ConnectionGroupResourceGuide2017

connection groups
Leader
Resource
Guide

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table of contents
RESOURCES AND WEBSITES 4
CONNECTION GROUP DNA 5
SEASONS AND RHYTHM 5
GROW AND MULTIPLY 7
BEST PRACTICES AND TIPS 8
12 STEPS FOR EFFECTIVE GROUP LEADERSHIP 9
5 TIPS FOR FACILITATING A GREAT DISCUSSION 11
ICEBREAKERS AND DISCUSSION STARTERS 19
10 CREATIVE IDEAS FOR CONNECTION GROUP SOCIALS 23
CHILDCARE SUBSIDY PROGRAM 25
SHEPHERDING ELDERS 28
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Resources & Websites
The Serendipity Bible
An outstanding tool with great discussion
questions for every passage.
RightNow Media
Think Netflix for Christian Videos.
RightNowMedia.org is an Online Catalog of
over 14,000 Bible study videos for all ages
and topics. As a member of our church
you have FREE access to this valuable
resource.
For access email us at:
rightnowmedia@firstcolonychurch.org
Websites
www.SmallGroups.com
This excellent site has many quality group
study guides. There are lots of good
articles with tips and information for
leading your group.
cru.org
CRU.org is a comprehensive small group
Bible study curriculum, and it is 100%
free. Resources range from Christian
basics, textual studies, character studies
and more.
SmallGroupIcebreakers.com
Online storehouse of great icebreakers
that can be sorted by topical tags, as well
as categories - light, moderate and deep.
Excellent resources can also be
purchased at:
Lifeway.com
ChristianBook.com
Amazon.com
NavPress.com
LifeBibleStudy.com
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Connection Group DNA
Not every Connection Group is the same,
but whatever type of group you lead
there are core elements which make
up the DNA of a group. As a leader,
be intentional about emphasizing the
following core elements within your
group. Connection Groups:
• GATHER Frequently
• GROW Spiritually
• Care & Support One Another
• Have Fun Together
• GROW & Multiply
• GO and Serve
Seasons & Rhythm
To help establish a rhythm within your
group (how often you meet, the focus)
our church campuses have structured
Connection Groups around seasons.
Each season will focus on a core element
that helps bring your group closer
together in new ways. This doesn’t mean
your group won’t do more than one core
element in a season, it just gives you
focus, such as Bible study, service or
social events.
Review this Vision Periodically with Your
Group!
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A simple model for developing
people and leaders.
I do. You watch. We talk.
I do. You help. We talk.
You do. I help. We talk.
You do. I watch. We talk.
You do. Someone else watches.
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Grow & Multiply
Over time Connection Groups naturally
grow and multiply. Eventually there may
come a need to branch out and create a
new group. Here are some best practices
for doing so in a healthy manner.
5 Steps to Multiplying A
Connection Group:
1. Identify a future leader.
2. Set a long-term goal of starting a new
group.
3. Invest in future leader and increase their
leadership role (see model on page 6).
4. *Allow God to develop and grow your
group over time.
*During the life of a Connection Group there
are seasons when a group is Open and
seasons when a group is Full. Ideally your
group should go through this cycle:
Open groups have space for new people
and actively seek new members so others
can get connected and experience
community.
Full groups are closed for a season when
the group has reached an optimal size,
allowing for stability, deepening friendships
and intimacy.
Once a group has reached capacity for a
season, it is time to multiply by spawning
a new group.
Repeat!
5. Prayerfully branch out and start a new
group when the time is right.
This is not about splitting or breaking up
groups. There are various ways to branch
out:
• Your future leader starts a new group.
• Your future leader, along with one or two
other couples, starts a new group.
• Your future leader leads your current
group and you start a new group.
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Best Practices & Tips For Leading A Group
DO
Use icebreakers to create a more relaxed environment
Choose activities that are appropriate for your group
Make the instructions as simple as possible
Keep your eye on the participants – make sure they are having fun
Be ready to improvise if necessary
Lead with enthusiasm!
Provide Snacks - it helps put people at ease
DON’T
Use an icebreaker that will make people uncomfortable
Use an icebreaker that will cause embarrassment
Under-budget the time needed – or let the time drag on too long
Limit icebreakers to the beginning – use them to revitalize the group
Choose complicated activities – keep it simple
Force people to participate
Forget to plan time for prayer
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“One of the most important skills in
Connection Group facilitation is not
having all of the right answers, but
asking the right questions.”
