The time has rolled around when our Life Groups launch for their fall season!
What exactly is a Life Group?
A “Life Group” is a small group of people who meet together on a regular basis to study the word of God, pray for one another, and get to know each other as they grow in their knowledge of God and seek to become more like Jesus. The groups can be as small as 6 or as large as 20, as space may allow. They may meet weekly, bi-weekly or monthly as well as get together for social events. Each group develops a “flavour” of its own, reflecting the personalities of those in the group, as people learn to live life Jesus’ way, loving one another.
Why does All Nations Church have Life Groups?
We believe that the biblical definition of community and fellowship happens outside of a Sunday morning. Carolyn Taketa puts it best when she says “When we look at the early church we get a picture of small communities of people who followed Jesus together. The Book of Acts, especially Acts 2:42-47, gives us a great picture of the early church and the components of biblical community, which encompassed both the “temple courts” and “house to house.”
These believers engaged in life together through teaching, fellowship, communion, prayer, miracles, radical generosity, and corporate worship. They spent time together eating, learning, celebrating, proclaiming the Good News, and supporting each other. In addition, the 50-plus “one another” verses in the New Testament flesh out other aspects of this community. For example, it was a place where people loved, forgave, served, bore burdens, encouraged, exhorted, prayed, equipped, spoke truth in love, confessed sins, and treated each other as precious members of one body.”
Why should you join a life group?
You’ll get to learn more about God
Life Groups allow an opportunity for you to learn from others about God and the Bible. Lifegroups can provide new perspectives, understanding, and clarity to life’s difficult questions. Questions that you felt initially you weren’t equipped to answer. Questions like, “why do bad things happen to good people?” or, “how can I believe everything the Bible says?” You will learn that oftentimes there’s a person or two who know the answer and are willing to share. If not, the beauty of Life Groups is exploring and discovering the answer together.
You’ll get to make deeper friendships
It’s easy in such a large church to just become a stranger to those around you. Life Groups give you the opportunity to be encouraged, be built up and be held accountable by others. Ecclesiastes 4:9 -10 says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” When you’re going through troubles in life, the friends in your Life Group can share that burden with you and pray for you.
You’ll be able to apply what you learn more effectively
If Sunday morning is for listening, then the rest of the week is for living. Whether it’s discussing the Sunday sermon, talking about a spiritual battle, or simply praying for one another, life groups create a context for you to live out your faith in real life. Our Life Group curriculum is tailored around applying Sunday’s message, giving you tangible action steps for your life.
How do I get involved?
If you are interested in joining a Life Group, we’d encourage you to email Michelle Ross, our Life Group Director at lifegroups@allnationschurch.ca. She will help you find a Life Group that is best suited for you! Or you can always call the office at 705-673-6110. God never intended for you to live the Christian life alone, so don’t hesitate to get involved and take the next step in your Christian journey.
