Small GroupsAdults
While Christ accepts us as we are, He doesn't expect us to stay there. When we are saved, we are saved, not just for heaven, but for a better life here and now. God created us in His image, but when we sinned we lost that image. Christ died for us so that image can be restored.
We believe it when the Apostle Paul writes, "Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come!" Now for any of us who trust Jesus, we seek to live out who God says we are -- new creations.
Our adult ministries are designed to help people grow in their walk toward Christ-likeness. We believer spiritual growth can be measured by one thing -- love. When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, he answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength...and your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:36-40) If it was that simple for Jesus, it's that simple for us.
So we ask three simple questions:
- Are people growing in love toward God?
- Are they growing in their love toward other believers?
- Are they growing in their relationship with people far from God?
Our desire is to have a community of people who are continually growing in love in their three relationships. In order to grow, we believe we need three things: knowledge, practice and community.
Knowledge
First, we need to learn about God, ourselves, the world, and how they relate to each other. We have discipleship classes and Bible studies are are intended to give people the knowledge they need to grow.
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." -- 2 Peter 3:18
Practice
The book of James makes it clear that faith (or belief) without works is dead. That's why we put a premium on practicing our faith. If we only hear the Word of God, but don't actually do it, we will soon forget anyway. An intellectual thought doesn't make anyone a Christian. But true belief is proved out in our actions. So we have determined we will teach nothing --whether by sermon, class, or Bible study -- without giving people practical opportunities to live it out in their lives.
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."
-- James 1:22-25
Community
People need each other. It's the way we grow. Too many people try to do it alone, saying faith is a private matter. But that runs contrary to the teachings of the Bible. When we join in the community of believers, we receive support, encouragement, and accountability to become like Christ. St. Augustine said, "He can not have God for his Father who will not have the Church for his mother." We need each other. That's why we seek to put people in community with each other through small groups, ABF's and mentoring relationships.
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." -- Hebrews 10:25
Our goal is to provide opportunities for all three aspects of growth.