What is a Growth Group?
A Growth Group is a home gathering made up of 6-15 people who meet weekly to share, study, support one another, and do life together. A trained leader and host lead each group. By participating in Growth Groups, you can expect to connect with others through a common activity, engage in life giving conversation and request prayer, when needed.
When you look through scripture, we see how essential real, biblical community is for our growth, our faith, and our health. Growth Groups aren’t just a secondary thought, add-on, or a good idea, we see in scripture that they are a primary, foundational work of what Church is designed to look like.
When can I sign up for a Life Group?
Our Growth Groups meet for 10-week semesters in the Fall, Winter and Spring. Before each Growth Group semester begins, there are three ways to sign up for a group – online, at our sign-up table located in the lobby during the three weekend services before each semester begins, or by calling the church office.
During those weekend services, Growth Group leaders and members are available at the sign-up table to help you choose a group and answer any questions.
How do I choose a group?
Our Growth Groups fall into two categories: Sermon-based or specialty. Sermon-based groups focus on the discussion and application of Biblical truth as taught in the previous Sunday’s message. Specialty groups focus on a specific topic such as healing, marriage, finances, or other topics that are relevant to the life of a believer, often based on a book or video series.
All of our groups have a description designed to give you an idea of the leaders and the feel of the group. Read these bios on the website under the Growth Groups tab for a fuller picture of each group to help you decide on one for you.
When and where do they meet?
The majority of Growth Groups meet on various nights of the week in homes throughout the local area. Evening groups meet 6:30-8pm.
What is the required commitment?
Joining a Growth Group requires and 10-week commitment to attend weekly meetings and do the homework ahead of time. This commitment is the key to a strong Growth Group. If you sign up for a group and decide it’s not a good fit for you, let us know in the first three weeks and we’d love to help you find another one!
What will we study?
As mentioned previously, most of the studies are based on the previous weekend’s message. These “sermon-based” Growth Groups are built on what we call a “Lecture-Lab” model.
Imagine the weekend message as a lecture on Christian living, and the Growth Group as a lab where you get to roll up your sleeves and discuss how the weekend’s message works in real life. Each week there will be a series of Bible passages relevant to the message and questions on the back of the sermon note sheet to study before the meeting. It will usually take 20 to 40 minutes per week to complete the homework.
What about childcare?
Growth Groups are for adults. (Exceptions can be made for nursing newborns, up to six months.) We leave it up to each family to work out their own childcare. Sometimes it works best for families to share a sitter or to swap childcare with another family whose Growth Group meets on a different evening.
Childcare is available during Growth Groups on Wednesday nights at the Church during the same time as Growth Groups are happening, from 6:30 to 8pm.
Are there groups for teenagers?
Yes, our High School and Jr. High ministries both offer a Growth Group experience for students. For more information about our youth Growth Groups, please contact pastor Brett at (541) 965-0437.