• Delegate roles & responsibilities ahead of time

  • Pray together before Lifegroup

  • Take attendance

  • Debrief together afterwards

  • Provide an opportunity for reflection & feedback for those with delegated roles

Lifegroup Guide

With your team…

Lifegroup Guide

Week of January 5th

Leader Need-To-Know

  • LGL Gathering is on 1/10 from 9 to 12 RSVP HERE

Quick Guide

CONNECT

  • Gather and share names and a Holiday Highlight

  • Take Communion or Worship to Music

COMMIT

  • Bible Discussion on Mark 11:12-25

    • Break into groups for the “Live It” Portion

COMMISSION

  • Pray for a Nation

    • Option: Venezuela

  • Close with someone praying an “Include Us” Prayer

Jump To…

CONNECT
COMMIT
COMMISSION
LG Announcements
Debrief Questions
LG Calendar Spring 2026
Resource Spotlight: Alone with God

Connect

How we encounter God and One Another

Hospitality & Prep

  • Pray as a team 10–15 minutes before Lifegroup. Listen to the Spirit & follow His lead. If your host is present or members arrive early, invite them to join! 

  • Ensure a welcoming environment.

  • Set up for Communion and/or have Song Sheets made. 

Connect with One Another

  • Gather together and share names and a fun moment from the holidays.

  • Share why we are here. You can say:
    We gather in Lifegroups weekly to Connect with God and one another through fellowship & worship, Commit to obeying God’s Word with God’s People by God’s Spirit, and to Commission one another to proclaim the Gospel in daily life.

Share Announcements 

  • Vision Nights this month at 7pm 

    • God is extending our REACH as a church in the city, and we are taking one of our Lifegroup Nights this month to go to a Vision Night to hear more about what’s in store for our church family in the new year.

    • Communicate the date that aligns with your Lifegroup Night. (Wed 1/14, Thr 1/22, Tue 1/27)

    • Consider suggesting an idea to help make it special, such as dinner somewhere beforehand, especially if it is a little further away from where your group meets.  

  • New Kids Ministry Opportunity: Classroom Helper

    • You can say this verbatim:
      We want to grow not only in loving one another, but in becoming a people of love and service to those who cannot repay us. One of the clearest opportunities for this is serving in our Sunday Kids Ministry.
      Kids Ministry is building a low-stakes team of classroom helpers who come alongside lead teachers to help create a safe, fun, and welcoming space for children to encounter God. This is not a teaching role. Helpers support the room by keeping kids safe, engaged, and cared for while teachers lead the lesson.
      Serving in Kids Ministry is a tangible way to bless families, care for the next generation, and step into Spirit-led opportunities often outside of our comfort zones. Please consider joining the team and participating in what God is doing through faithful presence and service.

Connect with God

  • If Communion:

    • Prepare the elements ahead of time. Consider dietary needs and practical participation (one loaf & cup, pre-broken, dipping pieces into one cup)

    • Gather around the table.

    • Share why we do communion. Use 1 Corinthians 11:23–29 to highlight reflection, repentance, gratitude, and remembering Jesus’ sacrifice and return.

    • Pause for silent reflection. Invite those who are not followers of Jesus to pray and reflect without taking the elements, emphasizing there is no shame.

    • Take the elements together in a way that feels comfortable for your group.

    • Close with prayer—prayers of adoration or thanksgiving, a Psalm, or a simple hymn sung a cappella.

  • If Worship:

    • Select songs with care.

      • Start with a strong, familiar song.

      • Prioritize familiar songs or give vision for new ones.

      • Choose songs that flow naturally together.

      • Check out our Spotify Playlist of Songs We Sing.

    • Prepare song sheets. 

    • Transition with vision.

      • You can say:
        We don't gather just for community. We gather as a community who trusts Jesus and we seek to be one with Him. One way we do this by turning our hearts and our voice to sing praise.

Commit

How we respond inwardly together

    1. Pick one question per section; use supplements as needed.

    2. Let the Spirit lead—don’t force depth.

    3. Listen well, redirect, and pause to minister.

    4. Plan group locations and regroup time. 

Read the passage twice in two different translations.

Warm up: 

  • How do you see Jesus in this passage? (Is he losing control, or is this an expression of love?)

    • Additional Question: What is Jesus passionate about according to this passage? 

Know it:  

  • The fig tree had leave but no fruit. The system of Temple worship looked majestic but missed God's heart. How do these things relate to intimacy with God? 

    • Additional Scripture: Revelation 22:1-2

    • Additional Thought: Notice how this passage in Revelation has a tree in the New Jerusalem where God again compares the people of God to a tree. What other ways does this connect to our passage in Mark? 

Share it: 

  • When have you best experienced intimacy and closeness with God in your life?

  • When has God flipped tables in your life? How did it go and how did it lead to intimacy with God? 

Live it:

Split into smaller groups (such as Core Groups) so everyone has a chance to share how they are feeling led to respond to this passage and to pray for one another. Discuss the following, praying as things are brought up: 

  • How can you surrender to the love of the Father? What hinders you receiving that love? 

  • How can you live like Jesus is really your reward? 

  • What praises and needs can we lift up in prayer? 

Commission

How we respond outwardly

Regather to pray for a Nation

  • Transition with Vision

    • “Since God’s House is meant to be a House of Prayer for all nations, we can agree with that by praying for God’s purposes among various nations on the earth.”

    • Optional: Pray for Venezuela. If you have anyone in your group impacted by or more aware of the situation there from over the weekend, ask them to share one or two ways to pray.

  • Give clear directions

    • Get into groups of 3-4 and pray as you feel led.

Include Us Prayer

  • Close by having a member pray an "Include Us" Prayer, that the Lord would use and include you to be good witnesses and bear fruit that spring up from intimacy with God.

Debrief Together

Think Pastorally, not just Practically

Debrief Questions:

  1. What are we thankful for from this meeting? 

  2. What was challenging? What should we learn from it?

  3. Is there anything going on that we should follow up about?

  4. Who can we help own Lifegroup more? How? (Connect with them, delegate a part of LG, encourage during LG, etc.)

Make sure to:

  • Take attendance

  • Provide a moment for reflection and feedback for those who were delegated roles

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