LIFE GROUPS
Relationships are integral to Northside culture, as we believe spiritual growth thrives within healthy Christian relationships. Life Groups embody this vision by engaging people relationally through four key objectives: reaching people for God’s kingdom by fostering outreach and welcoming everyone; keeping people through genuine relationships by intentionally connecting newcomers and nurturing ongoing relationships; teaching God’s Word with Bible-centered, transformative curriculum; and ministering to people with God’s love through compassionate care during times of need.
Life Groups are Northside’s primary means of building Christian community, combining intimacy with growth by expanding through small, relationship-based Bible studies. Modeled after Jesus’ ministry (Matthew 9:35-36), Life Groups are designed to flexibly adapt to members’ needs, meeting at various times and locations, and employing diverse study formats. Each group maintains its unique personality yet consistently prioritizes the core objectives of reaching, keeping, teaching, and ministering, ensuring a cohesive mission across diverse gatherings.
FAQs
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Christian community is an essential part of the discipleship process. The primary strategy for fostering Christian community at Northside is through Life Groups—relationship-based, small-group Bible studies. Simply put, Life Groups enable Northside to grow large and small at the same time. Life Groups keep the church small and intimate, no matter how many people are a part of it. The larger Northside grows, the more Life Groups are formed, thus maintaining intimacy and community among a multitude of members.
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In Matthew 9:35-36, we read that Jesus routinely ministered by teaching in gathering places of the cities and villages, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, healing those who were sick and diseased, and being moved with compassion for the people. Taking our cue from Jesus’ model of ministry, Northside’s Life Groups are designed to accomplish four specific tasks:
To REACH People for God’s Kingdom
To KEEP People through Genuine Relationships
To TEACH People God’s Word
To MINISTER to People with God’s Love
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Life Groups can take whatever shape and personality that best accomplishes those four tasks for those in their group.
Life Groups can meet whenever and wherever best fits the needs of the group. Some groups meet during a worship hour on Sunday morning, while others meet on an evening during the week. Some groups use a classroom or meeting area on the Northside campus, others meet in a member’s home or office, and others meet at a local restaurant or coffee shop.
Life Groups can study the Bible and minister in whatever form is most relevant and beneficial for the lives of its members. Some groups use a curriculum that focuses on a book-by-book study of the Scriptures, while others use a study that is based on a particular topic of interest to the group. Some enjoy discussing a chapter of a book the group is reading each week, while others want verse-by-verse exposition of a Bible passage, and others prefer a video lesson followed by discussion.
Life Groups are encouraged to take the shape that best fits the personality and ministry needs of its members, so long as it remains centered around the core objectives: reach, keep, teach, and minister. Like children with the same parents, Life Groups are different but made up of the same DNA.
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Figuring out which Life Group is right for you is not complicated. It’s a matter of answering some simple questions. To begin the search for the Life Group for you, just click on the link below to answer a few questions. Based on your answers, we will learn together which group or groups may be the best fit for you.
Life Group Pillars
Reach People
for God’s Kingdom
By fostering a missional mindset displayed by outreach efforts
By facilitating common ground so that the gospel can be heard
By offering a standing invitation that welcomes anyone, anywhere, at any time to get plugged in
Keep People Via Genuine Relationships
By helping to initiate relationships with newcomers
By helping to grow and mature relationships among engaged members
By maintaining intentional contact with all members
Minister to People with God’s Love
By initiating care for its members during times of suffering, need, and celebration
By communicating with group members and the Pastoral Care Ministry about a person’s ministry need
Teach People God’s Word
By making Bible study a significant part of gatherings
By using curriculum that is biblical, challenging, and relevant
By focusing on transformation more than information