Home Group Strategy
September,
2007
1. Connection
Point - Westwood’s Small Group Strategy calls for every member and attender to be a part of a small group as a connection
point to the church. This small group
will either be a Sunday-morning ABS Class or a Home Group. As Home Groups are a more fertile environment
for spiritual growth and supportive relationships, we consider Home Groups to
be the ultimate destination for your small group involvement. Those who are involved in an ABS Class are
encouraged to form smaller groups within their class for continued discipleship
and fellowship. These are called
E-Groups.
2. High
Commitment - Home Groups are a high commitment group. The dynamic of this type of small group makes
faithful participation a requirement for the success of the group. That’s why we begin with a 6-8 week test
drive before participants are asked to sign a group covenant.
3. Spiritual
Growth - The purpose of Home Groups is to facilitate maximum spiritual
growth through relationships with growing believers.
4. Outcomes
- The church desires to involve every member and attender
at Westwood in a small group in which every group member…
§ knows
every other member more than just by name (life on life)
§ grows
together in their walk with Christ
§ studies
the Bible together weekly, and
§ feels
the freedom to ask questions and share prayer requests
§ prays
specifically for others in the group
§ supports
each other in time of need
§ ministers
with the group in the community
§ works
together to reach people and to multiply the group
5. Closed
Groups - Our groups are closed to new participants during most of the
life-cycle of the group. This allows for
trust and accountability to be developed among members of the group. There are some special circumstances in which
new participants may be added.
6. Meetings
- Weekly meetings typically last about two hours and include Bible study,
fellowship and prayer. Most groups have
light snacks and some do meals together and share in the responsibility.
7. Multiplication
- Our groups meet together for 18-24 months, then
strategically multiply. This allows a
number of advantages:
a.
It allows a time of reaching out to new people in our community
and the church to involve them in groups.
b.
We can continually expand the number of our groups.
c.
New relationships are formed within the church.
d.
Long-term groups don’t get too predictable or stale.
e.
People are stretched out of their comfort zone in a good way.
8. Child
Care is provided in two ways:
a.
at church on Sunday nights
b.
by partial reimbursement of your individual in-home child care
(visit WestwoodGroups.com for complete info)
9. Group
Size - The optimal size of groups is twelve and the absolute maximum is
fifteen.
10. Leadership
- Each group will have a leader or coordinator, and each gender-mixed group
will have either a married couple or a male and a female leader. New Coordinators will come from existing Home
Groups. All Home Group Coordinators will
complete an application and interview process with the church.
11. Stages of the Group - The
lifespan of the group will include four stages:
a. Connection Meeting
b. Orientation/Test
Drive Stage (6 weeks)
c. Growth Stage
(15-21 months)
d. Multiplication
Stage (6 weeks)
12. Curriculum
- Common studies for all groups include those listed below. At other times, the group may chose topics of
study with the goal balanced study between each of Westwood’s environments:
Connect with God, Grow with Believers, Serve in the Church, and Live on
Mission.
a. Six week
orientation study
b. Six week
multiplication study
c. Two church-wide
studies each year (August & January)
13. Year-round
- Groups will meet year-round, breaking no more than two weeks at any
time. Often groups decide to take a
break during holiday weekends or if less than three couples (or five total
individuals) are available to meet in a given week. Child care at church is sometimes not
provided on holiday weekends.
§ Priority of attendance § Authenticity & Honesty § Commitment to Prayer
§ Participation § Confidentiality § Accountability
§ Encouragement § Conflict resolution § Biblical basis
15. Point
of Relationship - Home Groups are a point of relationship with the
church for ministry, communication, accountability, service, community
involvement, etc.
16. Participation
- All group members will be given opportunities to participate according to
their spiritual gifts.