Join pastor and author Rick Warren for a chapter-by chapter study of The Purpose Driven® Life. The official Purpose Driven Life Small Group Series serves as an
excellent tool for those who haven’t read the book. This forty-week series is designed to lead a small group through one chapter of the book each week in a 15-
minute video lesson with Rick Warren. A small group study guide for each of the six series helps your group internalize God's five purposes through a time of reflection
and application.
What On Earth Am I Here For?
This first volume of the six-volume series includes seven weeks of video curriculum and study material on chapters 1-7 of The Purpose Driven® Life. Lead your group
into an understanding of the Bible’s answer to life’s greatest question.
Join an existing group or form a new group…CLICK FOR GROUP INFORMATION
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the definition of a small group?
In its simplest form, a small group is defined as a "Small Group Bible Study". A small group is a subset of the church body that meets on Sunday. Small groups meet in
non-church locations such as homes, restaurants, coffee shops, businesses or any location that is convenient for the attendees. They meet morning, noon or night,
any day of the week. This follows the pattern of the early church in Acts 5:42 "Day after day, in the temple courts (weekend celebration) and from house to house
(small group fellowships), they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. [NIV]. At FBCPV, we ask small groups to do more than
study the Bible. We ask them to accomplish all five of the purposes that Jesus gave us in the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-38): Love God (Worship) and love our
neighbor (Ministry) and in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) Go and Make Disciples (Evangelism), Baptize them (Fellowship) and Teach them (Discipleship). We
believe that as we balance the purposes we grow a healthy church, healthy small groups, and healthy followers of Christ.
________________________________________
Do I need to be a "Bible Expert" to become a Small Group Leader?
Definitely not! The most important things that you need are a desire to serve the members of your group and to grow in your own personal relationship with Jesus
Christ. When you take this step of faith, through prayer, God's Holy Spirit will give you what you need to be an effective Leader. FBCPV will provide Study Guides and
DVDs/videos that provide expert teaching to your small group. Your Leader responsibility is to facilitate the discussion around that teaching using provided resources.
________________________________________
What training is required to be a Small Group Leader?
There will be a Small Group Leader training session given in February. The Small Group Director is available for additional training as needed.
________________________________________
What are the requirements to lead a small group at FBCPV?
a. Leader must have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
b. Leader must be, or have been, baptized by immersion.
c. Leader must complete Class 101 and be a member of FBCPV.
d. Leader must commit to completing all remaining CLASSES 201-501 within a reasonable period of time.
e. Leader must complete Leader training.
f. Leader must be able to answer that there are no problems with the following areas:
1) Leader must not have current habitual struggles or moral issues (drugs, alcohol, cohabitation, etc.) that would bring shame on the name of Jesus Christ or on FBCPV.
2) In addition, there must not be any current marital struggles (i.e. infidelity, separation, divorce in process, etc.)
3) Finally, the leader must support FBCPV’s Statement of Faith without any reservation or addition.
________________________________________
What do I need to do to become a FBCPV member?
You need to have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, be baptized by immersion at FBCPV or another church that we accept, completed Membership CLASS
101, and have signed our membership covenant.
________________________________________
How do I get help?
The Small Group Director is your point of contact to FBCPV's small group community and is the source of help, information and resources to help you.
________________________________________
What if my group wants to continue and I can't continue to lead?
You can identify a new Leader from within the group if there is someone that is qualified. Your group can determine the Leader as long as they meet our Leader
requirements. Please read the answers to questions on Leader requirements.
________________________________________
How can I get more people for our group?
You and the members of your group should invite unconnected people you meet at church, your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family to join the group. This is the
best way to get new members in your group. Pray before you invite someone new. Ask God to soften his or her heart and then step out in faith and make the
invitation. Anyone interested in joining a Small Group can fill out the Response Card in the new rack and someone will contact them.
________________________________________
How do I raise up leaders?
