Life Groups

November 27, 2009

Life Groups are small groups of up to six married couples or up to ten individuals of the same gender that meet weekly in a home for fellowship, Bible study, accountability, and prayer.  They are for adults of all ages, stages of life, and spiritual maturity.

What is the purpose of a Life Group?
The purpose of a Life Group is to offer a person the best opportunity to develop life-changing relationships and to live out the Gospel.

What makes a Life Group more than a home Bible study?
It is all about doing life together.  Life Groups are more than an hour or two studying the Bible; it is about living in community with other believers.  This is accomplished through accountability, belonging, and care. 

Biblical accountability is defined as revealing myself to someone else and inviting their biblical feedback on my life and motives.  Belonging can be defined as loving our brothers and sisters in Christ without pretense.  Care is defined as expressing a selfless concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Life Groups are also very much outward focused.  With regards to other believers, Life Groups are multiplied after 18 months so that community life can be spread.  With regards with the unchurched, Life Groups are broken to see their community become changed by Christ.  This results in doing an outreach within every 13 weeks.

What will the curriculum look like?
Our curriculum is simple.  We desire to accomplish two things.  First, we desperately desire for people to dig deeper into the Sunday morning message.  There will be a list of questions concerning that Sunday morning message and challenges each person in the Life Group.

Second, we want to maximize this time to give out the announcements concerning the church.  Sunday morning announcements can have the tendency to drown a service and some may not have been there to hear them, so taking 5-10 minutes in a Life Group gathering to communicate is effective.

Where will Life Groups be located?
Our Life Groups will be geographically located.  Each Life Group will be led by our elders and volunteers trained to lead a Life Group. 

Here is a list of our current Life Groups:
    Meadville / Bruce Morgan
    Guys Mills (Randolph) / Stan Armstrong and Ryan Mattocks
    Guys Mills (Richmond) / Michael Fraser
    Townville/Centerville / Scott Stewart and John Campasino

If interested in joining one of theses groups, please contact the listed person above or e-mail the Church Office.