Community groups generally have 3 components:

• Learning - Connecting with truth
• Sharing - Connecting with each other
• Praying - Connecting with God

We offer several Community Groups on Sunday nights and various weeknights.  For more information about Community Groups or to join one, call the church office.

Community group resources:

• This week's sermon
• This week's discussion guide

There is a strong case to be made for the Bible Baptist Church of Sodus to embrace community groups.  It begins with the Bible, is supported by sociological evidence, and makes sense from and organizational standpoint.

Theological Evidence - The Bible
Scripture paints a clear picture of a God who not only lives in community, but embraces and seeks it.  First, with Adam (Gen. 1:26), then with the people of Israel (Deut. 6:4) and finally in the Godhead itself (John 1:1-3). Since God Himself live and works in community, and you are made in the likeness of God, then you too are created to live in and for community.  To be human is to hunger for community.

Additionally, Jesus and the disciples modeled community.  Christ Himself came to provide community and live with us (Matt. 1:23) and then He called a small group of disciples to live and walk with Him (Mark 3:7-10, 13-14).  Jesus knew masses had great needs, but chose to minister to the twelve.  By walking and training a few, He ultimately could touch many.

Community is Christ's highest dream for you.  It is seen in His prayer for us that we may be one as He and the Father and the Holy Spirit are one (John 17:11).  Further, Christ sees our unity and community as our message to the world the He, Christ did come and that he is love.  If we, the church, fail at community, we fail our mission (John 17:21, 23).

Sociological Evidence
There is sociological evidence that God created you to crave relationships and community:

• God wants people to seek a relationship with Him (Acts 17:24-27)
• God wants us to have relationships with others (Gen. 2:18)
• God reveals His emotions to us (Eph. 4:30, Zeph. 3:17)
• God intervenes when we can't communicate (Rom. 8:26-27)

There is also blessing that comes from community:

• Strength for storms of life (Ecc. 4:9-10)
• Wisdom for making good decisions (Prov. 15:22)
• Confidentiality and accountability for spiritual health (Prov. 27:17)
• There is strength, reliability, and assurance in community (Prov. 18:24)

Organizational Evidence
As Bible Baptist Church of Sodus seeks to accomplish God's work in the world, organization becomes a necessity to ensure community.  Community Groups are a way to make certain that no one stands alone, struggles alone, serves alone, grows alone.

Community Groups are a God ordained way to provide infrastructure to assure the workload is shared (Ex. 18:9-22), that everyone receives care (Acts 6:1), and that leadership is provided (Titus 1:5).

Finally, Community Groups provide a structure for "mutual membership" to promote unity in the body (Eph. 4:1-6, 11-16), a sense of belonging to one another (Rom. 7:2-4), and a place to edify, bless, grow, serve, and challenge each other through the exercise of each person's spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:12-27)