12 Steps for Effective Group Leadership
1. Come to the study prepared. Ask
God to help you understand and apply
the passage to your own life. Unless that
happens, you will not be ready to lead
others. Become familiar with the passage
and the material you are facilitating.
2. Pray for the members of your group
before the study. If the Bible is to have
an impact on their lives, the Holy Spirit must
be at work in their hearts before, during
and after the study.
3. Begin the study on time. If people
know the study begins on schedule, they
will work harder to arrive on time.
“Resist the temptation to
answer your own question.”
4. Explain that the studies are meant
to be discussions, not lectures.
Encourage everyone to participate, but
realize some may be hesitant to speak at
first.
5. Encourage more than one answer
to each question. A good question
should have more than one possible
answer, and each person has his or her
unique perspective. Ask, “What do the
rest of you think?” or “Anyone else?” until
several people have responded.
6. Affirm people’s answers. People
often are reluctant to speak up unless they
know you appreciate their insights. Simple
words such as “That’s a great insight,”
“Good response,” “Excellent idea,” or “I
hadn’t thought of that before” show people
you value their comments.
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7. Don’t be afraid of silence. It usually
seems longer to you than to the other
members of the group. Don’t feel like you
have to fill the space. Allow time for people
to hear and respond to the Holy Spirit’s
prompting!
8. Resist the temptation to answer
your own question. Rephrase the
question until the group understands
what you are asking. A group will become
passive and silent if they think you will do
most of the talking.
9. Use open-ended questions and
other discussion-rich strategies.
(See next page)
10. End the study on time/include
time for prayer and fellowship. A
healthy small group will do more than study
the Bible together; so leave time for other
activities such as sharing and prayer. If
these are merely tacked on at the end, the
health of the group will suffer.
“Don’t be afraid of silence.”
11. Sub-Group for deeper connection.
It’s hard to have a conversation that includes
everyone in a group of more than 7-10
people. Sub-groups can create deeper
connection and greater involvement.
12. Give everyone a job. Don’t do it
all yourself – delegate! There can be a
role for everyone: co-leader, future leader,
care leader, communicator (group emails),
food coordinator, host, greeter, ice-breaker,
worship leader, prayer warrior, outreach
champion, fellowship coordinator.
“Sub-Group for a deeper
connection”
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“We want to
challenge people
to think about the
topic at hand, and
to create a safe
environment for
people to share
their thoughts.”
5 Tips for Facilitating a
Great Discussion
THE GOOD NEWS: We don’t have to have
all of the right answers. We don’t have to
lead the perfect discussion every time. We
don’t even have to get through all of the
material in each meeting!
When we’re facilitating in our Connection
Group, our main goal is to create
discussion. We want to challenge people
to think about the topic at hand, and to
create a safe environment for people to
share their thoughts—to help everyone feel
valued about the input they’ve offered.
That’s all we’ve got to do. Thankfully,
there are some established practices and
principles that can help us accomplish
those goals.
1. Ask Good Questions.
“One of the most important skills in
Connection Group facilitation is not having
all of the right answers, but asking the
right questions.”
Here are a few secrets to good question
asking:
Ask open-ended questions. Avoid
the yes/no, true/false, multiple-choice
questions. Similarly, avoid questions that
let people off the hook with a simple
Sunday-school answer. You want to ask
questions that require people to share
some actual thoughts and feelings.
Ask follow-up questions. Many people
default to staying pretty surface-level
with their answers, so get in the habit of
not letting them off the hook. Ask more
questions that follow up on their response.
Here are some examples of good followup
questions for the short/simple answers
that people often give:
What makes you say that?
How do you feel about that?
How do you think that would’ve affected
you?
How would you explain your answer to a
non-Christian friend?
The idea is to get at the core of what
people are really trying to say.
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Tips For Making it
Safe to Share:
Affirm people whenever they share
Never put-down group members’ comments or questions
Don’t get drawn into petty theological debates
Call on people by name
Acknowledge people’s responses; thank them for sharing
Ask gentle guiding questions to clarify general or vague responses
Respond carefully and gently to “incorrect” answers
Some responses and corrections are best handled one-on-one
Steer unhelpful tangents back on-topic by “tabling” the issue until later
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Start an argument. If we always agree
with each other, and with every word every
author writes, then it makes for a pretty
boring group and a somewhat pointless
discussion. The point of discussing things
is to get different perspectives and
wrestle with the issues! Here are some
examples of questions that can help
create discussion by playing a little “devil’s
advocate”:
Do you really agree with what the author is
saying in that chapter?
