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Although most members of Seekers Church belong to a mission group, not everyone chooses this path. Participation in a mission group is a balance of giving and receiving. Participants are called to give themselves to the group and its mission. In return, they receive support and affirmation for their unfolding lives as Christians. Membership in a mission group demands a commitment to discerning and living out God’s call. Learning to embrace this level of commitment must precede membership in a mission group.
As alternatives, or in addition, to mission groups, Seekers can participate in School of Christian Living classes and in non-mission group service and fellowship activities. Individuals can gain some of the benefits of mission group involvement and contribute to the common life by practicing the disciplines and reporting to an independent Spirit Guide, by being conscious and intentional about offering ministry in the context of everyday life, and by sharing in Seekers’ wide opportunities for fellowship. Although there are other options for small group experience, we are committed to the mission group structure for as many Seekers as possible. Responding to a mission group’s call is more a matter of recognition and commitment than of maturity, strength or skill.
Many mission groups have members who have been involved in their life for years, even decades. There are also members who move in and out of mission groups, sometimes because of a changing sense of call, sometimes to give more energy to other demands in their lives, and sometimes just to regroup and reassess.
Persons joining a mission group are expected to first complete two classes in the School of Christian Living. Joining normally begins with a trial period, to help all participants in the process confirm the joining. Joining a mission group requires a commitment to the call and the spiritual practices of the group.
Each Seekers mission group is open to new participants. Some groups are open on a continuing basis, while others receive new members only periodically. The "closed" periods allow group members to deepen their sense of community and develop their gifts in response to the call of the group. Here are some suggestions to help guide you toward an existing Seekers mission group:
One way some Seekers mission groups introduce prospective participants to the group is to invite them to attend part of a group meeting. This visit is a time for the prospective participant to share about his or her call to the group. If this call is not clear, additional possibilities for sharing include parts of the individual’s spiritual journey, or the history of the person with Seekers or similar churches. In many cases, someone from the group will meet with the prospective participant before the initial visit to help clarify the individual’s call.
The group can use this meeting to share the specifics of their life together: when they meet, their weekly tasks and roles, and who fills them. There needs to be a mutual consensus of the fit between the person and the group. This may be reached at the meeting or after further reflection.
This visit usually precedes a trial period of participation in the life of the mission group. It presupposes that the prospective member has taken two classes in the School of Christian Living and can accept the disciplines of the group.
The trial period is normally set for six to eight weeks -- long enough for the group and the new participant to discern whether the call is right, and short enough to allow the prospective member to move on without undue pain and disruption if it is not. Once the trial period is over and it is clear that the new arrival is called to be part of the mission group, there is a period of discernment as the members consider their roles in light of all those who are now part of the group.
Some groups have also invited recent arrivals at Seekers who express an interest in a mission group to visit for a period of time. Even though preparation for mission group participation normally takes some time, a visit with an existing mission group provides an opportunity to learn more about the group and may lead to a shepherding relationship with someone from the group.
If you are interested in any of the groups described in this guide, we encourage you to contact any of the participants to talk about the current life of the group.
When an individual participant in a group no longer feels an internal identification with the call of the group, the participant is expected to discuss this with the group, receive the blessing of the group and leave to seek God’s new call in some other part of the life of Seekers Church.
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