WHAT IS A 4W GROUP?

In the Spring of 2001, members of the CCCNJ English Congregation began forming what we now call 4W Groups. These are small groups of people who meet once a week in homes. The "4W" is derived from the 4 parts that make up a normal weekly meeting.

          Welcome: an icebreaker
          Worship: praise and thanksgiving
          Word: interaction with God's word with an emphasis on application, and
          Works: working to build God's kingdom through prayer and planning

4W Groups are part of an overall strategy that is now being used by the English Congregation of CCCNJ to help us do the things we are mandated to do in the Bible.

WHY USE 4W GROUPS?

The Bible makes clear that we are to have the identity of Christ. The Bible also makes it clear that those who are identified with Christ should engage in 5 kinds of activities:

          Worship
          Fellowship
          Evangelism
          Christian Education
          Community Service

However, the Bible does not give us one absolute strategy that all churches must use to do the five things just mentioned. Each church must seek to use the best strategy possible. The reason why this strategy has been chosen for the adult congregation of CCCNJ is simply because those in leadership feel it is the best strategy to use in doing the five things mentioned above. The leadership feels this way for the following reasons:

(1) It is best for us at CCCNJ to use an integrated approach at doing ministry as opposed to a departmentalized approach. The 4W strategy attempts to involve each group member in all of the five things churches are supposed to do. This strategy seeks to reduce the number of committees and committee meetings and increase the time given to training leaders.

(2) This strategy has been proven to be highly effective for large churches located in areas of large populations. It helps fulfill the felt need people have for deep relationships with other people.

  4W GROUP RESOURCES

  (to come)