Why or why not?
Why did God design it to work that way?
Why not just do (whatever else) instead?
What would you say to someone who
disagrees with that?
Why do we really have to do it like that?
Why can’t we just go (some other route)
instead?
Make sure the rubber hits the road. I
often tell my connection group that by the
end of the night, we need to make sure we
apply what we’re discussing to our current
lives. Otherwise we just leave group a little
smarter rather than with changed lives. So
whatever you’re discussing, make sure to
end with some application questions:
So what in the world does that have to do
with our lives today?
How can you change your perspective from
today regarding that issue?
What’s one thing you can do differently this
week to start living that out?
2. Creating A Safe Environment.
Trust is a vital key to making your
connection group a place where genuine
community can be formed. Group
members need to be able to trust each
other as well as trust that the group is a
safe place—a place where they can get
real and know that they will not be judged
or gossiped about.
How do you create this safe
environment? There are some important
steps you can take. First, make sure to
cover the privacy and safety issue in your
group guidelines or covenant. “What
is said here and happens here, stays
here.” Review this periodically, and as the
leader, be sure to model this safety and
confidentiality yourself.
3. Handle Challenging People
Gently But Firmly. The hard part of
connection groups is that they involve
people, and dealing with people may be
messy. Perhaps you’ve read the book:
Everybody’s Normal Until You Get to Know
Them.
Here are some of the common
“challenging people” that you may
encounter, and some tips on approaching
them with grace:
The over-talker. This person always
has plenty to say, and loves to be the first
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person to say it. Remind everyone in the
group guidelines that this is an
equal participation group. So if you have
10 people in the group, you want each
person to contribute their 10 percent to
the discussion. If the problem continues,
talk to the person outside of group. Affirm
them in what they contribute, and tell
them you need their help in getting some
of the other people in the group to open
up and share. Try asking them to commit
to not being the first person to answer a
question, or to only answer when you call
on them—or to even work out a subtle
signal you can give them when they are
talking too much.
The non-talker. This is the quiet person
in the group who never wants to share.
If you think doing so won’t scare them
off even more— they just need a little
prompting—try calling on them periodically
to share an answer. Be sure to affirm them
when they do respond. If that doesn’t work,
talk to the person outside of group. Again,
affirm them in what they contribute, and
let them know that you want more people
to hear their perspective. Remind them
how valuable different perspectives are to
the group.
The tangent-starter. This person loves
to get the group way off track by starting
random tangents and rabbit trails. First
of all, don’t get upset at the tangents,
and feel free to go off on them once in
awhile. When the time comes, firmly bring
the group back on track. If the problem
becomes excessive, talk to the person
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outside of group. Affirm them in what they
contribute, and let them know about the
challenge you have in trying to facilitate
a good group and how the tangents can
sometime make that harder. Ask them
how they can help you.
The insensitive person. This individual
gives advice, makes fun of answers and
people, cuts people off or does a variety
of other things to offend members within
the group. This person is dangerous to
the health of your group. They can keep
it from being a safe group more quickly
than anything else. Remind everyone of
the group guidelines again, and definitely
have the one-on-one conversation outside
of group to let the person know how
important a safe group is, and what they
can do to help make that happen.
Stay open to the Holy Spirit during each
group meeting and follow where He leads.
Also remember, God is the One who
does the work in people’s hearts—we are
not responsible for that! We are simply
creating an environment for community
and life change to happen.
4. Try Using Different Types Of
Questions. Keep the Discussion
Moving.
The goal of the facilitator is to help group
members engage in meaningful dialogue
with one another. This allows them to
discover biblical truths for themselves. In
fact, your goal as a small-group leader is
to never tell when you could ask. This gets
everyone involved and sets the tone for
discussion instead of lecture.

We can use a variety of questions to
spark discussion and help group members
connect with the topic. As a rule of thumb,
you’ll want to follow the order of these
questions when leading discussion. They
work from more general to very specific
and help group members discover God’s
truth. In this order, you’ll finish your
discussion by applying it to your lives.
