Experience life application as we study the Bible together, verse by verse.
The next session of Growth Groups will launch in January 2019.

What are Growth Groups at Open Arms?

  • Small groups (< 12) of people who meet together to encourage one another and learn the Bible through interactive discussion.
  • Most groups meet in a host home for 90 minutes on a weekly basis, and all are welcome.
  • Growth Groups begin anew every January, and meet until June.
  • Group discussion focuses on the Scripture text that was taught during the previous Sunday morning service.
  • Each group will schedule their own break weeks, communicate a start time, etc.​​
Summer Groups
  • Each summer, a few groups (more content-oriented) are offered to fill in the gap between Growth Groups and Institute classes.
  • 2018 summer groups will launch the week of June 25th.  You can learn more information and/or sign up online by clicking here. 

Key Values

The four key values of our Growth Groups are the four key values of Open Arms ... Growth Groups are one way to carry out the many "one anothers" of Scripture. 

  • Loving God
​​​​           (Matt 6:33; 22:37)
We love God in our growth groups by making Him a priority in our lives and by seeking Him together.

  • Discovering Truth ​
​​​​​           ​(John 8:31-32; 17:17; Rom 15:14; Col 1:28; 3:15-16; Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:14-17)
We seek to discover the truths of the Bible in an interactive way while making life application. The format we use is designed to encourage group interaction and sharing. The Growth Group leader is not necessarily a teacher, but a facilitator who participates and keeps things moving. The question we ask ourselves is not "How much do I know?" but "How much am I imitating Jesus?" We're called to teach and admonish one another with the wisdom of God's Word, not our own.

  • Sharing Life
​​​​​​           ​(Acts 2:40-47; Rom 1:12; 2 Cor 13:11; Gal 6:2; 1 Thess 4:16-18; 5:11; 1 John 1:7)
As described in the New Testament, the early church was a close community who willingly shared their lives with each other. Our Growth Groups are a place where people are made to feel welcome and genuinely cared for; a place where it's safe to share struggles; a place to be mutually encouraged by each other's faith; a place to build real friendships and share life as we pursue Jesus together.

  • Serving Others 
​​​​​           ​​​(John 13:14; Gal 5:13; Phil 2:3; James 5:16; 1 Pet 4:10)
By humbly viewing others as more significant than ourselves, we serve one another by interceding in prayer, being available for practical needs, and seeking first and foremost their spiritual maturity.