The community and formation ministry exists to help create space for you to experience life together in community and to serve and resource you as you journey with Jesus as a disciple.
Below are some ways for you to get started. If you have any questions please reach out using the connect section at the bottom.
Community and Formation
Out of Context
Sermon Series
We've all seen what happens when words are taken out of context—meaning gets lost, distorted, or even, at times, weaponized. In our summer sermon series, we'll slow down, zoom out, and revisit some of the Bible's most quoted, debated, and misunderstood passages, discovering that their original meaning is often more challenging, surprising, and, ultimately beautiful than the interpretations we've inherited. Together, we'll learn to read Scripture through the lens of its original audience, historical setting, literary style, and authorial intent, allowing each passage to speak on its own terms. Rather than approaching the Bible as though we are the center of every passage, we'll be challenged to see ourselves within God's redemptive story that culminates in Jesus Christ. Our hope is that this series deepens our trust in Scripture, strengthens our understanding of God's character, and shapes us more fully into people formed by the story of God.
We want to offer you a few resources to help you take what God gives you on Sundays into your day-to-day lives.
As a first resources, we have a set of questions that you will here us share throughout the series. We encourage you to use these during your times of reading scripture throughout the week. The questions are:
Who wrote what I am reading?
Who is it written to?
What might the original audience have heard or understood?
How does it apply to us now?
A second resource is a Bible reading plan that introduces you to scripture itself. You can find it here:
As a third resources, the discussions at many of our small groups will be focused around exploring the Bible. This is an opportunity to do this in community with others. You can find a list of our small groups here:
Finally, here’s a book rec if you want to go deeper:
Grow in Community
God often uses our relationships in community to transform us. With rare exception, we cannot grow into the people God has created us—and is transforming us—to be without life together with others.
In addition to gathering together for Sunday worship, we offer a number of different types of small group communities throughout the week at Vineyard Columbus. You can use the Small Group Finder below to explore what’s on offer and to connect with leaders of our communities.
Grow in Jesus
There is a beautiful mystery to how we are transformed. First, it’s, ultimately, all grace—God’s Spirit lives in us and works in us. Yet we also participate in practices through which God shapes us. Philippians 2:12-13 captures this mystery: ”Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
At Vineyard Columbus we summarize these practices in five areas that help us intentionally respond to God’s transforming work: worshiping, belonging, serving, giving, and learning.
Below is a Linktree where we share regularly updated, curated resources you can engage as a disciple journeying with Jesus.
You don’t have to do them all! But what might God be inviting you into this year or maybe even just this month?