Groups
You were not created to go through life on your own. God designed us with a need for community. A need for other people. One way to connect with other people is to join a group. We have Groups every day of the week. Pick the day and time that works best for you and join a Group! See below for information on our Group leaders.
**Childcare is provided for Wednesday groups**
Sunday
The Treasure In Front Of You | Led by Jan Ripley
Group Info: Meets Sundays at 10:30AM in Room A101
Current Study: The Treasure In Front Of You- Dr. Tom C. Fuller
This study is about living transformed lives guided by Kingdom principles instead of worldly urges and centers on the following verses: “I have chosen you out of this world.” John 15:19, and “Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God – what is good and pleasing to Him and is perfect”. Romans 12:2
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Sunday
College Group(18-23) | Led by the Hairrells and Kirles
Group Info: Sundays After 2nd Service. Click below to Join GroupMe and stay informed.
Current Study: Young Adults
This group is for college students ages 18–23 and is a space to connect over lunch, have fun, pray together, and dive into real-life conversations as we unpack and apply that week’s sermon topic.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com with your phone number so that we can add you and keep you in the loop!
Or click the button below to join our Groupme!
Sunday
Young Professionals | Led by Rachel Draper and the Skinners
Group Info: Meets every Sunday at 6:30PM, in the foyer.
Current Study: Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby
This group is for young professionals who are out of school, working and eager to grow in their faith and community. Our hope is to create a welcoming space to study the Bible, pursue Christ together, and build authentic relationships along the way.
This Group also meets at the Skinner’s home once each month on a Sunday evening (5:30pm to 7:30pm) for a meal and Bible study.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com with your phone number so that we can keep you in the loop! Or click the button below to be added to our GroupMe!
Monday
Caregivers Group | Led by Jan Ripley
Group Info: Meets at 1:00PM on Mondays.
Current Study: Who Cares for you?
For those of us who are caregivers. We will be using the study Who Cares for You? A Bible Study for Caregivers by Marissa Bondurant.
We meet at the church or different member’s houses each week. Contact office@theriverabilene.com for location details.
Tuesday
Women's Group | Various
Group Info:Tuesdays 10:30am-12:00pm. Rm A101
Current Study: Various
Our Tuesday Ladies work through different Biblical studies throughout the year and can be joined at any time. Each week we will be connecting with one another as we examine scripture together to grow in our wisdom, understanding and knowledge of God.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Tuesday
Men's Group | Led by Glen Gibbs
Group Info:Tuesdays 6:00am-7:00am. Meets in Foyer.
Current Study: the Bible
Our Men’s group meets on Tuesday mornings at 6AM and is a time for fellowship and walking through The Word of God together. Each week we discuss a different passage of scripture, as we progressively read through each book of the bible together through the course of the year. This group meets in the foyer and all men are invited regardless of your level of knowledge of the scripture.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Wednesday
Sermon Study Group| Led by The Fains & Doug Snitker
Group Info: Meets Wednesdays at 6:30PM at the Church. Leaders are the Fains and Snitkers
Current Study: Current Sermon Series
We would like to invite you to a study on Wednesdays at 6:30PM in the main building. This will be a special time where we take a deeper look into the sermon highlights and scriptures from Pastor David’s sermon from the previous Sunday.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Wednesday
Marriage Encouragement | Led by the McKees
Group Info: Wednesdays at 6:30PM at the Church
Current Study: Marriage Encouragement
Come join us as we take a look at what encouragement looks like in our marriages. This Fall we will be studying from the books of Romans, James and Song of Songs. We are called to live lives characterized by love, humility, unity and obedience. What would your marriage look like if it was transformed by God’s grace, built on a foundation of faith and loving your spouse expressed through intentional covenant love? Let’s talk about it as we lift each other up!
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Wednesday
The Drama of Scripture | Led by Kenneth Henrichs
Group Info: Wednesdays 6:30PM. Led by Kenneth Henrichs
Current Study: The Drama of Scripture
We will grow from Bible readers to Bible students as we trace the Bible’s single story across six acts – Creation, Fall, Israel, Jesus, Church, and Restoration – so every passage makes sense in light of the whole. We’ll use Bartholomew & Goheen’s The Drama of Scripture as our guide through the class. You’ll leave able to read any book, from Genesis to Revelation, with a real context instead of guesswork. Most importantly, you’ll see where your own life fits into a story that’s still unfolding today.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Wednesday
Mind Your Future | Led by Creg Istre
Group Info: Wednesdays at 6:30PM
Current Study: Mind Your Future
We will be talking about our thinking errors, the habit cycles we get ourselves into. The needs we have that drive our behavior, our beliefs & where they come from. How unforgiveness can be a tool of the enemy. And what it means to have the mind of Christ.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Wednesday
River Kids | Led by Megan Whittington
Group Info: Meets Wednesdays at 6:30PM in the RiverKids Building
Current Study: River Kids
RiverKids is a fun and engaging time designed specifically for your children to learn and grow in their relationship with God. Our Riverkids staff and volunteers present the curriculum in a safe, age-specific environment that gives them a solid biblical foundation for their walk with the Lord. RiverKids meets at 6:30PM in Building B on Wednesday nights when Adult groups are in session.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Wednesday
River Students | Led by Logan Pringle
Group Info: Meets every Wednesday in the youth building from 6:30-7:45PM.
