Introduction
The purpose of this document is to record a few general lessons we have learned as we have attempted to do small groups as a community over the past several years. Rather than a formal structure, what follows is more of a description of what a small group looks like in our community, a guidebook of sorts with more pictures than pure definitions. The following items are best practices within our small groups that have grown out of our six core values.

Purpose of Small Groups
We practice small groups as a way to follow Christ. As we follow Christ we have recognized six core values that, when pursued, help us follow him better. These six values are Growth, Discipleship, Redemption, Oneness, Family, and Authenticity. We do not see these as an end in and of themselves. Christ is the end, the values and small groups the means.

Some Thoughts On Commitment
We enter small groups with expectation, a sense of desire and hope. Consequently, we understand it requires a level of commitment to the idea of a small group, and specifically, to the people we are assigned with.  We participate in small groups voluntarily on the basis of this personal desire and hope, not on the basis of the hopes and desires of others.

Small Groups are assigned thoughtfully, and we participate based on commitment to the community, not the specific people or friendships we may have within the group.  Friendship is often the result of community, but is not a prerequisite for community. Commitment to one another and following Christ are primary.  We see small groups as an invitation to this commitment, and an opportunity to love and submit to one another.

Duration of Groups
We will decide the length of commitment prior to the start of the group, and everyone will know what length of time they will be committing to prior to the first meeting. Groupings of people will be temporary, having a specific beginning and ending point. Duration of each small group will be between 12-24 months (evaluated each cycle).

Freedom Within Structure 
It is the responsibility of the group members to decide how their group will function. Here are some practices that have contributed to healthy groups.

Creating Structure: action items

1). Set A Weekly Meeting Time
As a norm, groups will meet at the set time regardless of who can make it to the meeting time (even if it’s just two people).  All group members look to prioritize the group meeting time in their weekly calendar.

2). Shared Responsibility
We recognize that God places us in the Body for a purpose and therefore, we each have a contribution to make. The members will share the responsibility of the logistics of the group and decisions regarding:

• General format of the group (What takes place during the gathering time)
• Menu
• Meeting times
• How to meet the needs of the group members (kids, special diet needs, schedules, etc.)
• How the group will communicate logistics with each other
• Supplying items needed for the group to function (communion elements, plasticware, bibles etc.)
• Participating in the planning and initiative for large group gatherings

3). A Healthy Rhythm
The members of each group will decide how the group functions.  During their initial meetings, members will decide on a “normal” format for their group. This might need to change from time to time, but routine and forethought will lend itself to a stronger group experience. When deciding the rhythm of the group, all members need to be considered (infants, kids, teens, single adults, married adults, etc). Effort and sacrifice will be required to form a healthy rhythm.  This may not be achieved on the first attempt. It may take several weeks to add or adjust some aspect of the rhythm. Groups should expect to periodically evaluate “normal” and ask “Is this working?” or “Can we do things in a better way?”.

4). We Bring Ourselves
We’ll come back to this one (see more below).

A Healthy Rhythm: good ingredients

Certain elements will be included in every “normal” small group gathering. These include:

A Shared Meal

• The meal is an expression of love to each other and of God’s provision for us. Food is one of the most basic elements of survival. By sharing a meal, we are therefore sharing one of the most basic elements of our lives. We want to love each other and God through the sharing of food.
• It helps us remember that what we bring individually is key to what we will experience collectively; yet it also leaves room for the Spirit of God to work despite what we bring.
• A shared meal helps us practice relying on each other and providing for each other.

Communion

• We intentionally partake in the Lord’s supper together when we gather. We do this in obedience to his command and to help us focus on Christ in the midst of our gathering.
• We remember Him and what he has done for us during each small group meeting as a way to remind ourselves of His goodness and sufficiency.

Prayer

• When we gather together, we join in prayer (communion with God) as he leads us to.  Prayer together will be a part of each gathering.  Small groups should seek to develop their practice of prayer in a way that helps the group interact with God and express our faith in and dependence on Him.

Reading of the Scriptures

• We recognize that the Scriptures hold the wisdom of God, and we look to God to speak and guide us through His Word.
• The act of reading the Scriptures each week is one of our attempts to acknowledge God’s authority over our lives and our desire for Him to speak to us and lead us directly.

Time 

• We want to carve out enough time for each other. We recognize we cannot get at the things we are striving for without a commitment of time.  We will gather for long enough to connect each week.  This usually takes about 3 hours.
• We also recognize that we cannot expect everything we want to happen to occur during our weekly group time.  We need to strive to spend time together with each other outside of our normal time. Often this takes place in twos and threes.

Conversation

• We recognize the value of dialogue, and we make a place for it during our normal gathering.  This conversation is usually different from what takes place during our meals because it is often more focused and intentional in nature. The kids are not always present for all of this time so the adults can share some of their deeper struggles with each other.

What We Bring: we is just you & me

4). We Bring Ourselves (cont.)
Each of us are the building blocks that make up our community, building on Christ as the foundation.  Since we are connected, how we are nourished by the Spirit of God in our daily lives will affect how we experience Him collectively.  This can be seen in a number of ways:

• The degree to which we have a desire to grow
• The degree to which we are willing to commit to each other
• Our willingness to take initiative
• Our willingness to submit to one another
• Our desire to be authentic with one another

All of the above will directly shape the richness of our experience together.  We recognize our personal responsibility in these things. Christ invites us to come to each other with an open hand, to give ourselves and to receive others.  Our authenticity will reveal our ugliness or weakness at times.  And yet, when we share the condition of our souls, where we are really at, we are opened to God’s redemption.  It is in that place that Christ invites us to more.  Through His redemption, we are able to experience together the fullness of life in God.

Notes:
This document represents a lot of thinking and discussion. We did not attempt to create an exhaustive picture but rather tried to say the critical things simply. A few sections (eating together, communion, the place of the word) are represented by only a few statements. We wanted to say enough without feeling that everything needs to be said.

These thoughts came directly from two sources: The first is the week-to-week experience of participating in small groups for the past several years within the context of our community. Thus, our personal experience and the work of God in our personal lives collectively has informed this document. The second source has been the values discussions (which occurred Nov. 2011 through Sept. 2012). The particular meeting held by community members in July 2012 centered around the topic of small groups.  Its intent was to look at our values through the lens of small groups and vice versa.  The notes from that meeting yielded the first “Small Groups Best Practices” draft, and so the words and ideas of this document do not belong to one person.