Life Groups- Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions you might have about Life Groups:
How Do Our Life Groups Differ From Traditional Small Groups?
What Does It Mean to Experience God's BEST?
Can anyone participate in a Community Life Group?
Where do the Community Life Groups meet?
How often do Community Life Groups meet?
How do I get signed up with a Community Life Group?
Can I visit a Life Group before joining one?
What do you mean by a "church of Community Life Groups?"
What is the long-term expectation of the Life Group for mission?
What kind of material will the Life Groups study?
How can empty nesters relate to and be in a group with young couples with children?
How Do Our Life Groups Differ From Traditional Small Groups?
Our Community Life Groups (CLG) want to take the traditional "small groups" that are seen in most churches today beyond developing intimacy and fellowship. Let's take a closer look:
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Traditional Small Groups |
Community Life Groups |
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Experience Routine |
Experience Transformation |
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It's All About the Meeting |
It's About Life Beyond the Meeting |
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The Goal is Intimacy & Fellowship |
Intimacy & Fellowship a Means to the Goal of Serving & Testifying |
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A Small Group Structure That People Serve |
A Structure That Serves People |
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One of Many Ministries (Complex) |
Many Ministries in One (Simplex) |
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Scheduled Meetings |
Unscheduled Meetings and Gatherings |
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Centralized Ministry (Chain of Command) |
Decentralized Ministry (Independence) |
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Members Spread Out Over Community |
Members Share Local Community |
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Share Principles |
Share Possessions |
Community Life Groups are organized by distinct areas throughout the community in which we live. They not only gather regularly for fellowship and biblical learning, but they exist to enable more spontaneous "life together experiences." Think of the people in your Life Group as your next door neighbor or someone who lives nearby where you can easily get together for a variety of reasons (i.e. take a walk, assist in home projects, childcare, emergencies, prayer, helping neighbors, having dinners, etc.).
Community Life Groups are the primary point of involvement for every member of Creekside Community Church, in which life together and ministry are centralized. Everyone who is a member at Creekside recognizes that we are in this valley for a reason. We are on a mission field. As a church, we are on a mission to build up people and to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry (Great Commission), which can only be accomplished once we first love God and one another (Great Commandment).
What Does It Mean to Experience God's BEST?
The purpose of Community Life Groups is to experience God's BEST:
- Building up of one another in love and encouragement
- Equipping of one another to be used by God in ministry
- Serving others in our body and the world around us
- Testifying about God's faithfulness in our own lives and the new life He can give to others
Building up of one another in love and encouragement
We believe:
- We are on this earth to love God and to love others (Great Commandment- Matthew 22:37-38)
- The richest experience of the Christian life is to be found in caring, authentic relationships where you experience life together
- God longs for His people to be united in spirit and purpose (Ephesians 4:1-7)
Therefore, we are committed to:
- Connecting people through Community Life Groups, where Creekside does life together
- Cultivating an attitude of welcome, openness, and inclusion in our church body; creating clear and easy pathways for new people to belong
Equipping of one another to be used by God
We believe:
- All of Scripture is true, authoritative, and applicable to all of life
- Teaching the Scriptures is the primary way to equip people with an accurate understanding of God
- We are called by God to minister to others and proclaim His message of new life to the ends of the earth...starting right here at home (Great Commission- Matthew 28: 19-20)
Therefore, we are committed to:
- Providing a variety of settings in which people can experience good, solid teaching from God's Word (preaching, classes, Life Groups, etc.)
- Teaching that is clear, accurate, transparent, and relevant
- Training up people to use their spiritual gifts
Serving others in our body and the world around us
We believe:
- Followers of Christ are called to be servants, to live out the reality of putting others first (Romans 12:10)
- Every Christian is gifted by God to make a unique and powerful contribution to the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7a,11)
Therefore, we are committed to:
- Modeling servant hood, starting with those in leadership, not just as an activity but a way of life
- Equipping, empowering, and releasing each person to understand their gifts and use them in ministry in the church and in our community
Testifying about God's faithfulness in our own lives and the new life He can give to others
We believe:
- The sharing of our faith is a shared responsibility in reaching the lost
- Our ultimate act of service is to continue the works of Jesus Christ in proclaiming the Kingdom of God is at hand and that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6)
Therefore, we are committed to:
- Partnering together through the body and life groups to encourage and give accountability to reaching those God puts on our hearts
- Providing opportunities to serve the body and the world around you in order to do the works God has called you to do
What is a Life Group Host?
