What are Life Transformation Partnerships?
- Life Transformation Partnerships or (LTPs) are groups
of 2-3 people that meet weekly for discussing the Bible,
accountability, and prayer. The Groups are self governing,
and are not controlled by the church leadership, and
follow no specific curriculum. By design, LTPs encourage
the participants to discover the Word of God by themselves,
with the Holy Spirit and one another to guide them.
There is no need for a leader per se, as the group members
decide the time and place of the next meeting, and which
book of the Bible to read next.
What do LTPs Do? - They meet
together once a week for one hour or so to reflect on
how God has been speaking through his Word, ask certain
personal accountability questions designed to increase
personal holiness, and encourage individual faith sharing.
Each week they choose a book or part of a book of the
Bible to read. The amount of reading may vary from 5
to 25 chapters of scripture a week, so if it is a short
book, you may read it 3 or 4 times in a week. If it
is a long book, you might only read it twice. The idea
is to get a broad picture of the scripture, and to allow
the Holy Spirit to speak through it. Some people commit
to use the Robert Murray-McCheyne Bible reading plan.
What Happens if We Don't Finish Our Bible
Reading? - If one or more members of the
group fail to finish the set readings for the week,
then everyone in the group starts the reading again,
until everyone arrives having read the set amount for
that week. This repetitive reading of the scripture
really helps you get to grips with what the Bible is
saying.
What are the Accountability Questions?
- Each person can share questions to answer each week
to encourage a Holy life and to encourage each person
to witness to the power of God. Sample questions are
shown at the end of this document. The members of the
group do not have to have the same questions. Remember
the enclosed questions are only a suggestion, and the
questions you use should be targeted to specific things
within your life.
How Do I Join an LTP? – You
can set one up on your own if you’d like! Simply find
another person/other people of the same sex to meet
with. Because the existing groups should always be looking
to multiply, you may well be asked to join someone else's
group.
Where Do LTPs Meet? - LTPs
can meet anywhere, in a home, coffee shop, restaurants
etc.
Why Are the Groups Same Sex?
- Because of the need for honesty and transparency during
the confession of sin, this is best done within groups
of the same sex.
Why Is There No Leader? -
There is no need for a leader. One of the joys of this
model, is that anyone can facilitate a group. All you
have to do is choose a location, and a book of the Bible
to read.
Don't we need a Bible Teacher or Study Notes? - No!
The idea is to cut out the middle man and allow God
to speak directly to you through the scripture. In many
areas of our spiritual life we depend on others to spoon
feed us or to take responsibility for us. LTP's encourage
us to communicate directly with God, and to take responsibility
for our spiritual lives.
What is the Lifespan of an LTP?
- There is no set lifespan. Groups will either die when
one or more members don't bother meeting anymore, or
will divide into two groups, when a fourth member is
present.
Do all the members have to be Christians? - No. These
groups are a really good place to bring seekers into,
and for them to let God minister to them through scripture.
Friends, family, neighbors and work colleagues will
all benefit from being immersed in scripture. It also
provides a wonderful context for working through the
Journey to Jesus materials.
What about Prayer? - Although
the primary focus of LTPs is not on prayer, prayer will
naturally flow from the confession of sin. You are encouraged
to pray for friends and for each other during the week
as well. 'Therefore, confess your sins to one another,
and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.'
James 5:16. You are also asked to pray for workers for
the harvest as Jesus commanded, "Ask the Lord of
the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his
harvest field." Luke 10:2b
A Sample One Hour LTP Meeting:
1. Opening prayer
2. One person begins asking another the Character questions.
When each person has answered, move on next to…
3. Scripture reading from the past week is discussed
4. Strategic prayer requests are mentioned, and prayed
for.
5. Closing Prayer
The 3 Essential Elements of an LTP.
1. Sin is confessed in Mutual Accountability
Christians need “to think of ways to encourage one another
to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not
neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but
encourage and warn each other, especially now that the
day of His coming back again is drawing near” (Hebrews
10:23-24)
LTPs begin as each member takes turn asking another
member the character questions. LTP meetings start here
because it is easy to lose focus and talk only about
safer things. Beginning with confession of sin tends
to sanctify the rest of the gathering. The questions
are asked straightforward. Each person takes a turn
answering a question before moving on to the next. The
confession of sin to each other, commanded by the Scriptures
(James 5:16) prepares the soil of people’s hearts for
the Word of God being read each week.
2. Scripture is read repetitively, in context
and in community.
Jesus said “People need more than bread for their life;
they must feed on every word of God” (Matthew 4:4).
To expect lives to change and bear fruit without first
planting the seed is foolish and will end in disappointment.
Each LTP decides on a passage of Scripture their group
will read that week. We recommend that each person carefully
read about 20-30 chapters each week.
When the LTP meets together the following week, members
ask each other if everyone completed the reading assigned.
