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ConnecXians.com
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What
is a LTG (Life
Transformation Group)? It is a
group of 2 or 3 men or women who meet together on a regular basis to support and
encourage one another in their Christian walk and growth.
It is one of the simplest forms and expression of authentic spiritual
community, and yet it can produce some of the greatest results within the lives
of existing and new believers.
It seeks to allow prayer, the Word of God, confession of sin, and the
Spirit of God to motivate people internally.
It is the practice of these three things – EXHALING,
INHALING and OVERFLOWING.
This kind of purposed meeting together with 1 or 2 committed believers
will bless its members in miraculous ways and empower the common person to do
that they never thought possible – the work of reproducing and multiplying
true disciples. Overview
of a LTG: q
Meets once a week for
approximately one hour. q
Groups are made up of 2 or 3
persons of the same gender. When a 4th
member is added, the group becomes pregnant and the group will soon multiply to
two groups of 2, each then seeking to add a new 3rd person. q
There is no curriculum involved
other than the Bible. q
New members will naturally learn
as they join an existing group, so no on-going training is required. q
There is no leader in these
groups. They are peer based and
everyone participates. Who
should be in an LTG? Not
everyone will be willing nor desire to be a part of an LTG.
This is purely a voluntary activity, and the hopes is that those who
practice it even for a short time will experience the positive results it can
effect on our lives. What are 2
qualities to look for in those wanting to join an LTG? 1)
They have a sincere heart and a
desperate need for Jesus. It does not mean that they are perfect. In fact imperfection is why we are all a part of a group like this anyway. But they should at least be participating in the spiritual community of their group and the 3 practices – confessing and encouraging, reading God’s Word, and praying for lost souls. The
Three Practices of an LTG In an LTG
the members will practice doing 3 things - EXHALE,
INHALE and OVERFLOW. And
it is in the practice of these 3 things, no matter how imperfect, that we can
begin to experience God’s hand in changing and molding our lives for His
glory. Ø
EXHALING
– is the confessing of our sins to one another.
In James Ø
INHALING
– is the practice of feasting on the Word of God.
“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from
the mouth of God.” (Matt.
4:4 NIV).
Once we have exhaled and gotten rid of all the crud in our lives, we are
not clean vessels ready to be used by God, and needing to be filled up.
One very important thing we need to be filling up on is the Word of God.
This is one food you can never eat too much of.
However, you can eat too little of. Why
the Bible? Because 2 Timothy 3:16-17
tells us, “16All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, 17so that the man of
God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work.“ God’s
Word will thoroughly EQUIP us for every good work.
Not what man has written about God’s Word or other Christian self-help
type books, but God’s Word in and of itself is all you need to equip you for every
good work.
So we inhale the good stuff, and not just a little, but lots of it.
Begin with 15 chapters a week and work your way up to 30 chapters a week.
When each person in your LTG finishes all the reading during the same
week, then move on to a new reading. Otherwise,
all of you return and read again the same chapters until everyone finishes up at
the same time. This is not a bad
thing, but a good thing. It is great
to get to read the same chapters over and over.
There are so many riches in God’s Word that you will never exhaust
them. If your whole group is
finishing the agreed upon reading each week, then you need to increase the
number of chapters you are reading. The
max should stay around 30 chapters a week. For
example if you are reading 15 chapters a week, you can read the book of Mark
together, or half of Matthew or Acts. You
could also take a book like James and read 3 times in the week.
If 30 chapters, then read Mark twice, or all of Matthew or acts, or read
James 6 times. If you are not
hearing this yet, let’s repeat it – “Repetition is a GOOD thing.”
You read scripture in context. You
begin to see the big picture better. And
when we are feasting on God’s Word in this manner, it will have a powerful
changing affect on our lives. Try
it, and chances are you will really like it.
It will fill up your vessel until it begins to OVERFLOW.
Why? Because the Word of God
equips us for every good work. This
leads us to our 3rd practice.
Ø
OVERFLOWING
– is what happens when we exhale
and become clean, inhale and fill ourselves up to the point we begin to overflow
with love, hope and faith that ministers to and touches the lives of those
around us. For this practice we will
do a simple thing which starts out small, but bares big results.
Each member of the LTG will share the names of two lost people they know
and see on a regular basis. It could
be family members, friends, work colleagues or others.
It is good for members to share the names of those from the same gender.
The group will then begin to regularly pray for this list of 4 to 6
people. It will have two effects –
one upon God working in the lives of those you are praying for, and two it will
affect the lives of those doing the praying.
How? Those praying will begin
to see those lost people they pray regularly for and others with more
spiritually sensitive eyes. And when
it happens and it will if we remain faithful to the task, some will begin to
accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord. We
will want to integrate these new believers into LTGs.
