Small Groups

* men * women *
* couples * mixed * singles *

"a PLACE where everyone knows your name and they 
are ALWAYS glad you came"

Why small groups?

As important as public worship is, it doesn't allow for intimacy. Reading the Bible and praying by oneself, on the other hand, can lead to intimacy with God, but it can also lead to loneliness. Small groups offer supportive Bible study and intimate prayer in the fellowship of others.

Where do small groups fit?

We see the pattern of worship celebration and small cell groups in the New Testament church:

Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts [large group worship services] and from house to house [small group ministries], they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

As Christians God calls us to belong, not just to believe. We are not lone-rangers, but members of a family. As a church we want to be large enough to celebrate and small enough to care.

What are the purposes of small groups?

The purpose of our church is to bring people to Jesus and into membership in his family, build them up into maturity, train them for ministry, send them out in mission, in order to magnify God.

The purposes of our small groups are:

· Discipleship by helping believers grow spiritually - through caring relationships, support, prayer, encouragement, Bible application, and a place for practicing many of the "one another" commands.

· Fellowship by caring for each other and building relation-ships that will last for eternity, and through growing together in the word of God.

· Evangelism by welcoming newcomers and, if they don't know Jesus, believing that the love of God through the small group will enable them to come into a personal relationship with Christ.

What are important features of healthy small groups?

For small groups to be effective, we foster the following features:

· Attendance: To give priority to the group meetings and to call if unable to attend.

· Ownership: To participate actively in the group, to encourage other attendees to participate, and to share responsibility for the group and its goals.

· Confidentiality: To keep anything participants say strictly confidential - "What we say here, stays here."

· Accountability: To give permission to group attendees to hold each other accountable . . . to the spiritual goals they set for themselves.

· Accessibility: To give each other the right to call upon one another in time of need.

· Growth: To expand small groups by reaching out and inviting others so that small groups can "birth" other small groups.

What Is a Small Group?

A small group is usually composed of 6-12 people who gather regularly (at least twice a month, often weekly), usually in a home, to discuss the Bible, and then pray together. Sometimes they gather just for fellowship or to do a service project together.

What kind of small groups are available?

Small groups are a growing edge of our congregation. We have groups for men, women, young adults, and married couples. Contact a pastor for a small group that best meets your needs.