What to expect and what is expected at my Point Small group

Point Small Group Commitment:
What to expect from my Point small group and what is expected from me...

To accomplish these 3 goals we (click here to review those goals) all have to be committed. Here are the things we as leaders and participants commit to during the next year.

Jesus is the Goal: I will see my Point Group as a means to the goal and not the goal itself. In other words, Jesus has called me to follow Him, in community with others, so I commit to responsiveness to Jesus in exploring new opportunities to Connect, Change, and Cultivate. Ultimately, Jesus is my goal, not an experience, schedule, or tradition.
Grow-by-Multiplication: I understand and fully support the intention of this Point group is to introduce Jesus and cultivate fully devoted followers of Jesus. I believe that in order to do this, God will cause me to step beyond my comforts, enabling me to help my group “grow-by-multiplication” after one year (maybe sooner depending how God grows my group) This means that after a year of meeting with my Point group it will be time to birth a new Point group out of our existing group. I commit to the support, intentionality, and planning to make this a priority.

Always Open: I’m willing to make my Point group open to anyone at anytime. My attitude will be that of inclusiveness and not exclusiveness. I understand that God will bring guests from time to time that need authentic community, so I plan to be welcoming, including, and grace-filled. I believe that God is orchestrating how people come to know and follow Him, so I am committed to being on the lookout for God at work in the lives of friends, co-workers, neighbors, family members, & those in the community. It’s through these relationships that I already, or I will be developing, that I may have the opportunity to invite people to explore Jesus, with me, in my Point Group.

Hosts/ Growing Table Presence: To encourage our small groups in continual growth each Point group will share in the responsibility of representing Point groups as “guest hosts” each Sunday. This means that each Point group will need to have once couple or individual greeting and ready to “host” a guest(s), while another couple or individual will be responsible for the growing table. At the current time we have 5 Point small groups. This means that each Point group will be responsible for these tasks about once a month (before the service from 9-9:35am; after the service from 10:45-11:30am).

Serve Others: I commit to support and intentionally plan on and participate in my Point group’s regular serving opportunities. I understand that Point of Grace has regular serving opportunities my group can take advantage of (Holmen’s Hope, Second Chapter, etc.…), but I also know that while I’m on the lookout for God at work in the world around me there will be natural opportunities to show God’s love in very practical ways.

Shared Here, Stays Here: I commit to being honest with myself, others, and God knowing that what I share in my Point group will be held in confidence and seriously prayed for in a confidential way. I commit to this confidence of my brothers and sisters in Point group that under no circumstances* will anything that is shared leaves the group.

*In severe cases of suicide, murder, harm to a child, or plot therefore-- this will need to be shared with Pastor Travis in accordance to the mandatory clergy reporting law. However, nothing will be shared with Pastor Travis and/or the authorities without the prior knowledge of the individual. All this to say, that Jesus’ love and grace will undergird all circumstances.

The Bible, Our Guide: I acknowledge that the Bible will be my Point group’s guide. Even though we may use a book, DVD, web-site, Point Sunday morning sermon guide, the ultimate authority will always be the Bible (66 books: Old and New Testament). I commit to bringing my Bible each week and using it.
Pray for One Another: I commit to reserving 20 minutes during each Point group gathering to pray for one another. I commit to continue to pray for those requests through the rest of my week.
Gathering: I commit to being there at least 50% of the time. I understand that for the groups sake of growth and my growth consistence will be an ingredient to a fruitful Point group environment.
Not a Replacement: I agree that my Point group is not intended to replace regular weekly church worship. A small group is not a substitute for the cooperate body of the church. I understand it is part of the overall church vision to enhance the opportunity for all participants to get involved in meaningful, life-giving community. Therefore, my Point group is a big aspect of my spiritual development, but not all of it.

Great Ingredients: I agree that the following ingredients make for a fruitful small group environment and therefore full devote myself to my part of making these ingredients happen:

Diversity is a strength A common purpose Fairness Trust	Acceptance Forgiveness Honest / open communication Unselfishness