LIFE GROUPS
True and lasting spiritual growth happens in healthy relationships, which is why our goal is to cultivate believers into mature Christians through relationship-driven, small-group Bible studies.
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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.