I received a few questions from a fellow movement-launcher about the LTG model. I thought I'd pass the dialogue on to you, in case you had similar questions:How is the environment of LTGs an attractive place for nonbelievers?
The concept of involving a pre-Christian (PC) in an LTG came from a discussion I had with Jaeson Ma, who continually processes the LTG model with Neil Cole (author of Organic Church and creator of the LTG model). He had seen some success involving pre-Christians in the groups. Although the group has a high commitment to Jesus, most PCs like discovering more about Jesus in the context of their relationships with their friends. I must admit that I had my doubts about this. I decided to give it a shot anyway. I soon discovered that students do indeed have some close friends that want to discover Christ in this context. Now, in all honesty, I still have doubts as to whether every LTG can involve a PC, so I don’t apply it as a hard and fast rule everywhere. But the group always focuses on starting other groups.
I love the idea, but I’m curious how it actually fosters rapid multiplication. For instance, I can see how focused it is on “who can I tell?” and on intentional prayer. But how does a person jump from listening to somebody tell them what God is teaching them to agreeing to be a part of a weekly accountability and confession time?
The rapid multiplication comes from believers helping other believers and new believers start groups. As a follower of Jesus, I’m continually looking for opportunities to help people move closer to the Lord, whether they are a believer or a non-believer. When I find other believers, I help them see the value of starting an LTG to experience Jesus more in their everyday lives. When someone comes to Christ, I can immediately involve them in an LTG to help them become disciples of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s a lifestyle. The non-believers that I’m talking to each week about what Jesus is teaching me may never join an LTG until they receive Christ. That’s ok because the multiplication is still happening through the network of relationships among believers and their pre-Christian friends.
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