''Church''?

In the day and age we live, the word "church" has a cultural bias and definition that rarely lives up to the New Testament understanding of what the church really is. When people hear "church" they often think of a place they go or an event they attend, such as a worship service or wedding. Over the years, our understanding of church has become narrow and limited. The church, Biblically speaking, is the Body of Christ, the community of faith. It is a distinct group of people called to fulfill a specific purpose - being and making disciples of Jesus Christ and bringing Him glory (see Matthew 28:18-20, I Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 1:22-23, I Peter 2:9-10).

The church is called to bear one another’s burdens, to pray for one another, encourage one another, and spur one another on to love and good deeds as we pursue Christ-likeness. Though participating in corporate worship is both Biblical and beneficial, our ability to BE the church on Sunday is limited. House churches provide the context we need to be the church…to function and work out our salvation within a community of believers as God intended. It’s no coincidence that the early church met both corporately and house to house (Acts 5:42).

For these reasons, the only context and avenue for involvement at Common Ground Christian Church is by participating in a house church. We are intentionally structured so that there are minimal service and ministry opportunities available outside the house church network.

What to expect

Living out the “one anothers” in scripture isn’t always easy. The goal of our house churches is to provide a context in which we can pursue Jesus together. Coming together as a small community of believers is a wonderful thing, but the relationships take time and work. As we read God’s Word together, serve together, take mission trips together, and share life together we begin to grow together as a family pursing Jesus.

House churches are meant to get you connected to a relevant, Christ-centered community. Usually comprised of 12-15 people, they're designed to bring together people of diverse backgrounds, varying ages and marital statuses to share life, encourage, and spur one another on to become more like our Savior Jesus.

House churches meet every week in homes throughout the city. Though study is only a component of the house church, all groups share the same foundation for their study - typically the same book of the Bible being preached on Sunday.

How to get involved

If you have addtional questions or would like to join a house church, please contact Nate Smith at nate@cground.org.