1. What is a “Community Group?”

A community group is a home-based small gathering of believers for the following purposes:

a. To provide interaction with God’s Word outside a “churched” setting
b. To foster deeper Christian fellowship among believers
c. To encourage one another in disciplines for our spiritual health
d. To disciple one another in our common Christian faith
e. To enable accountability between fellow believers
f. To organize service projects in our neighborhoods
g. To create new ministries within our church
h. To serve as an evangelistic outpost in your part of town

In a culture where people are often highly-individualized and isolated from one another, community groups seek to reverse this trend by reflecting the nature of our God who Himself eternally exists in Triune community.

2. Where will the groups meet?

The groups will meet in the homes of willing hosts in various parts of town. The locations will be determined strategically (as near to the participants as possible and also in parts of town void of a group). Ideally, each side of town will have at least one group.

3. How many groups will meet?

The number of groups will grow as the number of participants grows. To begin, we believe five groups will serve our needs at this time (if the majority now attending our services participates). The group sizes should not exceed 12 people. The ideal size is 8 to 10 adults.

4. Who will lead the groups?

The elders will appoint each group leader. The leader may or may not be the host. The leader will be a male church member or a married member couple. The leader and the host will be responsible for coordinating the details of the meeting. The group leaders will meet monthly with the elders to report on the health of each group.

5. How will the meetings be structured?

The intent of the group is not to listen to a lecture and leave. The group leader is to be a facilitator. He will lead a group review and discussion of the previous Lord’s Day’s sermon so that God’s Word can be further applied to our lives. The meeting may also include music and singing, prayer, fellowship, and accountability. The groups should encourage deeper relationships between individuals and should be actively ministering to their neighbors and serving the community.

6. Who will be in my group?

Each group’s members will be assigned by the elders. The assignments will be determined primarily by geography. You will likely know some group members very well and others not so well. Our unity in the Gospel is what should overcome any superficial differences we have with one another (race, gender, age, background, etc.). Genuine biblical community is forged when we emplify this unity within our diversity. After a period of time, the elders may reassign the groups to allow participants to build relationships with more people.

7. What about children?

We encourage children above toddler age to participate in the community groups with their parents in learning to apply God’s Word.

The format of the meetings should encourage children to listen, learn, and ask questions about their own understanding of the Gospel.

8. How long will the meetings last?

The groups will meet on various weeknights around 6:00 or 6:30 pm and will last approximately 1 ½ hours. If the meetings go longer, this will be at the discretion of the host. We want deeper bonds of friendship and partnership in the Gospel to be cultivated in these meetings, but we also want to be respectful of our hosts.

9. Will I be required to read or pray out loud?

No. While we want to encourage each person to participate as much as possible, community groups are intended to be a non-threatening setting where further exposure to God’s Word occurs and stronger relationships are formed without intimidation.

10. Can I invite neighbors, co-workers, friends, or non-Christians?

Absolutely! Please do. Some people who would never attend a “church” will come to an informal neighborhood gathering. The community group should be a hospitable, friendly environment where the Gospel is presented in the discussion and lived out by the group. So, invite anyone and everyone. New groups will be started if one grows too large.

11. Will the groups have snacks or refreshments?

Neither the host nor the leader is expected to provide food. However, if the group members want to volunteer to bring refreshments, this would be fine as long as the host approves and the group members respect the host’s home.