Community Groups

Community Groups are small groups that meet at the church on Sunday mornings. Groups meet year-round and are always excited to have visitors. While all of our groups are structured the same, they each possess their own unique dynamic. So, feel free to visit a few groups before committing to one. There is no need to register before visiting, just pop in. If you would like assistance finding a group on Sunday morning, stop by our Welcome Desk in the main lobby.

Our Purpose

Community Groups exist to equip you to live a life in community with other believers. Christian community is not only Bible study and doing fun things together. Living a life in community means that you are sacrificially participating in the lives of other Christians and allowing them to participate in yours. This is done through many avenues: group Bible study, prayer, encouragement, admonition, confession of sin, and accountability (to name a few).

Community Groups are smaller communities within the larger community of MacArthur Blvd. Each group is led by one or more Shepherd Leaders. These men and women are much more than mere teachers or directors; they assist the pastors of the church in the task of shepherding our people.

Why do you need to be a part of a Community Group?

While there is no explicit command in the Bible that all Christians must be a part of a community group, given the size of MacArthur Blvd, we believe every member of our body needs to be in a group for at least two reasons.

First, you need Christian community. Christian community is the context for spiritual maturity and missional engagement. You cannot be the person God wants you to be without Christian community, and if you only attend the Worship Gathering on Sunday morning, you will likely never cultivate meaningful fellowship with other church members. Community Groups are the only ministry in MacArthur Blvd designed specifically to cultivate Christian community.

Second, you need shepherd leadership. The pastors of MacArthur Blvd take seriously the responsibility to shepherd all our members and are always available to our people. However, in a church our size, we are dependent upon key Shepherd Leaders to help us in that endeavor. These are the men and women who lead our Community Groups. For you to get the shepherd care every Christian needs, you need to be in a Community Group.

Committing to a Group

Whenever you decide upon the group you want to join, it is important that you officially commit to that group. This communicates to the group and the Shepherd Leaders of the group that you are committing to them and allows them an opportunity to commit to you.

Committing to a group means that you are committing to pursue a life of authentic Christian community with those within that group. It means you are committing to the prayer, admonition, confession of sin, encouragement, and accountability that is included in Christian community. It means that you not only commit to extend these actions of love toward others in the group, but that you also commit to receive these actions from those within the group. Finally, committing to a Community Group means that you are committing to attend the Sunday morning group time as often as you can and to be engaged in opportunities outside of Sunday morning as circumstances allow.

To commit to a group, ask the Shepherd Leader for a commitment card.