God's Heart for Community
The River’s mission and values describe our church as an authentic community of people where everyone matters to God regardless of their personal "baggage." This kind of community is best experienced in the context of a small group.
Why community?
Whether we recognize it or not, we have a “core need” for community – it is in our very DNA. This stems from the fact that God himself lives in perfect community as the Father, Son & Spirit…the Trinity (Genesis 1:26; Mark 1:10-11). When God created us, he created us to live in community, both with him and with others (Genesis 3:8-9; 2:18).
The need for community is a basic truth supported throughout the Bible. God makes clear that his heart is for community. Since we are created in God’s image, we are formed with this need for community in the very core of who we are. God affirms this need for community in the opening days of Creation when he says, "It's not good for man to be alone.” Indeed, we are created for community by God who himself exists in community.
Why community in groups?
We encourage everyone to get into a small group because we believe in the Biblical value of community. It also reflects our value of relationship and the reality that life change happens best in community. We believe in doing life together: where we experience accountability, belonging, spiritual growth, and fun!
Because we place a high value on authentically sharing life together, our groups have become an integral part of our simple approach to church life. Healthy small groups of people doing life together foster transformation in each person's spiritual condition.
We want people to grow where they are planted. So, no matter where they connect in our church, we want them to experience a group where they have an opportunity to feel connected, cared for, and challenged to grow.
Check out how to get connected on our H2O Small Group page.
