Overview

Leadership is a vital part of any ministry. In the Growth Groups ministry, each cell group has a leader and one or more assistant leaders. One of our principles is "Involvement of all" and leaders will develop the gifts of other members within the group by delegating various tasks. Leaders are accountable to the 'Sponsor' of the groups.

In order to grow and multiply the group, existing leaders will always be on the lookout for new potential leaders. It is important, however, that in encouraging other to get involved, the commitment is not played down. This section goes some way to explain the responsibilities of a Growth Groups leader.

Basics

The basic commitments of a leader are as follows :

• To attend the regular group meetings and celebrations

• To pray regularly for each group member and maintain confidentiality

• To meet with other leaders in the group(s) for spiritual and practical support

• To lead parts of the regular group meetings when needed

• To read the "Basis of Faith" booklet and use it as a foundation for teaching and guidance within the groups

• To build up the body of Christ by encouraging active participation in local churches.

The use of gifts

In addition to the basic commitments, growth group leaders will tend to interact with group members in different ways, depending on their spiritual gifts. There are two main aspects to a growth group and a brief examination of these can be helpful to show how the different gifts of leaders work together for the benefit of all.

1. The Growth of each member

Some leaders will have a strong pastoral gift and will nurture each group member in their Christian faith without being judgmental or controlling. They will tend to remember practical details like birthdays, baby-sitting requirements etc. They will be concerned about the devotional lives of each member and will keep in touch with them outside the normal group night.

2. The growth of the group

Some leaders will be strong in keeping the vision of the growth groups alive. They will spot evangelistic opportunities and emphasise the need to pray for new members. They will notice potential leaders and encourage them to get more involved so that the group can grow and multiply.

Normally, a leader will not fall completely into one of the above two categories, but they will tend to be stronger in one rather than the other. This should be noted so that the various tasks can be divided appropriately among the leaders.

Additional Responsibilities

Training

Each leader should go through the 10 week growth groups training course, at some point. This can happen before they become a leader, as the training course is open to all. In addition, it is recommended that they attend other training courses which will be run from time to time. Also, the training courses themselves will need people to help run them.

Celebrations

The celebration meetings provide an opportunity for all the groups to come together for worship, teaching and prayer. Leaders can get involved with the practical aspects of arranging venues, speakers, worship teams etc.