Hope is not simply a church with Community Groups but a church of Community Groups.
This means that we desire for every member and regular attender of Hope to be in a Community Group. We were created and rescued for community – with God and with each other – and Community Groups are how we experience this kind of gospel community, motivated by Jesus and shaped by both knowing others and being known ourselves.
What does a Community Group look like at Hope?
Community Groups are different from Bible studies or recurring social events. Instead, we are interested in practicing a richer kind of community, guided by the Bible and attempting to apply God’s truth and love more deeply in our relationships. They are more labs than classrooms. A place where we learn to do gospel community.
Hope Community Groups are small groups of around 12-20 people who meet together regularly in each other’s homes. They are led by men and women who are appointed, trained, and supported by Hope’s leadership. They serve as the primary avenue for Hope’s spiritual shepherding, as well as need-based mercy care.
Finally, our Community Groups meet regularly for about 3 years, when they “multiply” to form more new groups. We find that people commit more deeply and share more vulnerably when they are with the same people week-to-week, so we encourage new people to join newly formed Community Groups, usually during set “enrollment periods” (September/October or February/March), instead of jumping into a group that already exists.
We desire, pray, and work, so that everyone who wants to be in a group would get that opportunity. At the same time, our church is rapidly growing and the number of people trying to get into groups often outpaces the number of people who have volunteered and been trained to lead a Community Group. As a result, there can be a delay between when people hope to get in a group and when they actually get in a group. This delay represents the time it takes to identify, recruit, and equip new leaders and to establish new groups.
How do I get into a Hope Community Group?
Because Hope is committed to making space for deeper relationships, we don’t typically add new members to existing groups after a certain initial phase. People join newly formed groups in our “open enrollment” periods (usually, September/October and sometimes February/March).
We are a relationships-based church, so we encourage everyone to participate in the process of finding a Community Group by talking to people you know and meet. (For instance, you can ask your previous Community Group leaders about finding or even leading a new group; or you can reach out to new Community Group leaders).
Hope is also a growing church, so we recognize that some people might have trouble hearing about or connecting to a new group, especially if you are new and/or disconnected. Therefore, we also offer a process in which you can submit your name and information, and someone on Hope’s staff will help connect you to a group. This placement process operates first come, first serve with some consideration of what new groups need to cultivate community (factors such as church membership, geography, and demographics).
If you’d like more information or to be included in the placement process, please contact Sid Druen or one of our site coordinators: Laura Moore (Cotswold), Stephanie Ham or Trip Smith (Olde Providence), or Alex Whitaker (South End).