Small Groups (小組)
Small groups are both the front door and the living room of WCAC. Here is where we invite friends, neighbors, coworkers and schoolmates to step inside and experience firsthand the kingdom of God. Outsiders come in and see us eating together, caring for each other, listening to God's voice, and praying for each other.
WCAC has more than 20 such small groups meeting on a regular basis, mostly twice a month. Each group is unique in composition, languages used, and focus. Some groups focus more on prayer, others more on Bible study. But all the groups have certain emphases in common. One emphasis is mutual caring. We regard small groups as the primary place in which caring takes place. When people are hurting, it is the small group members who are there to listen and support those who are suffering. When someone shares their deepest concern and the group members gather around to pray with passion for that person, calling on the Lord to be present in that person's need, it is both moving and powerful. Pastors, elders and counselors are additions to this kind of community caring, but not replacements for it. A healthy small group sees and responds to peoples' tears.
Another emphasis of all our small groups is that we view each group as an open front door to the Jesus community where those who are seeking Jesus or curious about Him can find a warm welcome. The informal and somewhat unstructured nature of the groups is a form of transparency to outsiders, allowing them to see us at our best and worst. They are in effect living rooms where seekers can see for themselves whether the kingdom of God is real or not. Our failures and imperfections are not hindrances to the Gospel when they are visible to others, as long as the Holy Spirit's healing and works of love are also visible. Our small groups give outsiders access to seeing that with their own eyes. Small group members are putting into practice the biblical gift of hospitality, opening their living rooms – even when they're messy and it's inconvenient – to show love to brothers and sisters and strangers, just as was done by the early Christians: “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Acts 2)
If you are interested in visiting a small group, please speak with one of the elders who will assist you in finding a small group in your geographical area and language.
本教會的團契小組，有如一個家的大門和客廳。我們邀請朋友，鄰居，同事和同學，和我們同在小組裡來親身經歷神的國度。訪客看到我們一起吃飯，彼此關懷，聆聽神的話語，為各人代求。
本會有約20 個小組定期聚會，多數小組每月聚會兩次。各小組有自己特定的組成，語言和焦點。有些小組側重禱告，有些側重查經。但所有小組都有共同的焦點，其一就是相互的關懷。在小組裡，我們實行真實的關懷。當有人傷心時，是小組的同伴在那兒聆聽和支持。當你分享最困擾你的事情時，是小組成員為你代禱，求神親自安慰供應，這既令人感動又充滿能力。牧師，長老和協談員也提供格外的關懷，但並不取代小組的角色。一個健康的小組不僅看到，更會去回應組員的眼淚。
團契小組的另外一個側重點是，每個小組都有如一道敞開的門，使慕道者感到受歡迎，得以進入耶穌的群體裡。小組的自在開放，坦誠透明，讓新來的訪客可以看到組員最好和最糟的一面。小組像家的客廳，慕道友可以從中看到神國是真實的還是虛假的。讓人看到我們的失敗和不完美並不妨礙福音的真正本質，只要聖靈醫治和愛的工作也被展現出來。所有小組成員實踐 慷慨 這一屬靈恩賜，為了愛弟兄姊妹和新來賓，開放家庭，雖然家裡會雜亂，有時也不方便，卻一點也不介意，就像早期基督徒那樣：“他們天天同心合意恆切的在殿裡，且在家中擘餅，存著歡喜、誠實的心用飯，讚美神，得眾民的喜愛。”（徒2:46-47）
Contact (聯絡): Eric Norregaard (羅義立)
Email (電郵): eldersboard@wcac-cma.org