Why small groups? Why do we choose to be a church of small groups?

Fragmented lives—people used to develop close relationships with people at church, in the neighborhood, and at work. Today we live such fragmented lives that we spend little time with other people. Small groups allow us to be known as complete persons.

Relationships—if people are to function as God intended, there must be an intentional effort to improve relationships with others. This is best accomplished as people gather together in small groups for personal care and support.

Interdependency—just as there is interdependency among the parts of the human body, so there is interdependency among the members of the body of Christ (the church). Small groups are a microcosm of the body working together.

Evolving family structures—the natural intergenerational community, when all of the family generations lived together, is gone. Small groups provide a para-family structure where people can receive love and care they no longer receive from families who may live far away.

New Testament pattern—the early church met in homes for their spiritual growth and to reach new people for Jesus Christ (Acts 2:46). "I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes" (Acts 20:20).

Disappearing neighborhoods—in new housing developments the first things to go up are the privacy fences. People resist becoming involved with neighbors but miss the feeling of community. Small groups bring people into touch with each other and provide a sense of accountability.

Serving one another—the Bible contains numerous "one another" commands, such as, "serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). God's intent in these Bible verses is to set forth a way of life for his people. The best way to give practical expression to the "one another" commands is in small groups.

Hurried lifestyles—people often live at breakneck speeds in our hurried culture. As a result, people have fewer and fewer long-term, close friends. Small groups help us build lasting friendships that enhance Christian growth.

Imitating Jesus—he modeled the necessity for close personal friends in his ministry. He needed a small support group around him as he faced the cross. Just before he went to pray, he revealed his deep inner feelings to his small group (Matthew 26:36-38).

Power of working together—the combined strength of two is greater than two times the strength of one. Two working together can accomplish more than two working alone. A church of small groups enjoys the power that comes from loving God, loving others, and serving the world together.