We envision Life Transformation Groups (LTG) as a mutual discipleship context based around three key practices:  spiritual check-in, discussion of study materials that speak to your heart, and continued prayer for one another and for those lost people God has given you a burden for.

First, pray.  Seek the Lord’s leading on who He would pair you with on this discipleship journey.  Think about people in your Redemption Group, people  you have already shared some of life’s challenges and blessings with.  Consider others in our body who are in a similar stage of life (young married, kids, retired, etc).  Then do the sometimes challenging step of asking and inviting others into a study with you. Do this by asking the couple or individuals to pray about this decision, allowing them a week or two to get back with you not putting them on the spot to make a decision at the time of invitation. Follow up with them and ask if they have been able to discern what God would have for them.  If you have trouble connecting, ask your Redemption Group leader or one of the pastors for help in getting connected.
When you find another couple or individual to meet with, agree to some practical considerations:

Define the TIME: Suggest meeting for a defined period of time together (6/9 months). Thereafter, assess the value, availability, and other relationships that God may be leading you to invest in.

Define the INTENT: Agree on the expectations of your time together. Share the intentionality that you desire for your time together. Consider the overarching GOAL of a LTG; to continue to be transformed into the person and way of Jesus.

Define consistent MEETING: Suggest meeting at least two/three times a month. When? Where? How long will you meet each time?

No, life transformation groups are intended for every member of our body.  God’s Word is filled with “one another's” describing the vibrant, intimate, and growing relationships that believers are called to practice together (see below for an abbreviated list of these powerful exhortations in Scripture).  LTGs are another way for everyone in our body to experience God’s desired growth for His people.  Each person will have areas of growth and study that God is calling them toward, the hope is that you will find someone in the body who has a similar calling.  This may mean that couples more frequently pair with other couples and singles with singles.  Likewise people in similar stages of life and spiritual growth will often gravitate toward one another simply because those commonalities of life will yield common areas to grow.

LTGs can happen anytime and anywhere.  However, as we all know, life and busyness can hinder starting and staying involved in a discipleship relationship.  We encourage as many groups as possible to meet Sunday at 9 to help provide a consistent time and place to draw near to the Lord in a wider community.   We believe there is great encouragement and accountability to be achieved as the body gathers and grows together.  

Beginning in May, Redemption Greeley will adopt a more traditional Sunday School model for discipling our children.  Kids classes will begin at nine on Sunday morning, offering a time frame for their edification and freeing parents up to engage in LTGs.   LTG groups that meet outside Sunday may need to find help with their kids.

Prayerfully ask yourself, “Where does God desire to see my life changed?”  Maybe you need to grow in your understanding of God’s Word, maybe you need to grow in understanding of just how His word and His grace impact a specific area of your life (think marriage, parenting, prayer life, stewardship, etc.).  God desires to see His people progressively transformed in every part of their lives as they grow to know and love Him more.  God’s Word is always an amazing place to study, dive in and rejoice in how He meets you.  We have also compiled a library of other trusted books that apply to many common areas for growth. https://redemptiongreeley.org/ltg-library

Consider reading through a book of the bible together.

You can can use the REAP (Read, Examine, Apply, Prayer) or the Seek and See (What does it say, mean, mean to me) methods.
You can use the REAP intro book that is more like a study.
Alternatively, pick up one of the key books we would recommend: The Master Plan of Evangelism, One to One Bible Reading, or A Praying Life, all found in our LTG Library.  You can find a list of other resources here:
https://redemptiongreeley.org/ltg-library

Three simple but poignant questions to ask one another:
How is your HEART for the Lord? How has your time in God’s Word been this week? How about your time in prayer?  Are there any struggles with sin that need confession, accountability, and encouragement to overcome?
How is your HOME? How are your closest personal relationships (spouse, children, family, coworkers)? Do you need to seek reconciliation in any of these?
How is your HARVEST? Who are you pursuing for the sake of the gospel? Have you prayed for them this week, sought time with them, shared with them?

