Groups

Why do we value groups?

A Church is a community of people who are intentionally seeking and following Jesus Christ together. While every person is on his or her own spiritual journey, at Summit Church, we believe that you will grow in your relationship with God to the greatest extent when you are connected to other believers.


This is why Summit Church values groups. A group is collective of people that grow and are held together by some type of unifying goal. It could be healing from past pain or walking through a challenging season of life. It could be a common desire to study scripture or to go deeper in your understanding of a sermon from Sunday morning. Whatever the goal, Groups are a tool we use to deliberately focus on meaningful and spiritually-refining relationships. We believe face-to-face interaction is vital in living an abundant life as each and every person becomes more like Jesus Christ.


Bottom line: You should be in a group.

How do I join a group?

You’ll see below that there are many groups to join at Summit Church. However, not all of them are active all year. Some are seasonal and some are cyclical. Sometimes the group makeup will shift and change, sometimes groups stay the same for multiple years. 


To find more information or to register for a group, click the link next to the group you are interested in. If a group doesn’t have a link, it may be that the group is currently full, or is not currently meeting. Keep checking back for new openings! If you have any other questions, email info@summitniles.com

  • Young Adults, led by Trever and Anna Harmon, consists of college students, singles, and newly married couples that are past high school age. They typically meet on Sunday evenings to study scripture and walk through the meaningful transition that is young adulthood. This Fall they will be working through the book "Gentle and Lowly." Fall Kickoff is August 27 and the following week they will dive into the book study. Want to join? Email Trever and Anna for more details HERE. 

  • Join men in the Summit Church Gathering Area for early morning discussion and study before heading off to work on Wednesdays from 6-7AM. There is no need to register for this group, grab your bible and join us! 

  • This group meets Tuesdays from 7:30-9AM in the Worship Center at Summit Church. We will learn to pray, seeking intimacy with The Lord together. Bring your bible! There is no childcare for this group, and they do not meet on holiday weeks.

  • Many men who struggle with sexual brokenness try to go it alone and believe the lie that sexual brokenness is about sex; when really, it’s about medicating pain in their lives. Despite losses—marriage, ministry, relationships, and more—they continue to return to unwanted sexual behaviors. Through "Seven Pillars," you will begin your recovery from unwanted sexual behavior with a trusted group of men on the same journey. More info and registration HERE.

  • This 10-month study reveals the truth and nature of sexual addiction and how women are wounded by the addicts behaviors. For women who have suffered betrayal, their healing comes from understanding the role of trauma, establishing healthy boundaries, exploring the depth of forgiveness, and learning to live in restoration. This study allows women to seek healing and explore practical tools in a group setting. More info and registration HERE.

  • In a culture of endless questions, you need solid answers. If you or someone you love has encountered the ideas of progressive Christianity and aren’t sure how to respond, this 6-session study by Alisa Childers will show you how to determine―and rest in―what’s unmistakably true. Pastor Kayte Hatch is leading this study on Tuesday mornings at 9:30AM starting September 12. Gather at 9AM for an optional time of fellowship with coffee and bagels in the Gathering Area. Childcare is available for this study and registration is required HERE. 

    To pay for study materials via cash or check, call the church office to register: 269-683-9245


  • In this 12-week interactive study, authors Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom guide you through critical stages of spiritual renewal, including humility, repentance, grace, holiness, obedience, forgiveness, and power through the Spirit-filled life. 

    Amy Oltz leads this study on Tuesday mornings at 9:30AM starting September 12. Gather at 9AM for an optional time of fellowship with coffee and bagels in the Gathering Area. Childcare is available for this study, and registration is required HERE.

    To pay via cash or check, call the church office to register.

  • Through her book "Anxious: Fighting Anxiety with the Word of God" author Scarlet Hiltibidal helps us learn how we can practically take hold of the perfect peace that is only available through God as we dive deeply into His Word, embrace the practice of prayer, and live authentically in the support of our communities of faith. Sara Sosnoski leads this 8-week study on Thursday evenings at 6:30PM starting September 21. Childcare is not available for this study. Register HERE. If you would like to pay for study materials via cash or check, call the church office to register: 269-683-9245

  • This 5-week class led by Eric Hoppstock is designed to help you more effectively share your Christian convictions with your non-Christian friends, neighbors, coworkers, and relatives. Walking out our faith happens mostly outside of the walls of Sunday morning, "TACTICS" is a guide to having better conversations about your faith, rooted in Scripture, rather than "my views being different from your views." Join us from 9-10:15AM on Sunday Mornings in Meeting Room A, starting September 3 and ending October 1. Space is limited. Register HERE. 

  • This 5-week class led by Shawn Oltz and Gary Blank will focus on 1 Corinthians 12 as we discuss and learn about the gifts of the Spirit, the roles they play in the edification of the church, and how they bring glory to God. This class will aim to help us better understand how the Spirit works through and within the body of Christ to fulfill the great commission. Join us from 9-10:15AM on Sunday Mornings in Meeting Room B, starting October 1 and ending October 29. Space is limited. Register HERE. 

  • This 5-week class, led by Dan and Martha Southworth, aims to help you develop a personal prayer life, one that develops intimacy with God that leads to the fulfillment of his purposes. An honest assessment of our prayer lives will mostly likely reveal areas for growth. Because intimate prayer with God doesn't come naturally, we have to work at tuning our hearts to God's voice, knowing His desires, and being led by the Spirit to pray "Your will be done." Anticipate biblical study as well as practical tools to build rhythms of prayer into our lives.  Join us from 9-10:15AM on Sunday mornings in Meeting Room A, starting October 22 and ending November 19. Space is limited. Register HERE. 

  • In this 5-week class, Bethel University professor Dr. Kent Eby will walk us through a detailed view of at least five different religious systems that we are encountering more and more in our daily lives: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) “Mormon,” and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The goal of our time together is to gain a broad understanding of the overall structure, terminology, and basic beliefs of each religion. With this understanding we should be able to talk respectfully with our neighbors who may be from one of these religious systems and hopefully open the door for them to inquire about our Christian Faith. Join us from 5:30-7PM on Sunday evenings, starting September 17 and ending October 15. Register HERE.

  • Life Groups are comprised of 8-12 people who meet at least two times per month to grow together, learning what it means to follow Christ in a relationally-refining environment. Typically, Life Groups are centered around sermon-based discussion. We are continually working at building out new life groups, so if you are interested in facilitating or joining a group, fill out this FORM. 

  • JOY Group meets during the school year and provides an opportunity for those with cognitive impairment to experience a worship service designed just for them. It is a group within the Special Friends Ministry at Summit Church. Register participants HERE or Volunteer HERE.

  • The goal and purpose of this group is to offer support and community during this difficult season and to walk you through divorce with Christ by your side. This is a group for those who have already been through a DivorceCare season, or whose lives have been affected by divorce and who need to talk to people who understand. This group is led by Mike & Meredith Schoeller and Mandy Jankoviak and meets relationally. For more information email info@summitniles.com.

  • Beyond GriefShare is a group for those who have already been through a GriefShare season, or whose lives have been affected by the loss of a close family member or friend and who need to talk to people who understand. This group is led by Lacey Burns, Jeannette Isaac, and Meredith Schoeller. For more information email info@summitniles.com.