Small Groups at Cal Christian Fellowship

This article is a sidebar to Mission-oriented small groups at UC Berkeley.

Here is a description of the current small groups for CCF, but the list may grow … stay tuned!

Dorm ministry (leader description):
Dorm leaders create a space for Christians and non-Christians in the dorms to encounter God in their lives. Through conversation, reflection, Bible study, prayer groups, and communal risk taking, dorm small groups provide interactive opportunities for residents to explore faith and its relevance to their lives. Great for people continuing to live in the dorms, people with a heart for witness and mission, and a heart for people new to Cal.

Life Discipleship:
Life Discipleship is a small group for people newer to the Christian faith or those wanting to establish a strong foundation in their faith. Through scripture study, prayer and teaching, this group will cover topics studied in other small groups, including intimacy with God, evangelism, identity, social justice and how our academic disciplines can be worshipful. This small group is intending to be a sending small group in which members are sent into other small group communities when appropriate.

Ethnic Identity:
Jesus, God in human form, did not enter the world in a cultural vacuum. Jesus’ entry into this world was as a cultural person with customs, expressions of culture and ways of learning. Likewise God has formed each of us with distinct cultures and backgrounds. The Ethnic Identity Small Group looks at the cultural and ethnic aspects of our identity that should be submitted to God and used by him to advance his Kingdom. This is a good small group for anyone seeking to reconcile ethnic identity with spiritual identity and how both can work together to worship God.

Social Justice:
The Social Justice Small Group seeks to know God’s heart for justice in a world needing redemption. Through scripture study, prayer and community involvement we grow in our awareness of local and global injustice. We wrestle with issues of power and systemic oppression as well as personal issues of privilege, material security and our place in God’s redemptive plan. This group is good for those wanting to partner with God as agents of change, people with Global Urban Trek/BayUP experience, and possibly those studying social welfare, sociology, PEIS, political science or similar majors.

International Student Ministries:
International Student Ministries is committed to creating a community of both International and American students with a heart for the nations. At the university the world comes to our doorsteps. These are the people who will shape the history of their home countries. ISM is an opportunity to shape that history with Kingdom ethics. This community creates a space of welcome and gospel engagement to Internationals and a place of cross-cultural mission for Americans. ISM is great for anyone with overseas experience (missionary or academic), people hoping to go overseas and those able to speak another language.

Engineering Small Group:
Engineers impact every aspect of life through the development of science and technology. As the Engineering Small Group we place ourselves in the center of that impact for the Kingdom of God. As engineers we connect in a safe environment to commune with God around issues pertinent to us: academic idolatry, stress, pride, over-commitment, rest. This is a group that actively engages non-Christians in our classes, sections and labs. Engineering Small Group is good for any engineer or one considering an engineering major.

Marketplace Small Group:
Much of our nation and nations around the world are affected by the happenings within the Marketplace, centers of commerce and business. The marketplace is often controlled by the ethics of profit margin and independence, as opposed to the Kingdom ethics of love, interdependence and the stewardship of creation. The Marketplace Small Group will testify to these Kingdom ethics to one another as well as non-Christians in our classes and sections. Students studying business, economics, PEIS and similar majors may be interested in this small group.