If anyone in the LTP failed to read all they agreed
to read, the whole LTP agrees to read the same portion
the following week. Reading large sections of the Bible
repetitively, in context and in community, will yield
rich rewards.
Once all in the LTP complete the reading in the same
week they choose the next passage of Scripture to read
together. A group can decide together what the next
passage will be or alternate which member of the LTP
chooses the passage each time.
3. Not-yet-believers are prayed for specifically
and regularly
Jesus taught us to pray “May Your will be done on earth,
just as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
At the end of this document you will find LTP character
conversation questions as well as statements to help
with your time of Strategic Prayer. This is to remind
each in the group to pray specifically for each of the
people named on the card as they read their Bibles throughout
the week.
Each member of the LTP is to identify two or three
people locally and one or two people (or people groups)
globally, whom the Lord lays on their hearts because
they need Jesus. The names of these people/people groups
are then written down on the cards of every member of
the group. Each person in the group prays throughout
the week for those on the list. It is best to choose
one name from the list each day and pray for them.
Those who begin to seek Christ become ideal candidates
for the next LTP and multiplication occurs naturally
and spontaneously.
Character questions (Mt 5:13-7:29)
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other”
(James 5:16)
The following questions are possibilities to be asked
of one another in a weekly meeting of accountability.
They are to stimulate conversations of character and
confession of sin in a safe environment, which values
honesty, vulnerability, confidentiality, and grace.
Note: I am enclosing several examples of different kinds
of questions. Feel free to revise the questions to fit
you best, as you know better than anyone which questions
you need to be asked every week in order to help you
stay on track with spiritual growth. Some groups will
focus on just a few questions to ask each other and
to answer each week.
Sample Questions – List #1
1. Have you remained angry with another or secretly
wished for another’s misfortune? Have you damaged another
person by your words, behind their back or face-to-face?
2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material
or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual
thoughts about another?
3. Have you been honoring, understanding and generous
in your important relationships?
4. Have you lacked integrity in your words and financial
dealings?
5. Have turned the other cheek, gone the extra mile?
6. Have you practiced good deeds to be admired by others,
or to be noticed by God?
7. Have you condemned other’s shortcomings or prayed
for their wholeness?
8. Have you bought or are you planning to buy anything
the Kingdom does not need for you to own? Have you given
generously because you trusted God to provide?
9. _______________________________________ (Your personalized
accountability question)
10. Did you study all the Scripture you agreed to read?
What did God tell you to do? Are you doing it?
11. Have you been salt and light? Have you shared some
of what you are learning about God with a non-believing
friend?
Sample Questions – List #2
1. Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness
of Jesus Christ with both your words and actions?
2. Have your lacked integrity in your financial dealings
or coveted something that does not belong to you?
3. Have you been honoring, understanding and generous
in your important relationships this week?
4. Have you damaged another person by your words, either
behind their back or face to face?
5. Have you given in to an addictive behavior this past
week? Explain.
6. Have you continued to remain angry toward another?
7. Have you secretly wished for another's misfortune
so that you might excel?
8. Did you finish the reading and hear from God? What
are you going to do about it?
9. Have you been completely honest with me?
Sample Questions – List #3
1. In what ways did God make his presence known to
you since our last meeting? How did you respond? What
experiences of prayer, meditation and spiritual reading
has God given you? What difficulties or frustrations
did you encounter? What joys or delights?
2. What temptations did you face since our last meeting?
How did you respond? Which spiritual disciplines did
God use to lead you further into holiness of heart and
life?
3. Have you sensed any influence or work of the Holy
Spirit since our last meeting? What spiritual gifts
did the Spirit enable you to exercise? What was the
outcome? What fruit of the Spirit would you like to
see increase in your life? Which disciplines might be
useful in this effort?
4. What opportunities did God give you to serve others
since our last meeting? How did you respond? Did you
encounter injustice to or oppression of others? Were
you able to work for justice and peace?
5. In what ways did you encounter Christ in your reading
of the scripture since our last meeting? How has the
Bible shaped the way you think and live? Did God provide
an opportunity for you to share your faith with someone?
How did you respond?
A Note on Confidentiality: These groups must be a safe
place for personal accountability. To be a participant
in an LTP, you must commit yourself to being confidential.
Violating a confidence is grounds for immediate dismissal
from the group.
Strategic Prayer
Each participant in a LTP is to identify two or three
people locally and one or two people (or people groups)
globally, whom the Lord lays on their heart. List the
names of all those identified in your LTP on each Strategic
Prayer Focus sheet. Keep this sheet in your Bible as
a bookmark for your daily reading so that each time
you open your bible you are reminded to pray for these
people/needs. You will notice that some of the statements
are listed more than once. This is to allow you to list
more than one person who God might be laying on your
heart to pray for. |
