What is a Small Group? 

A Small Group is a voluntary, intentional gathering of 3 to 12 people, who meet together regularly, with the shared goals of growing in Christ, mutual fellowship, and experiencing deeper love for one another. 

What is the vision of Small Groups in JHC? 

To create a sustainable and enjoyable Small Groups network that helps Jesus House Chicago congregation members to “belong, grow and become”. 

“Belong” implies that participants will feel that they are an important and valued part of the body of Christ, and the JHC family. 

“Grow” implies that participants will experience spiritual growth and transformation in their daily living. 

“Become” implies that the end goal is for participants to become what God has called them to be.  

What does SMALL represent? 

“SMALL” is an acronym that describes the objectives of the Small Group program: 

S          =          Sharing God’s Love

As Christians, we are well aware of God’s love for us. It is our duty to share this love with each other, and with those who are yet to fully understand God’s love. Small Groups provide an opportunity for us to share God’s love with each other.

M         =          Making Christianity Real

Christianity is not a religion; it is a way of life. One objective of Small Groups is to help us all learn how to live life as Christians, in the “real” world, and to understand how to apply biblical principles to everyday situations.

A          =          Affecting Our Communities

Small groups help us to interact with and impact those we come into contact with daily: family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors.

L          =          Looking Out for One Another

As JHC grows its membership, it becomes harder for the leadership to keep an eye on all members. This initiative allows us to look out for each other in smaller groups that enable fellowship and mutual support.

L          =          Lifting Up The Name of Jesus

Above all, we aim to lift up the name of Jesus in all that we do. 

STRUCTURE OF SMALL GROUPS  

What is the structure of Small Groups? 

Frequency and timing of meetings – All Small Group will meet twice a month, on the first and third Saturday of each month. 

Locations – In this first phase of the implementation of small groups, 17 small groups have been formed, based on geographic area i.e. North Side, Downtown, Western Suburbs.

Format of Small Group meetings – There will be two distinct parts to the Small Group meetings, a structured portion and a flexible portion. The structured portion will take place from 5pm to 6pm, and will focus on the study of select material (e.g. books) aimed aiding spiritual and personal growth. Our current study material is “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren.

During the second portion of the meeting, each small group can decide on an activity to undertake. Such activities can include, but are not limited to, cooking, watching a movie, sports, inviting a speaker, and games. 

 JOINING A SMALL GROUP 

If you would like to belong to a small group, send an e-mail to the following address: smallgroups@jesushouse.org