Small Groups

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Small Group Registration is NOW OPEN! Please REGISTER by Thursday, August 7.

What is a Small Group?

Small Groups are made up of 10-15 men and women who gather on Wednesday evenings in each other’s homes for prayer, fellowship, and to study God’s Word.

We understand the local church to give shape to Christian discipleship, and small groups are one context in which we seek to follow Jesus by doing spiritual good to one another. They allow and encourage the congregation to disciple and care for one another. They are not counseling groups, support groups, or purely a Bible study. Instead, we use them to cultivate spiritual fellowship that is informed by Scripture and pursued through prayer, transparency, and engaging the Word together.

More than even participation in weekly small groups, our hope and pray is to promote a culture of discipleship in the church. Our goal is to see Christians regularly meeting with other Christians in the church to help each other grow in Christ.

If you’re a member of Edgefield, or if you have decided to pursue membership and would like to join a Small Group, please let us know!

Why do Small Groups exist at Edgefield?

Small groups exist to provide a context for:

1. Meaningful Fellowship: We pursue rich community and connection with others, often over a meal.

2. Word-Centered Discipleship: We engage God’s Word together and seek to apply it to one another’s lives.

3. Honest Friendships: We seek to know others and to be truly known.

Our basic calling as Christians is to follow Jesus, who showed what it is to love God with all we are and to love each other with a distinctive, sacrificial love. Part of what it means to follow Jesus is to help others follow him as well. All Christians are called to make disciples– to help others understand, trust, and live for what God has promised them through Jesus. We can’t be faithful to our calling to be disciples and make disciples without each other. 

What does a Small Group meeting look like?

Discipleship is less a program than it is a way of life. It is through life-involving friendships that we point each other to Jesus.

That said, the core experience in every small group is a weekly gathering in an Edgefield member’s home. These gatherings typically begin with a meal and then shift to a time of spiritual conversation, Bible-study, and prayer. On most weeks the groups divide up by gender after dinner, which allows more time for each person to share and facilitates more candid conversation. Though there is always some variety from one group to another, weekly discussions generally aim to provide three things:

• SPACE for processing what’s going on in our lives: It is in our response to real life circumstances that we see what our hearts truly love, trust, and obey. We must help each other analyze our lives with grace and careful discernment, always considering how we can encourage each other towards love and holiness (Heb. 10:25).

• SUPPORT for practicing Christian disciplines together: The primary way we grow to love God and his promises above all else is to engage with him through the Bible and through prayer. In our groups, we help each other pursue these things in more consistent and fruitful ways.

• SUPPLICATION to God over one another: When we open our lives to each other– where we’re encouraged, where we’re afraid, what we’re struggling against or struggling towards– we’re carried naturally into specific prayer over each other. And our times of prayer as a group help to guide our prayer for each other throughout the week.

Pastor Matt Ecton oversees our groups ministries, please reach out to us with with any questions!