Following Jesus is a ‘Home Group Church’ as opposed to a ‘Church with Home Groups.’ In the latter, home groups are an ‘optional extra’ program for people to join if they have surplus time and energy. The former means that home groups are fundamental to the life of the church – indeed the church is built on home groups for the purpose of real community. Belonging and participation is experienced most meaningfully in people who gather during the week in homes, in order to love and relate – to be accountable in a level of shared life as a little family of God.