Foundation: we are developing a customized blend.
IMPORTANT:
Trellis and Vine - shifting focus
Community - mission, structure
Insider - relational ministry, serving right where you are, current spheres
A Meal With Jesus - the holiness and open arms expressed by eating together

RESOURCES: books, themes, ideas, training

LEADERSHIP: encourage you to find
"people worth watching"

TEAM: we belong to one another and need one another

Community has been given us by God, and finds its origin in the intimate fellowship of the Trinity.

Our community groups (life groups) exist to reflect God - to image God.

We are not importing Mars Hill's means and methods, but Community is providing solid shaping of our thinking,

Common answers to the “why we do community”

- Discipleship
- Care
- Friendship
- Church growth.

They are byproducts. They are fruit of healthy, gospel-centered community

Fruit isn't the reason.

The reason is to image God and proclaim the good news of what Jesus has accomplished on the cross.

What are the attributes of a disciple?

- Find identity in Jesus
- Worship Jesus
- Care for one another
- Spur toward godliness
- Own the mission to see people know Jesus.

A group of disciples living in community should exhibit the same attributes.

Living in healthy community provides this kind of structure

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"A Meal With Jesus" by Tim Chester

There are three things the Gospels say that the "Son of Man" came to do.

Jesus' strategy frequently involved welcoming people by eating with them.

The book develops each of these as a chapter. There is so much significance to sharing lives together around a meal.

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A handout from Mars Hill about being intentional with your life or community group.

This particularly applies to being intentional about sharing the wealth - that is, looking around your neighborhood or spheres to see who the small group can touch for the Lord.

This includes prayer.

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Taking time to listen to one another:

- What has been effective in your discipleship/group ministries in the past.

- Your dreams or thoughts about possible future ministry you want to do.

- Mutual encouragement.

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There will always be a prayer time planned in huddle meetings. Without prayer - seeking the help of the Lord - being filled with the Spirit - why would we attempt any of this?

These are not the reasons for doing groups:

- "We always have"
- "It's what successful churches do"
The question to ask is not "how can we get more people in groups?" It is: "Why are we doing community?" (That is, keeping the foundational reasons always in view.)

A smattering of many resources that are available.

(Go to kindle to show books)

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