Summer Small Groups

​Our regular community groups are taking a break for the summer but that doesn't mean you have to stop growing and connecting! As we've done the past couple years we are forming a number of topically-based small groups for the summer season and we're excited to see how God uses them to grow you in Christ and in community! The groups will meet in various homes over six sessions beginning in late June and will be centered around a brief video teaching time (20-30 minutes) followed by group discussions facilitated by a leader. This is a great opportunity to study a topic that interests you, connect with others outside your regular community group, or even try out a group for the first time and we are encouraging everyone to participate!  You can sign up by clicking the REGISTER button below. PLEASE REGISTER BY NO LATER WED, MAY 31ST. More information and an intro video for each study is provided below. We will reach out to you by the end of May after we get a gauge of the interest level for each topic and will do our best to place you in a group based on your input from your registration. If the determined time and location does not work for you there will still be an opportunity to switch to another group in early June. We are planning on having summer groups open with a fellowship gathering the week of June 12th. Feel free to contact Pastor Peter with any questions.

REGISTER

GOSPEL SHAPED OUTREACH (Erik Raymond)
Facilitators: Jon & Joyce Ahn   Time: Wednesdays @ 6pm   Location: Northbrook
Many Christians are nervous about telling someone else about Jesus. We prefer to leave it up to the preacher, or to those we see as particularly gifted for evangelism in our congregations. But all believers are called to make disciples not just the spiritually-gifted and when you share your faith with others, you grow exponentially in your own faith. This series won’t offer quick fixes or evangelism "gimmicks". But by continually pointing us back to the gospel, it will give us the proper motivation to work together as a church to share the gospel message with those who are lost. We encourage anyone who wants to share God’s heart to reach our community and help build a more outreach-oriented culture at our church to join! 

MANAGING OUR FINANCES GOD’S WAY (Crown Financial Ministries)
Facilitator: Phil Kim        Time: Fridays @ 7pm         Location: Long Grove 
Money is often an unpopular topic among friends and especially in the church, but did you know there are over 2,000 verses in the Bible about money? Did you know that nearly half of Jesus' parables are about possessions? The Bible is packed with wise counsel about your financial life. In fact, Jesus had more to say about money than about heaven and hell combined because he knew how important it was for our life on earth and our future in heaven. Co-developed with Purpose Driven Ministries and Pastor Rick Warren, this study features speakers such as Ron Blue, Howard Dayton and Ron Blue and covers topics like the big picture on money and possessions as well as practical tips on spending, saving, investing and getting out of debt. Whether you are looking to understand time-honored biblical principles on money or just want to learn some practical tips - come and grow in your finances and your faith. 

RAISING KIDS WITH A FAITH THAT LASTS (Focus on the Family)
Facilitator: Al Kajiwara        Time: Thursday evenings       Location: Des Plaines 
The greatest reward as a parent is seeing your child grow in their relationship with God. This series, produced by Focus on the Family, and led by top child-rearing experts such as Tim Kimmel, Larry Fowler and Mark Holmen will help you see how everyday conversations, family fun, and purposeful projects build spiritual foundations your son or daughter can rely on for a lifetime. They will share practical wisdom, honest confessions, from their decades of parenting and teaching experience.  This study will explore where faith begins, help you understand your child’s greatest needs and also provide practical instruction like coming up with a family faith plan, and providing tools and tips for parenting effectively and biblically. 

THE GOSPEL MARRIAGE (Peter Cho)
Facilitators: Peter & Kim Cho   Time: Friday evenings    Location: Hoffman Estates 
Marriage can be one of life’s greatest challenges and most couples are eager to find ways to do it better. But it is only in understanding why God created marriage that we can discover how to find true happiness in it. This study will explore God’s greatest purpose and design for marriage —  to reveal a picture of and unleash the power of the gospel — and from that understanding help uncover practical ways to bring about a more Spirit-filled, Christ-honoring marriage. It will be limited to no more than five couples and will include weekly exercises as we discover God’s love for His bride as the message, model and motive for marriage. NOTE: We are asking childcare to be arranged by each couple (if needed) so we can meet without distraction.

The Big Picture of Marriage from Peter F Cho on Vimeo.

NOT A FAN (Kyle Idleman)
Facilitators: Intaek & Petra Choi   Time: Fridays @ 6:30pm   Location: Northbrook
Are you a follower of Jesus? You may indeed be a passionate, follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn’t ready to let him cramp your style.  In any case, don’t take the question lightly. Some people don’t know what they’ve said yes to and other people don’t realize what they’ve said no to. But Jesus is ready to clearly define the relationship he wants with his followers. This study calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.

THE BROKEN WAY (Ann Voskamp)
Facilitator: Jamie Lopez            Time: TBD          Location: Northbrook
New York Times bestselling author Ann Voskamp takes us on a personal journey along the broken way. The broken way beckons you into more time, more meaning, more authentic relationships. There’s a way, especially when things aren’t shaping up quite like you imagined, that makes life take the shape of more—more abundance, more intimacy, more God. She asks the following questions not one of us can afford to ignore: How do you live your one broken life? What does it mean to live cruciform and learn to receive? What do you do if you really want to know abundant wholeness—before it’s too late? There’s a way of honest, transformative power. Dare to take the broken way—to abundance. Please note this study is for women only. 

STEPPING UP: A CALL TO COURAGEOUS MANHOOD (Dennis Rainey)
Facilitator: Derick Africa           Time: TBD           Location: TBD   
Dennis Rainey, along with Matt Chandler, Bill Bennett, Tony Dungy, Robert Lewis, Voddie Baucham, Stu Weber, and others unpack what biblical manhood looks like and what it means to be a godly, courageous man in today's world. Through engaging stories, expert teaching, humorous vignettes, man-on-the-street interviews, and personal insights, these men's ministry leaders call every man to become courageous leaders in their own lives, marriages, churches, and communities. Men of every age will learn action tools for gospel-centered living to empower them to be true heroes in their families and communities. Please note this study is for men only. 

ICC Summer Small Group Studies Channel

If you want to get a better idea of what the actual video sessions are like or if you miss a study and want to get caught up on your own time, you can also access all of these video-based studies (except The Gospel Marriage & The Broken Way) by going to your RightNow Media account and visiting the ICC  Summer Small Group Studies Channel (click to access). If you don't have a RightNow Media account please contact Alex Kim and she will get you access to one for free.