Small Groups at Covenant
“In the New Testament church, the primary structure of the church was the house church. In contrast to today’s North American church where large group worship is usually the primary gathering of the church, in the New Testament church, the small groups were the primary gathering, and the large group gatherings were probably less frequent and supplementary.”
—Eddy Hall, 2000
Small groups at Covenant are all different, but each of them has the following characteristics in common:
- Relationship with God
The starting point for the Christian life is each person’s personal relationship with God. A healthy small group will nurture each person’s individual relationship with God and also be a place where the community as a group relates to God in corporate prayer and worship.
- Relationship with one another
The reality of Christian community grows out of our personal relationships with God. We cannot have an adequate relationship with God without also building personal relationships with our brothers and sisters. Koinonia (shared life) is what we are called to as citizens of the Kingdom of God.
- Relationships with those outside the church
We not only are called to love God and each other, we also are called to love people who do not yet know God. Our love for others—our compassion—compels us to reach out and touch others in ways that offer God’s healing and comfort.
Active participation in a small group provides an ideal setting for helping every member of the community of faith discern what ministry or ministries God is calling him or her to, then providing ongoing support, encouragement, and accountability for the faithful performance of that ministry.
Small groups at Covenant meet almost every day of the week, at a variety of times, in a variety of locations, and new groups are always being formed. To help us best connect you with a group, you are encouraged to contact Tom Mitchell, Associate Pastor for Discipleship, who will help you make your initial connection and introduce you to one or more small groups that seem like a match for you, your interests, your life stage situations, and your spiritual journey.
Contact:
Tom Mitchell at 334-3047 or tmitchell@covenant.org.