Life Group Covenant 2026

Life groups exist to connect adults in the larger church body of CrossWinds for the purpose of becoming wholly devoted followers of Jesus in every facet of life. How do life groups meet this end? In part—through the transformative power of the Word of God. Implied in the very name “life groups” is the assumption of being in close enough connection with others that you are involved in one another’s lives. As such, regular attendance is crucial to being in a life group. We know different seasons of life are busier or slower, but we ask that your group try to meet at least 1-2 times per month (September through May) and strive to prioritize these gatherings. Optionally, your group could get together in the summer if you so choose.

Your time together should involve the following: (1) regular prayer; (2) the study and application of God’s Word; (3) relationship-building; and (4) exhortation to living out the mission of Jesus. Your group may also want to include other aspects (music, service, a meal, etc.), but the key thing to remember is that Life Groups at CrossWinds are sermon-based discussions, because we believe that the depths of God’s Word are inexhaustible and there is great value in returning to the proclaimed Word to apply it specifically to our lives. This also matters because it provides continuity: each of these smaller groups discusses the weekly Sermon Notes and the guiding questions (inserted into each bulletin on Sunday mornings) at the same time.

Take some time as a group to discuss what works best to ensure you are living out the four commitments of life groups at CrossWinds, as spelled out above. You can use the following as a guide for that discussion.

During your first group meeting, clarify the following:

1. Dates: What day of the week will your group meet, and how often?
2. Time: What time will your group meet, and what time will you be finished?
3. Location: Where will your life group meet? Do you want to stay in the same home or rotate homes? Would it make more sense to meet at the church or in another type of public gathering space?
4. Prayer: Prayer is an essential part of a life group. Discuss whether you will pray at the beginning or the end. Discuss whether you will have prayer as a group or divided by gender. What is your group's consensus for ensuring there is intentional time for prayer? 
5. Study: Beyond discussing the questions in your Sermon Notes from the weekly bulletin, are there any additional plans you have as a group for spending time in God's Word? 
6. Refreshments: "Breaking bread together" is vital in Scripture. Does the group plan to share a meal or snacks during your time together? If so, how will these be provided - does everyone bring something to pass, or does the host provide food? 
7. Childcare: If childcare is necessary, how will you meet this need?

Each life group has a group in the Church Center app. Use that group to correspond with group members and keep an up-to-date meeting schedule. We also encourage you to use the attendance feature in your group in the app. Please let us know if you're interested in utilizing this feature and aren't sure how to use it.