One helpful prayer practice centers on the word ACTS.  Pray in Adoration of God’s character, His grace, mercy, power, etc.  Pray in Confession of sins that He places on your heart and would see you freed from.  Pray in Thanksgiving for all His innumerable blessings. Pray in Supplication seeking His blessing and provision for your heart, family, the lost, and anything else He brings to mind.

If that seems intimidating to you, remember prayer is a conversation with God. You do not need to use precise language or a formula to tell God what's in your heart or what is on your mind. Talk to your Father.

LTGs are intended to be dynamic in terms of length of time.  It is important to set some guidelines during your first meeting(s) about how long you plan to meet. A good guideline is to allow for relationships to develop and for an area of study to be faithfully pursued is 6-9 months.  At the end of the agreed upon time period the group should evaluate the need or desire to continue to meet together or to seek other brothers and sisters to grow alongside.  We expect a Godly tension between wanting to continue in an LTG that has been a blessing and desiring to grow in relationship with others in the body, there are blessings to be experienced in both options.

Tough question. Let’s be honest though, not everyone connects with everyone else and the discipleship and relationships being envisioned in this context are something way beyond many of our cultural or personal comfort zones.  If after faithfully meeting and trusting God with the building of relationships it may become wiser to end an LTG and seek new partners to grow alongside than to continue to struggle with a match that “isn’t working”. We ask that you do some heart searching and ask the Lord through prayer to point out any opportunities to grow from an LTG that didn’t “work.”  

Life happens, kids get sick, vacations are a blessing, we have service and family responsibilities that may conflict with a Sunday morning meeting time.  One of the blessings of LTG is its flexibility, if a Sunday is missed there is always the possibility to reschedule, to check in through technology (Zoom, Teams, Meets) or by phone or to connect at a different time. Some groups may decide that Sunday morning is not the best window of opportunity and will opt to meet at another time and place.  If you find yourself without an LTG partner on a given Sunday, come anyway, look for someone in the same situation and sit down and get to know someone new.  Spend time praying together and sharing the blessings of community.

We are blessed with a lot of space and a lot of different choices for rooms.  Groups can meet up in the balcony, in the fellowship hall, in classrooms or conference rooms.  Each group should be sensitive to its unique needs for privacy and space and choose your meeting space accordingly.

We have compiled a long (not comprehensive) list of recommended resources that cover a wide range of topics.  Several of these books are available in our library to examine or purchase.  We ask that any resources that don’t fall within our list be passed along to a pastor for input, prior to starting your study.

Ask around, there are many LTGs currently meeting in our church family.  Please find and talk to a couple or two that have been blessed by the intimate community of Christ. See how God has used that time in their lives, for his glory and their growth and joy. Talk to your Redemption Group leaders or the pastors for additional information.

 Transformation and growth never ends this side of eternity! Prior to “completing” your study (~2 weeks before) begin the conversation of what is next for your group. Take time to individually and collectively pray for God to help you all discern who you should invest in relationally. This could mean continuing with the same people! This could also mean moving toward a different relationship that the Lord has put on your heart and mind. Pray, trust the Lord to lead, and have open and honest conversations about what God is doing and where He is leading you.

There are 59 “one another” statements in the New Testament. That’s just under 60 exhortations in scripture to actually engage in “doing” something toward or for another person. We have selected some of the most significant ones:  

• Therefore welcome (accept) one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7 
• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 
• Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2  
• With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, Ephesians 4:2 
• So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding (build up one another). Romans 14:19  
• That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 1 Corinthians 12:25  
• Therefore encourage (comfort) one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:18  
• Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16 
• Love (be devoted) one another with brotherly affection. Romans 12:10a  
• Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11  
• But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7  
• Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32  
• Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. Romans 16:16  
• Do not lie (be honest) to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices Colossians 3:9  
• Out do one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10b  
• Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9  
• Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32  
• Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves (one) another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8  
• So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:5  
• Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16  
• May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, Romans 15:5 
• For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13  
• And let us consider how to stir(spur) up one another to love and good works, Hebrews 10:24  Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21