Is your church starting a small group campaign and asking for new HOSTS? If you're a small group member and considering becoming a HOST, here are some helpful FAQ's.

What is the time requirement each week for being a host?

From start to finish, the average small group meeting lasts between 1½ to 2 hours. As the host, you might commit a little extra time between meetings each week to review the book and the leader material as well as to pray for your group members.

I'd like to be a Host, but should I wait until I have more experience?

If you have a willing heart, a VCR, and a few open seats in your Living Room, you are ready to be a Host. The seminar recording and curriculum are "plug and play" so that anyone with any level of experience can Host a successful group.

On which day of the week does the study take place?

One of the great things about the Bible study Seminar is that it fits with every person's schedule. Pick the day and time that works best for you and your group. For example, 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. It is really up to you and your group. Just pick a night to start and let the group decide from there.

Is this a one-time evening event or will it be a series of events?

The first evening is the kick-off for a 6-week study. After the first week, you will want to plan on having at least the next 5 weeks set aside to be with this new group of people. Besides the group meetings and weekend services there aren't any additional "formal" activities unless you and the group decide on that. We do encourage you to rotate the Host, Facilitator or Leadership role to a new member each meeting. This helps grow other members and gives you a break. Healthy groups rotate over time but not overnight.

What is the time requirement each week?

From start to finish, the average small group meeting lasts between 1½ and 2 hours. As the Host, you might commit a little extra time between meetings each week to review the book and the leader material as well as to pray for your group members.

How long is the study each week?

Though the group meeting will last between 1½ and 2 hours, the seminar itself will be approximately 20 minutes in length. The rest of the evening will be spent using the Discussion materials we will provide in each book.

How many people should I be expecting to accommodate?

We suggest inviting between 15 and 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 is 8 to 10. This allows for great interactive communication while still giving people a chance to talk and share. If your group gets much larger you can break into groups to share and pray after the Bible study.

How can I form a group with people who are similar to me?

If you would like to form a group as a certain affinity (like Couples, Singles, Women, Men, Single Parents etc.), indicate this. However, in most cases your geographic community will provide a "proximate" life stage or lifestyle affinity. Be sure to invite a few of your own friends that you enjoy hanging out with.

I am currently in a Small Group. Do I have to leave it if I am going to Host a new Bible study group?

Though we usually ask that you put your own group on hold so you can Host a new Bible study group, different groups are handling this in different ways. Some groups will still meet on their regular day of the week (either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) and will use this time to update each other about and pray for their new groups. Other groups have decided to continue with their current group AND start a new group. Our only caution about this is we don't want people to fill their calendars to the point where they are too busy and over-committed. But after committing for 6 meetings or more we are asking you to give us 6 weeks out of your 52 weeks group to reach one more for Jesus.

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 short weeks. We ask that you show the seminar each week and help the group lead itself. We also hope that you will pray for this new group and each of the members individually. At the end of the group we would hope that after letting them know up front, rotating leadership weekly and challenging someone to step up and lead, 90% of the groups survive.

After the Bible study is over, can I go back with my old group?

Some people decide to go back to their old group and other people decide to stay with the new group that formed in their home with their neighbors. You can do which ever you feel God is leading you to do. Do not feel pressured to stay but prepare to leave well.

Will I be asked to continue Hosting this group after the Bible study is completed?

When your commitment is over, each Host needs to personally decide what their role will be with the group of neighbors that birthed in their home. It is our hope that some Hosts will choose to continue with their new groups. If that's not your plan, we hope you will help the group raise up a new leader and find a new place to meet and that you will come alongside them and mentor them so that they have a better chance of being successful.

How should we handle the childcare issue?

Because the answer varies from Host to Host, we can only offer suggestion of what has worked for others in the past. Ultimately, each Host 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 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 care for them. Other groups swap childcare with another group they know who meets on another night. There are many creative solutions, and it is a great idea to address these up front with the people you are inviting.

Where can we get copies of the Doing Lifetogether series?

There are so many exciting parts of the Bible study. Go to http://shopping.lifetogether.com to look at and purchase this study guide.

We have a small place. Can we still help out?

Sure, you can always break into smaller groups in several areas in the house. This actually can sometimes be more fun for everyone, but it's really up to you.

Do Small Group meetings happen less than once per week?

The broader question is this: How often does a group need to meet for adequate care to happen? Meeting once a week is important for a group. Groups that meet every other week and even monthly can still be effective; however, relationships are harder to build and authenticity almost never occurs with less contact. Most people join a group to "belong," and time together brings that into people's lives.

How do we deal with our growing group?

There's no need to divide when the loss is too great.

Here's a suggestion: Establish two sets of discussion leaders/facilitators. Don't split the group into two different groups that meet on separate occasions; "multiply" the group into two sub-groups that meet in the same home simultaneously! Gather with everyone for fellowship at first. Then for the lesson and prayer time, separate the group into different sections of the same house.