Core Group Guide
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A Core Group (CG) is a group of 3-5 individuals who meet together for intentional discipleship around the 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 His Word together. New Lifegroup members will join an existing Core Group. If a group consistently has 6 members, the Core Group 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 follow 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 are 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. Do not force anyone to share what they don’t want to, but refer back to the vision as a reminder when needed. You should also stress that the group is confidential so long as there is not life-threatening information shared. If something comes up, contact your Lifegroup Leader immediately.
1. Connect
(10 minutes)
Begin by having each person briefly share how they are coming into the group time. This could be as simple as sharing a high and a low from the week. Minister as appropriate. No matter what is shared, bless and thank God for His provision. (Psalm 34:10)
2. Accountability
(15 minutes)
In this group we share how we’ve lived as faithful disciples of Jesus, or where we’ve faced challenges, recently. Our goal is to encourage one another in truth, not to shame shortcomings. We can confess sin, share needs, and ask for help. Here are some questions to ask:
Did you follow through on your ‘I will…’ statement from last time? (if applicable)
What has been a meaningful way that you have connected with God?
3. Learn it
(25 minutes)
Let’s experience God together by starting with the Bible
Read 2 Timothy 4:1-2, and 1 Peter 3:13-16.
Pause for 30 seconds to consider the passage.
Discuss the passage, using the following questions as helpful:
What does this passage say about sharing the gospel and our testimony?
What does initiating spiritual conversations look like for you?
Have you ever done outreach before?
What helps you feel more comfortable engaging with people on an outreach?
Experience — Talking to Others About God (Practice)
Practice the following:
initiating spiritual conversations
asking faith questions
sharing the gospel or your testimony
Feel free to roll play, or just practice saying key phrases so you are comfortable with them. Keep the gospel shares and testimony to under 90 seconds. If people are ever interested, you can share more.
If your Core Group is unsure how to do outreach in this approach, here is a simple starting framework to imagine how a conservation may go. The Holy Spirit will lead in conversations as well, so there is no pressure to get it “right.”
Greet
Give your name and clearly say what you’re doing.
You can say:
“Hi, my name is … and this may be random, but my friends and I are going around praying for people…”
“Hi, I’m … and this may be random, but I’m a Christian and I’m just curious…”
Ask
Ask them what their name is and an initial or follow up question.
You can say:
“If God could do a miracle in your life right now, what would it be?”
“Would you consider yourself a Christian? What does that mean to you?”
“Do you plan to got to church on Easter Sunday?”
Offer
You can offer to pray, share the gospel, or share your story. If they say yes, they may be hungry. Keep it short and follow up if they’ve ever heard or experienced something similar.
Invite
Depending on how the conversation goes, invite the person into something. If it doesn’t go anywhere, a simple invitation to Easter Sunday, Church, or Lifegroup is great.
Leave
If the conversation felt meaningful but you haven’t prayed yet, go ahead and offer to do that.
Leave the conversation thanking God, declaring salvation and the enemy’s schemes over that person to be broken, and God to send more laborers to follow up on the seeds planted through the gospel.
You can find other starting points for all the Core Experiences on our Resources page.
4. Live it
(10 minutes)
The Lord invites His disciples to embrace truth, trust Him in obedience, and live differently as the Holy Spirit helps us. Reflect on your conversation about living a life of sacrifice in trusting obedience to God, then ask God for how to do so practically.
Pause to allow each person to create an “I will…” statement as God leads.
Write down each other’s “I will…” statements for follow up next meeting.
Close in prayer for one another and what the Lord will do this week. As you go throughout the week, stay connected and support one another obeying Jesus.