A personal home is a perfect space for Life Group ministry and intimate community; however, the church is open and available for meeting spaces. Meeting in the community (restaurants, coffee shops, etc…) is also possible. We do not dictate a required meeting space. The space where your group will meet should be agreed upon by each Life Group’s core leadership team.

In the past, many Life Groups have held to an academic model of meeting during the ‘school year’ and taking the summer off. We would like to see a change in culture moving forward and think of your group as meeting in rhythms. The group might focus on different things in the summer, but they do not need to take a three-month break from discipleship.

Think of your group as a true community and family that is always spending spend time together. We will give the leader discretion to take small breaks for holidays and other events, but it is helpful to remember that Life Groups will be the DNA and lifestyle of the church, not another program. For more recommendations or guidelines, please speak with your coach or the Discipleship Pastor, who is eager to help you discover your own unique rhythm.

The main opportunities to join a Life Group are through

(1) Personal invitations

(2) AAC meet & greet events

(3) Prayerful placement from other groups like Bible Studies.

Remember, one of the core purposes of a Life Group is evangelism, and this can be lived out effectively by bringing new people into your group to experience transformational community first-hand. The technical aspects of how to officially onboard a new group member will be covered in a different section.

Meeting once weekly with a specific agenda is ideal, however, do not limit yourself to a single meeting.

To live as a transformational community, think outside the box about how you can have multiple touches per week.

For instance, many groups may decide to sit together at church on Sunday mornings and encourage one another before or after the service. There are many creative ways to gather throughout the week.

Yes, church membership is a requirement to be a Life Group Leader. We pour a lot of resources and training into our leaders and consider each one a ministry leader. In this light, it only makes sense that they are aligned with AAC theology, culture, and expectations.