Discipleship Groups

1) SERMON BASED AND UNIFIED. The most foundational aspect of Cornerstone's Discipleship Groups is that they revolve around the application of the  Word of God as taught during Cornerstone's regular Sunday services. Each week, all of Cornerstone's Discipleship Groups  use the same discussion guides and group study resources to take a deep dive into the previous Sunday's sermon, with an emphasis on group discussion, personal and practical application and encouraging one another in the Lord.

2) PURPOSEFUL AND FOCUSED. Discipleship Group meetings - whether held on the Cornerstone Church campus or off-site - are designed to be a thoughtful time of deep focus on specific truths from scripture and an opportunity for honest reflection about the victories and challenges of incorporating those truths into our daily lives.

3) INTENTIONALLY SMALL. Discipleship Groups aren't meant to grow - they're meant to multiply. Much research - and our own experience - says that the ideal size for a small group in which everyone feels comfortable contributing freely typically ranges from six-eight people, with about 12 being the upper limit of an effective 'small group.'  When a group begins to grow past this 'just right' number of participants, a new group will be formed to ensure all Discipleship Groups maintain a size that promotes maximum participation for all who attend.

4) ACTION ORIENTED. Discipleship Groups are all about doing. They're the gym where we exercise our spiritual muscles. Learning how to pray for people by praying for people. Learning how to encourage by encouraging. Being doers of the Word moves us toward a clearer understanding of the giftings and talents God gave us. More 'doers of the Word' means a healthier church body and more believers equipped to disciple those around them.

5) FACILITATED BY GROUP MEMBERS. Each discipleship group isn't about who leads it. The focus is on believers from all age groups, all walks of life and all stages of life engaging with and encouraging one another in the Lord as we live out our faith. This IS 'ministering to one another' as scripture commands all believers to do. Becoming a disciple means realizing we do not have to know every verse of scripture for God to work through us to powerfully impact our world.

Instead of traditional leaders, each Discipleship Group will have a facilitator from within the group who helps keep the discussion focused and on track and who assists with administrative duties. Facilitators will serve for a term of about three months. At the end of the term, another member of the group will take their place.

No. Choosing a specific group to join is entirely optional. If you're not sure which group would best suit you, just complete this form and we'll handle the rest.

As long as the group you'd like to join isn't full, you can move to another group at any time. Attending more than more group is totally ok too.

Initially, the majority of Discipleship Groups will be held in the Cornerstone Church Education Building each Sunday from 9:00am-10:00am.

Childcare WILL be provided during these Sunday morning meetings, but will not be provided for groups meeting at other times of the week or groups meeting offsite. 

No! Discipleship Groups have a narrow and specific purpose that is distinct from Cornerstone University's in-depth teachings and Connect Groups, which are all about finding fellowship in the body of believers at Cornerstone.

Facilitators will serve for a term of about three months each. The first group of facilitators will serve from the launch of Discipleship Groups in October through the end of December.

Cornerstone's staff have put a lot of thought and effort into minimizing the amount of time facilitators will have to commit to their duties outside of regular group meetings. 

Not at all. If you're already committed to serving in another area at Cornerstone, please be sure to discuss your schedule and obligation with Cornerstone staff prior to committing to a facilitator rotation. 

Discipleship Groups can be held at any available class or meeting space on the Cornerstone campus or in the home of a member who is willing to host.

Whether onsite or offsite, group meetings may not be held during regularly scheduled church services or church-wide events.

Please note that all Discipleship Groups are always open to new members until they reach full capacity. Offsite groups will require some additional forethought and planning with Cornerstone staff before they are approved to begin meeting. Please speak with Pastor Jason if you're interested in hosting a group in your home. 

Our intention is that all Discipleship Groups, once started, will continue indefinitely without regard to which facilitator first served in that role with the group.

Since facilitators do not "lead" Discipleship Groups in the traditional sense, and since their terms are temporary by design, the 'who' of each group's facilitator should be of far less concern than the group itself.

All Discipleship Groups are always open to anyone who wants to attend until a group reaches capacity.

Yes, but not many. We ask that potential facilitators:
1) call Cornerstone Church their home church,
2) have attended Cornerstone regularly for at least six months, and
3) have completed either Cornerstone's New Members class or Intro to Cornerstone Life class. 

All study materials, discussion questions, resources and communication for Discipleship Groups will be digital.

We want to see Discipleship Groups flourish and multiply and making communication as efficient as possible. During facilitator training, new facilitators will be given access to a digital platform for managing and communicating with group members.