frequently asked questions

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY GROUP?

Crossroads Community Groups are a vital expression of our church’s vision to see people living in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. A community group is a weekly gathering of people committed to the purpose of making much of Jesus Christ – of knowing Christ, growing in Christ, and influencing others in Christ.

At the heart of the Community Group Ministry is the desire to see the community of believers worship Jesus, love one another, and influence others for the Kingdom of God (Hebrews 10:24-25). As a compliment to our weekly worship services where we gather corporately around God’s proclaimed Word, we believe God has called us to express our membership in the body of Christ by being committed to a group of believers where the life of Jesus can be incarnated (personified, embodied and come to life) in and through us.  We believe the church is created to worship God in community, who Himself exists in community!

At Crossroads, community groups are the place where connection and transformation takes place. It is where we incarnate Jesus within the church community – where the gospel “comes to life” as Jesus lives in and through us within the context of the believing community. It is where the church expresses itself as the body of Christ. (Romans 1:11-12, 12:5-6a; 1 Corinthians 12:7-31)

Community groups are also where we engage culture and incarnate Jesus within the local community – where the gospel comes to life as we express Christ’s love and life toward those who have yet to experience salvation and relationship with God. (Matthew 28:19-20, 5:14-16)

Our purpose for the Community Group Ministry is two-fold:

1. Relational/Transformational: To see every member of Crossroads Church loved, cared for, and encouraged/challenged toward spiritual maturity through participation in a thriving community.
2. Missional: To see friends and neighbors in our local communities influenced and impacted by the love and life of Jesus expressed through His people.
    

AM I READY FOR A COMMUNITY GROUP?

Whether you are new to the church or a longtime member, a community group is the perfect place for you to belong, ask questions, and wrestle with your faith in a community of people who care for you. Just because a person embraces faith in Jesus Christ does not change the reality that life can be hard. And God never intended us to navigate life in isolation. Community is God’s gift to help us see and tangibly experience the good news of Jesus in profound and practical ways.  It is a place where we encourage and challenge one another in our journey to know Jesus in deeper and more personal ways. In community groups, people talk through life issues, eat together, pray together, laugh together, struggle together, and serve others as we are transformed by the grace of God in our lives. If that sounds good to you, then you’re ready for a community group!

WHY ARE COMMUNITY GROUPS SO IMPORTANT?

We believe living in a right relationship with Jesus involves a genuine personal connection with Jesus as well as ongoing corporate connection with His people. In our context, ongoing corporate connection would involve regular participation in both the main Sunday morning church gathering and a local community group. Sunday services at Crossroads are primarily designed to be proclamational – where God’s Word is proclaimed and God’s people respond in corporate worship, communion and fellowship. Community groups are designed to be incarnational – where the seeds of the proclaimed Word take root and become real. Community groups are the place where we build relationships with one another and live life together. Also, it is within community groups (which are located in various neighborhoods within our community) that we can practically pursue the missional work of impacting those in our communities with the gospel of Jesus. We believe community group members seeking to make meaningful connections with those in their local neighborhoods is the most effective way to impact others with the gospel! 

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WHEN I GO?

Each community group will be unique in the sense that it will reflect the unique personalities and giftings of those participating. However, each group will share a common format oriented around a weekly gathering that involves food, conversation, prayer, discussion for applying the Bible to practical living, and service in the local neighborhood. Community Groups are an environment for building relationships with one another, which strongly emphasizes challenging one another to understand and apply God’s Word deeply into our lives.  In general, all groups follow the Sunday sermon series. But community groups are much more than a discussion group – they are community, a place where we can laugh, cry, work and play together for glory of Jesus. In addition to weekly gatherings, you might experience everything from neighborhood BBQ’s to yard work for an elderly widow; bowling nights to volunteering for a local hospice group; working in children’s ministry to coaching a youth soccer team, and more.

To express interest in getting involved in a Crossroads Community Group, click here!