1. Do I need to be a “Bible Expert” to become a Connect 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. COTR has curriculums available that provide expert teaching to your connect group. Your host’s responsibility is to facilitate the discussion around that teaching using provided resources.

 2. What training is required to be a Connect Group Host?
We ask Small Group Hosts to participate in our Leadership Development Pathway which includes our basic three-hour Host Training 1. Beyond basic training, we offer progressively more advanced Leader Workshops in Skills, Character, Health, and PEACE. Additionally, twice a year in the Spring and Fall we ask every small group Host to join us in an All-Church Host Gathering to be trained and motivated.

3. What are the requirements to Host a Connect group at COTR?
a. Leader must have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
b. Leader must be or have been, baptized by immersion.
c. Leader must complete Class 101 and be a member of COTR.
d. Leader must complete Leader Training and agree to implement the Leader Values on the Leader Application.
e. Leader must be able to answer that there are no problems with the following areas:
1) Leader must not have current habitual struggles or moral issues (drugs, alcohol, cohabitation, etc.) that would bring shame on the name of Jesus Christ or on COTR.
2) In addition, there must not be any current marital struggles (i.e. infidelity, separation, divorce in process, etc.)
3) Finally, the leader must support COTR’s Statement of Faith without any reservation or addition.

4. What do I need to do to become a COTR member?
You need to have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, completed Membership CLASS 101, and have signed our membership covenant that is available in your CLASS 101 book.

5. How do I get help?
Every small group host is assigned a Small Group Community Leader (CL) who is your point of contact to COTR’s small group community and is the source of help, information, and resources to help you.

6. What small group studies are recommended and where can I get materials?
COTR has a wide range of small group studies available and recommends that in-between major Church emphases like Purpose Driven Life or Purpose Driven Community Campaigns that your group select studies that meet the needs of those in your group.

7. Is curriculum dictated by the church leadership?
Once a year we have a “campaign” like 40 Days of Purpose or 40 Days of Community in which we ask all groups to study the campaign subject and materials. Other than that we recommend solid evangelical small group Bible or “felt need” studies.  See Question 18 for more information.

8. What if my group wants to continue and I can’t continue to lead?
You can identify a new Host from within the group if there is someone that is qualified. Your group can determine the Host as long as they meet our Host requirements. Please read the answers to questions on Host requirements.

9. How can I get more people for our group?
You and the members of your group should invite unconnected people you meet at church, your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family to join the group. This is the best way to get new members in your group. Pray before you invite someone new. Ask God to soften his or her heart and then step out in faith and make the invitation. In addition, on our web page we make mention that you can e-mail us and we will help them find a group near them. (For the privacy of our hosts, we have elected not to post on the web where our groups meet.)

10. 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.

 11. How should our group handle childcare?
First, make childcare a top priority in order to make it happen. If there are people who can’t afford childcare, others need to step up to help out. Another thing is that you want to rally together. You might be able to get a sitter to watch the kids in one part of the house while the group meets in another room. If there’s home nearby, one person can watch the kids there while the group meets in another house. You may even try to rotate people out of the group to take care of the children. There are many childcare options these are just a few, and more are listed in your Leader Training-1 curriculum.

12. How do I raise up leaders?
This is a process where your group members can help and do small tasks and functions of your small group. Based on their giftedness, rotate leadership and have members lead a sub group. They can host when you are out of town and then they can be released to do their own group should they choose. Encourage your small group members to attend COTR’s Leader Training-1 so they can more effectively develop as hosts.

13. Do we use husband and wife leadership teams?
Yes, we do. We find it very beneficial to have both the husband and wife lead in couples small groups. Each one brings different gifts to the leadership position. They each fill in and compliment the other.

14. Do you have women leading groups with men in them?
Yes, we do. We have women leading groups based on the biblical principle that the Pastors have given them the authority, so they are under the covering of that authority to lead that group.

15. Do you suggest Small Groups meet once per week?
The short answer is yes, we recommend once a week as the ideal frequency for a small group to meet. But, we also acknowledge that groups that meet every other week or monthly can still be effective as long as they use other mediums to provide ongoing care, nurturing, and leadership development of the group.

