Gospel Communities

Our mid-week gatherings called Gospel Communities are at the center of Garden City. In order to fulfill our vision of co-laboring with the Holy Spirit in introducing the city of Mesa to the person of Jesus, we believe it’s crucial to not only know about King Jesus but to be an imitator of his life. It is our conviction that the western church has overtly focused on getting people to make decisions more than becoming disciples. Although Sunday gatherings are paramount to the rhythms of the church, if we want to grow and mature as followers of the Way, we must obey our Master Teacher and emulate the life he lived. We want to fight against the false thinking that discipleship to Jesus can be done alone. Lone ranger Christianity is not a biblical model. Gospel Communities exist for life-together as we become disciples who multiply the life of Jesus in ourselves and in others.

We do this by engaging rhythms and practices found in the Scriptures

Life Together - We can’t effectively and meaningfully engage God’s mission alone and we can’t know someone we see for an hour on a Sunday morning. With the Holy Spirit as our guide, our Gospel Communities are a place where we seek to fully participate in each other lives. We share our deep joys and deep sorrows. We both encourage and call one another up. We remind one another to engage with and listen to our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. We pray for one another. We seek to stir one another up to obey Father, Son, and Spirit.

Meals Together - Our heart is to model our life rhythms around the practices of Jesus. Given the reality that he utilized table fellowship as an indispensable part of his ministry, we are committed to placing a high value on the smaller, intentional gathering of community around a shared meal where everyone is welcomed. Something special happens when the body of believers shares a meal. For more details visit our values and commitments page.

Serving Together - As those seeking to emulate the life of Jesus, our desire is to give ourselves to the things that He modeled for His disciples. Jesus consistently steps into the habitual pattern of giving himself away in service to others. This can be seen all throughout the Gospels. He utilizes this space to teach, bless, heal, and call people to repentance. It is our desire that the people of Garden City would step into and see the same realities brought to life. The rhythm (ed) practice of serving the other cultivates the heart of the disciple.

Scripture Together - Our Gospel Communities are committed to reading, meditating, wrestling with, and seeking to apply the truths of Scripture in our lives. As we do this in community, we firmly expect to be challenged, surprised, and amazed at the beauty of the Holy Spirit at work in us. This reality illuminates and changes the group as we listen and discern His voice together.

Multiply Together - At the core of our vision and heart for our smaller gatherings is multiplication. Small groups or bible studies over time usually become stagnate. There are many reasons for this but one for sure is that multiplying these kind of groups is usually not on the radar. From the beginning, our Gospel Community leaders and partners understand that although life within the community is to be lived fully, intentionally, and deeply with one another, the end goal isn’t just deep friendship. The end goal is to reproduce the life of Jesus in ourselves and in others. In light of that, our groups practice co-leading, giving chances for others to grow in their gifting, and actively keeping an eye out for the moment the Spirit leads the group to multiply into another community so more and more people can be discipled.

We currently have Tuesday and Wednesday evening Gospel Communities meeting.

Interested in joining one of our mid-week Gospel Communities? Please email us at info@gardencityaz.org