This is a process where your group members can help and do small tasks and functions of your small group. Based on their giftedness, rotate leadership and have
members lead a discussion. They can lead when you are out of town and then they can be released to start their own group should they choose.
________________________________________
Do we use husband and wife leadership teams?
Yes, we do. We find it very beneficial to have both the husband and wife lead in couples small groups. Each one brings different gifts to the leadership position. They
each fill in and compliment the other.
________________________________________
Can you have women leading groups with men in them?
Yes we can. We can have women leading groups based on the biblical principle that the Pastor has given them the authority, so they are under the covering of that
authority to lead that group.
________________________________________
Do you suggest Small Groups meet once per week?
The short answer is yes, we recommend once a week as the ideal frequency for a small group to meet. But, we also acknowledge that groups that meet every other
week or monthly can still be effective as long as they use other mediums to provide ongoing care, nurturing and leadership development of the group.
________________________________________
What are effective ways to get small groups involved in bringing seekers on a continual basis?
We would suggest, that if a person is asking that question that they may want to lead a seekers group that would be targeted for people that may want to know
more about Christ or are open to asking questions or to express doubts, so that there can be a positive open forum. But one of the most effective ways we have
found is for someone to champion Missions and Evangelism in the small groups. This would help give a voice to that very need of honoring the open chair and bringing
seekers to your group. Also we found that although a group may be doing a study, a seeker can also gain benefit just from the relationships and being around other
believers in a group.
________________________________________
Are the five purposes carried out over the life of the group, and, not necessarily on a weekly basis?
That is correct. You want to take a snapshot of your group over a two or three month period to see that there is health and a balance of the five purposes. So, a
group need not do all five of the purposes at every group meeting. A key role of the leader is to see that the five purposes are balanced "over time" and to place
emphasis on areas where the group needs to grow.
________________________________________
How do I get my established group to want to grow and multiply?
This starts with the vision, mission and strategy of your group being very clear to you and to the members of your group to help small groups understand why their
group exists:
1) Vision: "To see every person, from the core of our church to the ever-growing community, connected in a healthy small group."
2) Mission: "To help spiritual seekers become transformed believers who model Purpose Driven lives and motivate others to do the same." It is also very important to
lead your group members through the stages of leadership development, from the open chair, to helping people to discover roles and responsibilities, to the
solidification of formal roles and apprentices being brought up and finding their purpose.
________________________________________
My group is dying, what do I do?
This is where connecting with your Small Group Director is important. Your Director will be able to help you diagnose what is happening and recommend changes or
training that could help you as a leader, and help your members as well. A common vision and mission and agreement on how your small group is to function are
required for success as a continuing small group. If different people in your small group have different needs, or ideas, than what your small group is doing, it may be
time for them to move on and find a group that will meet their needs. There also may be value in you taking a break from the group or go to other groups. Again, it is
through relationship with your Director that you can be coached into seeing what is right for your group.
________________________________________
How many groups or ministries should I be involved in?
The answer to this question is contained in your answer to how much time you have to do ministry effectively? We have found that people do one primary and one
secondary group or ministry the best. Life stage and family responsibilities will help to determine how many ministries you can do, i.e. an empty nester will have more
time to devote to a ministry than a young family with multiple children. We encourage small group leaders to be sure they are involved in a small group or ministry
where THEY are being fed spiritually. It is only out of the overflow of what God is doing in your life that you will have the stamina and heart to serve others.
________________________________________
How do people move from one group to another, or do they?
Yes, over time people do move from one group to another. It is important that you let people have the ability and the flexibility to move to another group. It's
important that the leaders understand that meeting the members' needs is the primary concern, even if it means they find another group. We encourage leaders to
remember that not all people grow at the same rate, or have the same needs over time. It is healthy for people to seek a group that meets their needs at the time.
________________________________________
When should my group meet?
Groups meet at the time, place, and day of the week that best ministers to the needs of the groups. Whether it's 5 a.m. on Fridays, or Sunday night, or Tuesday
morning. If you are starting a new group, you should choose the time and place that is convenient to you the leader, then people who can meet your schedule will be
attracted to your group.
