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Character Building Questions
What
is an LTG? A Life Transformation Group (LTG)
is made up of two or three people of the same gender
who meet weekly, to discuss their daily Bible reading,
to ask each other character-building questions and
to pray for pre-Christian family and friends.
How
often does an LTG meet? Groups should plan
to meet one hour a week. The group agrees on a time
and location for their meeting that fits their schedule.
The group does only three things during the meeting.
They discuss their Bible reading, ask one another
character-building questions, and pray for family
and friends who do not yet know Christ.
How
much Bible reading is required? Each group
selects a book of the Bible to read through. They
agree on how much reading to do each week. A week’s
reading assignment is repeated until everyone in the
group is able to complete it in one week. The amount
of reading is decided by the group. The number of
chapters per week varies with the groups but ranges
from 10 chapters to 28 chapters per week. If the group
is reading a book of the Bible with fewer chapters
- e.g. James -they may agree to read the book through
two or three times in one week.
Here
is a suggestion for how your group might decide how
much reading to do each week. The first time you meet
select the book of the Bible you wish to read. Then
agree on how much time each day you will spend reading.
For example, you group might decide to read each day
for 15 minutes. At the end of the week determine how
much reading each group member can accomplish in 15
minutes a day. It would be a good idea to set a stretch
goal. Most people can read 15 – 30 chapters
a week if they read 15 minutes a day.
Once
you have set the group goal the group stays on a reading
assignment until everyone completes the entire reading
in one week. Sometimes this means a group will re-read
a passage several times. The pay-off is that you are
getting more familiar with the Bible – God’s
word to men and women.
What
are Character-Building questions? At each
meeting group members ask one another
character-building
questions. These questions should stimulate conversations
of character and confession of sin in a safe environment
that values honesty, vulnerability, confidentiality,
and grace. The Journey has several prepared lists
of questions from which the group can choose - or
a group can write their own set of questions. Ask
the LTG champion
for a custom bookmark your group can use as a reminder.
How
do we pray for our pre-Christian family and friends?
Some time at each meeting is devoted to pray for members
of the group as well as specific pre-Christian family
and friends. Each person in the group should identify
two or three people for whom they are praying and
share these names with the group. Each group member
commits to pray for each of these people everyday
- as well as during the group meeting. A
prayer
guide is available from the Journey and can be
ordered from the
LTG
champion.
How do I join an LTG? You may
start
your own LTG by inviting one or two other people
to join you or you may join an existing group that
has an opening. For more information contact the LTG
champion,
Frances Hakala
or call 408.499.4052.
How
do I start an LTG? LTG’s are led by
the Holy Spirit You can begin your own by asking one
or two others to join you. Individuals forming a group
might commit to an LTG for a specified time e.g. 3-6
months. At the end of that time group members may
recommit or decide to disband. Contact The Journey’s
LTG champion
for more information.
What
does a group talk about in a typical group meeting?
The character-building questions stimulate conversation.
Some time is also spent talking about the week’s
Bible reading. Often questions arise or new insights
can be shared. Finally, the group spends some time
praying for one another and for two or three pre-Christian
friends and family. The success of an LTG depends
on the level of trust developed between the participants.
Absolute commitment to confidentiality will allow
for sharing, accountability, intimacy, and true life
transformation.
Why
is the group size limited to two or three people?
There are several reasons for keeping the group small.
First,
with only two or three schedules to coordinate, it
is easier for a group of two or three to find time
to meet each week.
Secondly,
in a one hour meeting there just isn’t time
to allow each member of the group to share their answers
to the accountability questions and to have time to
discuss the Bible reading if the group is larger than
three.
Third,
developing trust and confidentiality is important
in an LTG and easier to maintain with a group of two
or three people of the same gender.
What
happens if our group grows larger than three people?
As a group grows larger it can choose one of two paths.
First,
a group of four or more people may decide to stay
together and change the character of the group from
a Life Transformation Group to a Bible Study Group,
Prayer Group, Service Group, or another type of growth
group. This transition will occur as a result of the
increase in size as it will be difficult to maintain
an LTG format with more than three people.
Secondly,
as a fourth member is added to the LTG, the group
may decide to divide and multiply. That is, a group
of four will divide into two groups of two. Each of
these groups may invite a third person to join and
the LTG will multiply.
Who
is The Journey’s LTG champion?
Contact
Frances Hakala
or call 408.499.4052.