Homegroups for the Parish of St. John the Divine
Briefly
A home group reads and discusses part of the Bible once per week for about one hour. The part of the Bible they read is the part of the gospel (the book of Mathew, Mark, Luke or John from the New Testament of the Bible) that will be read at church the next Sunday. Then they talk about how it relates to their lives.
Background
Homegroups meet at the same time each week at the host’s home. The average group consists of 6-10 members. Once a group has grown to ten members, the group divides into two smaller groups, each with its own host, leader and leader-in-training. The groups are kept small because small groups are more conducive to informality and easier to fit into the average living room.
Homegroups literally places the home into the expanding group that is the Church of St. John the Divine.
Anyone is welcome to join a Homegroup meeting. Relatives, friends, neighbours, work associates, members of St. John’s, members of other churches or people with no church affiliation.
If you wish to get more information from those with personal experience of Homegroups, please contact the church office at 383-7169.
Growing!
St. John the Divine is a growing Church with the same needs common to all growing Churches. For example, members who have worshipped here for more than a year do not get to know the increasing number of newcomers. People begin to say, "There are so many new people here, I wish I could get to know more of them." In addition, newcomers often would benefit from new ways to become familiar with St. John’s.
One positive way of dealing with this happy dilemma is to borrow a simple and effective method from New Testament times. Soon after Jesus was raised from the dead, the disciples were given a joyful energy and they told everyone they met about the Good News in Jesus Christ. On one day, 3,000 people joined their fellowship! In the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2, it is recorded that these new Christians worshipped regularly at the Temple and met in homes to encourage each other in their new relationship with God through Jesus Christ. As they talked and ate meals together, they were inspired.
At St. John’s, we want to make use of this effective way to help long-time worshippers and newcomers to establish enriching relationships. Meeting in small home groups is an excellent way to move beyond that feeling of being surrounded by people we wish to know better.
All responses to the starter questions are valid. Everyone is encouraged to participate, but none must. The discussion is not meant to be an academic Bible study; rather, the discussion is about the participants’ daily lives and our own faith journeys.
What is a Home Group?
There are many types of ‘home groups’, ‘cell groups’, ‘home fellowship groups’, ‘study groups’ and so forth. Steve Mason’s Home Groups are not what many expect.
- A Home Group is NOT a therapy group.
- A Home Group is NOT a Bible Study group.
- A Home Group is NOT a house Church.
- A Home Group is NOT a substitute for regular participation in Sunday worship.
A Home Group is part of the normal, caring way of living the Christian life day by day. This is where most of the pastoral care in a church happens: it is where Christians put into practice the concepts they learn through worship and Bible study.
Who can join?
Anyone. Members of the church begin the groups. In turn they invite neighbours, relatives, friends. A Home Group is not a closed group, and it is intended that every Home Group will grow to the point where it divides into two, and continues to have room for new members.
What constitutes a Group?
8-10 persons. This number always includes a leader, one or more leaders-in-training (LIT), a host, and members.
The leader (a) facilitates meetings; (b) ensures that meetings begin at the advertised time, and end at the advertised time; (c) ensures that all present have opportunities to contribute to discussion if they so wish; leads the prayer time.
The LIT is preparing to lead another group in the near future as the ministry expands. A LIT is NOT an assistant to the leader, but someone who will be a leader (with a LIT in the group, and the group hosted by another member). The LIT also stays in touch with members who were unable to attend a meeting.
The host welcomes members and serves light refreshments (tea, coffee, cookies); receives phone calls between meetings from members who will not be able to attend the upcoming meeting; receives phones calls from members who will be bringing guests with them.
What happens at a Homegroup meeting?
Meetings last exactly 90 minutes, an hour and a half. Each meeting begins with 15 minutes for light refreshments and "getting acquainted" conversation. The next hour is devoted to guided discussion and prayer offered by the leader. The final 15 minutes allows for concluding and preparation for the following week. All meetings begin and end on time.
The host, in whose home the group meets, serves the coffee and cookies, or other light refreshment. The leader brings some ‘starter questions’ for discussion. The leader also prays for everyone present and for members unable to attend that meeting. The leader-in-training helps with this and contacts any absent members between meetings.
The guided discussion will focus on the coming Sunday’s gospel reading. Discussion starter questions are:
- The most striking thing about this passage for me is _____
- A question I have about this passage is _______
- Something I learned from this passage is __________
- A point of contact between this passage and my life is _____
What is the format for a meeting?
