What is a Missional Community (i.e. a Providence Home Group)?

A missional community by nature is intended to be more than a typical bible study.  First, let’s be reminded what characteristics we should expect to see in your community group.

What should you expect as part of a missional community?

• A welcoming atmosphere for strugglers and real sinners  (Christ is for real sinners!)
• A family learning to live out of the Gospel
• A safe place to share your struggles, confess your sins, and expect to be pointed to Jesus.
• A family learning to celebrate grace!
• A place to be quick to listen and sympathize with another’s struggles, and respond with compassion and prayer, and if you can, practical help to meet the need. 
• A place to worship God by enjoying one another and God’s good gifts (new people, food, art, etc.)

As you can see, the Gospel is never static, but moves us into grateful action.  As we hear and believe the Gospel again and again,  the love of Christ working within our hearts energizes us to practical works of love.  We begin to ask, “What does loving my neighbor really look like?”  This means that we will also want to avoid anything in our community group that does not have this goal of Gospel motivation and love, thus...

What should you not expect in a missional community?

• A lengthy teaching monologue or lecture by one person
• An overly- academic group of theological debaters who don’t address matters/struggles of the heart, and how the Gospel applies to them (see I Cor.13:1)
• An affinity group to make you happy  (…although sweet fellowship in Christ should occur and will bring joy.)
• A place to have your every need met (…although as we serve one another in love, many of your true needs will be met, prayed for, and clarified.)

Read to get engaged in a home group?  Talk to someone at the connection table on Sunday or email