…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Forming each other to realize our God-given potential.
The problem
Much of church community is organized around calendars. When connection depends on schedules aligning, the calendar tends to win, and we spend more time coordinating than connecting. And in larger groups, it's easy to get lost: to attend faithfully and yet remain, in any deep sense, unknown. The trust, vulnerability, and genuine understanding of one another that formation requires thrive in something small and persistent.
What a Circle is
A Soulcraft Circle is 4–8 individuals or 2–4 couples engaged in constant conversation over soul-nourishing, formative content, irrespective of calendars.
- The discussion stays persistent and consistent.
- The in-person meetings stay fluid.
The digital forum (email thread, message thread, or app) keeps members connected and engaged between face-to-face gatherings, much like a family separated by geography between holidays. Community, as such, happens in person. Technology is no substitute for presence. But presence is not a substitute for persistence either, and persistence is what the digital forum provides.
What a Circle requires to function
- A shared source. Scripture passage, book, sermon, podcast, or other content.
- A digital forum. Email thread, message thread, or app.
- A facilitator. To guide and energize the Circle.
What sustains a Circle over time
Multiplication out. Every Circle has the potential to multiply. When a Circle grows too large, a facilitator and a few members may launch a new Circle.
What facilitation looks like
- Choose or curate the shared source.
- Engage members, digitally and in person.
- Guard the Circle's formation purpose.
What Circles could look like
- An older, experienced believer; a mid-career professional; young adults seeking mentorship.
- Parents whose meetings are hybrid informal talks and play dates for their kids.
- Singers and musicians who meet at open mic events to both converse and perform.
- Fort Bragg-based individuals whose meetings happen on-post over lunch.
- Thinkers wrestling with the philosophical foundations of the faith, reading primary sources together.
- Individuals in recovery at different stages of sobriety, encouraging one another.
Join the conversation.
If you sense the pull toward deeper formation, whether as a facilitator or a member, speak with Andrew Bibb or email andrew@soulcraftcircles.org.