Here at Church Lane, we recognise that our times on Sunday together are only a part of what a church should do.

We read that the early Christian church met together at the temple but also met in homes:

• Every day they spent time in the temple and in one home after another. They never stopped teaching and telling the good news that Jesus is the Messiah Acts 5:42.
• Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house. Colossians 4:15
• …and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house. Philemon 1:2

Today’s technology allows people to meet remotely and still function as a healthy small group without necessarily meeting in a home. 

How many are in a small group?

Small groups are usually no more than 10-12 in number. They meet 2 or more times every month in someone’s home or online.

What is the purpose of small groups?

One of the reasons for church is to help us grow spiritually or put another way, to become more and more like Christ.

• Romans 8:29 says, …he chose them to become like his Son… Small groups are an important way in which this happens.

What happens in small groups that allows spiritual growth to occur?

• Worship – worship is all about our response to God as we get to know him more. In small groups we study the Bible, pray, sing and have quiet times when we listen to God.
• Fellowship - we build relationships with one another as we worship and enjoy social times together. It has been described as fellows on the same ship going in the same direction.
• Support - small groups are an outlet for support - helping one another in practical ways by meeting needs.
• Sharing the good news - small groups should be outward looking - looking for ways to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ.

Find out more

If we follow Jesus we all have something to contribute - even the very newest in the faith.

Why? Because we have all received the Holy Spirit. One of the reasons for small groups is so that we can give of ourselves and our time which contributes to the spiritual growth in other believers.

If you want to know more about small groups, then please speak to Stephen the Pastor or one of the other elders.