Guidelines for Groups

Thank you for joining a community group! We hope you feel welcomed and loved as you participate in a group this year. Community groups provide a place to grow in your faith and friendship. Group activities typically include sermon-based discussion, Bible study, prayer, food, and more (Ac 2:42). Groups are a vital part of the Christian life. Why? Because we are far better together! If you join a group, you are agreeing to the following guidelines:

1. Respect yourself.

  • Do not share anything you are not comfortable sharing. As groups get more comfortable with each other, honesty and vulnerability will grow as trust is earned. 
  • Feel free to contribute when you are led. The Holy Spirit works in every Christian, and whatever you have to share will most likely encourage others in the group. You do not have to be a Bible scholar or a “super Christian” to share what is on your heart!

2. Respect others.

  • Do not gossip. Do not discuss potentially sensitive issues or prayer requests outside the group setting. Our groups must be a place of safety for all. If you are unsure if you should share something about someone else, don’t do it! This goes for within the group, too. Don’t share something confidential in the group about someone who is not there unless you have express permission from them first.
  • Maintain healthy boundaries. Do not interrupt others while they are speaking. Do not touch others in an unwanted or inappropriate manner. Do not flirt with anyone other than your spouse. Treat others as brothers and sisters or mothers and fathers, with absolute purity (1Ti 5:1-2). Report any boundary issues between group members to a leader, pastor, or elder immediately.
  • Do not overshare. Be mindful of the limited time of the group and allow as many people to contribute as possible, even if a certain topic or discussion means a lot to you personally.
  • When conflict arises, be respectful and gentle, remembering that it's often ok to agree to disagree. There are many secondary issues upon which Christians can have differing opinions. Being quarrelsome is not the fruit of the Spirit. If sin is involved, seek reconciliation (Mt 18:15-17), if it is possible (Ro 12:17-21), but seek to restore the person gently (Gal 6:1). Make sure you value your relationship more than being right.
  • One of the most important requirements for group members is confidentiality. Nothing breaks trust like finding out something painful or sensitive you shared in confidence is now public knowledge. However, one exception to confidentiality in a group is if someone is in physical danger (abuse, suicidal ideation, etc.). If a situation like this arises in discussion, the leader must immediately report this to a pastor.

3. Respect the meeting place.

  • Be respectful of the home, business, church, or wherever your group is meeting. Clean up after yourself and your children. Be friendly and generous to staff or other customers in public. Remember, you are an ambassador for Christ and our church.
  • Try to leave around the designated ending time to respect the time of everyone in the group and the host's hospitality. If you want to keep talking, go get ice cream, take a walk, or host an after-party!

4. Respect the group.

  • Show up as much as you are able. Other commitments or emergencies can get in the way occasionally, but with relationships, you reap what you sow. The more the group is a priority, the better it will be!
  • Be prompt and respectful with communication. Be open and humbly willing to learn from others. Be quick to forgive, quick to serve, and slow to get angry. And have fun! This is what life is all about