‘Serve’ communities are a primary way of belonging at Newmarket Baptist Church

A key initiative of our ‘Pantry People’ Serve Community  is ‘The Flemington People’s Pantry’ 

A ‘serve’ community:

• Is a group of between twenty and fifty people
• Can be either a new church plant or, more commonly, a sub-set of a larger gathered church
• Centers on Jesus, helping people become and then grow as his disciples
• Has a defining focus on reaching a particular neighborhood or network of relationships
• Takes place in community and often revolves around shared times of food and fun
• Has a healthy balance of PRAY, EAT, LEARN, SERVE
• Does not require that members be professing Christians to belong
• Is unashamed about following Christ, in values and in vision
• Conducts worship, prayer, and Scripture reading as core practices
• Looks outward through a mixture of service and verbal witness
• Has a common mission focus that is the glue for the shared sense of togetherness
• Gathers informally throughout the week, not just at formal meetings
• Includes a high value on small groups for support, challenge, and closeness in member’s lifetogether
• Has leaders who receive ongoing help, coaching, and accountability
• Has leaders who do not do everything – they facilitate and release others to serve and lead