What are Coastal Communities?
Coastal Communities (CCs) are multigenerational home groups of 7-20 people who meet regularly to build authentic community in Christ and apply the Sunday sermon to everyday life.
What are benefits of participating in a Coastal Communities group?
Begin and deepen friendships in Christ.
Wrestle with honest questions raised by the sermon.
Be encouraged by hearing how God is speaking to others through the message.
Learn new skills in listening to God, Scripture, and one another.
Experience the power of the gospel as you pray it into new areas of your life (‘gospel exchange’)
Become a ‘doer’ -not merely a ‘hearer’- of the Word
Discover your gifts and a place to serve.
Find onramps to other discipleship opportunities at CCC (ex. DNA groups, prayer retreats, Celebrate Recovery, or outreach teams)
What is the mission of Coastal Communities?
It is the same as the mission of Coastal Community Church: The mission of a Coastal Communities Home Group is to cultivate a disciple-making culture (see Mt. 28:18-20), where participants are learning to be changed by Jesus, to seek Jesus first, and to join Jesus in his resurrection work.
Coastal Communities help bridge the gap between our hearing, knowing, and practicing the good news of Jesus: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (Jesus, Matthew 7:24-25)
Coastal Communities are building on the rock of responsive obedience to our liberating Lord Jesus.
Coastal Communities Nuts & Bolts
What is unique about the Coastal Communities culture?
A culture of hospitality: CC’s cultivate guest-friendly relational spaces where insiders and outsiders are welcomed into community.
A culture of integrity: CC’s seek to integrate the gospel we hear and sing about on Sundays into our everyday lives.
A culture of vulnerability: CC’s create safe places where we wrestle honestly with questions raised by the sermon and its implications.
A culture of relational health: CC’s help us learn to listen to- and learn from- others who have different perspectives.
What is the primary role of the CCs host team? To model this culture of hospitality, integrity, vulnerability and relational health.
We believe healthy groups are hosted by healthy leaders. How do we help small group hosts pursue spiritual, relational and emotional health? Click HERE.
What are CCs host responsibilities during the week?
Attend worship, listen to sermon.
Pre-pray through the discussion guide, asking the Holy Spirit to meet the group in the midst of the discussion.
Prepare to share personally. Identify how the Holy Spirit is speaking to you personally in the sermon and be ready to share. When hosts model this culture of authenticity, you help create a safe place for others to do the same.
As appropriate, check in with guests and thank newcomers.
Form a ‘buddy system’ with a fellow host for prayer support, encouragement and to insure your role is covered when you must be absent.
Read and respond to digital communications from your lead host each week.
Participate in quarterly host enrichment events. Hosts are asked to pause normal group gatherings to create bandwidth on weeks when the church schedules quarterly host trainings. Please make these leadership gatherings of priority. They are designed to provide encouragement, inspiration, and coaching in home group best practices.
What are the three components of a typical Coastal Communities home group gathering?
Part One - Welcome: Greet guests, share munchies, hand out conversation guides, and get acquainted using the ice breaker. For a toolbox of questions click HERE.
Part Two - Sermon conversation: Using conversation guide, briefly recap the Scripture and sermon, and discuss the message. Note- The conversation guide is a toolbox. You need not use all questions on the guide, or use them in order.
Part Three - Gospel exchange: Gospel exchange is at the heart of the culture of our church. This 'bad out' / 'good in' process will take some intentional modeling by hosts, especially in the early stages of the group. CCHG gathers close with thanksgivings, logistics and farewells.
Ground rules for great home group conversations:
Extroverts: Please allow space and time for introverts to speak
Introverts: Please speak up when you have something to contribute
Everyone: Show respect by listening to one another, knowing that we all can learn from those who have a different perspective.
New home groups typically follow a ‘J-curve’. Don’t be discouraged! This is normal group process.
Stage one: Initial interest and excitement. Begin a 6-8 week CCHG 'road test' together.
Stage two: attrition. There is a normal drop off in attendance as individuals decide whether or not the CCHG schedule and culture works for them at this time. At the conclusion of the road test, schedule a time for a group pause. Take time as a group to celebrate wins, trouble-shoot challenges, and graciously release those who are looking for an 'off ramp.’ Then invite the core group to 're-up' for the next stage.
Stage three: Create an 'on-ramp' for new guests and launch the next stage of your journey!
For detailed steps in defining team roles and logistics for forming a new Coastal Communities click HERE.