Home Groups

Home Group Leader Guide

Home groups are one way we walk out our mission of Worship, Discipleship, & Evangelism. 

This guide to equip and inform those starting, joining, or leading a home group. These things will ebb and flow based on the dynamics of each home to home group; children, work, children, school, etc, so it’s expected these will not be followed to the letter and change is ok. However, to prevent these groups from becoming simple social events instead of true discipling fellowships, we encourage groups to press in on the main aspects listed here.  

What Is A Home Group?

A home group is an intentional, weekly, meal-based, meeting of 3-12 saints outside of the Sunday worship gathering. 

What is the  Purpose of a Home Group?

• Relationship

Home Groups create space for a legitimate discipling community that can’t be forged in 1.5 hours on Sunday. Spending time, eating, and conversing on a regular basis with the same group of people over a long period of time is how all communities are created, whether that’s the military or a baseball team. Though ideally our meetings involve “spiritual” things (scripture, prayer, song), the emphasis is on relationship; putting in the time to have relational capital with one another in a real way. 

• Discipleship

Second, Home Groups create avenues for discipleship, or “encouraging one another on the narrow path.” By earning relational capital and trust, “gospel” conversations begin to take place more naturally. It can be difficult to strike up a conversation with a fellow believer you are only acquaintances with, but will happen naturally with someone you’ve been spending time with. The hope is that increasing the amount of time we spend together as a church, we’re greasing the wheels for discipling conversations and actions. As relationships develop and lives are “shared (1 Thess. 2:8)”, obedience to Jesus becomes a shared experience as members encourage one another along the narrow path. 

• Strategic Evangelism

While we certainly invite unbelievers to Sunday worship, “Would you like to join us for dinner?” is more likely to make a connection, and by default, open a door for our message “(Rom. 10:16)”. This is not “bait and switch” as in, “Come over for dinner” but not tell them we’re going to be doing Jesus stuff. After a Home Group is established, it should be strategic in bringing unbelievers into the homes, where they will share a meal and observe believers singing, praying, discussing the scriptures, and caring for one another. Our love for another is one of the greatest apologetic tools in the belt. 

• Strategic Multiplication

As a Home Group grows; as they bring in unbelievers or new members of the church join them, they should make plans to multiply. When the Lord sends a great harvest, Home Groups will be the only barns that realistically contain the wheat.

• Resilience

Should the church experience seasons where our large gatherings are no longer possible due to persecution (1 Peter 4:12-14), Home Groups are able to continue in the mission. 

What Does A Home Group Schedule Look Like?

Home Group Meetings have 3 stages generally, but listen and be led by the Spirit. 

STAGE 1: LOVE GOD AND ONE ANOTHER

During Stage 1, members should talk about their lives (small talk and/or serious issues). 

• 5:15-5:45pm* | Start |  “...they went home to home…(Acts 2:46)”

People should begin trickling in from their day, with the expectation that dinner starts at 5:30. If the host home needs help finishing up dinner/trash/dishes/occupying children/etc, people should jump in. *This will vary based on what time or day of the week the group commits to meet. 

• 5:45pm | Food | “...breaking bread in their homes…(Acts 2:46)”

Before you enjoy the meal, take time to thank the Lord for it. This dinner is what all dinners are for, to enjoy the food and people God has provided. For homes with children, consider asking one of them to pray for the meal. Regarding food, practice The KISS principle (Keep it simple….saints) Home Groups shouldn’t add stress to the host home’s life, so choose easy/reproducible recipes and don’t feel bad for ordering out. 

Other Meal Notes: 

• Make note of any food allergies and dietary restrictions. 
• Consider what children eat. 
• Each Group can choose to do potluck or a simple rotation. 

• Groups should help the host home with cleaning up, whether that's immediately after dinner or after the group.

• 7:00 | Worship | “...singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…(Col. 3:16)”

Ideally, homes will have a musician, but if not, Christians have been singing without for a long time. These times of singing are an avenue to lift our eyes “up” to the Lord together at the end of whatever kind of day the group might have had. Often, the Lord brings joy and refreshment as we worship Him in this way. Tentatively, we’d like the singing portion to begin with a reading of scripture, followed by the songs, and a time of “selah” to honor space for the Spirit to speak and work.

• 7:15pm | Encouragement | "...let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds...encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

We ask questions like, 

• “How can we care for one another?” 

• “How can we encourage each other this week?” 

• “Have we been faithful to share the gospel with others?” (those prayed for previous week—see Stage 3)
• After these questions, pray for and encourage one another. One hope for this time is for lots of “follow up” on the prayers. For instance, if a member asked for prayer for an upcoming project at work, a doctor’s visit, a wayward child, etc, the group should follow up during the week with a text/call or more likely at the next meeting, follow up. This is basic to discipleship. 

• Ordinances*

In the event the church is in a state of persecution, the Lord’s supper and baptisms should be administered at the Home Group, as it has become its own church. Otherwise, these are to be done “when you gather as a church (1 Cor. 11:33)” with the corporate body. 

STAGE 2: SCRIPTURE

• 7:20pm | Scripture | “...they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…(Acts 2:42)”

Groups can choose their own passages, but Group Discussion Guides from Sundays text are available to use. The group leader should (or ask someone else to) read the text, and then ask 3 main questions:

• What does the passage say? 

• What can we obey?

• What do we need to tell others?

 

STAGE 3: STRATEGIZE 

• Discuss with the group who they can reach out to individually, or invite to the group, or to the corporate gathering. 

• Each person names at least 1 person to pray for and commits before others to share the gospel, or at the very least start a “gospel conversation” with them, for which they will be the following week.

• Pray for the salvation of the people named, as well as boldness to share with them. 

 

Other Important Notes for Home Groups

• Love One Another

Hopefully, home Groups allow us to see all the good the Lord has done in each other’s lives. However, in seeing the “real” versions of people, we will also be introduced to the parts of them that are less sanctified. Rather than viewing this as an obstacle, view it as the Lord training us to love as He loves. 

• Consistency & Commitment

A Home Group loses its effectiveness if it is a “church thing” you participate in when you have nothing else going on. Once the group has decided on meeting times, commit to being there and participating as a priority, not an option. During times when life happens and most of the group is unable to come, don’t cancel, meet with the people who can.  

• Communication

Once a group is defined, determine how your group will communicate (Slack, Messenger, GroupMe, etc). 

• Regarding Children

For groups with children, embrace the chaos. Even with our best intentions, nothing will be as neat and tidy as we’d prefer. In discipleship, often more is “caught” than taught. For homes with children below 5th grade, we want them involved in all of the evening’s activities except for the scripture discussion (unless they want to). What the children do during that time will be at the discretion of each group.