During our Spring Community Group Leader Equipping, we talked more in-depth about how we operate more as a shepherd for those in our group.  Listen to Part 1 of the training recorded via Zoom and led by our Central Groups Pastor & Discipleship Director Team.

Please download the PDF File: (training document): https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:va6c2:bcbc709c-d7d7-418a-b90d-605f0f1e9e4a

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

During our Spring Community Group Leader Equipping, we talked more in-depth about how we operate more as a shepherd for those in our group.  Listen to Part 1 of the training recorded via Zoom and led by our Central Groups Pastor & Discipleship Director Team.

Please download the PDF File: (training document): https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:va6c2:bcbc709c-d7d7-418a-b90d-605f0f1e9e4a

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

Join us in this episode as we welcome our guest, Lauren Roy, the Global Mission Director at Vox. Tune in to hear an engaging discussion on the latest updates regarding upcoming trips and discover practical ways for community group leaders to join in prayer and support this impactful ministry's mission to come alongside our partners in 2024.

Episode Notes: Practical ways you as a leader can partner with Global Missions:

Partner in Prayer: 

Global Missions Prayer Needs:   

1. Church Planting & Theological Training
   For Rog & Deb YWAM
   Pray for someone to help pioneer an apprenticeship program
   in the coming months.
   For Advancing Native Missions
   Pray for a deepening faith of church elders and leaders in
   Africa so they, in turn, can teach believers to know Jesus and
   grow in him.
2. Least Access to the Gospel
   For David & Monica - Turkey
   Pray for local leaders within the church to step into
   leadership, care, and discipleship roles within the church.
   Pray for revival to sweep through Fethiye.
   Pray for God’s favor and provision to allow for the purchase
   of a building that would increase the church's space to grow.
3. Women & Children
   For Love 146 - Philippines
   Pray children are reached with prevention education and
   protected from trafficking.
   Pray for discernment, wisdom, and strength for staff carrying
   daily heavy stories and situations.
   Pray for heart change and repentance for traffickers.
   For Rise + Shine - India
   Pray for on-the-ground teams to receive wisdom and
   discernment as they navigate escalating persecution in India
   alongside 1,800 pastors in the field.
4. Extreme Poverty
   For World Relief
   Pray for health in places like Malawi & Burundi where
   communities have been grappling with the resurgence of
   Cholera. May they have the funds and support needed to
   respond to and prevent outbreaks through hygiene, water,
   and sanitation solutions
5. Arena of Ideas
   For Hope International
   Pray for the work of Hope International in Burundi. Pray that
   God would continue to grow their savings groups and that
   people would come to know God through the opportunities
   to learn about financial stewardship.

Recruit a Missions Champion to intentionally keep needs in the forefront.  

• One time a month pray for these needs for 10 minutes with your group.
• Create a care package for one of our partners

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

As we continue in our desire to see CG leaders equipped, tune in to a conversation with Kurt Garceau, Groups Pastor, Kisha Sheppherd, and special guest Nancy Silva, Pastor of Spiritual Life at Vox. In this episode, Nancy shares her heart about the importance of taking time to reflect and pause to review the day or the year through spiritual practices that will enrich your walk with Jesus. May your heart be encouraged this Christmas Season.

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

Episode 11: Let's Talk Anxiety & Mental Health is a conversation with Kurt Garceau, Kisha Sheppherd, and special guest Shane Mahon LCSW a Therapist, and a valued member of our Vox Community. In this episode, Shane helps to define anxiety and mental health with the overall goal of helping Group Leaders gain an understanding of how and when to support group members who battle with anxiety and mental Health. In this discussion, you will find practical tips and guidance. Check out the resources in the notes below.

Resources:

Counseling Referral List: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:c68053d7-c7c3-3745-a7e3-aaff6cb288c3

Comforting Words for Someone with Anxiety 

“I'm Here for You” ... 

“Do You Want Me to Stay & Keep You Company?” 

“Your Feelings Are Valid”  

“This Feeling Will Pass”  

“Feelings Are Not Facts” 

“It's Ok To Feel This Way” 

“You Are Not Alone” 

“What Helps? /What Can I Do To Help?” 

GET ACCESS to Right Now Media by clicking this link: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/user/VoxChurch

What's Next: Right Now Media  - Suggested Studies on the Vox Church channel: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/en/library/custom/default?fbclid=IwAR3rYIsVHBPBQW6fMFQChpstfF0_xIZTwq30UZliY0t4bOwCKRYA2mKDX4A

Looking Ahead: 2024 - We are changing to a seasonal model of groups - Check your email, and or join our Vox Groups & Coaches Facebook Group for more info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

In this episode, Kurt Garceau and Kisha Sheppherd talk about What's Next for Groups in 2024. Listen to why we have decided to switch to a seasonal model of Community Groups.  For details and FAQs see the episode notes below:

EPISODE NOTES: 

WHAT’S CHANGING:  Historically we had an ongoing model of groups but starting in 2024 we are shifting to a seasonal model of groups. Instead of just having groups ongoing and just leaving it up to the leader to communicate start and end dates, we are providing clarification on what we believe are natural rhythms of group life.  

