We gather in community groups with our friends and neighbors to live life together and experience the gospel in ways we can’t on our own. Community Groups are a place to wrestle with the truths of the Bible, love one another, serve the city, and participate in the mission of God for Mars Hill.
We live together as disciples of Jesus who are on a mission to call others to become disciples. So before we address what a community group is, let’s take a moment to discuss what it means to be a disciple.
A disciple is a follower of Jesus, reflecting the image of God through identity in Jesus, and expressing that identity through worship to God, community in church, and mission in the world.
This is our Description of a Disciple’s Life (DDL). This DDL is not simply a destination but rather a process of growth and sanctification.
There are five significant concepts that are foundational to our life as a disciple and our lives together in community: Image of God, Identity, Worship, Community and Mission.
We bear God’s image, created to proclaim his glory to the rest of creation. We have intrinsic value as his image bearers (Gen 1:27-29, Eph 2:8-10). It is from the image of God, and reconciling work of Jesus on the cross (Rom 5:10), that we express our identity as disciples of Jesus through worship to God, community in the church, and mission in the world.
Our identity is in Jesus. We must define ourselves in the same way that God does: by what Jesus has done on the cross (2 Cor. 5:18). We are not defined by what we have done, do, or the things that we have (2 Peter 2:9-12). Jesus atoned for our sin (Rom. 3:25), clothed us in righteousness (Isa. 61:10), and adopted us as sons and daughters (Rom 8:23). This means that Jesus is our King and Savior. He is our highest affinity, the Bible is our highest authority, and the Trinity is our example of how to live together.
We are created to worship and to bring glory to God (1 Cor. 6:20). Our greatest joy comes from living out this created purpose. We worship through song, gratitude, prayer, and the way we live our lives. As a community this means that we worship together and encourage one another to proclaim the greatness of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:9). Our life together should be a proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and a corporate act of worship.
God who exists in eternal and perfect community through the Trinity (Gen. 1:26,27). The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have eternally existed in relationship with one another as one God in three persons (John 1). We are created for community in the image of our Triune God. He is a relational God who created us as relational people in his image (Gen. 1:26). This means that we should reflect the glory of God and preach the gospel through our lives together by loving one another, forgiving one another as Christ forgave us, calling one another to confession and repentance for the purpose of reconciliation, and calling one another to lives that glorify God (Heb 10:24-26, 2 Cor. 5:18).
God sent His son Jesus into human history to reconcile himself to us (John 1:14). God is in the business of gathering more worshipers to himself, and he asks us to be a part of that business. We are missionaries created in the image of a sent and sending God. As his disciples, our mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus so that more image bearers would come to a saving faith through Jesus and give glory to God (1 Peter 2:12).
We’re called to live our lives intentionally and missionally, loving one another, and engaging with and loving our neighbors. We do this because we are commanded to (Matt 28:19, Luke 10:27, Jer. 29:5 ) and so that, hopefully, our neighbors will see the glory of God lived out in our lives, stirring their hearts to answer God’s call for their own salvation (2 Peter 3:9) We’ve built Community Groups on that foundation— to be disciples and make disciples. As you participate in, lead, or coach groups at Mars Hill Church, endeavor to live by these principles in your community and life.
Community Groups are essential to the mission of Mars Hill Church. In light of our Biblical convictions that community is a critical part of the sanctification and growth of a believer, and a crucial aspect of our ability to image God, we want to see everyone living out their faith in a Community Group.
For this reason, being in a Community Group is required for membership and is the vehicle by which one becomes a member of Mars Hill (See Appendix 2 for the membership process). Community Groups are also our primary vehicle for discipleship and an important strategy for the mission of the church.
This means your leadership in Community Groups is vital to the mission of Mars Hill Church. You play a huge part in determining the legacy of Mars Hill Church and transforming our city.
A Community Group is a group of disciples who live life together for the purpose of sanctification and glory to God. Consequently we expect that the same attributes of a disciple would be present in community. Simply, a Community Group is group of disciples who find their identity in Jesus, worship Jesus together, care for one another, spur each other toward godliness, and own the mission to see more people know Jesus. A Community Group is not an event. It’s a lifestyle of discipleship.
We will discuss expectations of what happens in a group in the spaces and rhythms sections below, but first, lets look at how Community Groups are a part of the mission of Mars Hill Church.
The mission of Mars Hill Church is huge. To simplify the mission statement, our goal is to transform our city and see the name of Jesus exalted. For those of us without a microphone, website, blog (that’s actually read), or another platform, it can be difficult to grasp how we fit into the plan. Don’t be fooled! You and your community have a huge role to play. As we endeavor to transform the city, there are two equally important parts to the strategy. The first is the proclamation of the Word (Sunday* gathered preaching and worship) and the incarnational living out of Word in our lives (Community Groups). The goal Community Groups is to live out God’s Word in a way that transforms our lives and the lives of those who see God’s work in us. This is where the Neighborhood Strategy comes in.
The concept is simple. Although your Community Group may not be able to serve the whole city, it can serve your block and your neighborhood. If the other groups in your neighborhood do the same, and the groups in your church serve their neighborhoods, eventually we can transform a city. This is the body of Christ each doing their share that adds up to a mission greater than the sum of its parts. We see in 1 Corinthians 12 that this is how God designed the church to work for his glory and our joy. What makes this more significant is the fact that you and your group can reach people and people groups that would never step foot in church. You have to opportunity to reach the lost within your group at a deeper level then a church service ever could, and therefore reach people who otherwise would never hear the gospel. As Sunday gatherings and Community Groups work together, this city will never be the same.
In our culture, many people want to belong to a community before they actually commit to belief in that community’s values. They want to know you’re not a hypocrite. They want to participate and may even be willing to further your cause before committing to belief. This is an amazing phenomenon. A non-believer wants to participate in your group and watch you be Christians to see if your life is different because of the Gospel.
They may even participate in the mission with you. This should change the way we think of our Community Groups. Our groups need to strategically think about providing opportunities for engagement in the culture and inviting non-believers into their community in accessible but authentic ways.
One of the key elements of a Community Group is replication, which allows for growth and room for new people to join and see lives transformed by the gospel. As groups grow and replicate, we make steps towards our goal to transform our city. Replication is an opportunity to plant another community in your neighborhood and provide another outpost for the gospel.
Every group should strive to plant more communities and saturate their neighborhood with the Gospel of Jesus. Every group should have an apprentice leader who is groomed to plant a new group (see appendix 2 for the leadership process). You should be replicating when your group participation is around 14 or more (see section IV for a replication plan).
This section defines and explains certain elements that should be a part of your Community Group rhythm. Our goal is to see unique expressions of community that encompasses these elements,
versus letting the elements dictate what community looks like. We encourage leaders to experiment with rhythms and frequency to develop Community Groups that are life giving and transformational.
A key element in our Community Groups is study of Scripture. The Bible is the revelation of God and is therefore authoritative in our lives. It should be the place we go to answer questions about our lives. The Bible is our source of wisdom and practical application of the gospel to daily living. It should not be something we merely study but something we live by. You should study the Word consistently in your Community Group. While Community Groups are more than Bible studies, the Scriptures are central to our life together. We are not a community until we apply what we read in Scripture in worship of Jesus, in love for one another, and in mission to the world.
Therefore, you should have time for Bible study within the rhythm of your group. During that time you are strongly encouraged to follow the text from Sunday. The purpose for this is to encourage unity and connection with other groups and to unify ministries within Mars Hill so that parents and children are learning together. It also encourages connection with your church and its mission. Exceptions are permissible but should be few and affirmed by your coach. Questions are provided for the text covered on Sunday. You can find them in the weekly handed out at service or at marshill.com with each sermon. They are written to encourage your group to engage in the text (not simply the sermon), as we would prefer you test and explore the scriptures on your own in response to what you have heard.
Prayer is a gift from God. It’s an opportunity to communicate with the Creator of the universe—to converse with God, praise him, confess our sin, ask for his provision, and listen for his response. Our Community Groups should be consistently seasoned with prayer. Prayer should include:
We have a tendency to focus on requests, so be sure to shepherd your group toward a fuller understanding of prayer. Provide opportunities for your group to pray often and build a culture of prayer. Encourage your group to recognize that it is more important to pray than to talk about praying.
Minimize the urge for everyone to share prayer request (this generally takes way to long) but be quick to go to prayer when you hear one. In other words, if someone is sharing and you hear a need, stop and pray. Use smaller groups, like breaking in groups of three, to have everyone share requests. But again, it is more important to pray than talk about it. Be cognizant of new or non-believers who may not know how to pray. You can try some or all of the following (this list is not exhaustive):
As with prayer, build a culture of confession and repentance as a response to the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. In order to see transformation in our community groups, we need to see conviction worked out in repentance. As a community we cannot wink at sin, but must lovingly correct beliefs, thoughts, and behavior that are not honoring to God.
The purpose must always be reconciliation, not conformity. Reconciliation is the gospel. Conformity is religion. Therefore, the goal of your group in this area should be to point to Jesus, the cross, and the resurrection as the only remedy for sin and look to the Holy Spirit for the ability to walk in righteousness. We want heart change, not merely behavior change. Always address sin with the gospel not with rules.
As the image bearers of God in community, we should live lives of worship. As a community we should encourage one another toward constant worship. You can practice this in community in many ways but here are a few examples:
This is the place where you enjoy one another and can more easily invite new people to experience your community. Hallmarks of hospitality include food, fun, and conversation. The point is to build relationships, so provide the space and enjoy.
Serving our city is an opportunity to partner with your neighbors toward a common cause and gives you the time to develop relationship with your neighborhood. Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to reflect the grace and love of Jesus to your neighbors. Check schools, community centers, neighborhood newsletters, and websites for ideas on where you group can serve. Remember as well that service includes serving the body, so check your church for needs that your Community Group can fill.
Mission is the engagement with your neighborhood for the glory of Jesus and the advancement of the kingdom of God. This is the outward focus of your group to love people and share the truth of the gospel through the witness of your life together. This should be a consistent focus of your community in prayer and action. (See the Vision section for deeper discussion.)
The purpose of hosting particular events within the rhythms of your group is to provide a safe and hospitable place to enjoy community. You need to consider the space, food, lighting, seating, greeting, clean up, and a host (pardon the pun) of other factors. As a leader be sensitive to the demands of the host and be sure to clue the community into those demands so you can share the burden. Proper thought into rhythms can alleviate some of that burden as well. Hosts should be reminded that simple is good, to ask for and receive help, and to find your identity in Jesus not the presentation of their home.
As often as possible, children should be incorporated in what the community is doing. With the right rhythm you should be able to include kids in a lot of the life of the community. Reference the appendix for some ideas on alternative rhythms for groups with children. In the event that you do use childcare or have members of your groups watch kids during a gathering, be sure and use common sense. No less then two adults should watch kids regardless of how few kids are being watched. Have parents take their own children to the bathroom or change diapers. If you are going to use someone outside the group, you need to do a background check similar to the children’s ministry policy.
The Holy Spirit is in the business of exalting Jesus and that is the purpose of our Community Groups. We should exercise gifts of the Spirit in community and see the fruits of the Spirit as well. The church is described as a body with all the parts important to the function of the body. So, a community of believers should use their gifts for the glorification of Jesus. Remember that the purpose of spiritual gifts is to exalt Jesus.
Every member of your community should put together a plan for personal growth in Christ over the next year. Leaders should be aware of growth areas for their members. The growth plan can be inputed in The City under your profile as a reminder and tool to help keep you on track.
This is a plan to be worked out and owned by your group. The purpose is to keep your group focused on the mission and call of God on your Community Group. This plan should reflect the Neighborhood Plan (see below) and your engagement in the Neighborhood Plan. Every Community Group Plant should start with building a Group Plan.
This plan is to help each group in a neighborhood strategize on how you are going to reach your neighborhood. The plan is developed by the coaches and leaders of that neighborhood and overseen by the neighborhood head coach. This plan should be consulted frequently to chart progress and rejoice in what God is doing.
The Community Group organizational structure is simply:
It is important to note that this structure is lived out within the neighborhood strategy, allowing us to accomplish the purposes described above. Below is an organic view of the leadership structure.
For each level of leadership there are different expectations and requirements. Those expectations will fit into one of three buckets. Shepherd Care for and protect the flock in your charge leading them toward worship of Jesus and maturity as a disciple of Christ. Missiologist Lead the mission with passion to see Jesus glorified in your city by engaging the culture in your context. Administrator Organize and plan so that we can accomplish the mission.
Pastoral Care One of the primary functions of community groups within the church is pastoral care (counseling, discipleship, etc.). Our structure has been designed to ensure that every active member of the church is being shepherded by a leader, coach, or pastor. Discipleship The leadership structure provides relationships for discipleship and growth. This gives us an avenue for growth and maturation as well as leadership development within the church, allowing members to grow as leaders and fulfill their calling. The structure provides a network through which discipleship can naturally occur within relationships that are consistent and intentional. Mission One of the purposes of the leadership structure is to implement the vision and accomplish the mission of the church. The structure is designed to promote ownership of the mission of Mars Hill Church at the group level as they carry out the mission in their neighborhood. We intentionally build our structure around geographic regions to emphasize the neighborhood strategy.
Administration Though less sexy than the shepherding purposes above, the structure of groups does provide some other necessary functions. A good structure facilitates communication throughout the body. It provides channels for communicating vision and values as well as needs in an efficient and effective way. In this way, it also allows leaders to be more a part of the leadership process of the church. Backbone for Unique expressions The leadership structure provides us with enough oversight that we can empower you as a leader to employ the concepts outlined in the vision section to express community in new and unique ways. By providing a consistent structure we have freedom in the way community is expressed in particular contexts.
