A church community group is a small group of Christians who meet regularly for fellowship, bible study, prayer, and mutual support. Community groups are a key way that church members can connect with one another, grow in their faith, and live out their Christianity in relationship.
The purpose of community groups is to facilitate deeper relationships between church members, so they can know each other, care for each other, and spur one another on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Community groups provide a setting for Christians to apply what they learn on Sundays to their everyday lives. Through study, discussion, and shared experiences, community groups aim to strengthen faith and equip believers to follow Jesus.
Community groups typically meet in homes, coffee shops, or church facilities. Groups range in size, but often have between 8-12 regular members. Some key components of a community group meeting include:
- Prayer – Lifting needs and praises up to God.
- Bible study – Reading and discussing scripture together.
- Fellowship – Sharing life experiences, building relationships.
- Accountability – Encouraging spiritual growth and right living.
- Service – Identifying ways to love and serve others.
Community groups may study books of the Bible, topical studies, or Christian books. But the emphasis is not just on studying information, but applying truth. The goal is that people will grow in Christ-likeness through the loving input of others. Community groups also provide care and support during difficult times. Meals, financial assistance, prayer, and other help can be offered to those with needs.
Meeting in a small group setting allows for more personal attention and fellowship than is possible in large church gatherings on Sundays. There is more opportunity to know others, share experiences, and speak into each others’ lives. As believers get to know each other and hear one another’s stories, they can better care for each other emotionally and spiritually.
Community groups facilitate mutual discipleship. In this setting, every person can participate in discussion rather than relying on one teacher. As Christians share insights, experiences and struggles, they encourage one another to press on in faith. Some benefits of this mutual ministry include:
- Deepening understanding of scripture
- Praying for real needs
- Gaining new perspectives
- Building supportive relationships
- Developing gifts like teaching, leadership, encouragement
- Practicing accountability and confession of sin
- Cultivating empathy and compassion
In the New Testament, we see the concept of community groups modeled in the early church. Acts 2:42-47 describes believers who regularly gathered in homes for prayer, fellowship, sharing meals, and meeting needs. They ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God (Acts 2:46-47). The one-another commands in the New Testament epistles also envision mutual ministry in the context of community.
Jesus said that his followers would be known by their love for one another (John 13:35). Practicing hospitality and care in the context of community groups is one way we can fulfill this. Community groups aim to embody the description in Acts 2:42 of being devoted to one another, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. The unity and sincerity of the early church community led to them having favor with all people and the Lord adding to their number daily (Acts 2:47).
While community groups meet to care for existing members, they should also have a missional aspect – seeking ways to show hospitality and serve others in need outside the group. This provides opportunities for believers to live out their faith and for others to experience the love of Christ through their good deeds. By loving and serving their communities together, community groups can make the gospel attractive to those who don’t yet believe.
Here are some key Bible verses about fellowship and community in the New Testament church:
Acts 2:42 – They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Romans 12:10 – Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
1 Peter 4:9 – Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Ephesians 4:2 – Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Galatians 6:2 – Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Church community groups aim to live out these “one another” commands – building each other up, honoring one another, bearing burdens, encouraging, and spurring each other on to love. This type of fellowship and mutual ministry was integral to the life of the early church.
In summary, a church community group is:
- A small group of Christians
- Who meet regularly for fellowship, bible study, prayer, and service
- To grow together in faith, care for each other, and encourage one another
- Provides a setting for closer relationships and accountability
- Enables members to apply biblical truth to their lives
- Models the caring community we see in the early church
Church leaders should make community groups a core component of church life rather than an optional extra. While Sunday services have great value, it is in the context of biblical community that people can best walk out the Christian life. Community groups help believers live out their identity in Christ and make visible the reality of the kingdom of God.
Through the mutual ministry that happens in community groups, members are equipped to use their spiritual gifts and fulfill their calling to make disciples. They learn to imitate Jesus by washing feet – humbly serving one another and laying down their lives for one another. This is how we show we are His disciples (John 13:35).
The habits formed through community group participation equip believers to go out and live on mission in their neighborhoods and networks. The surrounding community benefits when Christians are known for their love and good deeds. By loving their neighbors and meeting needs, community group members can powerfully demonstrate the gospel.
There are challenges involved in facilitating authentic biblical community. It requires vulnerability, sacrifice, and laying aside selfishness in order to truly know others and be known. Community group members must offer grace to one another. There will be seasons of messiness as people share struggles and confess sins. But it is in the context of grace and truth that lives are transformed.
Satan will try to disrupt real fellowship and sow discord because he knows the power of united believers (1 Peter 5:8, John 17:20-23). But when Christians persevere in love – forgiving offenses, bearing with weaknesses, and spurring each other on – the body is built up and God receives glory.
Leaders play a key role in helping cultivate healthy community group dynamics. They prayerfully invite a mix of people, set an agenda to keep discussions focused, delegate responsibilities, watch for isolation or cliques, and model servant leadership.
Meeting consistently is important – even through busy seasons. Establishing regular patterns provides stability and continuity for building relationships over time. Long lasting community can’t be developed only through large annual or biannual events. The shared journey of walking through daily life together knits hearts closely.
Multiplying groups is also key for ongoing outreach. As groups grow, they should multiply to incorporate new people rather than just enlarging existing groups. This provides more leadership development opportunities and allows more intimate fellowship as people meet in smaller circles.
In Acts, we see the church multiplying as the Lord added to their numbers daily (Acts 2:47). The early church met together in the temple courts but also broke bread in their homes, eating together with glad and sincere hearts (Acts 2:46).
So church leaders should aim to emulate New Testament principles – preaching to the large gathering, but also cultivating smaller communities for fellowship and mutual growth. As believers grow in character and conviction through community groups, they become more effective witnesses sharing and living out the gospel.
Community groups play a vital role in establishing believers in the faith and training faithful disciples who obey Christ’s commands. Through the friendships, accountability, and service experiences in community groups, Christians are equipped to walk out their calling and utilize their gifts in the body of Christ.
The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. We need each other. God has called believers together into local church communities and small groups where they can demonstrate His kingdom and grow to maturity in Christ (Hebrews 10:24-25). This is discipleship in action.
Are you part of a community group at your church? If not, take initiative and contact a leader about joining one. Contribute to discussion but also listen and ask questions. Bond over shared interests and experiences. Look for ways to participate in service projects or outreach events together. Share contact info and offer to pray for each other during the week when needs arise. God desires that we know and be known by our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Don’t view community group merely as an extra social outlet. Approach it as essential to your spiritual growth and health. Make it a priority to meet consistently. Arrive ready to give and receive biblical counsel. God’s word promises that as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). You need the loving input and fellowship of other believers to become more like Christ. And they need you too.
Building authentic relationships takes time and consistency. Stay even when it gets uncomfortable or messy. Offer grace and forgiveness. Disagree humbly and speak the truth in love. Practice hospitality and care for the hurting. Pray for each other. Bear one another’s burdens. Spur each other on to good deeds. Grow together in godliness and mission.
As we devote ourselves to studying the Bible, praying, fellowship, and eating together with sincerity and gladness, we bear witness to God’s kingdom. Non-believers notice and are drawn to the love, joy and peace evident in genuine Christian community. Continue meeting together for mutual growth and outreach until Christ returns.
Additional Bible Verses about Fellowship and Community:
Romans 15:5-7 – May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
1 John 1:3-7 – We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Acts 4:32-35 – All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Colossians 3:12-17 – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
1 Corinthians 12:25-26 – so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
2 Corinthians 13:11 – Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Philippians 2:1-4 – Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
1 Peter 1:22 – Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.