The primary way in which we practice community is through Life Groups. Life Groups are groups of 5 to 15 people who gather together to learn about God, pray for one another, and encourage one another as we follow Jesus. These groups typically meet one evening per week in homes across Central Ohio.
Life Groups are very casual in nature, and they are multi-generational. We believe the church is supposed to be diverse- so instead of having a "Singles" or "Parenting" groups, we have a Life Group- a group of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences at different stages of life.
The primary objective is to be with Jesus together. Though there will be material that each group will be studying, our small groups are not classroom environments. Instead, they happen in living rooms, kitchens, and backyards. Life Groups happen where life happens!
We know that life creates busyness- so we build in breaks for life groups to take some rest. These breaks usually are Thanksgiving through New Year, a “spring break” near Easter, and a longer “summer break” around June and July. But don’t worry about joining a group during a break or whether you stay plugged in- our life groups host meals and special events often during breaks!
All our Life Groups try to stick to the same content when we gather, that way you can visit different Life Groups without needing to "catch up." More importantly, we believe this helps us share and encourage the whole church family with the things God teaches us in our Life Groups!
This season, our life groups are practicing sharing Hope Stories and unpacking Jesus' call to follow Him as His disciples. We use Discovery Bible Study Method to have meaningful conversation around scripture.
We build around 4 pillars for gathering: Sharing meals often (weekly or monthly), practicing prayer and communion, sharing our HopeStories (ways God has been at work in every facet of our lives), and abiding with Jesus through His Word. In short, we practice following Jesus (scripture and practice together), being changed by Jesus (prayer and HopeStories), and doing what Jesus did (gathering as community, sharing the "good news" we hear in life groups).
Life Groups are the primary way we practice community, but not the only way! Check out other groups meeting at Hope Church, in Westerville and Central Ohio!