Living out our Christian faith is a communal activity and not something we can do in isolation. Jesus encouraged his followers to gather together and the early church lived out its activity in community. We learn from one another, encourage one another, carry the burdens of one another and hold each other accountable.

Anyone can follow the Commoners Rule of Life but living it out alone would be hard, that’s why it is advisable for those following the rule to join a Common Band* or start one. Gathering together in groups with others living the same principles, following the same Rule and employing the same spiritual disciplines gives us a space where we can share the ups and downs of the Common life. These groups are designed to be a safe space where we can truly be ourselves and share our deepest thoughts.

A Common Band – a small group of up to 6 people – can be formed by anyone. Everyone in the group must be living the Commoners Rule of Life. There is no hierarchical structure to Commoners so if you form a group, the members within the group are responsible for it and if necessary, tasks for organising the group should be delegated amongst the members. These groups can be formed as independent entities or can be formed and incorporated within a local church’s small group structure, thus the local church provides pastoral oversight for the Common Band(s) that exists within it. This site simply provides the Guide for Common Bands that outlines the structure that each group is expected to follow.

The benefit for a local church is that it creates a group within the church with people living a spiritually disciplined life and as part of that, they are people who should be committed to the life of the local church they are a part of; engaged in its worship and its service to the community around it.

Download the PDF Guide to Common Bands here if you are interested in starting one.

*The term ‘Band’ is adopted from John Wesley’s early structure for the movement that came to be known as Methodists. When it started, the Methodist Movement overseen by Wesley was an ‘order’ that supplemented the offerings of the Church of England and consisted of people who were motivated by the preaching and teaching of Wesley. He constructed a small group structure to further the spiritual growth of those who were following him. The smallest, most intimate, disciplined and accountable of these groups were known as ‘bands’.