Welcome to Group Life

We believe intentional relationships are key to sustained spiritual growth. Thus our desire is that everyone who attends Grace Baptist Church be involved in a Care Group. A Care Group is the place where people discuss real life and real issues - the place to celebrate the successes and good times of life and the place to comfort one another in the tough and disappointing times. Group members come to be encouraged, equipped, and challenged to become more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Practically speaking, there will never be a way for the staff or pastors to personally minister to everyone who attends our church. That's why we place such a high premium on group life.

Corporate Gatherings and Group Life Ministry Overview

I. What is Church Life According to the Scriptures? A. Our churchs goal is to lead people to Jesus Christ and equip them to become more faithful disciples. 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

B. The Second Great Commandment gives our church a direct, biblical responsibility to organize to insure healthy, loving relationships that promote spiritual growth and outreach. Mark 12:29-31 (29) And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: (30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. (31) And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

II. Where is the Corporate Worship Life at Grace Baptist Church? A. Sunday Services: Consists of 70 or more people. B. Relationships: 1. In Sunday Services we experience surface relationships with others.
109

2. These relationships are based on common roots and beliefs, faith in Jesus Christ. C. Provides: Corporate worship, Big Picture, Vision. D. Relational Function: Worship, Music, Prayer, Vision Casting, Thanksgiving, Praise, Proclamation of God's Word (truth). III. Where is the Education Life at Grace Baptist Church? A. Adult Bible Fellowships: Consists of between 15-70 people. B. Relationships - Community: To provide the context for biblical relationships centered on the teaching of Gods Word. C. Provides: 1. Common Knowledge - Study the Bible together in an Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF). 2. For greater discussion and interaction with Bible truths. D. Relational Function: 1. Organize for Outreach. 2. Assimilate New Comers. 3. Meet Individual Needs. 4. Challenge Participants to go on in Discipleship. IV. Where is the Group Life at Grace Baptist Church? A. Care Groups: Consists of between 5-14 people. B. Relationships - Intimacy: To provide the context for an in-depth relationship with a few, living out daily Gods Word. C. Provides: Loving accountability and encouragement needed for consistent growth. D. Relational Function: 1. Enables transparency, mutual acceptance, and loving accountability. 2. Challenges one another to grow in commitment and obedience to Christ. 3. Develops basic Christian disciplines/habits and leadership skills. 4. Provides the freedom to confess sins to one another.

V. Group Life Ministry: Where Does It Fit? A. The compliment to the Large Group is what goes on in the Care Group. 1. It is important to understand that when the church gathers in Care Groups it does not have the same purpose as when it gathers together in corporate worship. 2. When we gather in our Care Group we are focusing on: Intimacy with God - Growing in our relationship with God.
110

Community with One Another - Growing in our relationship with each other. And Influence with Non-believers - Growing in our love for the lost by living out the Gospel.

3. A person can worship God and be taught the Word of God without ever opening up their lives to any other human being. Thats the Large Group! 4. But it is impossible to be discipled, experience involvement in the body of Christ and effectively reach out to others as a lone-ranger. 5. Group Life provides the balance that equips Christians to be the church and do the work of the church (Eph. 4: 11-12). B. What does it look like? 1. With Group Life, the Sunday Services are seen as only part of the process of growth. 2. Many kinds of Care Groups should be meeting for various purposes and levels of growth. 3. Growth takes place in the midst of loving relationships. 4. Pastors are equippers of the lay leadership. C. What kind of people are developed in Group Life? 1. People who apply the Bible to daily life. 2. People who live transparent lives before others. 3. People who know how to reach out to others in love and care. 4. People ministering to others' needs. 5. People who are equipped to lead new groups. D. What kind of church can we have with biblically functioning Care Groups? 1. A church where relationships and spiritual growth are still the focus of the life of the church instead of tasks. 2. A church where spiritual growth still occurs through interaction and hands-on involvement in ministry rather than though primarily listening to truth. 3. A church where the pastor(s) tend to equip and direct, rather than be the key to making things happen in the life of the church. 4. A church where evangelism is Christianity lived out in real life, rather an event that people invite others to. 5. A church where spirituality isnt measured by busyness. E. What kind of people are developed without Care Groups? 1. Christians with a lot of knowledge. 2. Biblical application only in the most diligent. 3. Christianity is seen as an event (something you attend on Sundays), rather than a process of continual growth and life throughout the week. 4. Tired and over-scheduled Christians with little real joy or impact on the surrounding community.

111

F. So Why should I be in a Care Group? 1. Group Life provides purpose or direction towards growth/maturity in Christ. 2. Group Life provides loving care by other fellow members who desire the same goal. 3. Group Life provides a loving context that encourages each member to keep on the right track. 4. Group Life provides the context for people to identify, develop, and use their spiritual gifts. 5. Group Life provides a place to share your burdens and to bear the burdens of others.

Mission Statement and Ministry Goals

I. Care Group Mission Statement: A. Our Mission: Our mission is to lead people to Jesus Christ and to equip them to become more faithful disciples by creating environments where people are encouraged and equipped to pursue: 1. Intimacy with God - Growing in our relationship with God. 2. Community with One Another - Growing in our relationship with each other. 3. Influence with Non-believers - Growing in our love for the lost by living out the Gospel. B. Simple Purpose: Care Groups provide a predictable small group environment where participants experience authentic community and spiritual growth. II. Care Group Ministry Goals: A. To Provide Authentic Community Through: 1. Loving Accountability. Defined: In every care group, all members are expected to interact with a set of accountability questions pertaining to the curriculum, public messages at church, and normal, loving accountability. We need the consistent encouragement of others. Consistent, intentional and specific encouragement is to be a mark of those who serve the God of consolation (Rom. 15:5). We need others to help us resist sin and to strengthen our resolve for godliness. We need the input of others to help us see our sin and repent from it. Because we will inevitably fail to recognize and take responsibility for our sin, we desperately need the correction of others. Giving and receiving correction require humility and examined motives, but these are a true expression of biblical love. We need to confess our sins to others so as to weaken sins power and invite accountability. Defined: To participate together, or to communicate things we hold in common. The heart of fellowship is to share with one another the things that make us more like Christ! Fellowship starts with God as its sources and is channeled through His Word and other believers. This is a uniquely Christian, human experience sharing our relationship with God.
112

