LIFE Groups are a critical part of the vision and mission of VCFI. LIFE stands for Love, Instruction, Fellowship, and Encouragement. Each LIFE Group is led by a two person team with ten or more other group members. Each group is not intended to exceed twelve members. These members become mentors in covenant relationship for life. Each of the twelve then grows and develops groups of twelve and so on. The twelve is significant in that Biblically it represents Biblical Government (Twelve tribes of Israel, Twelve months in a year, Twelve hours in a day, Twelve at night, and Jesus had Twelve disciples).
Current LIFE Groups:
The Tolleson LIFE Group is led by Pastors William and Claudia Tolleson. It is held at the home of Ben and Bethany Sprouse in North Little Rock every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 7:00-8:30pm.
FUEL Youth LIFE Group is led by Pastors Marvin and Angie Barham. It is held at the church every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 7:00-8:30pm. Ages are limited to 10 to 17 years old.
Process Evaluation Questions:
1. Are Home Groups for everybody?
2. What are we really wanting to accomplish in the Home Group structure?
3. Do Home Groups just go on forever and become an end to themselves?
4. Is God wanting to move outside our present box?
The focus and goals of the Home Group:
1. To draw in new members and equip them to be doers
2. Over a multiple year process, become a catch and release group
3. Serve as a point of accountability to those who have been released for ministry
4. Serve as the primary discipling, caring and serving arm of the church
5. Help to identify and equip individual members for their specific focus of ministry
4 key criteria before being released for ministry:
1. An established point of accountability (real and mutually agreed upon discipling)
2. Definable network of jointed relationships (3-4 relationships of care)
3. Fruit of being self-feeding, self-governing, self-initiating and self-evaluating
4. Defined and developed a ministry to be released to:
Young Adults Group
Parenting Group
Teens Group
Pre-Parenting Group
Outreach Group
Financial Freedom Group
Other Groups
Staying an Expatriate Member means:
1. Available for the care needs of the group
2. Available for service to the group and to the congregation
3. Available for small group communication breakdown
4. Available for yearly/quarterly B-B-Q’s/outreach
Goal of the Home Group Leader:
1. Equipping – establishing foundations, identifying focuses of ministry
2. Establishing points of accountability
3. Training members to be self-feeders, self-governors, self-initiators
4. Equipping members in the area of their specific call
5. Developing new Home Group Leaders (along with Mobilizing Pastors and Elders)
6. Oversee those who have been sent out to minister (along with Mobilizing Pastors and Elders)
7. Provide a group to which sent out members will send new members
Responsibility of the member:
1. Define their point of accountability
2. Define their network of jointed relationships
3. Become self-governing
4. Define and train for their ministry
Elders will work with:
1. Homegroup Leaders
2. Mobilizing Pastors
3. Jurisdictional Directors
Specific Focus Groups:
1. Music Council
2. Arts Council
3. Community Service Council
