FORMATION COMMUNITIES
We are formed in community.
We are one church with a growing vision to see Formation Communities established throughout the Tampa Bay area. Our goal is to multiply into many local expressions of the same church, each gathering throughout the week and coming together on Sundays to celebrate Jesus and all that He is doing.
Formation Communities are the heart of our church. They create space for people to grow spiritually, share life with others, and live on mission together. They’re how we live out our vision of helping people be formed by Jesus, in community, and for mission.
Each Formation Community meets regularly to share a meal, open the Scriptures, pray, and serve together. Our rhythm allows Communities to gather twice a month as a larger group and twice a month in smaller Discipleship Groups (2–6 people) for deeper study, accountability, and prayer.
These Communities are designed to be multi-generational and rooted in neighborhoods across Tampa Bay, places where we can truly experience what it means to be a spiritual family in Jesus.
Following Jesus Together
Decentralized & Diverse
Gathering in Formation Communities allows our church to stay decentralized, rooted in neighborhoods rather than centered around one location or event.
As we establish Communities across the Tampa Bay area, we envision a diverse expression of the church, multi-generational, multi-cultural, and united in Christ, living as a spiritual family on mission together.
Then, when all of our Communities come together for our weekly Sunday Gathering, we experience the joy of worshiping God as one larger family, celebrating all that He is doing through His people and staying connected under one mission and vision.
Shared Leadership
Our vision is to have shared and distributed leadership among various Formation Communities, all unified and accountable under within the church, with the same mission and vision. We want to equip and empower everyday leaders who serve where they live, building relationships and leading communities where they can truly know and be known.
Each Formation Community will be led by a qualified, trained, and accountable Community Leader from Formation Church who provides teaching, leadership, and care for the people in their community.
Shared Leadership
Our vision is to have shared and distributed leadership amongst various house churches, yet all being unified and having accountability under one Elder Board that has the same mission and vision. We want to equip and empower pastors beyond just having a few staff members. Pastors should be ablt to know and be known by the people of the church and the community.
Each House Church will be led by a qualified, trained, accountable pastor from Formation Church who oversees the teaching, leadership, and care of each individual in their House Church.
A church is not a place, it’s a people
ACTS 2:46,47
Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Formation Communities F.A.Q
When and where?
When: Wednesdays at 6:30pm (our hope is to have other times and days in the future)
Where: Typically in someone’s home but this is not a hard and fast rule. Formation Communities by their very nature have the flexibility to meet in a wide array of locations.
Formation Community Definition
Formation Communities are smaller expressions of the church that meet in homes and neighborhoods throughout the week. They’re multi-generational gatherings centered on community, discipleship, and mission, with all the core elements of a healthy church.
Each Community prioritizes prayer, practices generosity, seeks multiplication, meets one another’s needs, and welcomes new people. Together, these Communities allow us to live as a spiritual family in the everyday stuff of life, helping us fulfill our mission of being formed by Jesus, in community, and for mission.
Weekly Rhythm & Elements
How often do Formation Communities meet?
Formation Communities meet weekly, but in two different rhythms:
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Twice a month as a larger Community Gathering — sharing a meal, worshiping, studying Scripture, praying, and caring for one another.
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Twice a month in smaller Discipleship Groups (2–6 people) — digging deeper into Scripture, prayer, accountability, and personal growth.
This rhythm helps everyone stay connected while keeping space for rest, family, and mission in the flow of everyday life.
What happens when a Formation Community meets?
Each Community has the same core elements you’d expect in a healthy church, just in a more relational setting:
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Prayer & Worship – We take time to seek God together.
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Scripture & Teaching – We open the Bible and talk about how to live it out.
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Fellowship & Care – We share meals, stories, and support one another.
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Mission & Service – We look for ways to be on mission and to bless our neighborhoods and city.
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Multiplication – We help new disciples and new communities grow over time.
Why this rhythm?
We believe spiritual formation happens best through consistent relationships and sustainable rhythms. Meeting twice as a community and twice in smaller groups gives space for both family connection and deeper discipleship—without burning people out.
What is the difference between a "small group" and a "Formation Community"?
A Formation Community is a smaller expression of the church, led by a trained Community Leader. It’s diverse, open to people of all ages, backgrounds, and stages of faith, and reflects the unity we find in Jesus. Like any church, a Formation Community practices the biblical rhythms of worship, discipleship, community, and mission.
It’s more than a group of friends, it’s a spiritual family. People share life together, care for one another, and grow as followers of Jesus. Formation Communities carry the full DNA of the church in a smaller setting, going deeper than what a typical small group or class can offer.
While groups or classes are often centered on a topic, timeframe, age group, or shared interest, a Formation Community is built around shared life in Jesus, learning to follow Him together and helping others do the same.