A Community Group is a group of 7 to 10 adults and their families who “do life” together. While some groups are formed around a commonality, like families with small children, many are multi-generational and include singles, couples and families. The focus of these groups is on friendship and deep care for others in the group, like a family. The groups are “open”, meaning there are empty spaces waiting to be filled by people new to our church or those that the group meets through interaction with neighbors, coworkers, or anyone else in the larger Grand Rapids area. While we expect those in Community Groups to still attend GREFC services for worship and teaching, the true connection between everyone happens in people’s homes through community groups.
Besides fostering community with other believers, one of the main goals of community groups is to love and bless people in our sphere of influence. This can include co-workers, neighbors, parents of your kids’ friends, coaches and teachers, neighbors, extended family members and any others that you interact with on a day to day basis. As community groups are meeting, eating, and having fun together, they are also thinking of ways to bless others and planning specific ways to do that, together as a group and individually. Anyone in our sphere of influence is welcome to come to our community group gatherings whenever they can.
It is our hope that through connecting with others in our communities, they can see the love of Jesus because we will be expressing the love of Jesus. And one day, after a close relationship has formed, we might earn the right to tell them about Jesus and invite them to know him better.
1 Peter 2:9 through 3:16 talks about living in a hostile world and living your daily lives as though you are missionaries in a foreign land. That is the basis for our community groups.
“Missional is not an event that we tack onto our already busy lives. It is our life. Mission should be the way we live, not something we add onto life… We can be missional in everyday ways without even overloading our schedules.” ~Jonathan Dodson from Austin City Life in TX
What A Community Group Isn’t
A Community Group is not:
- A Small Group
- A Bible Study
- A Support Group
- A Church Business Meeting
Core Values of Community Groups
1. Celebrate Life Together—We gather together every couple of weeks to celebrate God’s extravagant blessings in Jesus.
2. Bless Others—We intentionally bless others within the church and those outside the church through words, gifts, or actions. The emphasis is not necessarily on “saving” people but on loving and blessing them.
3. Eating Together—We regularly (about 2 times/month) eat meals together to build relationships and bond as friends.
DNA Groups: Discipleship—Nurturing— Accountability
DNA groups form within each community group. These are men- and women-only groups of 2-4 people that meet regularly with a goal of 3-4 times per month (weekly at a set time is the goal but it will look different for each group). This is where we grow our faith together through bible studies, mentoring, and book studies. DNA groups meet separately from the community group meeting times with the emphasis on spiritual growth. These groups encourage each other in our spiritual walk, help one another grow in the Word, hold one another accountable, train each other to serve in tangible ways, and all with a strong emphasis on praying for one another.
Get a “Taste of Community Groups”
Each month we offer a Taste of Community Groups. The best way to learn about a community group is to experience one in a home setting while being able to ask all the questions you may have. Once you’ve experienced a Taste of Community Group, we will know better how to get you into a current group or incorporate you into a new group.
If you are interested in joining the next Taste of Community Groups, you can sign up online or call/email Pastor Steve Wick.
Contact: Pastor Steve Wick | Steve@grefc.org | 630.699.1779