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While each small group at St. Mark’s takes on its own identity, we’ve discovered that it’s important for all groups to share a few common values. These values help groups stay connected to the vision, mission, and life of the church and keeps us unified and committed to one common goal – biblical community. They also help move us toward being the type of church described in Acts 2:42-47.
Love - Our Concern and Care for One Another
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34-35
It is Christian love that makes our groups distinctive and provides that sense of belonging that comes with community.
- Ideas:pray for one another, care for each other in time of crisis, celebrate life’s milestones, or surprise group members with unexpected acts of kindness.
Learn - Our Discovery of God and One Another
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18
Learning about God and our relationship with him is a key component of group life and helps us to grow individually as followers of Jesus Christ. Groups learn about Scripture, Christ, one another, and themselves as they read and discuss chosen study materials in the context of caring relationships.
- Ideas: select a popular Christian book to review, take notes from the weekend message and discuss them, choose a topical study – parenting, marriage, relationships, etc., pick a resource on a certain book in the Bible and do a verse-by-verse study, etc.
Serve - It's Not About Me, But One Another
“Faith by itself, if not accompanied by actions, is dead” James 2:17
Service is part of any growing Christ-follower's life. Because groups serve as vehicles for spiritual formation, they are encouraged to challenge their members to serve individually or as a group, whether serving one another, in the church, or in the community. It is in serving that we become the hands and feet of Jesus in the world and learn to turn our focus beyond ourselves.
- Ideas: Serve members of your group during a specific time of need. Serve together at St. Mark’s as an usher team, in the Atrium, or on a grounds maintenance day. It can also include serving the community at any of the agencies St. Mark's partners with for Inside Out.
Reach - Helping Others Discover What I Have
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”Matthew 28:19-20
Many of our groups are regularly open to new members throughout the year or at the beginning of a study. For those ongoing groups, taking in new people periodically causes them to take a fresh look at their group and also allows them to partner with the church in fulfilling its mission - “Connecting People to Christ and One Another”.
- Ideas: have the group create a prayer list of people needing to be connected, do a study on God’s heart for disconnected people, have a social gathering where group members invite friends/neighbors or others interested in getting connected in a small group, partner with and coach a newly forming group, bless and send a few members of the current group out to begin a new group, etc.
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