Thanks for your interest in leading a Community Group!
Community Groups are at the heart of our mission to follow Jesus together, and to make that mission come to life, we need dedicated leaders who find joy in bringing people together. By facilitating a Community Group, you’ll help members discover practical ways to follow Jesus daily, and by cultivating a group culture of encouragement, prayer, study, and authentic relationships, you will have a front-row seat to seeing lives transformed.
As a Community Group Leader, you’ll receive training, access to resources, and ongoing support from New Life staff. Read on, for answers to frequently asked questions.
Community Groups are designed to help us connect with one another to learn how to live life with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do as Jesus would do. Following Jesus is not a solo journey. At the heart of our faith is a personal relationship with Jesus but also a community of believers seeking to follow him together. Community Groups provide the ideal relational context for being known, being loved, and sharing the heart of Jesus with others. In an age of increasing isolation and pervasive loneliness, our connection to one another has never been more important.
Community Group study content falls into one of three categories:
Sermon-Based Discussions: Engaging in group discussions that align with the Sunday teaching series.
Bible Study: A more in-depth study of particular books of the Bible or biblical theme.
Topical or Video Study: Group leaders will have the opportunity to choose from an approved list of topical studies on relevant topics.
We also ask groups to participate in an occasional Alignment Series, where all groups follow the same study once or twice a year in sync with a church-wide teaching series.
We recommend that groups meet weekly or every other week. Groups whose members are in a busy season of life may be much better served with bi-monthly meetings. Only in rare instances and with staff approval should groups meet less than every other week.
Each component can be adapted to best suit the group’s preferences and needs. However, we ask that leaders make every effort to include the following elements each time they meet.
-Food/Beverage
-Prayer
-Worship
-Study
-Conversation
-Communication of logistics
It’s difficult to place a precise amount of time required. However, Group Leaders will be responsible for the following:
-Deciding when, where, and how often to meet
-Outlining a plan for each meeting that includes worship, prayer, study, food, conversation, and logistics.
-Communicating with group members
-Creating a content schedule outlining what the group will study together
-Deciding how to share leadership by asking group members to fulfill specific roles
-Maintaining regular communication with the pastors and/or staff of the Community Groups Team.
We will promote Community Groups on Sunday mornings multiple times throughout the year, with special attention given when new groups are starting in September and January. During these times, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with potential members as the church encourages participation. Additionally, your group will be listed on the New Life website, where people can find your group and reach out to you directly. However, the most powerful tool to fill your group is making personal invites. Building relationships within the church community—through Section Community, ministry gatherings, or serving events—will give you natural opportunities to extend a personal invitation to those who might benefit from joining your group. Personal connections make it easier for people to feel comfortable and engaged from the start.
We ask for a 1-year commitment. However, we recognize that life is unpredictable and aren’t rigid regarding the commitment you make. Additionally, exceptions can be made to the 1-year commitment based on how long you’ve been at New Life, previous group leader experience, and depth of relationship with staff.
In addition to training and ongoing training, the pastors who lead this area are committed to making themselves available to you. Our goal is always to respond quickly to your calls, emails, and requests to meet. We promise you won’t lead alone. Your primary point of contact will be Pastor Kevin Simcoe and Pastor Brad Baker. In 2025 you may also receive support from a Community Groups Coaching Team that is yet to be formed.
We ask that group leaders consult the timeframes below when establishing when and how often their groups meet.
Spring Community Group timeframe: Mid-January through the End of April
No or very limited group meetings: May
Summer Community Group timeframe: June through Mid-August
Fall Community Group timeframe: Mid-September through the week before Thanksgiving
No or very limited group meetings: December
We encourage groups to meet in homes or apartments whenever possible. Availability at the church is very limited, and requests for a meeting space aren’t likely to be approved. Homes are preferred over public spaces for meeting locations.
Community Groups are not required to welcome new members. You can, in fact, build your group around existing friends. However, our hope is that most of our groups can be joined by anyone who calls New Life their home church.
Brad Baker
Executive Pastor