16. What are effective ways to get small groups involved in bringing seekers on a continual basis?
We would suggest, that if a person is asking that question that they may want to lead a seekers group that would be targeted for people that may want to know more about Christ or are open to ask questions or to express doubts so that there can be a positive open forum. But one of the most effective ways we have found is for someone to champion Missions and Evangelism in the small groups. This would help give a voice to that very need of honoring the open chair and bringing seekers to your group. Also, we found that although a group may be doing a study, a seeker can also gain benefit just from the relationships and being around other believers in a group.

17. Are the five purposes carried out over the life of the group, and, not necessarily on a weekly basis?
That is correct. You want to take a snapshot of your group over a two or three-month period to see that there are health and a balance of the five purposes. So, a group need not do all five of the purposes at every group meeting. A key role of the leader is to see that the five purposes are balanced “overtime” and to place emphasis on areas where the group needs to grow.

18. Where do you find your study material for your Small Group leaders?
We empower and encourage this to happen through group members giving adequate input to where the group needs to go but also to the group leaders to be able to select.  We recommend Willow Creek, Bill Hybels, NavPress, Serendipity, and COTR, etc. curriculum. We encourage leaders to seek Bible-based studies that agree with the COTR’s doctrine and vision. See question 6 for more information.

19. I’m an experienced small group leader, why do I need to go to COTR’s Basic Leader Training- 1?
We want every small group leader to understand the distinctive principles of COTR small groups. Those distinctive principles are covered in Basic Leader Training 1. Also, we believe that leaders are learners and we strive to provide advanced Leader Training and growth opportunities for our leaders. After you complete Basic and Advanced Leader Training, COTR provides opportunities for seasoned leaders to sharpen their skills on a twice a year basis in All-Church Host Gatherings in the Spring and Fall each year.

20. How do I get my established group to want to grow and multiply?
This starts with the vision, mission, and strategy of your group being very clear to you and to the members of your group. COTR’s Small Group Vision and Mission Statements help small groups understand why their group exists:
1) Vision: “To see every person, from the core of our church to the ever-growing community, connected in a healthy small group.”
2) Mission: “To help spiritual seekers become transformed believers who model Purpose Driven lives and motivates others to do the same.”  It is also very important to lead your group members through the stages of leadership development, from the open chair to helping people to discover roles and responsibilities, to the solidification of formal roles and apprentices being brought up and finding their purpose through sub-grouping. Sub-grouping allows your group to grow larger while maintaining a good leader to member ratio.

21. My group is dying, what do I do?
This is where connecting with your Community Leader (CL) is important. Your Community Leader (CL) will be able to help you diagnose what is happening and recommend changes or training that could help you as a leader, and help your members as well. A common vision and mission and agreement on how your small group is to function is required for success as a continuing small group. If different people in your small group have different needs, or ideas, than what your small group is doing, it may be time for them to move on and find a group that will meet their needs. There also may be value in you taking a break from the group or go to other groups. Again, it is through relationship with your CL that you can be coached into seeing what is right for your group.

22. How many groups or ministries should I be involved in?
The answer to this question is contained in your answer to how much time you have to do ministry effectively? We have found that people do one primary and one secondary group or ministry the best. Life stage and family responsibilities will help to determine how many ministries you can do, i.e. an empty nester will have more time to devote to a ministry than a young family with multiple children. We encourage small group leaders to be sure they are involved in a small group or ministry where THEY are being fed spiritually. It is only out of the overflow of what God is doing in your life that you will have the stamina and heart to serve others.

23. How do people move from one group to another, or do they?
Yes, we have found over time that people do move from one group to another. It is important that you let people have the ability and the flexibility to move to another group. It’s important that the leaders understand that meeting the members’ needs is the primary concern, even if it means they find another group. We encourage leaders to remember that not all people grow at the same rate, or have the same needs over time. It is healthy for people to seek a group that meets their needs at the time.

