Home Groups

One of our values at The Gathering is that “Your present should not isolate you.” This is a big statement with an equally big SHOULD. The reality is, we have never been more “connected” yet we have never felt so “isolated” as a society.

That is why our goal is that everyone at The Gathering joins a Home Group. A Home Group is simply a group of 6-15 people that meet in a home and help ensure that everyone has someone encourage them through the ups and downs of life. Every Home Group has the same D.N.A.

The "DNA" of Home Groups

  • Discover Jesus

    Each group will spend significant time reading the Bible, discussing the sermon, and sharing what we all are learning about Jesus.

  • Nurture Community

    A large part of the group is simply nurturing community. Yet what does that mean? A community is a group of people that supports and cares for each other. This does not mean we all become best friends, but that we are known and care for by others and help others feel known and cared for by us, whether or not we click or are best friends. 

  • Act in Obedience

    Knowledge alone is never enough to help us grow and change. It is the appropriate and consistent application of knowledge that leads to growth and health. That is why at every Home Group, we all will walk away with one thing we are going to try and do/change in order to follow Jesus and discover the made for more life he promises in John 10:10.

Common Myths about Home Groups

There are a lot of common myths that surround this idea of small groups, home groups, life groups, whatever you want to call them. Here are several we have identified that we want to address right up front:

    1. The church is not a friend matching service. Our mission and purpose is to help you find that made for more life in Jesus. You cannot do that alone. You need others helping you, encouraging you, supporting you, and assisting you as you follow Jesus. 

    2. These people may or may not become your best friends. Friendship could very well be a by-product of being in one of our groups, but is isn’t the main goal. The main goal is that you are cared for and supported by other people as you try and follow Jesus through the ups and downs of life. 

  • Our philosophy of Home Groups is that they should be closed for a season, and open for a season. We will open all Home Groups every August and January so that everyone has the opportunity to join a group. We want no one to walk alone through life. After new people join groups, we will then close the groups for the remainder of the semester.  The purpose of closing the group is so that that unique group of people have the opportunity to build trust and camaraderie in order to share openly and honestly the highs and lows of life. Our Home Groups typically take the summers off. 

  • While a component of our home groups will be reading the Bible and discussing it, the main purpose is not to acquire more knowledge about the Bible. The main purpose of our groups is that you grow as a follower of Jesus by putting into practice the things you are learning about in the Sunday sermon and from the passage of scripture you read during Home Group. That is why our Home Groups are more about sharing what struck you from the sermon, how you are going to change your life because of it, and then ensuring everyone has a group of people supporting them and encouraging them as they try to follow Jesus. 

  • It is important to figure out a plan for childcare because it is hard to truly be vulnerable and not get distracted with your kids running amuck. Because of this, we have created a childcare decision tree that helps you think of creative solutions to figure out childcare. The reality is, if you want a group of people to support and encourage each other bad enough through the ups and downs of life, you will figure it out. Don’t let childcare be the excuse that keeps you isolated from others. 

  • Our Home Groups are not meant to be together for forever. They actually should multiply and start a new group about every 2-3 years. Once you are in one Home Group, you should not remain in that group for forever. Every summer creates a natural break to reconsider what group you are in and if your group needs to branch out and start a new group. Remember, the only way to ensure everyone has a home group is that we must multiply every home group into more groups again and again and again. 

I want to join a group