Life Transformation Groups at Ridgeview

Adapted from Cultivating a Life for God by Neil Cole

A LTG group is made up of two to three people, all of the same gender, who meet weekly for personal accountability in the areas of their spiritual growth and development. A group should not grow beyond three but multiply into two groups of two rather than a single group of four. If a fourth person is added to the group it is recommended that the group consider itself pregnant and ready to give birth to a second group. Once the fourth person has demonstrated faithfulness (2-3 weeks) the group should multiply into two groups of two.

The accountability consists of three essential disciplines:

1 Sin is Confessed
The first thing the group does together at a meeting is ask one another the accountability questions found on one side of the Bible bookmark. The meetings should always begin with this because it is easy to get lost in conversation and run out of time for the questions. Beginning each meeting with the confession of sin tends to sanctify the rest of the time together. The questions are straightforward. Each person in the group takes a turn answering each question honestly. The group must be a safe place where the participants feel they can be honest and vulnerable.

2 Scripture is Planted
The goal is to have the people reading larger volumes of Scripture repetitively and in a whole context. For a steady diet, we strongly recommend reading 15 to 20 chapters each, completed by reading five to seven days in a week. When the group meets the following week they ask one another if the entire reading was completed in time. If any one of the group was unable to complete the reading portion, then the same reading assignment is to be taken up again. The group will continue reading the same portion of Scripture repeatedly until the group finishes it together in the same week. Once all group members finish the reading in the same week, then a new book is agreed upon for the next week. Group members can rotate the privilege of choosing the next book to read if so desired.It is important to note that it is not a failure for someone to be unable to complete the reading in a given week. In fact, it is advantageous if that happens. It is best if it takes a few weeks to get through a book because the repetition helps in the understanding and application of the truth. For this reason, we suggest that the amount of Scripture chosen to be read be a stretch for the group to finish. On the weeks when any one of us fails to complete the reading, we feel that the Lord is not done teaching us something in that particular book. We then go into the next week with anticipation, believing that the Holy Spirit has a special lesson in store for us.

3 Souls are Strategically Prayed For Daily
The Accountability Questions are printed on a card to be used as a bookmark. On the reverse side of the card is the Strategic Prayer Focus. This is designed to be a guide to pray strategically for lost people every time the Bible is opened. Each member is to identify the two or three people who are the highest evangelistic priorities that God has laid on their hearts. They share the names of these people at a group meeting and each writes the names down on the card in the spaces provided. Each person should have listed all the names represented in the group, totaling six names. Each time one of us does our Bible reading we select one of the names and pray for that person using the suggested prayer guide. The person is prayed for two to three times every week.

Summary of the System
1 Meet once a week for approximately an hour.
2 Groups of two or three (the 4th person is the beginning of the second group and multiplication is imminent).
3 The groups are not coed.
4 There is no curriculum, workbook or training involved.
5 Only three tasks are to be accomplished:
6 Sin is confessed to one another in mutual accountability.
7 Scripture is read repetitively, in entire context and in community.
8 Souls are prayed for strategically, specifically and continuously.

These groups plant the seed, not a seed substitute. Jesus made it clear that the seed is the word of God. In the parable of the sower, Jesus tells us, "The sower went out to sow his seed ... and (some) seed fell into the good ground, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.... Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God (Luke 8:5,8, 11)." These groups form life-long spiritual disciplines. A group can introduce a new disciple to the value of discipline and he or she will be more receptive to trying other spiritual disciplines once they recognize their benefits. These groups allow the Holy Spirit His rightful place in spiritual formation. The Holy Spirit is the best teacher of Scripture (John 14:26; 16:13-15) in your church!

How long will these groups last?These groups are living things that have their own life span. Some have lasted as long as three years. If a group does not multiply in the first year, the chances are that it will not. We recommend that you look to start another quickly and initiate multiplication. A group will end in one of two ways: it will give birth to one or two other groups or it will die. Both will happen, both are to be expected. Read the parable of the sower again (Mark 4:1-20)! You will see that there are four kinds of soil, which have four different responses to the gospel, only one of which was fruitful. If you are in a group, and it dies, don't be to discouraged. God will honor your willingness to grow!

“Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)