Basic information on Growth Groups
  • Today, most Christians are biblically illiterate

    The Bible talks about us maturing in our faith. We mature in our faith as we hear the Gospel preached and participate in the sacraments in church. We also mature in our faith as we read God's Word and pray daily.


    Today’s Christian is biblically illiterate. They don’t know the bible. In 2020, research by Barna showed 28% of Christians read their bibles daily or several times a week and 52% of Christians read their bibles 2 times a year or less (35% of them don’t read it at all).

  • How does Light of Christ help us not be illiterate Christians?

    Our small groups are called Growth Groups. Members record their daily readings and prayer time on a community form used by the whole group. The recording of your daily reading and prayer serves a few purposes. First, it encourages other people in your group as you are all on this journey of faith together. Motivating and encouraging one another is a great way to stay on track. Second, if the readings and prayer stop, that is an indication for your group leader to reach out and see how you are doing. Your group leader prays for you twice a week and if there is an issue you are having, they want to pray for you.

  • How will LOC help you with the bible?

    Our small groups are called Growth Groups. Members record their daily readings and prayer time on a community form used by the whole group. The recording of your daily reading and prayer serves a few purposes. First, it encourages other people in your group as you are all on this journey of faith together. Motivating and encouraging one another is a great way to stay on track. Second, if the readings and prayer stop, that is an indication for your group leader to reach out and see how you are doing. Your group leader prays for you twice a week and if there is an issue you are having, they want to pray for you.


    Too many Christians think their Spiritual life should be lived alone. That is not what God intends. He intends us to be in community. At Light of Christ, we don’t want to go through our faith journey alone. A Christian who lives isolated from other Christians (meaning they don’t go to worship or participate in the life of a congregation) are easily lead astray.


    Proverbs 18:1: Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.



  • Why are Growth Groups important?

    We come to church for an hour a week. This is important. However, there are 167 hours in the week. We want to help you on Sunday AND ALSO during the week. The Christian Journey is a daily walk. Growth Groups are the tool we use to help members do the things that lead to Spiritual Growth.


    We come to church for an hour a week. This is important. However, there are 167 hours in the week. We want to help you on Sunday AND also during the week. The Christian Journey is a daily walk. Growth Groups are the tool we use to help members be shaped by God.


    We are not called to live our faith for one hour a week. We are called to live as Followers of Jesus everyday of our life. We often overlook the 167 other hours in the week. Reading and prayer are essential for all Christians. To read a chapter of the bible a day takes on average five minutes. The prayer time is five minutes as well. 10-15 minutes a day is very doable and the baseline for Christians to start.


    Growth Groups help us with those other 167 hours of the week.

  • What if I miss a day of prayer or reading?

    This will happen. Life gets difficult. No one does this 100% of the time. We usually wait a week of no recordings to check in on you. So, don’t worry if you miss a day or several. It happens. This is one reason we call this a journey. We try to have more days where we read and pray than not.


    You’re on a lifetime journey. There will be ups and downs. Your human. We are not looking to “beat you up” when we reach out to you. We want to encourage you and as stated above, if there is a problem, we want to know. We want to pray for you.

  • Finally, what does it look like when we are maturing in our faith?

    This is the part that is impossible to directly define. God has gifted us all differently and in different measure. One person may be gifted in Evangelism while another is gifted in Hospitality. At this point, it is individual. This is why we don’t have a program that forces everyone into the same mold. We trust God to develop us to be who He wants us to be. Part of the journey is discovering what God is shaping us for. As we read in Galatians 2:8-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

  • What if I don’t want to do this?

    If you are more interested in attending church and not participating in church, Light of Christ might not be the best place for you. There are many churches that would be very happy with members who only attend on Sundays. Most churches determine success by Sunday attendance. They won’t bother you about what is going on in the week. As long as you are there on Sunday, they are happy. Maybe that will be a better fit for you. This doesn’t make them wrong or us right. Just different.


    We want to see how God will shape you and what He will shape you for. Our faith should be a key part of everyday of our life and not just on Sunday. We invite you to join us on this journey as we see how God will use all of us for His glory!

  • What is he biggest challenge people have with Growth Groups?

    Surprisingly, the part people have the most difficult time doing is recording their daily readings and prayer. There are many reasons people have said they don’t want to record their readings. The reasons people give are typically things like: “It is too much to do in that moment”, “It is between me and God” or “I don’t like Google (We use Google sheets for our recording)”.


    You have done the reading but you don’t want to “mark it”. It doesn’t take long- about 10-15 seconds to do it. It isn’t hard to do and you don’t need a lot of skill to do it. Please pray and ask God to help you with this.

  • WHY DO WE HAVE TO RECORD OUR DAILY READING AND PRAYER

    1. Accountability

    How are church leaders to check on your Spiritual life? How are we to make sure you are okay and on the right path? How are we to know when something happens in your life? We are able to see who isn’t reading and this is a sign to us to check on you. Yes, it can be a pain to record your readings. But, if you are doing the reading and prayer, it shouldn’t be that hard to do.


    2. It will make your Growth Group Leader’s life WAY more easy. It gives them less people to check in on. If it is a continual issue, you will feel like you are being attacked. This is NOT what we want. We are here to encourage you in your faith- not be a burden to you.


    3. It will help Pastor Jim know how you are doing. His job is to watch over your soul.


    Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.


    What better way for a pastor to look after the souls his flock than to make sure in the Word and Praying daily?


    HELP US HELP YOU!