What are groups?
At West Side Community Church, we aren’t a church with groups, we aren’t even a church of groups. We believe that the church IS groups. We see groups as the primary expression of the church. On Sunday, we gather visibly together in worship and witness and then through the week, we scatter invisibly together in worship and witness. One of the ways we talk about it is by saying that: Groups are foundational to our life together; our life together is essential to our witness; and witness is our primary identity. At the end of the day, we see groups – the gathering together of believers and unbelievers in pockets across the city and throughout Leelanau and Grand Traverse County – as our primary strategy for building up God’s people and reaching out to those far from God in the neighborhood and among the nations.
Why should I join a group?
Groups are a place where you can be known, cared for and growing in the Christian life. They are where the head, heart and hands can synch up and we can live the Jesus way, believe the Jesus truth and experience the Jesus life together. You should join a group because the primary way that we experience growth in grace, wisdom and the formation of our character is through community.
Where are the groups meeting?
Click on a pin to find more information about each group.
What does it mean to be a group leader?
Group Leaders will be those responsible for cultivating sacred space where you can meet with the risen Christ. They are mature disciples who abide in Christ, practice integrity in every sphere of their lives, they are committed to the regular pattern of meeting together, are constantly learning in humble dependence upon the Lord for His sufficiency and are willing to allow the power of Jesus Christ to work powerfully in them. Finally, leaders are developers of leaders. Leaders are thinking about who God is working in and through so that when the group grows, there is a leader who can step forward to continue the work of teaching, caring, equipping and sending people.
Leaders will be responsible for preparing to lead the “family gathering” or group. They are expected to facilitate discussion, to ensure that the group shares in the work of communication, care, hospitality, outreach, and equipping. And they are required to meet on occasion with staff to ensure that leaders are always learners and to provide them an opportunity to be care for and helped in their own work of making disciples. The church leaders are a resource to group leaders and together work to follow Jesus and to respond to his leading of West Side.
NOTE: Groups meet in trimesters where there is a pattern of meeting for 12 weeks and breaking for 4 weeks. Further, every August we take a break to get ready for the next year of ministry together (which begins for us in September). This allows groups to have opportunity to engage in other parts of church life, to serve, to rest, to be refreshed, to be trained & equipped and to participate in mission trips around the world etc. Since groups are so integral, we want to ensure they are well done and well led by healthy leaders. So, we see a great responsibility in caring for and supporting our leaders.