The last thing that Jesus said to his followers before he ascended from earth was, ‘go and make disciples’. He had given them a radical mandate for following Him in every area of their lives.
Being a disciple of Jesus goes beyond just Sunday church attendance, as important as that is. Being a disciple very much shapes our Monday to Saturday too. But how do you do that? How do you be an effective follower of Jesus? Here at Emmanuel, our vision is that every member is not just an attend-er of this church, but is flourishing in all that Jesus has saved them to be.
That’s why we have Thrive groups.
Through our Thrive groups, we take the distinctives and values of Emmanuel, that every member experiences and enjoys on a Sunday and we help one another to live in the good of them every single day. For instance,
- The Bible, you’ve heard it preached, but how do you read it for yourself? How do you study it? How do you understand it so it helps you to better understand the world around you?
- Prayer and worship, how does that move from being something that we do occasionally to a way of life where we regularly encounter the power and the presence of God?
- Living in community, you know the Gospel, but how do you share it with your friends and family? How do you navigate life in a culture that is sometimes hostile to Christian values?
- The stuff of real life, you know that God loves you, but how do you get free from past mistakes, negative thoughts, false labels and identities?
Thrive is the place where, in group settings, we answer these questions and you as an Emmanuel member journey with others to grow into the Christ-like disciple you were born to be.
Every term we have a range of small groups you can be a part of. If you are an Emmanuel member, we'd encourage you to choose a Thrive group once or twice a year so that we can invest in you, so you’re better equipped to follow Jesus and serve others.
Below is a list of Thrive small groups available this term.
Thrive:Everyday
The aim of the group is to equip, challenge and encourage you to take practical steps forward in your discipleship journey with Jesus.
Through teaching videos and discussion we will focus on topics like how to read the Bible and pray effectively and fruitfully. We'll equip you to share Jesus with friends and family and we'll help you to get to know the Holy Spirit and His gifts in a deeper and more fruitful way.
Whether you are a new Christian who has just finished Alpha or have been a Christian and looking to take your faith to the next level, come and join us and be equipped to walk with Jesus more faithfully every day!
Thrive:Story
Thrive: Story is an exploration of the book of Exodus where we honestly and openly share our stories with one another and learn how Jesus changes us, heals us and transforms us to be the people he is making us to be.
It begins with a weekend and is followed by eight weekly evening sessions. During these sessions you will hear talks and preaches. We will worship God together too. We will split into single-sex small groups with whom we will meet every week. In these groups we will discuss the content from the workbook and preaches and ask one another questions. This will also be a context where you will be asked to share your story and read a psalm that you have written.
It is not counselling or therapy, but the groups provide a confidential, safe space for members to be honest and open about the real experiences of life. The groups are led by experienced and trained members of our pastoral team.
Our desire is that every member flourishes in all that God has made them to be. We believe that He has created each one of us for purpose and fruitfulness, but this is not always where we find ourselves. Our circumstances, our sin and our suffering often rob us of these things and cause us to live a life that is far less than the Gospel promises. In Thrive: Story we reflect on the journey that God is taking us on, and we help one another to move forward with faith and confidence into all He has for us in the future, whatever has gone before.
Thrive:Study
Thrive: Study is where we learn to not just read but study books of the Bible in a focused way. Each term we select a book of the Bible and by the end of it you will have a great grasp of the book, be able to discuss its main themes and apply it to your own life.
There are three aspects of the study which you’ll need to take part in each week: guided personal study, group discussion and leader teaching. This means you’ll need to set time aside each week to do this in addition to the group time. This is a commitment, but well worth it.
We believe Bible study is for everyone, you don’t need to be academic or have any qualifications, just a willingness to learn. We also believe Bible study is life-changing as the many positive testimonies to these groups demonstrate.
Come and join in the adventure of studying God’s Word for yourself!