And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. ACTS 2:42-47

The mission of All Saints Church is to become and make disciples of Jesus- people who worship God in spirit and truth, who grow together in mutual love and ministry, and who bring the Gospel to our community in word and deed. Small groups at All Saints, called 242 Groups, are essential in realizing this mission. 242 Groups are modeled on the description in Acts 2:42-47 of the rich community the early Christians shared. 242 Groups are small and interactive, promoting transparency and offering accountability. In 242 Groups we read and study the bible, and we learn together what God has done, is doing and will continue to do through Jesus Christ and the work of his Spirit. We pray together sharing the concerns and praises that arise as we journey with Christ in our every day lives. We serve each other and the wider community discovering and sharing the grace and love given to us by God in Jesus. In summary, 242 Groups are the vehicle for intentional discipleship at All Saints Church.

Prayerfully consider joining a 242 Group. Click here to sign up or email Thomas Kortus for more information.

242 Group Objectives

Discipleship

242 Groups have the primary responsibility to encourage members to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Groups read and listen to the Bible; discuss what the Lord is saying; and open up to one another concerning where the Spirit is challenging them to trust more and be more obedient to Christ. Prayer is a major element of discipleship and 242 groups spend significant time praying with one another and for one another. Groups also encourage members to participate in corporate worship and to have regular rhythms of personal devotion - prayer and scripture study.

Community

242 Groups are intentional contexts to know, love and care for one another. You cannot love someone if you do not know them so 242 Groups spend significant time talking, asking questions and listening. Community is also developed as we share meals, play and laugh together and as we come alongside each other in times of personal crisis. Caring for one another and spiritual accountability are essential aspects of 242 Groups.

Mission

242 Groups nurture mission and bring the Gospel to our community by Word and deed. The location and make-up of the group will determine how and where it reaches out to love and serve. We encourage groups to regularly create intentional outreach events to connect with those who don’t know Jesus and to serve people in need. 242 Groups are communities embedded in communities for the sake of communities.

242 Group Growth

A healthy 242 Group that is intentionally pursuing discipleship, community and mission will exhibit fruits of that growth (some observable and some less obvious). The leader will need to be attentive to what fruitfulness might mean for their particular group of individuals. No matter what the group, the goal is cultivating more mature disciples of Jesus Christ. Fruitful groups will experience people growing as disciples of Jesus-  people who worship God in spirit and truth, who grow together in mutual love and ministry, and who bring the Gospel to the community in word and deed. 

Another type of fruit we might expect from our groups is numerical multiplication. 242 Groups grow deep, but also outward. This outward growth necessitates a level of accessibility to people who are encountering the Church and Christ for the first time. For this reason, instead of capping or closing groups, our hope is that growing groups will proactively respond to opportunities to multiply leaders and groups. Leaders have the task of navigating the tension between group size and group stability. No groups will be forced to split, but they will be asked to seriously consider how they might facilitate the planting new groups. The early church grew exponentially and the disciples and their followers were constantly challenged to step out in obedience to lead and serve to further the kingdom. By planting new groups we are able to keep existing groups functioning properly as small groups and create opportunities for others to grow in Christ in community.

Prayerfully consider joining a 242 Group. Click here to sign up or email Thomas Kortus for more information.

242 Group Rhythm

Discipleship

2-3 times a month
Prayer, reading and listening to the Bible together and exploring and sharing the cutting edge of trust, faith and obedience

Community  

Monthly
Dinner and/or fellowship events for sharing, playing and laughing together. Anytime and every time groups meet growing together in friendship

Mission

Quarterly or More
Plan and host a service opportunity or gathering to engage people outside the church

Structure

Leader

242 Group leaders do not just lead discussions or studies: they are called to be agents of change, a shepherd and catalyst for real relationships and discipleship within Christ’s Church.

A 242 Group Leaders are the main point person who is responsible for the direction of the group. They guide discussion and prayer (or delegate the guidance) and prayerfully steer the groups trajectory and spiritual life and all their gatherings. While leaders have a great responsibility to shape the 242 Group they should never feel alone. ASC desires to equip and encourage leaders as much as possible and has committed significant resources to this end. In addition we urge every 242 Group to develop a leadership team. Leaders are encouraged to share the load and communicate regularly with both ministry staff overseeing 242 Groups as well as other co-leaders in the group.

Leader in Training

In order to faithfully provide opportunities for new leadership development, 242 Group
leaders should seek out those that exhibit leadership attributes, but lack experience. Leaders should never lead a group alone and frequently give others in the group opportunities to lead. A leader in training should be standard operating procedure for all groups at all times.

Care Coordinator

An essential component of 242 Groups is pastoral care, and every group needs to appoint a Care Coordinator. This person’s responsibilities are to be aware of the pastoral needs of group members, administrate a response to those needs and communicate regularly with ASC clergy.

Other leadership opportunities

While the leader, leader in training and the care coordinator make up the essential members each 242 Group leadership team some groups have identified other leadership roles such as: Prayer Coordinator, Hospitality Coordinator, Events Coordinator and Outreach Coordinator.

Frequency

Many 242 Groups meet every-other-week, but other group commit to meeting three times a month or even weekly. Some groups add gender specific gatherings into the off weeks. schedule where the women go out for dessert once a month and the guys gather to talk and pray. These smaller and more flexible gatherings can be very beneficial increasing relationship and accountability.  The important thing is to find a frequency that is sustainable and that builds momentum.

Childcare

Check with Thomas Kortus for creative ways to deal with this important issue.

Curriculum

Many groups study scripture by working through a book in the Bible as a group. Other groups use Bible study tools or topical studies to guide their discipleship gatherings. We are currently compiling a list of recommended resources as well as developing a core discipleship curriculum that will be written by gifted individuals from All Saints. This curriculum will focus on three core commitments and four principle practices of a disciple of Jesus.

Three core commitments of a Disciple of Jesus:
  1. Following Jesus (Luke 9:23ff)
  2. Abiding in Christ (John 15)
  3. Walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)

Four Principle Practices of a Disciple of Jesus:
  1. Prayer and Intimacy with Jesus 
  2. Bible Reading and Study
  3. Trusting, Obedience, Faith
  4. Loving and Serving Others with Gifts
   Mission, Ministry, Stewardship