Life Group Notes

GROUP INTRODUCTIONS 

Let’s go around the room and answer these questions: What’s your name, and how and when did you come to be involved at Trinity? (or if you’ve not attended on a Sunday morning, how did you hear about our Life Group?) 

ABOUT LIFE GROUPS: WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

Our Life Groups exist to promote spiritual maturity and personal growth through meaningful Christian relationships and study of God’s Word. 

Romans 8:29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

An end goal for any Christian is to be more like Jesus—‘conformed to the image’ of Him. We are all affected deeply by the people we are around regularly. Jesus taught a small group of people to become more like him in the context of relationships, conversation and serving. We believe that Jesus was smart, and that Life Groups are a way we can learn from his example. 

QUESTION: Have you ever had someone in your life that inspired to you be more like Jesus? How exactly did they have that effect on you?

Hebrews 10:24–25 And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Note here the tangible role in our Christian lives that meeting together makes possible. It is hard to provoke love and good works without being together! Life Groups are Trinity’s way to go from being a friendly church to genuinely having friends at church—friends that care about one another and our walk with Jesus.   

WHAT WILL WE DO EACH WEEK?

1.     WE SHARE LIFE

Each week we’ll take time to share what is happening in our lives. At first this sharing will include planned “sharing questions” but will become more informal and personal as we all feel more comfortable together. This is about learning together—no one needs to feel pressure to know more than they do or to talk more than they are comfortable. 

2.     WE STUDY GOD’S WORD

Each week we’ll study a section from God’s Word that relates to the previous weekend’s sermon or another relevant topic. While we share thoughts and some opinions, the goal is always to understand the truth of what God’s word says and to submit our life to His will.

Our goal is to apply what we are learning in church to everyday life, and to interact together on the topic. We all are changed for the better as we do this! We may not always discuss every question in the week’s bible study. That’s ok.

3.     WE SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER

Each week we’ll learn how to take care of one another as Christ commanded: 

John 15:9–13 

“As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 

11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 

12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

QUESTION: Have you ever experienced a group of friends that did this well? If so, can you share a practical example of how it played out and what it meant to you?

This care can take many forms such as prayer, encouragement, listening, challenging one another, and meeting real needs.

Important: Group discussions are always meant to stay in the group. We do not share with others things shared in the safe environment of the group.

4.     WE SERVE EACH OTHER, AND WE SERVE TOGETHER

Spiritual Growth is fostered not only by what we learn, but also through what we do in the service of others. We are each important within God’s family, and all of us are to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our community (Ephesians 4:11-16). 

We will also come together to serve our community in some way once over these weeks together.

HOW WE PREPARE FOR LIFE GROUP 

• WE ENGAGE IN THE SUNDAY SERMON, JOTTING DOWN OUR THOUGHTS AND TAKING NOTES. 

Trinity Waxahachie has a sermon podcast available on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. The message will always be uploaded by Sunday afternoon, and Facebook Live recordings are also available for weeks we miss church. 

• WE WORK THROUGH THE WEEK’S LIFE GROUP NOTES SOMETIME BEFORE WE MEET. 

This is part of our discipleship. Intentionally take time to reflect on the passages and questions we will study in our time together is good for our hearts and minds—it is in face, an opportunity to meet with God. These thoughts will be the basis of our discussion each week. That said, life happens sometimes and you won’t get to it—that’s ok! Don’t let keep you from coming. 

The idea is for us all to spend time each week looking at the notes before we come to Life Group. As you can see there are areas to record your thoughts. 

PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER

Each week we will take time to take prayer requests and pray for one another. This is a precious moment. Early weeks with newer people are not usually super participatory—don’t be discouraged about that. It’s normal!