2. Fellowship. -

3. Mutual Care. Defined: To create a context where every group member can give and receive care. We live in a fallen world and the effects of sinour own and othersare all around us: pain, sorrow, sickness, death. God has promised to care for us, and much of His care comes to us through other believers. Indeed, Christians are to be distinguished by their sacrificial love for one another. That is a major reason why we ask every member to be active God holds us responsible for the care of every member.

B. To Promote Spiritual Growth Through: 1. Application of the Word of God. Defined: Merely hearing Gods word is insufficient; we must apply it to our lives for there to be fruit. Application means to apply Gods truth in a personal, practical way to ones own heart and to another believer (Gal 6). Defined: The Holy Spirit distributes gifts to build the church. But God has also made us dependent upon one another; no one person has all the gifts necessary. We need one another and the unique gifts each one brings to mature as a body. The goal is reaching the point where each member is able to serve others and glorify God with the unique gifting which has been imparted by the Spirit. Everybody should be bringing something to the table! Defined: Because God has invited us to partner with Him in the process of evangelism, we want people to prioritize relationships with their unbelieving friends for the purpose of seeing these friends come to faith. Ultimately, our lives together are intended to present to the world a compelling witness of the grace of God. Our unity and love for one another is one of the most powerful testimonies we can give to unbelievers who are lost, isolated, fragmented, and ultimately without hope. Nothing motivates believers (or small groups) more than when they see God using them to bring someone to Him.

2. Experiencing and Expressing the Gifts of the Spirit. -

3. Influencing Non-believers. -

III. Care Group Member Job Description A. Qualifications: 1. Being a Member of Grace Baptist Church is not required, but being committed to the churchs mission, ministry, and Care Group Covenant is. 2. A Group Member must have the ability to participate in Group Life without disrupting or monopolizing the time and attention of the group. B. Spiritual Goals: 1. Consistent devotional life. 2. Specific application of Gods Word in daily life. 3. Growing relationships with spouse and children (if applicable). 4. Growing relationships with other care group members. 5. Meaningful service in the church through use of spiritual gifts.

113

6. Involvement in influencing Non-believers with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. C. Personal Responsibilities: 1. Participate in all functions of the corporate church and ministry sphere. 2. Arrive on time for care group meetings, service projects, social events, and outreach functions. 3. Complete assignments and come to meetings prepared to participate. 4. Build meaningful relationships with other members of the group outside scheduled meetings. 5. Open ones life to others by being honest, transparent, and teachable. 6. Support the leadership of the care group. IV. What About Our Children? One question that many people ask is how children are cared for when Care Groups meet. There is no one answer for this. Each group comes up with their own plan. Below is a list of options different groups can use when it comes to caring for children: A. No Child Care: 1. Some of our groups will be made up of people whose children arent an issue. 2. Individuals are childless or the children are at an age where they can remain at home and care for themselves. B. Take Offering: Some of our groups may have 1 or 2 attendees with children that need to be cared for and so rather than providing childcare, each of these attendees lines up their own sitters in their home and everyone in the group helps share the expense as a way of extending ministry to all who come.

C. Childcare in the Care Group: 1. Some groups may meet in a home that allows the children to be in a finished basement or other area separated from where the adults meet. 2. These groups may alternate taking turns overseeing the kids. 3. Some groups may have a regular sitter either someone picked up by one of the group members on their way there or an older child of one of the group members. D. Childcare in Another Home Nearby: 1. This has proved a popular option. In addition to someone agreeing to host the Care Group, someone else agrees to host the children at their home. 2. A sitter is hired who oversees the children while the adults meet in a Care Group nearby. Everyone pays a modest fee. E. The key is finding a good arrangement for YOU!

114

V. Other Questions A. When and Where Do Groups Meet? Groups generally meet Monday through Thursday evenings, with some meeting on Saturday mornings. Most groups meet in the evenings, while some mens and womens groups meet mornings and evenings. While most groups meet in a consistent location (the home of a group member), some groups prefer to take turns meeting in different members homes. Most groups meet weekly. Some groups meet bi-weekly or for three weeks out of the month and use the fourth week or do a social activity or service activity together. Each Care Group picks the length of time they will meet. However, most groups meet for an hour and a half to two hours. Though each group differs in how they do things, many groups have a fellowship time in the beginning, then they transition to a time where they either discuss the Sunday Morning Message, a book or DVD Series they are studying, and then they break off as men and woman for accountability and prayer for each other. At the very beginning of the group, the whole group decides how much time they will spend on fellowship, discussion, and accountability/prayer time. During the term of the group, the group leader will train a Co-Leader to be the leader of the next group. At the end of the group, the leader will take half the current group, and the CoLeader (after becoming an approved leader) will take the other half of the group. Then they will both add more members to their respective new groups, therefore allowing others to join groups with seasoned leaders. The total duration of a typical Care Group is commitment to meet together for between 1 and 2 years.

B. How Often do Care Groups Meet? -

C. How Long Does Each Group Meeting Last? -

D. What Goes On At a Group Meeting? -

E. What Does It Mean When a Care Group multiplies? -

F. How Long Does a Typical Group Last? -

115