The meeting follows a consistent pattern:
- 15 minutes arrival and refreshments
- 30 minutes Discussion using ‘starter questions’
- 30 minutes prayer time
- 15 minutes concluding remarks and preparation for next meeting
Total time: 1½ hours
Including new members and guests?
Always, always, when there are one or more new members or potential members, the leader asks each person in turn to share ONE brief episode from their journey in faith. Leader starts this off giving an example of brevity and simplicity! Beginning this way means that everyone present starts at the same point of involvement. The newcomer can do the same as those who have attended before. This is kept to one, brief episode per person so that the new member is not made to feel inferior as she/he listens to dozens of mountain top experiences shared in detail by established group members. Doing the above with care does reduce the discussion and prayer time. Conclusion and preparation for the following week. Total meeting time is still held to 1½ hours.
Similarly, we do not sing at meetings. For those who enjoy a song or hymn, it is wonderful to include singing. However, for the non-singer, or for the newcomer who does not know the song, we are then putting up a barrier. Similarly, if we happen to not sing at one meeting, because there is a newcomer, this also sets up a barrier. So, no singing.
Bible discussion
Again, this is not Bible study. Discussion starter questions are intended to encourage people to reflect and discuss possible ways in which the Bible passage can be applied in their daily lives. The Leader asks each person in turn to share their reflections on the question under consideration, making it clear that any who don’t wish to contribute at this point can say ‘pass’. (Frequently those who ‘pass’ make a comment later.) Going around the circle in sequence helps to ensure that talkative persons do not monopolize the meeting, and quieter persons are given their chance to contribute. As a group ‘gels’ members may suggest topics, or Bible passages as material for subsequent ‘discussion starters’. This is a good way to keep the discussions addressing needs and interests of members.
Prayer time?
The Leader begins this 30 minute part of the meeting by asking each person in turn to suggest prayer petitions they would like to offer. The Leader writes these down (to aid memory)! Notes are to be shredded or burned after a meeting. The Leader collects all the petitions. The Leader then makes the petitions into a prayer. The first petition is for the ‘empty chair’ asking God to bring to the meetings those persons whom God is calling to join the group. This is a prayer of faith. When the new people arrive at the meeting, they are an answer to prayer. The group is ready for their arrival, and delighted to greet them and welcome them in.
Some Leaders like to begin the prayer with a formal prayer from a prayer book, or with a ‘home made’ prayer written before the meeting. At the end of the collected prayer, the Leader reminds all present that in the next few moments, members may add additional petitions either silently or aloud.
The Leader completes the prayer time by inviting all members to join in the words of The Grace (printed on each person’s ‘discussion starter’ sheet.)
The Group Covenant
Confidentiality - nothing mentioned in the group meeting is shared with others outside the group.
Intimacy - persons may share personal concerns in discussion and through prayer petitions.
Accountability - members will support each other in prayer and other ways as appropriate between meetings.These three parts of the covenant are shared with the group from time to time.
Leaders meet with the Co-ordinator, sometimes referred to as the Shepherd, (in person preferably, or by telephone) weekly for personal guidance, support and ongoing training. The Co-ordinator designs, or helps design, ‘discussion starters’; discusses concerns, which arise in a Home Group meeting; supports up to 10 Leaders of groups.
Because many persons have previously participated in rigorous Bible study series, or have attended group meetings, which may run for 2 or 3 hours, there may be a wish to extend the length of meetings, or include some text study. Worthy as these interests may be, do not incorporate them! Less on our part will turn out to be ‘more’ in terms of growth for all group members. Also, this model, designed by Steve Mason does as much as possible to protect the Leaders and Hosts from burnout.
This form of Home Group is one part of living the Christian Way. As we participate in a Home Group we need to reflect on the direction of our church. To be a healthy church, our activities must have three points of emphasis: outreach, worship and pastoral care. Home Groups are the ongoing way of providing pastoral care. Everything that happens in our church must be evaluated to see if, in practice, it is supporting one of these three areas. It can come as a shock to discover that very little of what we do is ‘outreach’. A healthy church is an ‘outreach-driven’ church!
Churches which want more information and in-depth teaching in this Home Group method are encouraged to contact Pastor Steve Mason, Christ the King Community Church, 4173 Meridian Street, Bellingham, WA, 98226, USA. Phone 360-380-4285
We give thanks to The Rev. David J. Rolfe, Ph.D., Church of the Advent, Colwood, Victoria, for adaptation of this booklet and for encouraging and giving St. John’s permission to make this work for us.
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