A. Affinity Groups are mini groups of current and brand new friends who get together around a common interest or pastime. It is a creative “sideline” ministry at the church, for the purpose of encouragement and providing a vehicle for inviting non-churchgoing friends into some easy-to-attend Christian fellowship. They are casually run, built around things people are already planning on doing, just adding a “ministry mindset” to the time spent. The groups create “intersection points” for encouragement, and provide an opportunity for on-going friendships between Christians and non-Christians. It’s using an interest in a strategic way that God may use in some surprising ways, just through friendship.
A. Affinity Groups are for adults of all ages, single or married. These mini groups are designed to operate on “the edge” of the church, made up of Christians and non-Christians.
A. It depends on the activity, but in general 4-6 people is about right. After that it gets a little harder to organize, and smaller groups are generally more conducive for friendship. If the group expands beyond 6 or 8 we recommend splitting the group in two during the events.
A. The groups can be led by any member or regular attender of Evergreen Community Church.
A. In most cases, we encourage finding a co-leader. It gives you someone to start doing the activity with (even if nobody else shows up), gives you a person to bounce ideas off about building the group, and spreads the organizational burden.
A. It’s up to the co-leaders. Some activities are easier to set up and do; they can be done every week or two. Other activities take much more planning, so they are done less frequently. So, Affinity Groups can meet weekly, bi-monthly, monthly or quarterly for special events.
A. The commitment would be very light. Just go when you’re able to make it, and feel free to bring a friend each time, as the groups are always open. For the most part, these are spring and summer groups. However, Affinity Groups may run in the winter months for those who have indoor or winter interests.
A. Affinity Groups are designed for two things: encouragement and reaching out to others. The best advice is to enjoy the activity, but come with a ministry mindset and see how you can be a blessing to others, whether they are Christians or non-Christians.
A. No, they are not to be labeled “church groups.” We want them to be more open than something with that title. Non-Christians may be wary of attending a “church group” activity. To those who are core members of your Affinity Group, let them know that the groups are for encouragement and reaching out to others. To those who are non-Christians, tell them that we are a group a friends who enjoy “name/description of activity,” and many of us know each other through church.
A. The primary purpose of Affinity Groups is for encouragement and for reaching out to others, with the activity just the vehicle for doing so. If the friendships grow and there are opportunities to invite people to Evergreen or other Christian events, that’s great. But the overall intention is not specifically to get people to come to Evergreen.
A. Run your idea by those who head up the Affinity Group ministry (see Affinity Page of evergreenccbloomington.com for Affinity Groups standards). When you’re set with a co-leader your names and email addresses will be included on the Affinity Groups flyer that will be at the Singles and Regular information tables at Oak Grove, and on the web site. Your group can occasionally be highlighted in the Evergreen weekend bulletin under “Affinity Group of the Week.” Some inquiries will come your way from the listing, but mostly rely on personally inviting people to get a core group going for the activity.
A. Growth Groups are a primary involvement at the church. They are groups of 8 to 16 people who meet for discussing, understanding and applying biblical principles for day-to-day living, for prayer and for establishing close friendships. Affinity Groups are a “sideline” interest for people who want to use a favorite interest to connect with others around the church and use as a vehicle to have ongoing friendships with non-Christians.
A. The goal is having an ongoing presence of multiple, various interest groups who are very intentional about encouraging and reaching out to others, using the interest in a strategic way. Affinity Groups are a creative, fun place to spend time together, and they provide opportunities for relationships with some continuity with non-Christians. “Thoroughly enjoy the activity together, but come with a ministry mindset.” That is our motto.
For more information, please contact David or Sue Beuning at 952-831-8090.