How do I find community?
STEP #1
Listen to the Community Formation content below, or on the Vertical Life Podcast wherever you listen! This content is designed to cast vision for the kind of life-on-life communities we believe God is calling us to build—marked by lots of Gospel, lots of safety, and lots of time.
You can follow along with the Life Group Journal, a resource designed to provide an excellent learning experience as you prepare for this group! You can pick up a physical copy near the Vertical Kids desk in the lower level of our building. Or, you can download a digital copy for at-home printing or digital note-taking. You will bring this resource with you to Community Launch.
STEP #2
Join a Life Group! Once you fill out this form, our staff will begin working to place you in a group. Once this group is formed, an email will be sent connecting you with the other members of your Life Group! Your group will find a time to attend Community Launch together, a class designed to set groups up for success: equipping groups with practical training and helpful discussion around topics like conflict, communication, confession, and more!
STEP #3
Begin the membership process. Community and membership go hand in hand. In order to cultivate Life Groups marked by lots of Gospel, lots of safety, and lots of time, every Life Group participant must pursue covenant membership at Vertical Church.
The membership process includes:
Class: Sign up for the next membership class on our website calendar
Conversation: Following the class, an elder or staff will reach out to meet
Commitment: Sign the member commitment document
Community: Group participation required before installation
Why does membership matter for Life Groups?
Our community groups are intentionally deep and relational, built on trust, vulnerability, and spiritual care. Because of that, we want a foundation of relationship and pastoral oversight in place first. Without that, those spaces could unintentionally become unhealthy rather than helpful. So requiring membership alongside community isn’t about creating barriers—it’s an invitation into something deeper. It’s a way of saying, “I’m here,” and opening yourself to being known, cared for, and shepherded well. At its core, membership simply defines the relationship and clarifies the shared commitment that helps these communities remain safe, meaningful, and Christ-centered.
Joining a Life Group serves as the final step in the membership process and is required before member installation. We believe meaningful commitment to both the church and one another creates the kind of community where discipleship can truly flourish.