Growth: Zones provide a more interactive style of learning, which applies things more to our lives and helps us remember them more so our maturity grows more quickly.

Relevant: There are now so few places in our culture where people sit and listen to a lecture for 45 minutes, that being relevant means learning to communicate in the way that people are used to. Zones will be part verbal explanation but will also use video, role-play, mapping, questions, visual aids, case studies, debate, music and (the much beloved) groupwork as well.

Authenticity: We don't want to do things just because "that's how they've always been done", but to be more creative, using a range of techiques to communicate, and not being afraid to try new approaches if they might be beneficial.

Community: Breaking into smaller groups helps develop friendships between people who might not make contact normally. It also gives people who have common interests, or are asking the same questions the chance to find each other. Furthermore, it's a teaching style that is more relational, creating an environment where people are freer to ask the person speaking / facilitating questions. And we get to learn from each other, rather than just from one "expert".

Empowering: Zones allow us to give people the opportunity to develop their giftings, to speak about what they are passionate about and to actively practice every member ministry. It also gives us the chance to explore a more diverse range of issues than just having one talk a week allows.