Fellowship and Small Groups

Fellowship and Small Groups Adult fellowship

Formal and Informal

Genuine fellowship is one of Center Grove's strengths and occurs in many ways, both formal and informal—including at the church building and in homes, over a cup of coffee, while doing mercy ministry, while studying the Bible, while playing basketball—just to name a few.

Breadth and Depth

In addition to Men's and Women's Bible Studies, Women in the Church groups, a Fellowship and Outreach Ministry for the teens, and recreational activities that provide opportunities for fellowship, we encourage all members and all who attend regularly to participate in a Care Group led by one of the elders.

Care Groups

The primary focus of our Care Groups is supporting and building up one another, that is, sharing each others' lives. While Sunday School classes and other training opportunities are valuable and necessary for spiritual growth, we also recognize the need to deepen relationships and the sense of "family" within the Body—a focus which small groups are especially good at addressing. Fellowship ("koinonia"—that is, partnership) is required for spiritual growth, just as God's Word is (Acts 2:42-47).

Care Groups provide a context in which to develop the social and spiritual relationships of group members. In addition to developing relationships among group members, the Care Group also enables the elder to get to know and care for members of his group and for them to get to know him. This has proven, over the years, to be an equally-important benefit of Care Groups at Center Grove. Each elder, together with his Care Group, determines the day of the week and the frequency of their meetings. Care Groups ordinarily meet in the homes of the Elder and/or members of his group.