Three very intentional words drive our mission here at Love God Greatly…
Inspire.
Encourage.
Equip.
This week on the blog we’re dedicating three days to these three words, and you’re invited! Whether you’ve been around these parts for a long time, or you’re brand new to LGG, we want to take time before our next online Bible study begins to share our passion behind our mission, as well as to invite YOU to begin building community around you by facilitating our next study in God’s Word with the amazing women in your life.
On Monday, we talked about our mission to INSPIRE women to make God’s Word a priority in their daily lives, and we asked you to prayerfully consider becoming an LGG Facilitator!
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Today we’re focusing in on Part TWO of our mission. Love God Greatly exists to:
|ENCOURAGE| women in their daily walks with God through an online community and personal accountability.
This is where our Love God Greatly Facilitators SHINE!
What is the role of an LGG Facilitator?
- She invites women in her life to study with her throughout one of our Love God Greatly Bible study sessions (we think 5-12 women to a group is ideal, but recommend no more than 25).
- She engages with her group Monday-Friday by posting the daily verses on the technology platform of the group’s choice (private Facebook and WhatsApp groups, emailing, and texting are popular choices, but we encourage you to use what works for YOU).
- She models a study environment for her group members by sharing what she is learning on a daily basis as she digs into God’s Word.
- She encourages the women in her group to follow her lead and share their daily study observations and personal applications.
- She prays for her group members and encourages them to pray for each other as well.
- She shares personal joys and challenges, offering a safe, supportive place for her group to do the same.
- She facilitates with love, humility, and compassion, consistently pointing women back to God and His Word.
- She utilizes the beauty of connecting online for inspiration and accountability and takes opportunities to gather her group in person when she can (for local groups we recommend a fun, in-person meet-up at least once per study!).
- She partners with a co-facilitator (recommended) for personal support and back-up when needed.
[You can read more about the role of an LGG Facilitator and our Statement of Belief here.]
The Bible has a whole lot to say about ENCOURAGING others, and becoming an LGG Facilitator is the perfect opportunity to do just that!
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but ENCOURAGING one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:25
“He died for us so that, whether awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore ENCOURAGE one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11
“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, ENCOURAGE the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:14
“But ENCOURAGE one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” – Hebrews 3:13
Two things: God’s Word + Authentic Relationships
We see it modeled throughout Scripture and here at Love God Greatly we know this to be true: when we gather together in unity as the body of Christ to speak truth and life into our relationships, iron sharpens iron, our hope increases, and Christ is exalted. God’s Word + authentic relationships = a powerful force for the gospel!!
Is becoming an LGG Facilitator an investment? Absolutely.
Is it worth it? More than we may ever know…
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Meet us back here this Friday for the third installment in our series where we’ll talk about the practical resources and support we offer to ensure that all of our LGG Facilitators are equipped with everything they need!
*LET’S TALK in the comments below!
*If you are an active LGG Facilitator, please share your experience with us in the comments today! How do you invite women to join your group? What technology platform do you use to connect with your group? What “tips and tricks” do you have for those who are considering facilitating? What ideas do you have for meeting with your group in person? How has facilitating an LGG group enriched your life?
*If you are considering facilitating an LGG group for the very first time, what questions do you have? Please post your questions in the comments below, and someone from our team will reply as soon as they’re able!
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Our next study: Walking In Wisdom begins January 16th! Mark your calendars now and plan to join us!
This sparks my interest, but I work full time. I am also new to the current area I reside in.
I am concerned that I might not always keep up with posts in a timely manner.
I look forward to your response.
Regards
Victoria
I am truly interested in being a facilitator. I am looking for a good Bible study to do and this looks perfect.
I am very interested in becoming a facilitator! I take joy in encouraging others and spreading God’s Word.
I am currently a facilitator for a small group through Love God Greatly and I could not be happier when I am reading their post and comments to other ladies in the group that are so encouraging.
I have usually invited women through the group from work, my friends and family and also through posting my small group link on the blog post for the studies so that if anyone is interested in participating they know that they will have a safe and inviting place of love, compassion and encouragement.
I have a Facebook small group that has about 10 members currently, but seems to grow as other ladies in the group invite people that they know and want to encourage. Our encouragement and inspiration as facilitators spreads throughout our small group and then onto others. It is amazing to watch as my group of ladies grow with God through LGG studies and truly learn through each study we do.
A “tip or trick” that I use for those that are considering facilitating is to help them understand just how much support that we actually receive from Love God Greatly and the Facilitators Small Group. I let them know that if they ever have questions (like I do), we have so many God loving women supporting us and that we can get help through the facilitator page or through instant messenger on Facebook from leaders in LGG. I also invite them to co-facilitate with me and to get to know how easy facilitating a small group really is and just how much love and encouragement they will receive.
I would have to say that meeting with a small group in person can be a great experience. You get to instantly discuss what you have learned that week. If you meet once a week you can go over the reading and SOAP verses and then use the Response questions to reflect back and really learn and dig deeper into each week.
Facilitating an LGG group has enriched my life more than I can express in words. I have seen women actually receive Jesus as their Savior, find a new church in their community to attend that they really enjoy and every week and with each study I can see the growth throughout the women in my group. It is an amazing blessing from God to read their responses and see them dig deeper and understand God’s word.
