Ways to Grow at Roots
Everything we offer to help you develop in your faith
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
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Ephesians 3:14–19
ON THIS PAGE:
SMALL Meetings
Our experience has shown us that the best way to grow spiritually is in small, relational environments where you can be known, ask questions, discuss the Scriptures, experience friendly accountability, observe the lives of mature Christians up-close, and help mentor newer believers.
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At Roots Church, we've made this the primary emphasis of our ministry. We focus more on personal discipleship and house church meetings than on large gatherings where it can be easy to disappear into the crowd.
House Church
The "main event" for us is the weekly house church meeting. House churches are ideally comprised of anywhere from 5 to 20 people who gather for interactive Bible study, personal prayer for one another, real relationships, and meaningful encounters with God in worship, communion, and the practice of spiritual gifts.
ROOTS SCHOOL OF MINISTRY​
Local students form small cohorts (5-10 students) who all start at the same time and commit to study the 35 lessons together at a shared pace. Cohorts can begin studies any time of the year and last until the material is finished.
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On Thursday nights, we host an opportunity for the cohorts to gather together in-person, discuss the videos they watched and reading material from that week, ask questions of faculty and graduates, and then engage in various activities (like prayer meetings, evangelism nights, guest speaker opportunities, and more).
Personal Discipleship
Find one, two, or three people who are newer to faith than you, and then mentor those people in following Jesus. Pray for them. Check on them. Model a lifestyle of faith for them. Serve them. Encourage them. Love them, and help them connect with the Lord. We don't formally organize such relationships but trust them to develop organically in our house churches; and they do!
Big Meetings
There's something special about gathering in large groups with other believers. While the best way to grow is in a small environment (especially a house church), we recognize there are things the Lord often does in large gatherings that are unique. So while our emphasis is on small gatherings, we do offer large meetings and events that help facilitate spiritual growth and a healthy culture throughout our network.
Encounter Nights
On the first and third Sunday night of each month, our network of house churches comes together for a special meeting that is the closest thing we do to a typical church meeting. We have prayer, worship, children's ministry, a message, and a time of seeking God together. Meetings are geared toward Christians and do not emphasize evangelism. The focus is generally more on worship, spiritual development, training in ministry, and a shared encounter with God.
Special Events
Every month we try to host one special event for everyone in our network who's interested in coming. Sometimes these are fun outings for families, trips, conferences, service projects, prayer and worship meetings, etc.
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We also host weekly evangelism outings where those new to sharing their faith can shadow someone with experience and learn to introduce people to Jesus with confidence and love. All are welcome!
GROWTH TRACK
There are two “lanes” on our growth track. The left lane is your own personal spiritual growth with the Lord. And the right lane is your organizational development within the Roots Church Network.
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Your personal spiritual growth can happen at any church and at your own pace as you walk with the Lord. You don’t need to be a Mission Partner of Roots Church to grow in your walk with Jesus. We’re just happy to be here for you along the journey.
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Similarly, your advancement within our organization does not necessarily equal spiritual growth. We’ve tried to structure Roots Church in a way that spiritual growth will happen naturally along the way, but such growth is not guaranteed. As you benefit from the many facets of our organization, be sure to remain focused on your own personal growth.
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The "Growth Track" below is NOT a checklist of achievements. It's simply a tool to help you identify where you are on the journey and then see what God might have next for you.
PERSONAL GROWTH
ROOTS EXPERIENCE
Decide to Follow Jesus
Build Meaningful Relationships with Other Christians
Develop a Meaningful Prayer Life
Develop a Habit of Worshipping God, Both Alone & with Your Church
Grow in Your Love for God & Others
Commit Yourself to a Lifestyle of Evangelism & Disciple-Making
Weekly Evangelism & Personal Ministry
Participate in Our Twice-Monthly
Start a House Church, Help Someone Else Start a House Church, or Follow the Holy Spirit in Whatever Else He Might Want You to Do
R E P L I C A T E
Before you’ve reached the bottoms of both tracks, you’ll already be naturally bringing others along for the journey. Real Christian maturity looks like first living completely for Jesus and second replicating that same lifestyle in others through ongoing evangelism, mentoring, and fellowship.