________________________________________
How long should the average small group meeting last?
A typical small group meeting is one and a half to two hours. However, it is unique for each group, depending on the type of group, and should be worked out with
the agreement of the group.
________________________________________
How should time be divided in the group?
This is up to the group Leader and why the Leader is so important. The Leader is able to determine where the group is in the five purposes and what they need to be
doing. We suggest that the Leader take a snapshot about every two to three months to see that health and balance is brought into the group over time.
________________________________________
Should Leaders invite people only from FBCPV or can we invite seeker friends?
That is totally up to the Leader and to the group. The point is to seek God prayerfully about who to invite. Hundreds of lives have been changed because groups have
welcomed their unbelieving neighbors, coworkers, friends and family into their groups. Your group can too!
________________________________________
I'd like to be a Leader, but should I wait until I have more experience?
If you have a willing heart, a VCR/DVD player, and a few open seats in your living room, you are ready to be a Leader. FBCPV’s small group material and recordings are
"plug and play" so that any one with any level of experience can Lead a successful group
________________________________________
How can I form a group with people who are similar to me?
If you would like to form a group as a certain affinity (like Couples, Singles, Women, Men, Single Parents, etc.), let us know and we will include that information on the
Small Group list. However, in most cases your geographic community will provide a "proximate" life stage or lifestyle affinity. Be sure to invite your own friends that
you enjoy hanging out with.
________________________________________
We have a small house or condo, can we still Leader a group?
Sure, if you group fills your living space, all you have to do is say you are full or you can subgroup into smaller groups in several areas in the house.
________________________________________
Can the Small Group have a host different from the Leader?
Yes. We all have different gifts and abilities. The host can provide the meeting place and coordinate refreshments, changes in time, etc. This can be an effective
way of sharing the work.
________________________________________
What is the format for small groups?
People connect in new small groups consisting of 2 to 10 people who provide love, support, friendship, connection and spiritual strength. The format is an informal and
comfortable 1½-2 hour gathering at the home of a Leader or Host. Light refreshments are usually provided and this can rotate among the people in the small group.
Participants are comprised of people from our church, as well as friends, neighbors, relatives and coworkers who are invited to join in the adventure.
________________________________________
On which day of the week does the study take place?
One of the great things about the small group is that it fits with every person's schedule. Pick the day and time that works best for you then select the group nearest
to you that works. A business and professional group may choose to meet for breakfast or lunch. A busy career couple might choose to meet on Saturday mornings
while a mom with kids in school might prefer a group that meets on a weekday morning.
________________________________________
How do I get into a group?
It's easy. Fill out the response card in the pew rack, email or call the church office or the Director.
________________________________________
What if I am involved in another ministry?
Small group membership is how FBCPV members and attendees connect and grow in community. In order to serve in ministry, each of us needs to be growing in our
spiritual walk and serving out of the overflow of what God is doing in our lives. Small groups give us a forum where we can support each other in building the five
biblical purposes into our lives. Ministry is important and it is where we can express our shape for ministry to the body of Christ. Life can be very full and many are
needed to serve the church in significant ways. Yet we know the spiritual power that is needed for service to the church will be gained in people's lives as they study
in small groups together the things that are most important to God. Sometimes it is just a matter of priorities. We need to be connected and growing before we can
be effective in the ministry God has for us. It may require you to set priorities for investment of your time and focus.
________________________________________
Can I invite people who don't attend our church?
a. Absolutely! Inform your friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers and casual acquaintances about your small group study. Most of FBCPV's study materials are
appropriate for both believers and seekers. Pray for God's guidance as you can make an eternal difference in the lives of others.
b. While it is not our desire to attract people away from other Bible believing churches, FBCPV's desire is to both connect "unconnected" people at our church and
take our next step to reach our "unchurched" community for Jesus Christ through our small groups.
excellent tool for those who haven’t read the book. This forty-week series is designed to lead a small group through one chapter of the book each week in a 15-
minute video lesson with Rick Warren. A small group study guide for each of the six series helps your group internalize God's five purposes through a time of reflection
and application.
