City Groups :: Your City Group and What it Takes (Part 2)

Over the next several weeks we’ll examine City Groups at The Paradox: their vision, their identities, who they are and how they live. This is the second installment of the series and will look more into our vision for City Groups.YOUR CITY GROUP

Your City Group is not a church event. You are a part of an expression of Jesus’ Bride in a particular neighborhood of Fort Worth. Together, you live out the Christian life as a family of disciples on mission with Jesus.

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

We see in the Acts 2 passage above that they were devoted, they were learners (“apostles’ teaching”), they ate together (“breaking of bread”), they prayed together, they were amazed at what God was doing (“awe came upon every soul”), they were united (“all things in common”), they were serving and blessing each other and those outside the church (“selling their possessions...as any had need”), they met all the time, not just once a week (“day by day...”), they worshipped (“praising God”), non-Christians liked them (“having favor with all the people”), God saved people through them (“the Lord added to their number daily”).

Can you imagine being a part of a community like that? 

"I don’t want to call it family, because my family wasn't the best, so this is way better than family." – Chris, Near Southside City Group

WHAT DOES IT TAKE? - REPENTANCE AND WORSHIP

We need to repent of our idolatries: comfort, approval, security, and power. We need to worship the God who came; the God who pursued, lived among us, and laid down His life for us.

If the Gospel has truly laid hold of your heart it will naturally over'ow into your way of life – it will give you new eyes to see. We are a people compelled by grace; compelled to love one another and those God has sent us to. 

"This is more than just a collective of random individuals with individual cries, individual agendas and our individual dialogues with God. Really we're a divine collection of hearts all beating to the same rhythm, beating for the same purpose, the same vision, beating for the same city." – Nick, The Commons City Group

Find a City Group near you here.

Read all of the installments of this series here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7.