Small Groups

LEARN ABOUT CORE GROUPS AND 5GROUPS.

WHAT ARE CORE GROUPS?
Core Groups are the primary way Eagle Heights is equipped
with Gospel-centered community through small groups.
We like to think of Core Groups as immediate families within our larger church family.
 
WHAT DO CORE GROUPS DO?
Core Groups facilitate truth-defined relationships. They do this by providing a space to talk about, and be sharpened by, God’s Word together. We want Sunday sermons to be a starting line, not a finishing line for our study of the passage each week. Core Groups are a natural next step to weekly discuss the Scriptures introduced during Sunday sermons by sharing insights, questions, and applications from the Biblical text.

Groups are multi-educational. This means each group benefits from participants who are in a variety of discipleship stages. Most Core Groups are also multi-generational. This means people in their 20s and 30s may be in groups with those in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. Being multi-generational helps pair life experience with youthful passion in a way that benefits everyone. Whether you are just beginning to ask questions about God and the Bible or have been following Christ for decades, there is a place in a Core Group for you.

Core Groups also facilitate truth-defined relationships by providing a space to know and be known by others in our church family. We desire that groups would know what is going on in each other’s lives and identify how group members may be equipped to help each other. While most of your group time will be dedicated to discussion of the week’s specific text, groups also take time to ask about joys, hurts, and gospel relationships. Doing so allows group members to pray for one another and act as first responders to events in each other’s lives.

While the Core Group’s first priority is the weekly meeting, groups also provide connection points outside of their regular time together. Core Groups may gather for meals, go to events, participate in service projects, or interact in a variety of ways outside the normal group time. Group members are also encouraged to connect in simple ways like sending texts, mailing cards, making phone calls, and checking in on each another from time to time.

Core Groups also enable pastoral care for the Eagle Heights faith family. Each Core Group has a pastor/elder who regularly communicates with the group’s leader and provides pastoral care for the group. This connection helps our pastors know what is going on in the lives of our church members. It also ensures that when you connect with an Eagle Heights Core Group, you are being prayed for, checked on, and shepherded by an Eagle Heights pastor/elder.

HOW DO CORE GROUPS GROW?
All our Core Groups are ‘open’ groups, meaning anyone is welcome to visit any of our groups at any time. We encourage guests to visit several Core Groups before deciding on one. We have found that the optimal size for an Eagle Heights Core Group is around 15 people. If a group averages over 15 people for 6 months, the group will begin the process of multiplication and plant a new group.
 
WHAT DO CORE GROUP LEADERS DO?
The Core Group leader’s main function is to facilitate the group’s weekly time together focusing on the Biblical sermon text. Core Group leaders also communicate regularly with our Eagle Heights pastors/elders. Beyond the weekly group time, Core Group leaders organize and provide connection points with their group.
We want every member of our Eagle Heights faith family to be actively involved in a Core Group. If you want to learn more about Core Groups, email the office at office@eagleheights.com or stop by the Connection Center for more information.

CURRENT CORE GROUP LIST

SUNDAYS 9:00am - At the church building
Kids Core Groups, K-5th Grade
University, 18-Twenty Something (Matthew Ziegler)
Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Kevin Zacharias)
Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Jason Duell)
Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Dan Ray)
Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Tyson Ochsner)

SUNDAYS 9:30am - At the church building
Senior Adults, 70+ (Ron Hatcher)

SUNDAYS 10:45am - At the church building
Kids+, K-5th Grade, after music
Youth, 6th-12th Grade
Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Nathan Richardson)
Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Curtis Kinsey)
Multigenerational, 20-60s  (Notie Lansford)
Multigenerational, 20-60s  (Joe Steele)

WEDNESDAYS 6:15pm - At the church building
Multigenerational, 20-60s (John Ringer)
Multigenerational, 20-60s (Jeff Wieman)
Multigenerational, 20-60s (Blake Brasor)

OFF-CAMPUS
Sundays, 5:00pm - Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Colby Bennett)
Mondays, 6:30pm - Multigenerational, 20s-60s (Micki Rogers)

What is a 5Group?
A 5Group is a gender-specific, multi-generational small group (4-6) who get together to walk through the Bible for a defined period of time.
 
5Groups are named after their five central components:

BIBLE-READING DISCIPLESHIP
The Bible is our primary curriculum because God’s Spirit uses God’s word.
 
MULTI-GENERATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
We need each other’s successes, failures, life-experience and energy.
We do this to prepare each other for all of life’s seasons.
 
HONEST MASCULINITY / FEMININITY
God has called us to be men and women who flourish in our biblical roles.
Certain and specific applications can best be discussed in same gender groups.
 
COMMITTED ATTENDANCE FOR A DEFINED TIME
It is easier to commit to something if you know the terms.
 5Groups meet for a semester (~11 weeks) - one in the Fall and one in the Spring.
 
REPRODUCIBLE FOR MULTIPLICATION
These groups must be simple and reproducible. We do this with each other so we can do this with others.
Each week a 5Group reads a  passage and asks four questions:
What is the big idea of the passage? 
What is a question I have about the passage? 
What is an insight I gained from the passage?
What is an application for me to make from the passage?
 
Why do we need 5Groups?
5Groups are a great way to focus on equipping one another with truth and community. They are an excellent means to integrating college students into accountable multi-generational discipleship centered on God’s Word.
 
What is the difference between a 5Group and a Core Group?
5Groups focus on facilitating biblical discipleship. Core Groups focus on facilitating Christ-centered community. 5Groups are more reproducible and use the Bible alone as their curriculum. Core Groups are perfect for a personal invite from the Worship Gathering to know others and be known. Core Groups take care of each other and serve each other and in so doing, care for and serve the church.
 
How can you join a 5Group?
Signups begin early each semester (generally in Aug & Jan).  Groups generally start mid Sep & Feb. Sign up based on what time works best for your schedule. You can always indicate interest on your Sunday morning Connection Card as well or by inquiring at the Connection Center.