What On Earth Am I Here For?
This first volume of the six-volume series includes seven weeks of video curriculum and study material on chapters 1-7 of The Purpose Driven® Life. Lead your group
into an understanding of the Bible’s answer to life’s greatest question.
Join an existing group or form a new group…CLICK FOR GROUP INFORMATION
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the definition of a small group?
In its simplest form, a small group is defined as a "Small Group Bible Study". A small group is a subset of the church body that meets on Sunday. Small groups meet in
non-church locations such as homes, restaurants, coffee shops, businesses or any location that is convenient for the attendees. They meet morning, noon or night,
any day of the week. This follows the pattern of the early church in Acts 5:42 "Day after day, in the temple courts (weekend celebration) and from house to house
(small group fellowships), they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. [NIV]. At FBCPV, we ask small groups to do more than
study the Bible. We ask them to accomplish all five of the purposes that Jesus gave us in the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-38): Love God (Worship) and love our
neighbor (Ministry) and in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) Go and Make Disciples (Evangelism), Baptize them (Fellowship) and Teach them (Discipleship). We
believe that as we balance the purposes we grow a healthy church, healthy small groups, and healthy followers of Christ.
________________________________________
Do I need to be a "Bible Expert" to become a Small Group Leader?
Definitely not! The most important things that you need are a desire to serve the members of your group and to grow in your own personal relationship with Jesus
Christ. When you take this step of faith, through prayer, God's Holy Spirit will give you what you need to be an effective Leader. FBCPV will provide Study Guides and
DVDs/videos that provide expert teaching to your small group. Your Leader responsibility is to facilitate the discussion around that teaching using provided resources.
________________________________________
What training is required to be a Small Group Leader?
There will be a Small Group Leader training session given in February. The Small Group Director is available for additional training as needed.
________________________________________
What are the requirements to lead a small group at FBCPV?
a. Leader must have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
b. Leader must be, or have been, baptized by immersion.
c. Leader must complete Class 101 and be a member of FBCPV.
d. Leader must commit to completing all remaining CLASSES 201-501 within a reasonable period of time.
e. Leader must complete Leader training.
f. Leader must be able to answer that there are no problems with the following areas:
1) Leader must not have current habitual struggles or moral issues (drugs, alcohol, cohabitation, etc.) that would bring shame on the name of Jesus Christ or on FBCPV.
2) In addition, there must not be any current marital struggles (i.e. infidelity, separation, divorce in process, etc.)
3) Finally, the leader must support FBCPV’s Statement of Faith without any reservation or addition.
________________________________________
What do I need to do to become a FBCPV member?
You need to have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, be baptized by immersion at FBCPV or another church that we accept, completed Membership CLASS
101, and have signed our membership covenant.
________________________________________
How do I get help?
The Small Group Director is your point of contact to FBCPV's small group community and is the source of help, information and resources to help you.
________________________________________
What if my group wants to continue and I can't continue to lead?
You can identify a new Leader from within the group if there is someone that is qualified. Your group can determine the Leader as long as they meet our Leader
requirements. Please read the answers to questions on Leader requirements.
________________________________________
How can I get more people for our group?
You and the members of your group should invite unconnected people you meet at church, your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family to join the group. This is the
best way to get new members in your group. Pray before you invite someone new. Ask God to soften his or her heart and then step out in faith and make the
invitation. Anyone interested in joining a Small Group can fill out the Response Card in the new rack and someone will contact them.
________________________________________
How do I raise up leaders?
This is a process where your group members can help and do small tasks and functions of your small group. Based on their giftedness, rotate leadership and have
members lead a discussion. They can lead when you are out of town and then they can be released to start their own group should they choose.
