Frequently Asked Questions

I’d like to be a Host, but should I wait until I have more experience?
If you have a willing heart, a DVD player, and a few open seats in your Living Room, you are ready to be a Host. The DVD and curriculum are “plug and play” so that anyone with any level of experience can Host a successful group.

Do I have to attend one of the Host Briefings?
YES. There will be several available times and attending ONE of them is required. At the Host Briefing you will meet your Community Leader, you will receive some very important training and you will be given additional information.

On which day of the week will I host a small group in my home?
One of the great things about hosting a small group is that it fits with every person’s schedule. Pick the day and time that works best for you. For example, if Thursday nights are easy, then you might want to Host your group on Thursday nights. A busy career couple might want to meet on Saturday mornings while a mom with kids in school might prefer a group that meets on a weekday morning. The typical time slot will be 1 ½ to 2 hours. It is really up to you. Just pick a night to start and let the group decide from there.

How many weeks am I committing to?
Your commitment is to host a six-week study that accompanies Pastor Randy’s message series. You will also be encouraged to get the help of others in your group to assist each week . This helps grow the other members within your group.

What is the time requirement each week?
From start to finish, the average small group meeting lasts between 1 ½ to 2 hours. As the Host, you might commit a little extra time between meetings each week to review the material and pray for your group members.

How long is the DVD session each week?
Though the group meeting will last between 1 ½ and 2 hours, the video itself will be approximately 15 minutes in length. The rest of the evening will be spent using the curriculum that accompanies Pastor Randy’s message series.

How many people should I be expecting to accommodate?
We suggest inviting between 15-30 people. Then let the group after the first night invite some of their own friends. In our experience, about half of those who say they will come will actually come. An optimum number of people to have in a small group are 8-10. This allows for great interaction. If your group gets much larger you can break into groups to share and pray.

Who will be in the group I will host?
We want you to start by inviting your friends! They are the most natural place to start. You can even ask them if they know anyone who would like to come. There will also be some helpful training at the Host Briefing that will help you think of others to invite. In addition, we may have the names of a few people who have signed up for the study and live nearby. And last, we will publish a list of available host homes so you may get a few phone calls from people who see these.

What do I do with the new group that has formed?
As the Host, we are asking that you open your home to this new group for 6 weeks. We ask that you show the DVD each week and the rest of the evening will be spent using the curriculum that accompanies Pastor Randy’s message series. During the week we hope that you will be praying for this new group and each of the members individually.

Will I be asked to continue Hosting this group after the six-week series?
We are SO grateful for your gift of 6 weeks. When your commitment is over, each Host will personally decide what their role will be with the group that was formed.

I live out of the area. Should we still consider being a Host home?
Yes! If you live out of the area we would still love to support you as a Host. Since it is unlikely that we will be able to provide you with a list of potential group members, we would encourage you to pray about which neighbors and friends you could invite to join you for 6 weeks.

How should we handle the childcare issue?
Ultimately, each host will decide how they will address the issue of childcare. Some groups ask the members to find their own babysitters and attend the group by themselves with the children left at home with the sitter. Some groups put the children together in a “bonus” room at the Host home and all the members pitch in to pay a sitter or two to watch them. Other groups swap child-care with another group they know who meets on another night. And yet others create kind of a neighborhood co-op with the group. There are many creative solutions and it is a great idea to address these up front with the people you are inviting.

I will be out of town during one of the weeks of the series. Any ideas?
Sure, on the night you will miss the group, simply plan on having others lead and facilitate the evening.

Do we need a large home to host?
Absolutely not! Most groups will end up with 10 to 12 people. If your group grows larger than that we’ll help you figure out how to make it work!

Will my name and number be posted for others to see?
At the Host Briefing you will be completing an information sheet. On that sheet you will be asked whether you’d like your group to be listed on our web listing of groups. It is another helpful way for people to find your group. But, it’s your call.

Email us if you would like more information about small groups.