What We Do in Life Groups

Since we are a single body, made up of many different and unique parts, every Life Group will have its own personality and needs.

Even within each group there may be a mix of ages, personalities and backgrounds… and we are absolutely thrilled about this!

The gospel has brought all of us together -young and old, married and single, rich and poor- all of us have been reconciled to God and to one another by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! (see Eph 2:11-22)

While every group will look and feel different, we are all committed to regularly implementing the 5 “elements” listed here. These elements don’t necessarily happen every week, but our goal is to make them regular occurrences as we gather together to grow and display the unifying love of Christ.

PRAYER & CONFESSION
Each meeting should have a time devoted to seeking the Lord in prayer and lifting up the needs and praises of the group members. This cannot be an afterthought, or something we relegate to the last few minutes of the night. We have the opportunity to converse with God – to praise him, confess our sin, ask for provision and listen for his response!

BIBLE STUDY
Each group should regularly have a time set aside for the study and application of the bible. You are strongly encouraged to follow the texts from Sunday morning, which helps unify all the life groups at Cornerstone around a common biblical focus. Leader guides will be emailed weekly, and sermon application questions will now be provided to everyone in the bulletin on Sunday mornings.

SERVICE
All believers are given special gifts to encourage and build up the body of Christ. As we meet together, we should constantly look for ways to help group members discern their spiritual gifts and use them to edify others. (Eph 4:11-16, 1Cor 12:27-31, Rom 12:3-8). This means serving and building up one another, and also looking for opportunities outside the group to serve together.

FELLOWSHIP & HOSPITALITY
Each group should regularly set aside time to enjoy relational connection and forge actual friendships. Groups are encouraged to eat meals together (BBQ’s, potlucks), including occasionally sharing the Lord’s Supper in the house setting. Likewise, groups are open to visitors at all times.

OUTREACH
Life Groups provide an amazing opportunity for outreach and evangelism! As we have already seen, our identity as God’s church makes us a “come and join us” people – so members are encouraged to invite their non-believing friends to be part of life groups.