Definitely not! If you have a willing heart, and a few open seats in your living room, you are ready to lead a group. The streamed video curriculum is “plug and play” so that anyone with any level of experience can lead a successful group.
The group will last between 1 ½ to 2 hours. Depending on the study you select, the video or reading itself will vary in length, with most being 15-20 minutes long. The rest of the evening will be spent discussing group questions that explore the subject matter more intensely and a time for prayer and connection.
Leaders are provided with a few different resources they can study with their group. Twice a year our leaders are encouraged to follow along with a group curriculum that matches our current sermon series. The rest of the year, leaders can use RightNow Media, which is like a Netflix for Bible studies, or they can go through weekly questions to dive deeper into the weekly sermons.
We encourage all of our leaders to find a co-leader/co-couple to share the responsibilities of leading the group. Over time, healthy groups will rotate the facilitator role, and some choose to even rotate locations from time to time. Your group members may also be able to help you with some of the smaller responsibilities such as sending out group reminders, sharing prayer requests, scheduling group events, bringing snacks, etc.
Your commitment is to lead a minimum of one semester which generally lasts from January to May and/or August to November. However, many of our groups continue year after year. It is our hope that some groups would continue throughout the year though we understand if that does not work for you. If that’s not your plan, we ask that you help your group select a new leader and find a new place to meet. At the end of each semester, each leader will decide whether to continue with the group or identify a new leader to take over the group. If you choose to stop meeting as a group, we ask that you please inform the Groups Team prior to your last meeting.
Many groups choose to take a break over the summer, but this is not required and ultimately up to the group. Some groups will choose to meet every other week or just having occasional summer BBQs during the summers, while others meet as normal. Whatever your group chooses, we ask that you inform the Groups Team. They will reach out to all leaders in the beginning of May and November to see what your group decides.
Unfortunately, groups are not able to meet on our campus due to all the various ministries that utilize our campus. If you are unable to lead a group in your home, we highly recommend you find a group member willing to host and/or co-lead your group, or that you find a space such as a library, restaurant, etc.
We want you to start by inviting your friends and neighbors! You can even ask them if they know anyone who would like to come. There will also be some helpful training at the Leader Orientation that will help you think of others to invite. In addition, we may have the names of a few people who have demonstrated interest in groups and live nearby.
We suggest inviting as many as you can when you are first starting your group. In our experience, not everyone who is invited will show up. Groups can range in size, and no ideal group size exists. Your location and available seating arrangements will be the main factor that sets your group size as well as how comfortable your group is. If you still want more people to join your group on the first night, encourage your current group members to invite people they know to come.
On the night you will miss the group, simply plan on having others lead and facilitate the evening. We encourage all of our leaders to find a co-leader/co-couple to help them with the group in their absence. Many of our groups choose to take a break over the summer to accommodate summer vacations, but it is not required and up to each group.
We encourage all of our leaders to find a co-leader/co-couple to share the responsibilities of leading the group. Over time, healthy groups will rotate the facilitator role, and some choose to even rotate locations from time to time. Your group members may also be able to help you with some of the smaller responsibilities such as sending out group reminders, sharing prayer requests, scheduling group events, brining snacks, etc.
Ultimately, each leader will decide how they will address the issue of childcare. Most groups ask the members to find their own babysitters and attend the group by themselves. Some groups put the children together in a separate room at the leader’s home and all the members pitch in to pay a sitter or two to watch over the kids of the group.
No. Although some members of existing groups will choose to take a break from their group to lead a new one, others will simply meet on a different night and be part of two groups. Do what feels comfortable.
There may be times when someone shares a problem that you may not feel equipped to handle. Please do not feel you need to handle situations like these on your own. Reach out to your Groups Team and they will gladly help you navigate the situation or help that person get the help they need.
Contact your Groups Team and we would be more than happy to help you, or your group member get the support they need. We are here to support you in anyway throughout your time as a leader. Depending on what the person needs, we can help them get the support they need by connecting them with our Care Ministry. They have lots of resources, including Celebrate Recovery, Divorce Care, Grief Share, Benevolence, Counseling, and much more.
Thank you for taking the first step toward leading others to be known, accepted, supported, and developed.
BECOME A GROUP LEADER
