Connect Groups

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Connect Groups is the name of a system designed to provide church members and visitors an opportunity outside of regular services to get together and talk about God, the service they attended and the message. The system has been widely adapted and is now found in many vastly differing forms across the world, under a variety of different names.

Generally Connect Groups meet all times of the day, all through the week, in many different locations such as cafes, homes, workplaces, schools, universities, parks, retirement villages, any place where it is convenient for people to get together.

Connect Groups differ from the more conventional, traditional 'House Church' or 'Small Group' meetings in the style, length and content of the meetings. Connect Groups generally occur in public settings, do not contain any form of worship and have a focus on discussion rather than teaching.

Criticism is often made of the inability to provide in-depth teaching in the Connect Group environment, especially within its usually shorter timeframe.

The Connect Group System is generally but not always found in large or mega churches like Hillsong and Christian City Church Oxford Falls & The Christian City Church International movement.

The The Christian City Church International movement is a major proponent of the system, basing their core values around the concept of 'connect'. The CCC movement has been a major factor in the spread of the Connect Group system worldwide.

Connect groups are founded around the idea that as a church grows it needs to maintain an environment where discipleship and mentoring can occur. Large churches have statistically faced much greater turnover of members, the most common reason being lack of close connection.

Connect Groups are often highly focused, revolving around a common point of interest or connection, i.e. Men's groups, Women's Groups, Age related groups, Business Groups, New Mothers Groups etc.

[edit] Government of 12

The Connect Group System is directly based on the book "Successful Leadership Through the Government of 12" by Cesar G. Castellanos.

The "principle of twelve" was first implemented by Pastors César and Claudia Castellanos at International Charismatic Mission in Bogotá, Colombia. The church has used this discipleship principle to build the largest small group network in the world: 30,000 small groups in a single congregation.

Since its foundation the concept has changed dramatically, with most churches moving from the strict guidelines on 12 group members and the like to a system that is much more relaxed.