One may join your group of 3 so that it becomes 4 and is in a state of
pregnancy. If the new believer
remains committed to the group and the practices, then the group can give birth
and now become two groups of 2 each looking to add a third, hopefully from the
list of other lost people they are praying for.
So begins the process of multiplication and reproduction.
The LTG can become a great place for discipling believers old and new and
molding into their lives the act of spiritual reproduction.
The great thing about it is that it is not dependant upon us as
disciplers, but rather more emphasis is given to confession, the Bible, and
prayer as the guiding change agents at work in the lives of believers within the
context of authentic spiritual community. All
we need to do together is to EXHALE,
INHALE and OVERFLOW. ****************************** An LTG is simple, yet powerful for bringing a believer into a dynamic relationship with one or two other believers where they glean the values of authentic community, see their lives transformed, and experience the blessing of reproducing disciples, as they learn together to confess, feast on God’s Word, and pray prayers of action for lost people around them. <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Want to learn more? If you want to learn more about LTGs you should get a hold of a book to read written all about LTGs and authored by the person who was first led by God into the discovery and application of this simple and yet life transforming practice. His Name is Neil Cole, and the book is titled "Cultivating a Life for God." In the back of this book will be four bookmarks which you can tear out and use for starting a new group. There is also an appendices with a list of questions used by other groups for accountability. I especially like the Wesley's Band Meeting Questions. Another new title of Neil's which is also well worth a read is "Organic Church." To buy these books you can go directly to Neil's site or ChurchSmart-Resources and order on-line or by phone. The later site only carries "Cultivating a Life for God." <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Here is a list of accountability questions for and scriptures to pray for your list of lost persons: ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS: Exhaling
: Confessing Sins One to Another We confess
our sins to the other believers in our LMT so that they can pray for us and
bring healing to our souls. Sometimes
the council of our LMT can prove helpful, but the main focus here is to receive
each other’s prayers, accept God’s forgiveness, and receiving His cleansing
so that we become vessels prepared for any good work.
Here is a list of questions that can help us through this process.
These are to be asked on a weekly basis. 1)
Have you in your actions and
words been a witness for Jesus? Have
you shared your testimony and/or the Gospel with others this past week? 2)
Have you in your actions or words
cause hurt or damage to another person – either directly or behind their back?
What can you do to reconcile? 3)
Have you honored others; been
kind, understanding and generous with others?
How have you treated those most important to you? 4)
Have you lack integrity in your
home, community or place of work in your words or financial dealings?
Have you coveted someone else’s processions?
5)
Have you given in to any
addictive behaviors? 6)
Have you entertained any
inappropriate sexual thoughts; looked at materials or sites on the Internet you
should have avoided; had inappropriate sexual thoughts about another; and/or
found yourself wrapped up in a romance novel or desires to be in emotional or
romantic relationships with persons other than your spouse? 7)
Have you become excessively
angry, bitter or disappointed with others? Have
you hung on to these feelings? Have
you secretly wish for another’s misfortune? 8)
Did you finish the reading?
Did God speak to you through His Word or through other means this past
week? What did He say?
How are you responding? 9)
Add your own question: .
10)
Add your own question: .
11)
Have you been truthful with all
of your answers to the above questions? PRAYING: Overflowing:
Praying Strategically Each member
of the group should identify 2 or 3 persons whom they know and see regularly and
feel led to pray for their salvation.
Share these names with each other and list them on this book mark to be
kept in your Bible so that each member can pray for these persons daily when
they do their reading. O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
Here are
some scripture that you can pray through for the people represented by the names
listed here: q
Lord, please draw
to Yourself
(John q
May Your Word that
hears
be received, bare fruit and become known to them as it actually is.
May it be at work in
‘s
heart and mind (1 Thess. q
Free
.
from the trap of the devil, leading him/her to repentance and the
knowledge of truth (2 Timothy q
Lord, may Your Spirit
convict
. of
his/her sin and his/her need for salvation (John 16:7-14). q
Lord, send out more workers into
the harvest fields, and send some to witness to
(Matt. q
Lord, provide the opportunity for
me to proclaim the mystery of Christ clearly to
. May our
conversations be seasoned with salt and be filled by Your grace (Col. 4:3-6). q
Lord, help
to turn from his/her sin
and follow Jesus (1 Thess. 1:9-10). q
Lord, help
to receive and believe in
Jesus putting all his/her faith in Him (John 1:12: q
Lord, help
to confess with his/her
mouth and believe in his/her heart that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9, Luke 8:15). “My heart’s desire and prayer to
God … is that they may be saved”
(Romans 10:1).
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