Apprentice Groups (Focus, Spring 2017)
To be a part of an Apprentice Group means you can share your story and hear others share their stories. You get the sense of a new way to experience God and to experience His power in your life while connecting with the church family across all age groups.
Over 300 participants in 25 groups read The Good and Beautiful Life for Apprentice Groups, Year 2. Participants were asked to read a chapter and do the related spiritual practices/disciplines. These practices are an opportunity to do something uncomfortable in daily life. For example, we were challenged to spend a full day without media, a full day without lying, a full day without worrying, and so on.
Another benefit of a group is the active discussions that bring moments of honesty…a safe place to say things like, “I don’t feel God’s presence,” or “I don’t know if He’s with me or not.”
Because the groups meet for an hour and a half, there is more opportunity for deeper discussion than would typically be practical on Sunday mornings.
Rick Carpenter shares two reasons why you should join Apprentice Groups next year.
Connections: the in-depth opportunity to experience community life and the transforming power of Christ in us.
Transformation: trusting God to transform us into His image. It’s a process, it doesn’t happen quickly, nor does it happen when a person is baptized or saved. That is the beginning point, but God’s transformational power is experienced in community.
Will you join us next year for Apprentice Groups, Year 3 as, together, we study The Good and Beautiful Community?