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- How does SG@G fit into the total picture at Grace?
- Our operating statement is "We exist to glorify God by developing committed Followers of Jesus Christ who attract others to Him." SG@G has and will continue to: (1) bring glory to God, (2) develop committed followers of Jesus Christ, (3) attract others to Him. This ministry, as with all ministries at Grace, has these three components at work. As long as we are developing the family of God at Grace and attracting others to Him, we will bring glory to God. We know that the Grace family values developing close relationships with others as they enjoy spiritual growth. We know that those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus are typically more comfortable in the home of a friend than being a stranger in a large gathering at Grace. Pastor Gene's letter, "Current Reality," in the September/October Grace Life provides additional insight. To see a copy of this please go to www.grace-church.com
and click on the Pastor's welcome.
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- What is a Host Leader?
- Have a heart for God
- Open your home
- Share some snacks
- Tell a few friends
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- Who can be a Host Leader?
- 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.
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- 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. We will provide you with a list of potential group members known to us in your area. However, we would
encourage you to pray about which neighbors and friends you could invited from your area to join you for 6 weeks.
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- Do I need to be a "Bible Expert" to become a Small Group Host?
- Definitely not! The most important things that you need are a desire to serve the members of your group and to grow in your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When you take this step of faith, through prayer, God's Holy Spirit will give you what you need to be an effective Host. Small Groups at Grace has many DVD curriculums available that provide expert teaching to your small group. Your Host responsibility is to facilitate the discussion around that teaching using provided resources.
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- What is the time requirement for a Host each week?
- From start to finish, the average small group meeting lasts between 1 -
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.
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- What do groups study?
- Once or twice a year we ask all groups to study the same material associated with a campaign. Small
Groups @ Grace will make recommendations and suggestions usually utilizing DVD teaching with a companion study guide. However,
groups are not limited to the recommended material. For available small group studies go to www.grace-church.com and click on the Small Groups @ Grace image for more information.
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- On which day of the week does the study take place?
- One of the great things about the Bible study 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, 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 between 60 - 120 minutes. It is really
up to you and your group. Just pick a night to start and let the group decide from there.
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- How many people should I be inviting?
- We suggest inviting between 10-30 people. 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 - 10. This allows for great
interactive communication while still giving people a chance to talk and share. Let the group after the first night invite some
of their friends if you have space available.
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- Can I invite people who don't attend our church?
- Absolutely! Inform your friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers and
casual acquaintances about your small group study. Pray for God's guidance as you can make an eternal difference in the lives of
others. While it is not our desire to attract people from other Bible believing churches, our desire is to both connect
"unconnected" people at our church and take our next step to reach our "unchurched" community for Jesus Christ through our small groups.
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- How should we handle the childcare issue?
- Because the answer varies from Host to Host, we can only offer suggestions 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 the children. Groups could also swap child-care 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. There are also several groups who meet on the church campus Sunday evenings when we provide childcare.
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- I will be out of town during one of the weeks of the series, any suggestions?
- Sure, have a friend pick up your materials
for you. Then on the night you will miss the group, simply plan on having others lead and facilitate the evening.
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- What if my group wants to continue and I can't continue to lead?
- You can identify a new Host from within the group that is
qualified. Your group can determine the Host as long as they meet our Host requirements.
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- What do we do when we finish a study?
- Have a party and celebrate the time you have shared together as a small group. Affirm
those that leave and assure them of your prayers. Invite them to return to the group at any time. Schedule your next meeting with
those that will be continuing, decide on the study that you will do next, and move on ahead.
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- Can we invite others to participate in our SG@G?
- Yes. You are encouraged to invite others into your small group. Put names
into the Circles of "Who do you want to hang out with?" Invite them to your SG@G. This includes Grace family members, friends,
neighbors, relatives, etc. This is the most effective way to build a small group community that will sustain itself and multiply. Remember the last half of our purpose statement, "...who attract others to Him."
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- Will you place others in our small group?
- Yes. This assumes you are an "open" SG@G, not "closed." But our first desire is for you to invite your friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors to be a part of your group.
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- What is an "open" and "closed" group?
- "Open" groups allow someone to begin participation after the study has begun. "Closed" groups do not want anyone joining after the start of a study. This issue is discussed as part of the small group covenant.
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- How do you get names of someone who wants to be in a SG@G?
- First, many newcomers to Grace want to get connected. They ask
for small group Information on their communications card or they visit the website and choose an open group to join. More and
more people want to connect through small groups. Thus, the emphasis on this ministry.
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- Childcare- Does it continue?
- Childcare for Sunday evening groups stopped June 24, 2007. Details for the fall small groups in advance of the fall sermon aligned series.
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- When does the next small group series begin?
- ''Life Designed'' will begin the week of Sunday 9/16/07 and continue for 8 weeks. Small groups will meet in homes throughout the week to discuss and apply the text that was preached on Sunday.
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Grace
Church of Glendora • 1515 South Glendora Avenue, • Glendora,
California, 91740, • 626.335.4067
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