Life Transformation Groups
A Life Transformation Group (LTG) is a simple way to practice being a disciple of Jesus.
FORM:
Each group is made up of two or three people, all of the same gender, who commit themselves to a weekly rhythm of
- Reading the Bible
- Meeting for mutual accountability
- Prayerfully joining God’s work in the world
No leader is required, but someone takes the initiative to start the group.
TRANSFORM:
In order to be changed from the inside out, the group follows the example of Jesus, who lived a life of UP, IN and OUT. Jesus cultivated an intimate relationship with his Father (UP), a supportive relationship with God’s people (IN), and a compassionate relationship with the world God loves (OUT). The weekly practices of Bible reading, accountability and prayer build those relationships.
MULTIPLY:
It is recommended that the group not grow past three but multiply into two groups of two once a fourth participant has joined the group. The goal is a movement of disciples who make disciples.
Anabaptism and Discipleship
From an Anabaptist perspective, discipleship is “the essence of Christianity,” and at its most basic, “the transformation of the entire way of life … after the teachings and example of Christ.” [1]
Anabaptist Christians are those who believe:
1. Jesus is the center of our faith.
2. Community is the center of our lives.
3. Reconciliation is the center of our work. [2]
In other words, being a Christian means being a disciple. And being a disciple means following Jesus with others as we join God’s reconciling work in the world through the power of the Spirit.
1. Harold Bender, The Anabaptist Vision (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1944), 20.
2. Palmer Becker, What Is an Anabaptist Christian? Missio Dei No. 18 (Elkhart, IN: Mennonite Mission Network, 2008), 2.
UP: Disciples seek to cultivate a close relationship with God. While we can know God to some extent through what God has made, God reveals himself even more clearly in the stories, laws, poems and letters recorded in the Bible. And the clearest picture of God we get is Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:2), whose life, death, resurrection and reign are described in the New Testament. In other words, a key way to get to know the God revealed in Jesus Christ is through reading the Scriptures daily.
As an LTG, decide on a book of the Bible you will read each week. The goal is to root yourself deeply in the story of God, so it is recommended that the group aim to read 25-30 chapters a week. This could mean reading an entire book like Matthew (28 chapters), half of Genesis (25 chapters), or a letter like Ephesians five times (30 chapters). You only move on to the next book once all members have completed the reading in a week.
As you read, answer the following questions:
• What does this text say about God, God’s people and the world God loves?
• What is God’s word to me personally?
• How is God asking me to respond?
IN: Disciples need the company of others to walk in God’s paths of new life and freedom. Meet weekly for an hour and choose a few of these questions to ask each other.* Allow them to stimulate conversations of character and confession in a safe environment of honesty, confidentiality and grace.
- How was your Bible reading and prayer time this week? What did you hear from God and what are you going to do about it?
- In what ways have you served God and his kingdom above all else this week? When have you felt tension with competing kingdoms (including your own)?
- When were you a witness this week to the lordship of Jesus Christ in your words and actions?
- How have you made the most of your time, using your work, rest and leisure for the glory of God and the good of others?
- In your important relationships, when have you shown honor and respect this week? When not, and what got in your way?
- How did you build others up or tear them down this week, whether in their presence or not?
- When did you give in to entertaining inappropriate sexual thoughts this week? When did you refuse to give in? What made the difference?
- Name one way you took good care of what God has given you this week rather than engaging in dishonest or careless financial dealings.
- How have you been honest with yourself, others , and me, rather than lying or hiding behind half-truths?
- In what way have you entrusted yourself to God’s care rather than giving in to anxiety or addictions?
*Questions based on the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount.
OUT: Jesus gave his disciples a simple yet powerful way to pray as they engage the world God loves: The Lord’s Prayer.
Use this as your guide to daily prayer. Allow it to put you in touch with how God is reconciling the world through Jesus Christ, and how God is inviting you to join in.
As you pray, be open to ways God might ask you to be the answer to your prayers. When God speaks, ask for the courage to obey! Then tell your LTG about your experience at your next meeting.
Download a tri-fold brochure of this content
Adapted with permission from Neil Cole’s Life Transformation Groups Cards © 1999