Small Groups Home
July 10, 2008
In our busy lives we often discover that we don’t have many friendships that go beyond the surface of the everyday. The rush of life can rob us of the Christian fellowship that God has created us to enjoy.
Small Groups meet in homes on a regular, scheduled basis for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. These groups are more than just a place to learn information about God. They are a place where we can be real with each other as we apply God’s Word to our lives.
Whether you’re new to Faith Baptist or you’ve been attending for years, small groups are a great place to get to know new people and form meaningful relationships in a relaxed environment.
We hope you’ll take the time to join a group and experience the spiritual growth and encouragement that can be nurtured in a small, safe, and familiar Christian community.
Pastor Matt
Associate Pastor, Worship and Small Groups
Going Deeper
May 14, 2008
As a resource for our small groups, Pastor Darrell has made sermon discussion questions available to foster deeper studies into the Sunday morning messages. The questions are formatted into a weekly publication called Going Deeper .
Hard copies of Going Deeper can be requested from Pastor Matt. You can also download pdfs of the questions by clicking on the links below. Following the download, you can print off how ever many copies you require for your small group. The corresponding messages can be listened to at www.faithhuntsville.ca .
NEW – Move The Sermons Beyond Sunday
The morning messages are being broadcast through the iTunes Music Store as a weekly podcast. The messages are posted weekly. Some archive messages have already been added. More will come over time. This is a great way to move the sermon beyond Sunday and allow the lessons to permeate into your daily routine. To subscribe to the podcast, you need the free iTunes Music Software and you simply go to our podcast link by clicking here .
2009
Nov
Oct
- 18 – Righteousness
- 25 - Samuel #1: An Unusual Birth
Sept
March
PREVIOUS YEARS’ STUDIES
2007
- Christmas #1: Come To Worship (Message Dec 2)
- Is He God Or A Divine Vending Machine (Message Nov 18)
- Remembrance Day (Message Nov 11)
- no questions for Nov 4
- Here I Am … Send Him (Message Oct 28)
- Giving To God (Message Oct 21)
- no questions for Oct 14 (talents)
- The Widow’s Gift (Message Oct 7)
- No Going Deeper studies June – August … have a great summer!
- Triumph (Message May 6)
- The Triumphal Entry (Message April 1)
- Extravagent Love (Message March 25)
- The Betrayal (Message March 18)
- God Is Closer Than You Think #8 (Message March 11)
- no sermon questions posted for 6 weeks
- God Is Closer Than You Think #1 (Message Jan 21)
- Church Membership (Message Jan 14)
- Remembering Jesus (Message Jan 7)
2006
- Call Him King – Our Ruler (Message Dec 17)
- Call Him Immanuel – God With Us (Message Dec 10)
- Call Him Jesus – Saviour (Message Dec 3)
- How Do You Handle The Silence Of God? (Message Nov 19)
- The Discipline Of God (Message Nov 12)
- Suffering Reminds Us This World Is Not Our Home (Message Nov 5)
- The Purpose of Suffering (Message Oct 29)
- Does My Sin Cause My Suffering (Message Oct 22)
- Born To Pain (Message Oct 15 )
- Thanksgiving (Message Oct 8 )
- Living Worship (Message Oct 1)
Small Group FAQ
May 9, 2008
What’s a small group?
A small group is a band of individuals who meet on a regular basis to study God’s Word, fellowship, and pray. In the process, life-changing relationships are formed. This community provides encouragement for its members through the ups and downs of life.
What a small group is not!
Watch this fun video and learn what small groups are not.
How often do small groups meet?
Each small group decides how often they are going to meet. Many of the groups at Faith meet on a bi-weekly schedule, although others meet weekly
Where do small groups meet?
Small groups typically gather in a host home. Some groups always meet in the same home, other groups rotate around to different homes. There are a few groups who find it easier to meet in one of the classrooms at the church. Geographically, small groups meet throughout Muskoka.
Do the small groups follow a set curriculum laid out by the church?
No. Each group operates autonomously from one another with regard to choosing what they study. There are occasions during the year when we invite groups to join together in church-wide studies, such as the 2005 Purpose-Driven Life and 2007 God is Closer Than You Think campaigns.
How many people make up a small group?
Each group decides how many people will be in that particular group. We recommend, in order to maintain a healthy small group environment, that groups include no more than 12 people. Some groups are larger, many groups are smaller.
How many small groups are there currently at Faith?
The last count of groups was 19, representing approx 180 people.
What does a small group meeting involve?
Each group follows their own version of a similar, simple schedule. Typically, groups arrive and have a time of visiting with one another and enjoying a snack and beverages. There’s a brief time of Bible study followed by some time in prayer. Sometimes groups get together for special events like a Christmas party or Summer BBQ.
