“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” – Isaiah 48:17 The 3rd step to a winning Life Group is to LEAD. The coach of any winning football team will tell you their team didn’t win because they necessarily had the best players. They won because they executed their plays better than the other team. In other words, a team wins when they know what they are supposed to do and do it. Do you know what a Life Group is supposed to do? It’s not just to teach a lesson. A group that only teaches a lesson is nothing more than a class. A Life Group is a group of people who do life together. And to execute a winning Life Group, four things need to happen: Four ways to LEAD your Life Group: 1. 2. 3. 4. Bible Study – Teach a relevant lesson. Prayer – Pray for one another. Care – Meet needs inside and outside the group. Fellowship – Spend time together socially. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – 2 Peter 3:18 The 1st step to a winning life group is to GROW. Not numerically, but individually. You will never be able to grow your group beyond what you are willing to grow yourself. Teaching results from an overflow of what God is already teaching you. If you’re not learning, you’re not leading. If you’re not getting, you’re not giving. How crazy would it be for a team who wins the Super Bowl to say, “Next year, let’s not practice as much since we were so successful this year.”? The fact is the greatest athletes never stop training, growing or improving. Even Paul himself said in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Paul made it very clear that he had not “arrived.” A great leader keeps growing and presses on! Three ways to GROW: 1. Consistent quiet time. 2. Character above reproach. 3. Commitment to get better at what you’re called to do. “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” – Ephesians 4:11-12 The 2nd step to a winning life group is to BUILD. Are you the “Lone Ranger” leader in your group? Do you do all the work as everyone else sits and settles for whatever you plan? Group life was never meant to be done alone. If you are doing all the work, you’re not leading a life group, you’re leading a lifeless group. By doing all the work you are actually robbing others from ministry. Many of the spiritual gifts given to people can best be used within their life group. The more people serve inside and outside their group the more people connect to their group. The best way to BUILD your group is to BUILD a T.E.A.M. of leaders. Here’s how: Teacher: Every teacher needs a good substitute or co-teacher. Encourager: Greets guests and follows-up with them. Administrator: Keeps attendance and updates member information. Ministry Coordinator: Ensures that needs inside/outside the group are met. Three ways to BUILD your group: 1. Evaluate who needs to serve on the T.E.A.M. 2. Enlist people to serve on the T.E.A.M. 3. Empower your T.E.A.M. to serve.