughs, signs of growth, and intentional acts of obedience.
If someone shares something hard, the group should listen first and then ask clarifying questions when they finish sharing. Rather than offering advice, first seek to understand and tune in to what God might be doing through this. Share what you’re sensing before asking “How can we support you in what Jesus is asking you to obey?”
If this is unnatural for the group, pause in order to help one another slow down and listen. Pray for that person and support one another on next steps.
3. Learn it (25 minutes)
After accountability, we then seek to learn from God. This can come from a variety of ways at the same time which can include looking to the Scriptures, hearing from one another’s experience, and taking time to process our own understanding, feelings, or experience. Here are three examples of ways this time may look:
The facilitator may have a topic or scripture passage in mind coming into the meeting that the group discusses. This could include a passage discussed in a recent Sunday sermon.
A topic may come up during the accountability section that may be worth spending more time on. The facilitator may seamlessly transition into learn it by turning to a Scripture that addresses the topic that came up.
If you’re meeting over several weeks or months, the group can do a deep dive into a book of the Bible, seek to grow in a particular spiritual practice or skill together from our Resources page, or read through another book that stirs the groups trust, love, and obedience to Jesus.
Regardless of what you do, weave in one of the core experiences into the time together. Pause often to give time for silence, listening, and ministry as needed.
4. Live it (10 minutes)
Regardless of the topic, our relationship with God is one that is lived out in intimacy and obedience. To that end, weave in an experience with God as the topic of discussion comes to a close. Select one of the starting points below if you need more guidance.
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Pause to allow each person to create an “I will…” statement as God leads.
Make a note of each other’s “I will…” statements for follow up next meeting.
Once everyone has shared their “I will…” statement, end in prayer for one another
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Ask God to complete the sentence, “(Name), I want you to know…”
Share what you hear with the group.
Take a moment to consider whether what was said lines up with the whole message of the Bible.
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Read a passage, discussing it's meaning and application to our desire to be disciples of Jesus.
Use the passage that you just discussed as fuel for prayer.
First, pause and listen as the Holy Spirit leads you to pray from this passage. Next, alternate praying out loud together. Here are some ways to pray:Thank - thank God for who He is revealed to be in this passage
Declare - proclaim truths about Jesus or His followers that come from this passage
Ask - ask for more of what Jesus' followers or the world needs according to this passage
The members of the group can either each do one of these prayers or each person can spontaneously choose how to pray.
After everyone has prayed or the facilitator senses it is time to move on, pause again to see what else the Holy Spirit leads the group to pray or obey. Invite the group to speak it out-loud and respond to what is shared. If nothing is said, close in a brief thanks to the Holy Spirit for helping you pray.
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Group Prayer
After studying a passage, take turns sharing a relevant prayer need or how you need help responding to the Lord’s leading.
Pause for at least a minute to wait on the Lord for them.
When someone gets a word after the minute has passed, share it and pray for them. The other group members can jump in with what they sense God saying or join in agreement with what was shared.
When the time ministering to that person passes, repeat steps 2 and 3 for each person in the group.
Include Me Prayer
Ask Jesus to include you in what He is doing.
Pause and listen for any specific direction the Lord may give.
Share what you sense with the group. This could be something obvious or entirely random. Regardless, make a note of it for later.
Pray for any upcoming opportunities to care for someone else.
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Practice sharing one of the following:
One Sentence Gospel
15 second testimony to be ready to be prepared to give an answer to why you hope (1 Peter 3:15)
A potential opportunity where you can care for someone who doesn't know Jesus
The Lord will also often invite His disciples to embrace a truth, do something specific, or change a behavior to live more in line with the Core Values. The Holy Spirit is the teacher and counselor who will show us how to be loving and obedient disciples together.
Spend time praying for one another to close the time. As you go throughout the week, remember to continue to do life together. Keep one another in prayer, share how you meet with God and see others meet with God, and reach out as you need support in obeying Jesus this week.