I have never felt more blessed with a wonderful group who loves to participate and ask questions if they feel they are not completely understanding what the daily verse or SOAP. These women give me love and support through their encouragement which is more that I could every ask for and it has showed me that when you give love and inspire others that it will come back to you ten fold. We laugh, cry and reach out to help each other when we need someone’s help and encouragement. They inspire me to be a better person and a better facilitator. This encouragement then helps me to dig deeper into His word and inspire them each week.
Being an LGG facilitator has been one of the most positive and absolute best decisions I have ever made in my Christian life. It is amazing how you can feel the love through written words and loving post that each woman comments. Other members reach out to them and truly want them to feel the love that they feel and it is an amazing thing to watch how God can spread His love, mercy, and grace through these ladies! It is definitely the BEST decision I have ever made and I love each and every minute that I get to spend with these ladies online.
What an awesome and inspiring message. Many blessings to you!
I am considering being a facilitator. I already host a prayer call each week but right now it is only me and one other lady. There are others who I know cannot make it but still pray for us. I was thinking an email formate might work in addition to the prayer call. My concerns are that I am often forgetful and that my time in the Word, although it is happening, may not be sufficient enough to provide the daily feedback. Has anyone else wrestled with these thoughts?
I’m interested in being a facilitator. I love spending time in God’s Word and love encouraging others. I just don’t know who to ask. I don’t work and I don’t want to ask ladies in my church. I need prayer for New opportunities and boldness.
I’m wondering about the need to be a ‘facilitator’ in name. I’m thinking about using this next study with my mother-in-law. She has never done Bible study, really. My first study with you, I started her with it, but the first or second week of the study, my family went to the beach. I think she found it too hard and put it down and never picked it up again.
I think sending her daily the scripture would be good to keep her on track, even if I got her the book. But if I send her my thoughts, what hit me in the passage, I think that she would try to get the same thing, not wait for God to speak to her. Know what I mean?
I don’t want to spoon feed her. But when she doesn’t get how to SOAP, I don’t know how else to help her get that part.
My ministry for so many years has been with teens, it kind of scares me to think about switching age groups. But that means I’ll be relying on God, not self, and that is exactly where I should be.
So what say you? If it’s just she and I, do I need to be a facilitator per she?
Well Cherly if you do not sign up as a facilitator you won’t have the graphics or materials unless you just follow along on our main Facebook page. We do post the daily graphic and scripture that you could use to send to her. Or you both could follow along together using our Love God Greatly App. That would give you all you need to work through the study together ?
I think this is a wonderful thing your doing with her and God is using you to help her grow. Sometimes we copy others until we learn so even if she uses what you wrote she is still reading it and trying.
If you wish to step out and become a facilitator, next week we are listing groups on the blog and you could post your group so others could join.
Either way you choose you are being a blessing ?
Many decades ago I facilitated women’s bible studies. Then life was interrupted (as Priscilla Shirer says) and I went to work full time. After retiring, the church I belonged to in Las Vegas had small group studies and I volunteered my home to host a women’s group. Life was interrupted again as my husband and I prepared to move back to our home town, Fresno California. I wasn’t even able to get a group started.
Facilitating a women’s bible study has been on my heart for a very long time. Once we moved, I immediately asked friends and family to join me in a weekly study during the month of December. It was a series on the “Unexpected Christmas” by Andy Stanley. Life was interrupted again after spending 4 days in the hospital. Our group is just now finishing up the series. Today is our last day.
As I was preparing for our next study and after completing a wonderful devotion by LGG called “Names of God: Through Thanksgiving and Christmas “, I went to their website and found these amazing women who love God greatly.
I am so proud to be part of these amazing group of women and humbly honored to become a facilitator to help other women grow.
I will continue to open my home for bible study and use Facebook as a way to communicate and share.
I have asked my daughter to be a co-facilitator so when my life is interrupted again, the group will be able to continue. Using Facebook will allow me the blessed opportunity to continue to participant when I am absent. I encourage all facilitators to find someone they can partner with so they too will have someone by their side when their life gets interrupted.
Obstacles will come our way and it does take commitment. Do as God word says, “…in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”, Proverbs 3:5-6.
Hello, I have participated in a couple of your studies already. They have been so helpful to me. I have a friend that could really use this format and am interested in facilitating or joining as a co-facilitator with my previous facilitator.
So excited to be able to encourage others and feel more involved in the studies.
I am considering being a facilitator for my sister in law and other women family members and neighbors. I have those that will not be able to purchase the book due to finances. Will this be an issue? Do you offer where I can download the info/book for free as a facilitator?
Looking forward to study and God bless
hello, I just signed up to facilitate a group. I dont know if it went through, my computer looked like it had an issue when I clicked submit. Thanks, Denise
Hi!! My name is June Spelay and together with Jennifer Woelke, we are leading a study on Ecclesiastes on Thursdays, 9-10:30 am at the Campbell River Baptist Church in Campbell River, BC. We would love to have you join us. Contact me, June, at 250-895-1527 or [email protected] or Jenn at 250-923-5004 for more information.