At First Baptist Clarksville, we want everyone to build life-changing relationships with Jesus Christ and other people. Small Groups are one significant way we develop friendships with people in our church family and others within our communities.
Small Groups at FBC are organized around "affinities" - that is, things we have in common. This doesn't mean that we tell people where they have to be if they want to experience group life, it's just a way of initially organizing groups so that it's easier for anyone in any stage of life to find a group.
Some examples of Small Group affinities are:
Care-based - LIFE Groups are one of the primary strategies we use for connecting people to Christ and to other people in relationships. Our desire is is that nobody would have to go through life alone. LIFE Groups meet in homes throughout the communities that are represented in the First Family.
Age/Stage-based - These groups are our Life-Changing Bible Studies on Sunday mornings. These gatherings of 10-50 people include groups for Children, Students, Men, Women and Couples. Within these broad categories there are groups that are more specifically targeted to people in a certain age group or stage of life.
Interest-based - These Small Groups meet to study and discuss a specific interest from a biblical perspective. We think of them as Focus Groups. The topics have included Bible Studies, Prayer, Finances, Marriage, Parenting, Health & Wellness, Recovery, College Life, and Spiritual Gifts, as well as, studies from well-known authors like Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, Henry Blackaby, Robert Lewis and Greg Vaughn. For a current list and schedule of these groups, click here.
Task-based - These groups are built around the common desire to serve others. We often refer to these groups as Ministry Teams. Our Elders and Deacons are Ministry Teams. We have teams of people who teach, and mow, and usher, and work in the nursery, and lead music during worship, and... These folks are on the front line in ministry at FBC and they have found that serving together builds community and gives them a great sense of God's pleasure.