A Community Life Host is there to provide direction, leadership, and shepherding for their Life Group. A Life Group Host Couple or Individual is required to go through training to be equipped with the tools and resources needed for leading an effective Life Group. A Life Group Host must be a member of Creekside Community Church and be able to communicate the vision of this ministry clearly to the group members. They must assist in helping their Life Group experience God's BEST (Building, Equipping, Serving, Testifying).
Can anyone participate in a Life Group?
Our goal is for everyone who attends Creekside Community Church to be connected in a Community Life Group. In addition, anyone in your community can participate in gathering in fellowship. Life Groups are for everyone, regardless of ages and stages of life.
Where do the Life Groups Meet?
Life Groups meet at Host Couples and/or Individual's homes in designated areas in your community. They might also have spontaneous gatherings outdoors, a restaurant, church...there are unlimited possibilities of where the groups may choose to meet.
How Often Do Life Groups Meet?
Community Life Groups will be encouraged to meet regularly the first three weeks of each month, with the fourth week being allotted for personal or family time. The fifth week will be dedicated as a special event week where a social, serving, or witnessing event is planned.
How Do I Get Connected with a Life Group?
Indicate on the Focus card you are given at each Sunday service that you are interested in being in a Life Group and someone at Creekside will contact you. You may also contact the Community Life Director, Kerri Sadigh, at 925-820-9031 or e-mail us at .
Can I Visit a Life Group Before Joining One?
YES! If you are new to Creekside or just want to check out what Life Groups are all about, feel free to contact the church to find out which ones are in your area. We want to make sure you are in a Life Group that you are excited about and will enjoy!
Is Childcare Provided?
While the church does not provide childcare, each group determines together how to best handle the care and/or inclusion of children. Contact the Community Life Group Host in your area for specific information. Some group members get together to hire a babysitter for their children. Each group will setup a childcare process that meets the current needs of the group. How we view children in the life of our groups is a critical concern, which we want to help groups address.
What Do You Mean by a "church of Life Groups?"
A church of Community Life Groups is one committed to having each person in the church experience community life together; regardless of what ministry they are a part of or where they serve. It means having a church that primarily conducts its ministry through the vehicle of Life Groups with opportunities to build up each other, equip, serve, and give testimony.
What is the Long-term Expectation of the Life Group for Mission?
Because we encourage all groups to be open to all, we expect that over time groups will grow in size. We want to multiply the number of people being led to Christ and experiencing life together! We highly value people being led to Christ and experiencing life together in our Community Life Groups. We desire to help groups experience growth and the birthing of new groups in a healthy and positive way.
What Kind of Curriculum Do the Life Groups Study?
Click Here to view our Life Group Curriculum page.
If we are organized according to where we live, does that mean that I will be limited in developing other relationships outside of my area?
No, we are not suggesting that you can only develop relationships with your Life Group members and not the larger Christian community. God has called us to love everyone and we encourage you to still build up the relationships you have with others in and outside of the body. We are challenging the Life Groups to reach the lost in their areas where they live as those will be the easiest to reach due to proximity. Our desire at Creekside is to see people invest in their communities in which they live!
What if I end up in a group with people I normally would not choose to be around or, even worse, someone whom I have a difficult time relating too?
Seize this opportunity because God will use it! God sends us tests of faith just when we need them the most and, perhaps, He wants to work in your heart with what it means to have patience or to love others who are difficult to love. Remember, God has called us to love our enemy more so than our loved ones. (Matthew 5: 44-45) We want Life Groups to be a positive experience for all.
How can empty nesters relate to and be in a group with young couples with children?
Just as Jesus has taught us not to promote clicks, He also shows us that each person is important regardless of age or life stage. Creekside has chosen not to facilitate the barrier between empty nesters and couples with children. We seek to have an intergenerational ministry to cross these barriers. However, we still encourage you to fellowship with people who are in the same life stage as you to share in experiences. One of the key benefits from an intergenerational ministry is that there is always wisdom that can be shared between people of different generations to be exposed to a variety of viewpoints on issues. Perhaps an empty nester might be able to pass on their earlier experiences to a young couple with children.
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