________________________________________
Do we use husband and wife leadership teams?
Yes, we do. We find it very beneficial to have both the husband and wife lead in couples small groups. Each one brings different gifts to the leadership position. They
each fill in and compliment the other.
________________________________________
Can you have women leading groups with men in them?
Yes we can. We can have women leading groups based on the biblical principle that the Pastor has given them the authority, so they are under the covering of that
authority to lead that group.
________________________________________
Do you suggest Small Groups meet once per week?
The short answer is yes, we recommend once a week as the ideal frequency for a small group to meet. But, we also acknowledge that groups that meet every other
week or monthly can still be effective as long as they use other mediums to provide ongoing care, nurturing and leadership development of the group.
________________________________________
What are effective ways to get small groups involved in bringing seekers on a continual basis?
We would suggest, that if a person is asking that question that they may want to lead a seekers group that would be targeted for people that may want to know
more about Christ or are open to asking questions or to express doubts, so that there can be a positive open forum. But one of the most effective ways we have
found is for someone to champion Missions and Evangelism in the small groups. This would help give a voice to that very need of honoring the open chair and bringing
seekers to your group. Also we found that although a group may be doing a study, a seeker can also gain benefit just from the relationships and being around other
believers in a group.
________________________________________
Are the five purposes carried out over the life of the group, and, not necessarily on a weekly basis?
That is correct. You want to take a snapshot of your group over a two or three month period to see that there is health and a balance of the five purposes. So, a
group need not do all five of the purposes at every group meeting. A key role of the leader is to see that the five purposes are balanced "over time" and to place
emphasis on areas where the group needs to grow.
________________________________________
How do I get my established group to want to grow and multiply?
This starts with the vision, mission and strategy of your group being very clear to you and to the members of your group to help small groups understand why their
group exists:
1) Vision: "To see every person, from the core of our church to the ever-growing community, connected in a healthy small group."
2) Mission: "To help spiritual seekers become transformed believers who model Purpose Driven lives and motivate others to do the same." It is also very important to
lead your group members through the stages of leadership development, from the open chair, to helping people to discover roles and responsibilities, to the
solidification of formal roles and apprentices being brought up and finding their purpose.
________________________________________
My group is dying, what do I do?
This is where connecting with your Small Group Director is important. Your Director will be able to help you diagnose what is happening and recommend changes or
training that could help you as a leader, and help your members as well. A common vision and mission and agreement on how your small group is to function are
required for success as a continuing small group. If different people in your small group have different needs, or ideas, than what your small group is doing, it may be
time for them to move on and find a group that will meet their needs. There also may be value in you taking a break from the group or go to other groups. Again, it is
through relationship with your Director that you can be coached into seeing what is right for your group.
________________________________________
How many groups or ministries should I be involved in?
The answer to this question is contained in your answer to how much time you have to do ministry effectively? We have found that people do one primary and one
secondary group or ministry the best. Life stage and family responsibilities will help to determine how many ministries you can do, i.e. an empty nester will have more
time to devote to a ministry than a young family with multiple children. We encourage small group leaders to be sure they are involved in a small group or ministry
where THEY are being fed spiritually. It is only out of the overflow of what God is doing in your life that you will have the stamina and heart to serve others.
________________________________________
How do people move from one group to another, or do they?
Yes, over time people do move from one group to another. It is important that you let people have the ability and the flexibility to move to another group. It's
important that the leaders understand that meeting the members' needs is the primary concern, even if it means they find another group. We encourage leaders to
remember that not all people grow at the same rate, or have the same needs over time. It is healthy for people to seek a group that meets their needs at the time.
________________________________________
When should my group meet?
Groups meet at the time, place, and day of the week that best ministers to the needs of the groups. Whether it's 5 a.m. on Fridays, or Sunday night, or Tuesday
morning. If you are starting a new group, you should choose the time and place that is convenient to you the leader, then people who can meet your schedule will be
attracted to your group.
