A Community Group is a small group of people encouraging one another to grow closer to Christ as they intentionally participate in His mission to make disciples. We have all different kinds of groups meeting in all different locations and at different times.
RECOMMENDED READING FOR LEADERS View our recommended reading for leaders.
ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY Find ways that you can engage your community group in your community with this interactive map.
123 LEADER TRAINING Find great resources for leaders at 123 Leader Training!
RECOMMENDED CURRICULUM View our entire list of Community Group Curriculum and search by format, length of study and topic.
As we make the transition to summer, your group may be bumping into scheduling challenges, and a desire to have no schedule once school gets out. This is ok! In fact a shift in your schedule, in the frequency of your meeting, in the content of your time together, may be just what the doctor ordered for the health of your group.
Shift into summer mode – have some relaxed time together, grill out at a park, take a trip to Ravinia together, hang out in the back yard. Invite your neighbors or other people in your life who you want to introduce to Jesus and introduce them to your community group members. This makes for a natural and relaxed atmosphere for sharing your faith…by sharing your “faithful” group members.
Make summer purposeful, but not stressful.
King’s Cross by Tim Keller
Broken Down House by Paul David Tripp
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson
When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
Serving Together
A Community Group at Wheaton Bible Church is defined as a small group of people encouraging one another to grow closer to Christ as they intentionally participate in His mission to make disciples. One great way to encourage one another to grow closer to Jesus, is by serving Him together. We have several opportunities for your community group to serve together, both short term or one time events, or long term serving opportunities.
On our website we have a page called “Engage Your Community” which you can find at www.wheatonbible.org/engage_your_community. This page shows you just some of the places your group can connect with ministries in DuPage County. Look at this and see if there is something that might be suitable to your group!
And, as you know, CareFest is our annual serving opportunity in the community. WBC/IdP has been sending out 1000’s of people each year since 2005. Carefest this year is May 4, 2013. Most projects need at least 10 people and many need more than 20 people so this is a great way to serve as a group. You can find a complete list of projects at www.Carefestdupage.com. Sign up early many projects will fill up!
Also consider ways you can serve in your own neighborhood, or serve those in your own group. Adopting an older family in your neighborhood who might need help with mowing their lawn or other yard work; making meals for a family who has some struggles; use your imagination!
Serving together in the Lord’s name, focused on “building bridges of love and compassion” with our neighbors draws us closer to one another and to Jesus! Enjoy the opportunities to serve together and watch how God grows you!
Welcome to the Community Group Leader Blog
Each month we will post a new, brief article, for you. The content of the each article will be everything from practical helps in leading your group, to encouragement for you as you pursue your relationship with Jesus. Written by the Community Life Team, we pray this resource will be helpful to you.
The first article is written by Jeff Walser, Executive Pastor of Discipleship.
The WBC Shepherding Team: Partnering Together in Leadership
At first glance, the role of community group leadership might appear to be pretty straightforward. Plan for the place, the time, the topic for discussion, the nourishment that will fuel a blessed time together! The truth is that all that is very important and takes time, prayer and preparation. But when we also begin to think about the complexity and realities of the lives of the people that will be gathering together in our homes, and our role to lovingly point them to a life of following Jesus, it can be a bit overwhelming.
The good news is that no community group leader at WBC is expected to take on the full burden of leadership and care for their groups alone. That’s where the shepherding team comes in. The WBC Shepherding Team was created to help support our community group leaders and their groups by providing prayer, care, counsel, and access to resources to people in crisis, difficult challenges and deep needs.
Shepherds have been and continue to be regularly equipped in a variety of practices that have prepared them to be a first responder in any number of crises in our groups including marital struggles, financial collapse, emotional distress, substance abuse, addictions, and interpersonal conflicts. They have also been fully equipped to connect the full pastoral, clinical and financial resources of our church to the needs at hand. Lastly and most importantly, they have been prepared to support you in your group leadership and to bring the critical disciplines of prayer and devotion to the Word into each situation and relationship that they engage.
If you are not sure who your Shepherd is, please contact Wendy Larson at and she will be glad to connect you!