WHY THE CHANGE:  To encourage healthy group rhythms, and to allow space to intentionally carve out time in the calendar to equip and shepherd Community Group Leaders. 

WHAT’S THE PLAN: TIMELINE FOR 2024 – 52 WEEKS  

GROUPS WILL BE IN SESSION FOR 10 WEEKS 3 TIMES A YEAR – 30 WEEKS IN TOTAL  

• Winter Kick-Off – 10 Weeks - 1/28/24 through 3/31/24  
• Spring Kick–Off 10 Weeks - 4/28/24 through 6/30/24  
• Fall Kick–Off – 10 Weeks 9/22/24 through 11/24/24.  

GROUP LEADER EQUIPPING WILL BE 9 WEEKS or (3) 3-WEEK SESSIONS  

Before each Group kick-off, we want to pull all our leaders together for 3 weeks sort of like Mini Session Community Group for Group Leaders. These are local training courses with your Pastoral Staff & Group Directors and Coaches that will happen 3 times a year.  
First Equipping Session Starts the week of January 7th through January 22nd
Second Equipping Session Starts the week of April 7th and through April 22nd
Third Equipping Session is a little weird because of the summer: There will be 2 weeks at the end of August and 1 Week in September. 

 GROUP RALLY –– 1 Week 

September 8th, 2024 will be our GROUPS RALLY, this is an annual event where we get to gather ALL our leaders in one place to celebrate all that God has done.  

GROUPS WILL BE ON A SABBATH BREAK – 12 WEEKS OR (2) 6-WEEK SESSIONS 

• SUMMER SABBATH BREAK – 7/7/24 - 8/11/24  
• HOLIDAY SABBATH BREAK – 12/1/24 - 1/6/25  

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  - FAQs

Question: What happens if I want my group to continue and not stop meeting during Group Leader Equipping sessions?  Answer: We encourage you to pause and really focus on engaging during this week as a leader. There will be videos to watch and chapters to read to prepare for the session, and it's really a time for you to receive and be shepherded by the Lord and other leaders around you.  Suggestion: Maybe this is a time to identify a Future Group Leader or Co-Leader who can Facilitate the Group meetings during this time.  

Question: If we are moving to a seasonal model, will content be provided for every session like in the Fall Series?

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

In this episode, Kurt Garceau and Jake Rosekopf talk about 7 elements of a Healthy Community Group and practical ways to ensure they are being accomplished in your group.  For more practical ways to improve group health, see the note at the bottom.

 EPISODE NOTES:

1. CONSISTENCY

• Consistency of the scheduled gathering
• Consistency of attendance of members
• Consistency of fellowship, prayer, worship, and Bible study.

2. AUTHENTICITY

• Definition: "The quality of being genuine or real."
• Everyone is open and honest about their spiritual journey.
• Starts with the leader. Leaders don't have to be perfect, just in process.

3. GROWTH

• Bible knowledge is turning into life application.
• Testimonies of real-life change and godly decision-making are being shared. 
• Fruits of the Spirit are evident. (Galatians 5:22-23)
• Love for God and others is obvious. 

4. FRIENDSHIP

• Fellowship, laughter, and stories happen organically. 
• People come together around shared interests outside of the gatherings. 
• (Listen to Episode #5: Life Together Beyond Gatherings)

5. NEEDS MET

• Group members support, pray for, and encourage each other.
• Prayer as a first response, not a last resort. 
• Other ideas: meals, hospital visits, cards, flowers, texts, phone calls.

6. SERVING TOGETHER

• Groups can and should serve together on Sundays, in local and global outreach opportunities.
• Local outreach opportunities available here : https://voxchurch.org/outreach 
• Global outreach opportunities available here: https://voxchurch.org/global 

7. INVITING

• There is excitement about welcoming new people to the group.
• When new people join they feel welcomed and included. 

*Note: To discover which  elements your group needs improvement, go to your account on https://voxchurch.org and click into your Community Group under "My Groups." From there, click on "Group Assessment" under the links and take the assessment. This will help you, your CG Coach and your Campus CG Director identify areas where growth is needed and offer practical ways to improve in those areas. 

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

In this episode, Kurt Garceau and Jake Rosekopf talk about 4 practical steps to get ready for leading your Community Group in the fall. 

 EPISODE NOTES:

Typical Fall Timeline:

 End of August – Fall Campaign Curriculum Released & Group Links 

• Groups Links are an opportunity for people to sign-up for Community Groups at each campus.