________________________________________
How long should the average small group meeting last?
A typical small group meeting is one and a half to two hours. However, it is unique for each group, depending on the type of group, and should be worked out with
the agreement of the group.
________________________________________
How should time be divided in the group?
This is up to the group Leader and why the Leader is so important. The Leader is able to determine where the group is in the five purposes and what they need to be
doing. We suggest that the Leader take a snapshot about every two to three months to see that health and balance is brought into the group over time.
________________________________________
Should Leaders invite people only from FBCPV or can we invite seeker friends?
That is totally up to the Leader and to the group. The point is to seek God prayerfully about who to invite. Hundreds of lives have been changed because groups have
welcomed their unbelieving neighbors, coworkers, friends and family into their groups. Your group can too!
________________________________________
I'd like to be a Leader, but should I wait until I have more experience?
If you have a willing heart, a VCR/DVD player, and a few open seats in your living room, you are ready to be a Leader. FBCPV’s small group material and recordings are
"plug and play" so that any one with any level of experience can Lead a successful group
________________________________________
How can I form a group with people who are similar to me?
If you would like to form a group as a certain affinity (like Couples, Singles, Women, Men, Single Parents, etc.), let us know and we will include that information on the
Small Group list. However, in most cases your geographic community will provide a "proximate" life stage or lifestyle affinity. Be sure to invite your own friends that
you enjoy hanging out with.
________________________________________
We have a small house or condo, can we still Leader a group?
Sure, if you group fills your living space, all you have to do is say you are full or you can subgroup into smaller groups in several areas in the house.
________________________________________
Can the Small Group have a host different from the Leader?
Yes. We all have different gifts and abilities. The host can provide the meeting place and coordinate refreshments, changes in time, etc. This can be an effective
way of sharing the work.
________________________________________
What is the format for small groups?
People connect in new small groups consisting of 2 to 10 people who provide love, support, friendship, connection and spiritual strength. The format is an informal and
comfortable 1½-2 hour gathering at the home of a Leader or Host. Light refreshments are usually provided and this can rotate among the people in the small group.
Participants are comprised of people from our church, as well as friends, neighbors, relatives and coworkers who are invited to join in the adventure.
________________________________________
On which day of the week does the study take place?
One of the great things about the small group is that it fits with every person's schedule. Pick the day and time that works best for you then select the group nearest
to you that works. A business and professional group may choose to meet for breakfast or lunch. A busy career couple might choose to meet on Saturday mornings
while a mom with kids in school might prefer a group that meets on a weekday morning.
________________________________________
How do I get into a group?
It's easy. Fill out the response card in the pew rack, email or call the church office or the Director.
________________________________________
What if I am involved in another ministry?
Small group membership is how FBCPV members and attendees connect and grow in community. In order to serve in ministry, each of us needs to be growing in our
spiritual walk and serving out of the overflow of what God is doing in our lives. Small groups give us a forum where we can support each other in building the five
biblical purposes into our lives. Ministry is important and it is where we can express our shape for ministry to the body of Christ. Life can be very full and many are
needed to serve the church in significant ways. Yet we know the spiritual power that is needed for service to the church will be gained in people's lives as they study
in small groups together the things that are most important to God. Sometimes it is just a matter of priorities. We need to be connected and growing before we can
be effective in the ministry God has for us. It may require you to set priorities for investment of your time and focus.
________________________________________
Can I invite people who don't attend our church?
a. Absolutely! Inform your friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers and casual acquaintances about your small group study. Most of FBCPV's study materials are
appropriate for both believers and seekers. Pray for God's guidance as you can make an eternal difference in the lives of others.
b. While it is not our desire to attract people away from other Bible believing churches, FBCPV's desire is to both connect "unconnected" people at our church and
take our next step to reach our "unchurched" community for Jesus Christ through our small groups.
| 2008 Small Group Information |
 |
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| First Baptist Church |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
