Life Groups

Meeting through the week

Life groups give us an opportunity to share our journeys together, our joys and our sorrows, with God at the centre loving us and changing us. They are places where we begin to understand and live out what God asks of us – learning to love one another, forgive one another, encourage one another, care for one another and reach out and share God’s love to others together. Our hope is that every Life Group will be a place where we can be real and authentic with each other and help bear each others’ loads.

What will help me grow as a Disciple?

A Life Group or even a Mini-Life Group!

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25.

We at WBC believe that to be a forward-moving disciple, alongside our personal relationship with God, we need to:-

• Worship regularly with God’s people (Congregational Life)
• Serve – some way, somehow (Community Life)
• Commit to doing life together (Small Group Life)

Why do we believe Life Groups are important?

Life Groups give us an opportunity to share our journeys together, our joys and our sorrows, with God at the centre loving us and changing us. They are places where we begin to understand and live out what God asks of us – learning to love one another, forgive one another, encourage one another, care for one another and reach out and share God’s love to others together. Our hope is that every Life Group will be a place where we can be real and authentic with each other and help bear each others’ loads.

We believe Life Groups exist to help us grow as disciples of Jesus, in a setting of love that allows for openness, honesty and safety. As we include others the groups will obviously grow and multiply.

As a diverse group of people, we have a diverse mix of Life Groups. However, all our groups hold to the following core values:-

• God-centred – through the central place given to the application of God’s Word and openness to His Holy Spirit;
• Love – in thoughtful words and in caring with practical action;
• Confidentiality – that ensures information shared remains within the four walls of the group;
• Faithful attendance – to make meeting together a priority and to honour fellow group members;
• Commitment to pray for each other – inside and outside of group meetings;
• Respect - for fellow members, hosts and leaders, as they direct the group under the oversight of the church eldership; and
• Authenticity - prepared to be ourselves, not pretending we’re something that we’re not. Integrity and honesty are key values.

We also believe that each group will have its own unique flavour and as such will additionally bring some of its own values and aims.  If you would like to join a Weymouth Baptist Church Life Group or find out more please feel to contact Stuart Dennis (Life Group Co-ordinator).

Can't get along to a small group (a Life Group of about 12)?

Or perhaps you'd prefer to meet in a group of just three or four? Or maybe you would like both!

Why not find two or three friends and agree to meet regularly to encourage each other on your discipleship journey.

A Mini-Life Group….is smaller than a Life Group and allows for a bit more flexibility to ask – what do I really need to help me grow at this time?

Prayer? Bible study and application? Accountability? Encouragement? Spiritual Disciplines?

Seven Steps on How to start a Mini-Life Group…

1. Ask yourself the following two questions…

What at this time do I need to help me grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

In forming a group with two or three others could we encourage one another?

2. Find two like minded people and ask if they would like to form a group!

3. Decide when/where and how often you would like to meet. (Weekly over coffee, fortnightly or monthly).

4. Consider the purpose of your group – why are you meeting?

5. Set your boundaries of confidentiality from the start.

 Inform Stuart Dennis (our Life Group Co-ordinator) that you have formed a group.

7. You are ready to go...!

Seven Reasons to join a Life Group

7. Your faith will grow.

 Life groups provide a system of doing live together that tremendously assists spiritual growth.

6. It's the best way to connect at your church.

 If you are not a part of group life at church, you will not feel connected the the church.

5. It strengthens the church.

 As members of groups grow spiritually, individually, it strengthens  the entire church.

4. It was Jesus' model.

 In spite of the large crowds of people following Jesus, He consistently pulled the 12 disciples aside to hang out with them. If Jesus placed such a value in this process, how much more should we?

3. You will make friends for life.

 You can form authentic, lifetime relationships.

2. It's fun!

 The best laughs come from groups. Its hard to live and learn with people you didn't know before.

1. You will be prepared for the unexpected.

We may have our online friends, but when life crashes in around us, we need friends with skin. Groups are the truest picture of the first century church today where everyone cares for each other's needs.

Can I change my Life Group?

It’s great to get to know people in a home group and form friendships - many that last for years. But it’s also good to move around sometimes and get to know different people rather than just one ‘set’ in the church.

At the end of each Life Group series, there is the chance to move on. Don’t think you will upset your present home group leader if you do decide to move - it is a healthy thing to have a flow around the groups. So it’s your choice! Stay with your current group or step out and have a bit of a change.

Also, if you try a group and then think another one would be better, you can change straight away. We want you to be in a group where you feel at ease.

A list of Life Groups, a.k.a. our Life Groups Menu, showing leaders and venues, can be found in our Member's Area.