What is the leadership structure of the small group ministry at Faith?
There are 3 levels of leadership within our small group ministry. Faith has an Associate Pastor or Small Groups (Matt Kerr) who oversees the whole ministry. Matt has a Lead Team who assist him in the vision, planning, and implementation of all aspects of small groups. Lead Team members (of which there are currently four – Russ & Cheryl Buckerfield, Dave & Meredith Hiscox) have responsibility over a group of small group leaders. Small Group leaders lead their groups. Many also take on the responsibility of taking on the teaching although sometimes others in the group will help with the teaching.
Is there any criteria for being a small group leader?
Small group leaders play a key role in the health and relevance of our small groups. We certainly are looking for Christian individuals who have a heart for people. Small group leaders don’t have to be great Bible teachers although they should have a willingness to be stretched by God within the leader role. Each small group leader must be approved by the Associate Pastor of Small Groups. The only requirement beyond pastoral approval is that the person must be a member of Faith Baptist Church in good standing.
Are Small group leaders and hosts the same thing?
No. Small group leaders have responsibility to lead their group. Hosts have the responsibility of hosting the group in their home. We encourage these roles to be independent of each other. That is, we ask that group leaders not take on the responsibility of hosting. This is to help our groups have a healthy balance of responsibility. We don’t want any one person or couple carrying the majority of weight in a group.
How do I get involved in a small group?
It’s easy! Talk to Pastor Matt ( matt@faithhuntsville.ca
) or one of the Lead Team members on Sunday or call the church office at 789-2492. You can also fill in an online “sign up” form on the small groups home page. Follow this link!
Small Group Resources
May 9, 2008
The following downloads will hopefully help you in your small group planning. If there any additional resources that you would find helpful with your group or that you would like to share with other groups, let Pastor Matt know at matt@faithhuntsville.ca. Thanks!
- How To Set Up Your Group Online (video)
- Group Planning Form
- My Group Info Form
- My Group Prayer Diary
- List of Resources available to Small Groups in the small group library (Pastor Matt’s office) (pdf)
Below are some links to online Small Group resources that are available on the web:
- SmallGroups.com
- SmallGroupResources.org
- BuildingSmallGroups.com
- Christianity Today (Small Groups)
- Serendipity House
- Life Together
- North Point Resources Online
- Saddleback Small Group Life
- Article on the Saddleback Small Group Strategy
Small Group News
May 9, 2008
Overview From Small Group Leaders’ Meeting – Dec 1, 2009
You can download an overview of our meeting on Dec 1, 2009. If you have any questions, please contact your coach and they will be happy to help you out. Also available for download below is a hand-out from the meeting which show’s the Coaching Groups. Be sure to grab a copy of that as well if you missed the meeting. All the best!
Questions About Ordering Group Resources
This is just a reminder to group leaders that each group is responsible for the cost of the studies (books, DVDs, etc). If following the study your group would like to donate the materials to our small group library, that would be a great way to share resources. The small group library is currently in my office. Stop by when I’m in and take a look. We have a lot of studies. Resources can be ordered from any distributor you find. If you’re looking for a local contact, The Bookstore At MBC has a lot of small group resources in stock as well as being able to order in material. They can be reached at 789-0123 (ext 230). Of course, there are many online stores where you can also research available studies and order them. If you find any useful links, let me know and we’ll get those up on this site.
Download a List of Resources Available in Small Group Library
We have a number of studies available to borrow from our small group library. If your group is looking for a new study, before you purchase the study, take a look through this list to see if we already own the study or if there’s another study of interest to your group. If you do end up purchasing a new study for your group and are interested in donating it to the small group library when your group is finished with it, just pass the material on to Pastor Matt. Click here to download the list of resources available in the small group library.
Small Groups
May 9, 2008
Small Group Links
Small Group Home
Small Group News
Resources
Going Deeper
FAQ
GroupFinder
Groups of individuals meet on a regular basis to study God’s Word , fellowship , and pray . In the process, life-changing relationships are formed. This new community provides encouragement for its members through the ups and downs of life.
If you’re new to Faith or not involved in small groups yet, I encourage you to get involved. It’s easy!
As an introduction, we’re holding a Launch Event on Sept 14th (6 pm) at the church. All the small groups are invited to attend this event. In addition, anyone who’s interested in joining small groups is also invited. By the end of that evening, we plan to plug in these new couples and individuals to an appropriate group.
You can also register online by following the "Sign Up" link on this page.
Matt Kerr
Associate Pastor, Worship & Small Groups
705-789-2492
May 8, 2008
What is The Truth Project? In a recent study , the Barna Research Group revealed a stunning statistic that continues to reverberate throughout the evangelical world. Only 9 percent of professing Christians have a biblical worldview. Read more
