Lesson 4 of 9 · Video + questions

What a Community Group Is (and Isn't)

A community group isn't a class, and it isn't a hangout. It's a small circle of people helping each other follow Jesus — and that shape holds no matter what your group is studying.

The rhythm: Look Back, Look Up, Look Forward

Every gathering moves through three parts. Look Back is where you revisit the next step each person named last week — the accountability piece. Look Up is where you turn to God and His Word together. Look Forward is where each person names the next step they're taking before you meet again.

Why the rhythm matters

Without Look Back, a group becomes a discussion that changes nothing. Without Look Forward, there's nothing to look back on. The three parts hold each other up — and they're why the topic can change without the group losing its purpose.

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
Acts 2:42

Check Your Understanding

Lesson Quiz

1 question · score 70% or better to complete the lesson

1. The three-part rhythm Nathan describes for every group gathering — no matter the topic — is:
Worship, teaching, fellowshipLook Back, Look Up, Look ForwardIcebreaker, Bible study, prayer requestWelcome, lesson, dismissal

Your Reflection

One question to wrestle with

These go to the discipleship team so a coach can walk with you. Write honestly — there are no right answers here, and nobody is grading you.

The "Look Back" section is where accountability happens — you ask people if they followed through on the next step they named the week before. Accountability like that can feel awkward, especially with people you don't know well yet. What's one specific way you'll create enough trust and warmth in your group that people feel cared for, not interrogated, when you ask that question?

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