Early September – Groups Rally

• The Groups Rally is an opportunity to build excitement around Community Groups, to prep for the Fall Campaign, to offer more specific equipping, and to give out leader resources)

Late September – Fall Campaign Begins

Practical steps to ensure that you are ready to lead an amazing group this fall: 

 1.     PRAY

• Start praying now! Prayer aligns your heart and the mission with God’s heart and His mission. Ephesians 3:14 &20

2.     PLAN

• Proverbs 16:3 reminds us “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

 What needs planned? 

• Start date.
• Meeting location.
• Day of the week.
• Time of the gathering.
• Type of group. (Co-Ed, Men’s Women’s, Singles, Young Adults, Children Welcome, Marriage, Parenting, Online) 

3.     PREPARE

• Every year, along with the sermon series, Vox will provide some sort of box or folder where the curriculum will be provided for each Community Group Leader for their gatherings. 
• As a CG Leader, you will need to pick up your box or folder, 1 per Community Group, look through it, and prepare to lead your group. 

4.     PROMOTE

• Communicate with your campus Community Group Director the info of your group so that they can get your info on a sign-up sheet. 
• Plan to participate in Group Links, and/or recruit by word of mouth. 
• Communication is KEY! Communicate the time, the meeting address, the day of the week, what to bring, everything….and do it more than once! 

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

In this episode, Kurt Garceau and Jake Rosekopf talk about the pros and cons of different summer plans for Community Groups as well as offer practical ideas for each.

EPISODE NOTES:

1.  Some groups keep meeting throughout the summer

IDEAS:

• Study "one another" passages and creatively live them out together.
• Have a night where people share their testimonies. 
• Have a worship/prayer night.
• Involve the kids in the study.

2. Some groups change their frequency of meetings and/or location.

IDEAS:

• If you meet weekly, try bi-weekly. If you meet bi-weekly try once a month.
• Schedule group time around people’s schedules and vacations. 
• Take advantage of the weather! Meet at a beach or a park!
• If someone has a pool, meet at their house for a pool party/Bible study. 
• Grill out on someone’s deck and have your Bible study there.

3.  Some groups take a break until the fall.

IDEAS:

• Keep communication ongoing throughout the summer. 
• Make sure everyone knows the fall re-start date and plan!

4. Some groups meet occasionally and do fun things together.

IDEAS:

• Decide to meet every other Friday at someone’s house for dinner and a movie, or get a projector, set up a white sheet, and watch a movie together outside. 
• Watch the 4th of July fireworks together. 
• BBQ at someone’s house together.
• Sit around a fire and make s’mores together. 
• Serve together. (To find out how, listen to Episode #4) 
• Take a day trip to the coast, mountains, or nearby state/national park together.
• Decide to sit together at church and then head out for the beach after church. 
• More ideas are listed in Episode #5. 

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches

In this episode, Kurt Garceau, Jake Rosekopf, and Jermaine Sheppherd talk about some of the practical upsides and downsides of having a big Community Group, as well as tools and skills for Community Group Leaders to utilize to make sure their group is healthy, vibrant, and growing.

EPISODE NOTES:

Community Groups at Vox Church, on average, range from 5-20 people.

Upsides of a big Community Group:

1.  Increased chances of connecting with someone who is like you. 
2. Increase of different life experiences and perspectives so people can learn and grow more.  
3. Increase of opportunity to do fun things with a big group. 
4. Increase of opportunity to meet each other’s needs. 
5. Increased opportunity to develop future group leaders. 
6. Increased community between members outside of the group.  

Downsides of a big Community Group:

1. Potential for a lack of space.
2. Potential for a lack of participation.
3. Potential for a lack of shepherding.
4. Potential for a lack of attendance.
5. Potential for a lack of childcare.

Practical Tools and Skills:

1. Subgroup - Start your group time together for fellowship, worship and if you have a video to show for the Bible Study.  Then break into multiple groups  (subgroups) during your discussion time. We suggest breaking up by gender and in groups of 8-10 for greater participation and deeper discussion. Make sure you have a sub-group leader prepared for discussion. (This is a great tool to actually find future group leaders) Come back together at the end of the discussion time and someone report from each group the highlights of their discussion.  Pray to end the time together. 
   
   
2. Multiply -  Recruit more leaders to take on more leadership roles within the group, or develop another leader who can either launch his/her own group, or take a small part of the group and start a new one. Be proactive instead of reactive, and you'll never let your group become “too” big. 
   
   
3. Split up responsibilities - What a great way to relieve the burden for a few people to do all the work required for a big group. This will create teamwork, a spirit of serving, and more committed group members who feel a part of the group.
   
   
4. Recognition/communication of the size of the group needs talked about every so often. This will give people an opportunity to speak up if they believe the group is getting bigger than they are comfortable with. There are options! (Subgroup, multiply)

Check out our Vox Groups Leader Resource on RightNow Media for more practical tools to lead healthy, vibrant, growing Community Groups. https://app.rightnowmedia.org/.../interact.../863245/details

• If you don't have access to RightNow Media join today: https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/VoxChurch
• Keep connected with other CGLs & Coaches by joining our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHVCGLsCoaches