Long-Term
Jesus Centred
Group Discipleship
We want people to develop meaningful, Jesus-centred relationships. Life Groups are one of the ways we aim to cultivate these connections.
Life Groups are small gatherings of believers that regularly meet for longterm, Jesus-centred, group discipleship. Although each Life Group is unique, we all aim to follow the pattern of the early church, devoting ourselves to the apostles teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers (Acts 2:41-47). We see these four practices as the foundation of all of our groups:
“The apostles teaching” comes to us in the form of the Scriptures. We take to heart that the Bible was written to be read in community and we make space for it to shape our thoughts, renew our hearts, guide the work of our hands, call us to repentance, root us in Jesus, build us up, and remind us of the Gospel. In other words, we let God’s Word dwell in us richly.
“The fellowship” can be defined simply as honest, reciprocal, and close relationship. We share our lives, our joys, sorrows, needs, care, spiritual gifts, homes, stories, and attention. It is our conviction that faith is not meant to be done alone and genuine involvement in each other’s lives cultivates love, growth, and perseverance.
“The breaking of bread” reminds us of our unity in Christ. We sit at the same table, whether we’re eating meals or snacks, sipping drinks, or sharing the Lord’s Supper. These practices remind us that we are one in Christ. Additionally, just as food is a regular part of life, we aim to meet together regularly in our homes. This also means hospitality is a consistent part of our gatherings, so we purposely care for each other’s physical and spiritual needs.
“The prayers” refers to our turning toward God often and in various ways, through praise, thanksgiving, confession, requests, and intercession. When we get together, we cannot simply look to each other; we must look to the Lord. We take it seriously that we can do nothing apart from Jesus. Regular prayer reminds us of this dependence and helps us submit ourselves to God together.
We’re in the process of developing more Life Groups. If you are interested in leading or participating in a Life Group please contact Colton (colton@thecalvarywebsite.com)