Seeing the spiritual and personal growth in our youth as a result of the youth group has encouraged us to think about how we might provide similar opportunities for the adults of the congregation. Conversations with other church planters inspired Rev. Mpoyo to think about how discipleship and fellowship might happen outside of the Sunday service, and he began to speak with the seminary interns and other church leaders about what might work in the Clarkston context. Since transportation is an ongoing issue, and since many of the adults find it difficult to make time to come to the church because of demanding work schedules and family responsibilities, the leaders of Shalom decided that going to the apartment complexes themselves was the best option.

By returning to apartment complexes with small groups, we hope to generate some of the intimacy and closeness of relationship that was lost when the congregation moved to a more formal meeting space and leadership structure. These groups are a way to increase the amount of Christian education and discipleship that is happening through the church. These groups are also a site for leadership development and could provide an entry point for other members of the community (friends and neighbors in the apartment complexes) to know Shalom.