24. When should my group meet?
Groups meet at the time, place, and day of the week that best ministers to the needs of the group, whether it’s 5 a.m. on Fridays for a men’s group, Sunday night for a couples group, or Tuesday night for a ladies group.  We ask only that you refrain from meeting on Wednesday nights. If you are starting a new group, you should choose the time and place that is convenient to you the leader, then people who can meet your schedule will be attracted to your group.

25. How do we prevent small groups from breaking up family unity?
No ministry should take priority over the family. If it does, then they are out of sync with God’s will. We need to help people see the value of the family.

26. How long should the average small group meeting last?
A typical small group meeting is one and a half to two hours. However, it is unique for each group, depending on the type of group, and should be worked out by agreement of the group members in the process of developing the Small Group Agreement that covers what will be done and how it will be done in your small group.

27. How should time be divided in the group?
This is up to the group host and why the host is so important. The host is able to determine where the group is in the five purposes and what they need to be doing. We suggest that the leader take a snapshot about every two to three months to see that health and balance is brought into the group over time.

28. I have changed the day, or type of group I am hosting. What do I do?
We ask you to contact the church office about your plans and the changes. Also, notify your Community Leader (CL) so he can support you with additional members or resources as you need them.

29. Should Hosts invite people only from COTR or can we invite seeker friends?
That is totally up to the Host and to the group. The point is to seek God prayerfully about who to invite. Hundreds of lives have been changed because groups have welcomed their unbelieving neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family into their groups. Your group can too!

30. I’d like to be a Host, but should I wait until I have more experience?
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. COTR’s small group material and recordings are “plug and play” so that any one with any level of experience can Host a successful group. If you will take our basic Leader Training 1 course, our pastors and instructors can help equip you to successfully host a small group.

31. How can I form a group with people who are similar to me?
If you would like to form a group with like interests (like Couples, Singles, Women, Men, Single Parents, etc.), let us know when you fill out the small group leader application. However, in most cases, your geographic community will provide a “proximate” life stage or lifestyle interests. Be sure to invite your own friends that you enjoy hanging out with.

32. I Live out of the immediate area of COTR. 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 desire to have small groups all over the Wood County Area. Since it is unlikely that we will be able to provide you with a list of potential group members, we would encourage you to pray about which neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family members you could invite to join you for six weeks for your first study.

33. We have a small house or condo, can we still host a group?
Sure, all you have to do is say you are full or you can subgroup into smaller groups in several areas in the house. Subgrouping can actually be more fun for everyone, but it’s really up to you.

34. What is the format for small groups?
People connect in new small groups consisting of 6 to 12 people who provide love, support, friendship, connection, and spiritual strength. The format is an informal and comfortable 1½-2 hour gathering at the home of a Host for six weeks. Participants are comprised of people from our church, as well as friends, neighbors, relatives, and coworkers who are invited to join in the adventure. Most groups are guided through the study series using either DVD programs or study guides.

35. Can I invite people who don’t attend our church?
a. Absolutely! Inform your friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers, and casual acquaintances about your small group study. Most of COTR’s study materials are appropriate for both believers and seekers. Pray for God’s guidance as you can make an eternal difference in the lives of others.
b. While it is not our desire to attract people away from other Bible-believing churches, COTR’s 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.

36. What is the definition of a connect group?
In its simplest form, a connect group is defined as a “Small Group Bible Study”. A small group is a subset of the local church body. Small groups meet in non-church locations such as homes, restaurants, coffee shops, businesses, or any location that is convenient for the attendees. They meet morning, noon, or night, any day of the week. This follows the pattern of the early church in Acts 5:42 “Day after day, in the temple courts (weekend celebration) and from house to house (small group fellowships), they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. [NIV]. At COTR, we ask small groups to do more than study the Bible. We ask them to accomplish all five of the purposes that Jesus gave us in the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-38): Love God (Worship) and love our neighbor (Ministry) and in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) Go and Make Disciples (Evangelism), Baptize them (Fellowship) and Teach them (Discipleship). We believe that as we balance the purposes we grow a healthy church, healthy small groups, and healthy followers of Christ.

37. Do you have a Connect Group Question not answered here?
Please e-mail cotrqt@aol.com. We will respond as quickly as possible.