Life Transformation Groups
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 your friends and family who have not yet connected to Jesus to hear about His good news.
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?
The power of this system is in the unleasing of God's word in the lives of people. Jesus made it clear that the word of God is the seed of new life (Luke 8:11-15). To expect lives to be changed and bear fruit without first planting the seed is foolish and disappointment will result.
Each group decides on a boo of the Bible they will read that week. The goal is to create an internal appetite for the rich word of God, so a larger volume of scripture is desired. It is recommended that one strove to have 20-30 chapters of reading each week as a goal.
Sample reading exercises would be as follows... If the group selects a smaller book such as Ephesians or Jonah, the group should read it five times in a week. A moderate sized book, such as Romans or 1 Corinthians can be read twice in a week. A lengthy book, such as Acts or Proverbs can be read once in its entirety in a week.
When the group comes together the next week they ask one another if the reading was completed. If any one person was unable to finish the reading that week then the whole does the same reading again for the next week. This is not a bad thing. Reading entire books in repetition, in context and in community will yield rich rewards!
This is one good reason to challenge the participants with a larger volume of reading which will likely not be completed each and every week. Thirty chapters tens to take about four weeks for a typical group to finish reading together at the same time and move on to another. Once all complete the reading in the same week they choose the next book to read together. A group can decide together what the next book will be or alternate who chooses the book each time.
Here is a suggestion for how your group might decide how much reading to do each week if one or more of the participants is a slower reader. 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. It is suggested that not less than 15 minutes be the target to read each day.
Three Tasks of a Life Transformation Group
1. Sin is confessed to one another in mutual accountability. These accountability questions are to be asked of one another in a weekly meeting that values honesty, confidentiality, and integrity (Proverbs 27:17, James 5:16, Galatians 6:1-5). Because it is easy to lose time talking about other things, the meetings start with the Character Conversation Questions. Each person is given time to answer a question before moving on to the next question. The others listen and avoid trying to “fix it.” Pray for one another. Click HERE for a couple of suggested lists of questions to ask one another.
2. Scripture is read in entire context and in community. Using a journal, read the scriptures suggested and record special insights from the Lord. The goal of the reading is not intense study; it is to hear from God and do what He says, for this is the definition of faith.
3. People who desperately need Jesus are prayed for strategically, specifically, and continuously. Each member of the group is to identify two or three people in their sphere of influence who need Jesus. These people are prayed for throughout the week. Those who begin to seek Christ become candidates for new Life Transformation Groups. Multiplication of the group can occur naturally and spontaneously and in a way that the whole group can celebrate together. Click HERE for a suggested prayer guide for the people in your life who need Jesus.
Why Two or Three?
1. Relationship (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12):
Life change does not happen in a vacuum; it happens in relationship with others. For most, it is difficult to have the kind of close knit bond that can change lives with more than three people at any one time. The best context for life-changing community is in a group of two or three.
2. Accountability (I Timothy 5:19):
Few things in life get done without some degree of accountability. In the pursuit of godliness we need accountability to one another. It’s hard to be accountable to more than two or three people at a time. We can find support with a small group who knows and understands our life.
3. Confidentiality (Matthew 18:15-17):
Confession of sin is needed for cleansing, healing and preparation for a life of service, and a safe place is essential. Two or three others of your same gender, who know and care about you and who are also sharing their own struggles, provide as safe a place as one can find.
4. Flexibility (Matthew 18:20)
Two or three busy people can coordinate their schedules and meet almost anywhere.
5. Reproducibility (2 Timothy 2:2)
Simple things multiply more easily than complex things. If we learn to multiply this basic unit of the church, we have a better chance to multiply the more complex things like house churches, ministries, and networks.