City Groups

Location: City Groups are found throughout the city and the greater Providence area.

Identity: City Groups seek to be a “city on a hill” in their neighborhoods, functioning as a different kind of city, a holy city (Matthew 5:14).

Mission: City Groups are mobilized to reach particular areas of the city.

• Sanctification
• Unification
• Multiplication

While the template for our weekend services comes from 1 Timothy 4:13, the primary verse for City Groups is 1 Corinthians 14:26 (See below). Public weekend services are more structured and built for widespread teaching. City Groups are more organic, creating a culture where everyone brings something to build up the community.

1 Timothy 4:13 “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”

1 Corinthians 14:26 “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”

In the Bible, the church gathers in large, public settings (Acts 2:46, Acts 19:9, Acts 20:20) and in private homes (Acts 2:46, Acts 20:20). City Groups will likewise meet in homes or any smaller setting that will promote close-knit relationships.

The Bible describes both public gatherings of the church and house to house gatherings. We want to faithfully pursue both. (Acts 2:46, Acts 19:9, Acts 20:20). We also believe that a church can’t truly follow the “one another commands” during one service a week.

City Groups meet throughout the week. The times and places of the City Group are decided by the group in a way that accommodates each person’s schedule.

City Groups meet weekly from Late August to late May (excluding holidays). During the summer, Sacred City Church will change gears and gather as a church collectively mid-week. This will give City Group leaders a break, allow for deeper relationships to develop church-wide, and cast vision for each group for the coming fall.

City groups range from 10 to 20 adults. As a group grows it will become harder to gather in their space and develop deep relationships within the group. As the group reaches capacity, the group leaders, along with pastors, will seek to multiply into two healthy groups.

Kids are an integral part of City Groups. Something for the kids should be provided during City Groups. What is provided ranges depending on the number and the ages of the kids. The number of children will deeply affect the size mentioned above.

Please do. Christian gatherings assume unbelievers will be present (1 Corinthians 14:23-24). City Groups are a great opportunity to show unbelievers or new Christians the love of Christ and the way God builds his family.

Eating together is a key part of sharing life, sharing culture, and living in Biblical community (Acts 2:42, 46). In the early church, Christians would gather for love feasts or agape feasts. This feast is mentioned in Jude 1:12 and is exemplified by many of the early church fathers. As a church we seek to eat together as well. Sometimes City Groups will eat together before their meeting, other times Sacred City will gather as a whole church to feast, and throughout the week you’ll find church members in restaurants, coffee shops and breweries.

City Groups are typically led by two men of high character that have a heart for God’s word, God’s people and the world God loves. During times of multiplication, more leaders will be added to prepare for healthy multiplication.

While some City Group Leaders are Pastors/Elders, most are not. The difference between a pastor and City Group leader is a difference in degree not kind. City Group Leaders do similar things as pastors, they help teach and shepherd the church. They do not, however, hold the same authority and degree of responsibility in teaching and shepherding.

City Group Leaders are not found in the Bible. In 1 Timothy 2:3-7 and Titus 1:5-9 the Apostle Paul gives the qualifications of a pastor/elder. These qualifications consist of Godly character and the ability to teach. This assumes areas of ministry in the church where these qualifications can be credibly tested, observed, and developed. For Sacred City Church, City Groups provides a context for this.

City Groups leaders must progressively be…

• Humble
• Godly
• Loving
• Faithful
• On Mission
• Disciplined

City Group leaders must pursue the ability to…

• Shepherd
• Teach
• Organize
• Cast Vision
• Lead on Mission
• Include others