Current Study: River Students
River Students is a place for students in grades 6–12 to belong, build meaningful relationships, and grow in their faith together. Our desire is to help students know Jesus more deeply, discover who they are in Him, and learn what it looks like to follow Him in everyday life.
We meet every Wednesday night in the Youth Building. Doors open at 6:00 PM for students to hang out, play games, and spend time together, with our regular service from 6:30–7:45 PM. Each week includes worship, games, a Bible lesson, and small groups, giving students opportunities to have fun, ask honest questions, build friendships, and grow in their relationship with God.
Whether a student has grown up in church or is just beginning to explore faith, there is a place for them at River Students.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Wednesday
Arino Familia Group | Led by Memo and Tammy Arino
Group Info: Bible Study at 6:00pm. 2502 Plymouth Rock, Rd. Abilene, TX
Current Study: The role of Godly Community in our walk with God
Whether or not you are single, engaged, married, divorced, or widowed if you are a child of the living God you were designed to do life together in Godly community. This group will focus on loving each other, encouraging one another and growing in our relationships with each other and with Jesus. If you love to laugh, serve, enjoy good food, conversation and desire to grow deeper in your walk with Jesus in community come join us as we launch and grow! This group will be led primarily by Tammy Arino with Pastor Memo Arino alongside as support and guiding. We look forward to meeting those that God brings together for such a time as this.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Thursday
The Lie You Don't Know You Believe | Led by the Gibbs and Kennemers
Group Info: Meets Thursdays at 6:30PM in Room A201
Current Study: The Lie You Don’t Know You Believe
In ‘The Lie You Don’t Know You Believe’ Bible Study, we will trace the wilderness temptation of Christ alongside the three lies Jennie has discerned every person believes at their core. We will see how Jesus was not tempted to listen to the lies of the enemy, but through his example, we can learn how to identify the lies and then how to fight them.
If you’ve ever wondered if freedom is possible, it is. And it starts here.
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Thursday
Ladies Luncheon | Led by Marty Gregory
Group Info: 1st Thursdays Only at 11:15AM. Led by Marty Gregory.
Current Study: Ladies Luncheon
Friday
Heartflow (For Women) | Led by Chelsa Istre
Group Info: Meets at 9AM to 11AM in Room A104
Current Study: HeartFlow
This highly interactive class for women is designed to help each other with the sanctification process so that we can overflow with Jesus’ love and grow in our relationship with God and others. This will be a safe community where we will be addressing the struggles we all face so we can process, in a healthy way, things that block the flow of God’s grace and love through us toward others; like, among others things, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, insecurities and fear.
Saturday
River Runners | Led by Jr. & Sara Duran
Group Info: Saturdays at 7am. Redbud or ACU. Led by Jr. Duran. Click the button below to join the GroupMe
Current Study: River Runners
River Runners is where we come together to physically challenge ourselves. We will alternate meetings at ACU and Redbud Park. You can run or walk at your own pace. We encourage one another to strengthen our temples God dwells in. Honor God with all we do & are. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Contact office@theriverabilene.com for more information
Saturday
Men of the Stronghold | Led by Gus Stuart & Micah Wamala
Group Info: Meets Saturdays at 8:30am in the Sanctuary.
Current Study: Men of the Stronghold
Men of the Stronghold is a brotherhood of men committed to standing firm in Christ as our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer (Psalm 18:2). We confront spiritual warfare with honesty and courage, helping men walk in freedom, live with integrity, and lead their families with strength and humility. This group is not meant to replace men’s ministry, but to complement it by focusing on the battles that quietly derail men from God’s plan and purpose. Our format is built for the working man: each man does the study on his own schedule, and our meetings provide accountability, encouragement, prayer, and brotherhood. We fight spiritually by studying how the enemy uses the seven deadly sins to weaken men, distort identity, and fracture families. Each man identifies his priority areas and pursues repentance, discipline, and transformation through Christ—becoming a better husband, father, and unshakable man of faith, side by side as Men of the Stronghold.
Contact Office@TheRiverAbilene.Com or ChaplainGusStuart@Gmail.Com for more information.
