Community Groups
Today’s Western culture is indifferent to church and Christians. Yet the early church existed in far harsher conditions—and it thrived. Much like a new litter of rabbits, the infant faith quickly grew and spread. And the result was a world transformed. In The Rabbit and the Elephant, Tony and Felicity Dale and George Barna say that the same thing is happening today. As Christians, we are the church—whether we meet in office buildings, college dorm rooms, coffee shops, factories, or homes—and the Holy Spirit uses us to expand that church to the far reaches of the globe. By participating in Community Groups we’ll find that a small gathering of friends loving Jesus together and reaching out to the community around them can help us to be the church, the way God intended.
If you put two elephants in a room together and close the door, if you’re lucky, in three years you may have one baby elephant. But when you put two rabbits together for the same amount of time. . . .”
How can we change the world if our Christian faith began multiplying at a rapid pace—through a way of life that is explosive and transformational? It has happened many times throughout the history of the church; what will it take to bring us to that point of urgency and determination again?
An excerpt from The Rabbit and the Elephant,found on pages 13-15 is a good summary of why we value Community Groups.
1. Jesus ministered in homes, and much of the Gospel narratives takes place in homes…
2. New Testament Christians primarily met in small group or home settings…
3. It is difficult to obey all the commands of the New Testament in groups that are too large…
4. Jesus entrusted his ministry to ordinary untrained people…
5. Most aspects of ministry are better in a small setting…
6. Community groups multiply more quickly…
7. Community groups allow all the members of Jesus’ body to be fully functioning…
Our emphasis for Community Groups is to live out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) in the spirit of the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:36-40). We believe it is Jesus’ job to build the Church. Our call is to make disciples.
Simple Church in Community
Our gatherings are patterned based on the model in Acts 2:42, in which the disciples “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” We value the following practices for our Community Groups:
· Start with a meal - either potluck dishes or carryout food, depending on what is most suitable for the group. With teens or students, pizza might be more appropriate.
· Share the “God events” of the past week - Even those who don’t know the Lord will talk about ways he has worked in their lives. Theologically this is a concept known as “provenience” - God at work in our lives even before we hand them over to Him.
· Spend time in the Word - The Word of God is living and active, and over the weeks, we watch it change people’s lives.
· Pray for each other - The importance of God answering prayers is one of the key principles in the Luke 10 passage when Jesus sent out his disciples to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Those answered prayers open the door and allow us to talk about the Kingdom. It doesn’t matter that someone does not yet know Jesus. God delights in answering their prayers, and when He does, they do not stay unbelievers for long. It also provides the basis for “God events” to share the next week. For example, if someone shared in a previous week that he had difficulties with his boss, usually he will report back that the tensions have eased or he was able to have a good conversation about the things troubling him.
If you put two elephants in a room together and close the door, if you’re lucky, in three years you may have one baby elephant. But when you put two rabbits together for the same amount of time. . . .”
How can we change the world if our Christian faith began multiplying at a rapid pace—through a way of life that is explosive and transformational? It has happened many times throughout the history of the church; what will it take to bring us to that point of urgency and determination again?
An excerpt from The Rabbit and the Elephant,found on pages 13-15 is a good summary of why we value Community Groups.
1. Jesus ministered in homes, and much of the Gospel narratives takes place in homes…
2. New Testament Christians primarily met in small group or home settings…
3. It is difficult to obey all the commands of the New Testament in groups that are too large…
4. Jesus entrusted his ministry to ordinary untrained people…
5. Most aspects of ministry are better in a small setting…
6. Community groups multiply more quickly…
7. Community groups allow all the members of Jesus’ body to be fully functioning…
Our emphasis for Community Groups is to live out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) in the spirit of the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:36-40). We believe it is Jesus’ job to build the Church. Our call is to make disciples.
Simple Church in Community
Our gatherings are patterned based on the model in Acts 2:42, in which the disciples “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” We value the following practices for our Community Groups:
· Start with a meal - either potluck dishes or carryout food, depending on what is most suitable for the group. With teens or students, pizza might be more appropriate.
· Share the “God events” of the past week - Even those who don’t know the Lord will talk about ways he has worked in their lives. Theologically this is a concept known as “provenience” - God at work in our lives even before we hand them over to Him.
· Spend time in the Word - The Word of God is living and active, and over the weeks, we watch it change people’s lives.
· Pray for each other - The importance of God answering prayers is one of the key principles in the Luke 10 passage when Jesus sent out his disciples to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Those answered prayers open the door and allow us to talk about the Kingdom. It doesn’t matter that someone does not yet know Jesus. God delights in answering their prayers, and when He does, they do not stay unbelievers for long. It also provides the basis for “God events” to share the next week. For example, if someone shared in a previous week that he had difficulties with his boss, usually he will report back that the tensions have eased or he was able to have a good conversation about the things troubling him.
