Missional Community Groups

Being involved in community is critical to being in church rather than simply “attending” church. Missional communities are different from “small groups” or “mid-week Bible studies” that function as a program in the church; for us, they are the church. At the heart of Grace Fellowship are local assemblies of believers in Jesus who live out the mission of Jesus together.

Check our calendar page for up-to-date weekly happenings and gatherings.

Locations: Saskatoon (contact Murray for more information)

Leask/Marcelin, Saskatchewan (contact Larry for more information)

Our Priority: The Gospel

As we focus on our purpose, we do not first ask the question, “What works best?” Instead, we ask, “How do we best display who God is and what He has done in and through Jesus Christ appropriately within the culture we are sent to?”

Our goal is not to convert people to our church. Our goal is to see them converted to Jesus through the gospel so that they can BE THE CHURCH on mission that truly declares and demonstrates the gospel in all of life.

The Gospel is not just about my individual happiness or God’s plan for my life. It is about God’s plan for the world.

The gospel is not just the ABC of Christianity, but the A to Z. It is the way in which we are to live every day of our life. The reason why so many Christians fail to experience ongoing transformation is because they have forgotten what God has done for us in the Gospel (2 Peter 1:3-9).

Our Gospel Identity

We don’t go to Church. We are the Church. We want people to experience church as a network of relationships rather than a meeting you attend or a place you enter. We want our people to see church as an identity instead of a responsibility to be juggled alongside other commitments.

We have a new identity because of what He has accomplished and it is in light of what He has done for us and who we are in Christ that we do anything rightly. Our Sanctification comes out of our Justification. We live differently because of what he has done and who we are in Christ. Our doing comes out of our being.

We are His:

Family – His Children who are adopted and fully accepted and loved – we don’t do good works to BE justified, we do them because we ARE justified (John 1:11-13; Eph. 3:15). As His family we are committed to the privilege of loving and caring for one another, discipling one another, investing in relationships and resolving conflict.

Missionaries – His Ambassadors who have been reconciled and sent out to be agents of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; John 17:18; 20:21). As His missionaries we are committed to communicating the gospel message in the context of community. .

Servants – His Possession who have been purchased and set free to serve others – not in bondage to sin and not as slaves to men – winning their approval (1 Corinthians 7:22-23; Galatians 1:10; Philippians 2:1-11). As His Servants, we follow Jesus, the ultimate servant, who humbly gave his life in joyful submission, even unto death, so that others could experience salvation, peace and restoration. (Matthew 20:25-28; 25:31-46; John 13:1-17; 1 Peter 2:16)

Learners – His Disciples who are dependent upon His Spirit to teach and transform us into the image of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 8:28-30). The Church is a Community of Learners – called to equip and be equipped (2 Tim. 2:1-2; Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 3:14 - 4:5; 2 Peter 3:18).

We are a family on mission sent by God to serve our world and continually learn how to walk in his ways.

MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES DEFINED

A Missional Community is a committed core of believers (FAMILY) who live out the mission of Jesus together (MISSIONARIES) in a specific area or to a particular people group by demonstrating the gospel in tangible forms (SERVANTS) and declaring the gospel to others – both those who believe it and those who are being exposed to it (LEARNERS).

To Clarify…A Missional Community is NOT primarily: A Small Group

A Bible Study

A Support Group

A Social Activist Group

A Weekly Meeting

Mission Through Community

Living out the reality of being the Church together as we walk through life together and live out mission together.

Gospel Centered Life on Mission … Making Disciples, Not Consumers

Our Core Practices: “… teaching them to obey …” (Matt. 28:20)

Acts of Gospel Neighbouring - We look for and seek opportunities to serve the city as a community of sent ones through free unexpected acts of kindness in the name of Jesus.  We also want to regularly minister to and care for the poor and marginalized in tangible ways that reflect the grace and goodness of our Lord and Savior.

Bless - 3 times a week we want to intentionally bless others through words, gifts or actions (one is to be inside the community of faith; one outside the community of faith; and at least one more). We have been given what we have so that others might also receive. We must regularly take account of what has been given to us and realize that it is not ours, but God’s to steward. Then, in light of the gospel that reminds us that He become poor so that in his poverty we might become rich, we are freed up to pour out our lives and things so that others might be blessed and taste and see that the Lord is good (2 Cor. 8:9-15; 9:6-15; Eph. 4:28).

Commune - Weekly set aside time to commune with God in prayerful silence to reflect and re-orient our lives to Jesus and His mission for us.

Disciple - Connect weekly with another person or two in a DNA group.

• Doctrine - Read a book of the Bible and share what God is teaching you.
• Nurture - Ask accountability questions of one another.
• Apostolic Mission - Pray for the salvation of the lost.  Seek to reproduce the DNA - to make disciples.

Eat - 3 times a week have table fellowship with someone inside the community of faith, someone outside the community of faith and at least one other - redeeming the table.   Meals are a daily reminder of our common need for God and his faithfulness to provide both physically and spiritually. We regularly eat meals with those not in our immediate family or circle of close friends, discipling them toward a life of dependence on God. (Leviticus 23; Matthew 6:11; 26:17-30; Acts 2:46-47; Romans 12:13) Whatever we do, whether we eat or drink, we do it unto God. Every meal really is a demonstration of the gospel. We come hungry (a real need) and our need is graciously met (Whatever we have is from God).

Re-create and Celebrate - As a community, we take time to rest, play, create and restore beauty in ways that reflect God to others. (i.e. work on projects together, vacation together, take retreats together, share hobbies or recreational interests etc.)