Our vision for Home Groups is: “believing is belonging.”  This Home Group vision sees each believer at NewLife as having the opportunity to be a part of and invited into a healthy Home Group.    

Home group values are fellowship, discipleship and outreach. 

-fellowship defined as building community, giving and accepting support, sharing faith experiences.

-discipleship involving Bible Study, Prayer, and each group at some point, going through church approved “Teaching the Basics” of biblical truth

-outreach meaning growth,

…the proverbial “empty chair” reminds the group of the need to invite others, and

…growth assumes the ongoing need for new groups with qualified leaders who have been “shadowing” group leaders with a view to leading a future group.  

NewLife Community Church Home Groups, will compliment Sunday Worship Service and other small group initiatives, through providing individual, relational connecting points in an informal and intimate setting.

-individuals will be directed toward NewLife Home Groups as a natural follow up for newcomers, who may have been introduced to the church, and participated in Alpha, various larger group Bible Studies, Men’s Breakfasts, other specialized NewLife Support Groups and individual mentoring.

-in some cases, it may serve the purpose of the Home Group to encourage individual group members with highly specialized needs, to move into a specialized Support Group, that can more

directly meet their needs.

Meet in a Home – HOST

-with host responsibilities determined by the group at its inception

Need a Leader/Facilitator

-who loves the Lord, keeps things moving and on track

-looks to sharing leadership with a co-leader, who in time becomes a leader/facilitator

Develop Group Identity and Purpose

-fellowship, care, Bible Study, Prayer, build community

-the church support system

-connecting people

-a fertile setting for the reproduction of Spiritual Fruit (Galatians 5)

-a natural setting for the identifying, affirmation and exercise of Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4)

-decide how often to meet

Develop Evening Format

-begin with informal time, visiting till all have arrived

-formal teaching time, Bible Study (good time to go through church approved “Teaching the Basics” of biblical truth or to use RightNow Media resources)

-prayer time

-refreshments

-departure, respecting everyone’s schedule especially the hosts

Empty Chair

-where there is always room for one more

-keeping the group alive and aware of the need for new blood

The following are some helpful considerations for the group when choosing a Bible Study. 

• 1.    Focus on Bible study not the latest “hot” topic in someone’s book.
• 2.    Use the inductive method of study: Observation, Interpretation, Application.
• 3.    How much time you can commit to studying and preparing, as a leader or your group members.
• 4.    Choose a Bible study that you can handle, something that interests you and will help you grow.
• 5.    NewLife Community Church would like each group, at some point, to go through church approved “Teaching the Basics” of biblical truth.  
• 6.    If you choose a video-driven study, make sure it inspires you to learn for yourself from personal Bible study and do not depend on gifted teachers to give you all the truth.