We don’t want to jump to application
questions before using the other types
of questions to dig into the text. Instead,
use the following types of questions in
this order and end your meetings at a
climactic point in discussion.
Launching Questions. Get the
discussion started, focusing the group
members’ attention on a certain topic.
They should be open-ended and
engaging. The best icebreaker questions
fall into this category: they allow all
group members to share from personal
experience, and they connect their
answers to the topic being discussed.
Examples:
What role did the Bible have in your
childhood home?
When have you experienced forgiveness?
What was it like?
Observation Questions. These are the
only true closed questions you’ll use. They
seek to clarify what the text says. They
ask group members simply to look
to the text for the answer. These don’t
often generate a lot of discussion so
some leaders will want to skip over them.
Realize though, that these questions
allow group members and guests alike to
answer—because the answer is right in the
text. Plus, they challenge us to look more
closely at the content and remind us of the
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Remember — “the goal of a
group discussion is life-change,
not perfect discussions or getting
through all the material.”
details of a passage, especially if we have
read the passage before.
Examples:
In these verses, what does Paul say is
necessary for salvation?
What Old Testament characters are
mentioned in this passage from Hebrews?
Interpretation Questions. These
questions ask “How?”, “Why?”, or “What do
you think?” They require group members
to consider the meaning of the text, using
their own experiences and perspectives.
These are often mixed up with application
questions. The key difference is that
interpretation questions simply seek to
make meaning of the text, not to apply the
text to our lives.
Examples:
Why do you think Jesus said that to Peter?
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What does it mean to “bear with one
another”?
Reflection Questions. Seek to make
the transition between our understanding
of what the text says to its implications
for our lives. Reflection questions seek to
put our lives into the context of the biblical
account and discover how we should feel,
think, and act within that context. They
ask the question, “What does this have to
do with us?” or “Why was this included in
the Bible?”
Examples:
Why do you think we so rarely talk in church
about sex?
What might it look like to care for orphans
and widows today?
If Jesus talked so much about money,
why do we talk about it so infrequently in
church?

sure that group members are validated
in their sharing and understood by other
group members. You can also use these
questions to refocus the group when the
discussion has gone off on a tangent.
Examples:
Are we saying that _____?
What did you mean when you said ____?
5. When The Discussion Gets
Stuck
Use Guiding Questions:
Application Questions. Help group
members take what they’ve learned
and apply it on a personal level. True
application requires group members to
identify a specific response or action they
will take within a specific time frame.
Examples:
What changes will you make this week as
a result of our discussion on the creation
story?
What one spiritual discipline will you commit
to this month?
When will you practice this discipline?
Guiding Questions. Even though
these questions are listed last, use
them throughout the discussion to keep
things moving and to draw out the main
ideas shared. These questions seek to
summarize and clarify in order to keep
the discussion focused. They also make
Let us each take 30 seconds to respond to
this question.
What one word summarizes your feelings/
thoughts?
What does this verse say to you, in once
sentence?
How about two of you giving us your
answer?
Re-phrase the question and ask it again.
Use redirecting statements as
necessary:
Let’s keep working on this question.
Good question. We may have time for that
one later. Sounds like something we should
discuss another time.
Let’s table that one for later.
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“Our goal as a leaders
is to never TELL when
we can ASK.”
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Icebreakers & Discussion Starters
“Getting To Know You” Questions
What is your favorite song? What is your favorite worship song?
If you had a whole day free to do whatever you want, what would you do?
What would you like to invent that has not yet been invented?
If you had to give up a favorite food forever, what would be most difficult to give up?
What is one food you never want to taste again?
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go, and why?
What would be your dream vacation?
If you were given $10,000, what would you spend it on?
What are your pet peeves, or unique things that you dislike?
What was your favorite toy as a child?
If your house was burning down, what 3 objects would you try to save?
If you could talk to anyone in the world right now, who would it be?
Where/when would you visit if you had a time machine?
What is your favorite thing to do in the summer?
If you could have any question answered, what would it be?
If time and money were not objects, what would you be doing right now?
What has been a recent high point and low point in your life?
For what are you most thankful? (You can name several things)
What super-power would you most like to have?
If you could learn any skill, what would it be?
Name a gift that you will never forget.
What would your dream job be?
“You Can Only…”
You are stuck on a deserted island, and you can only take 3 things.
What would they be?
You can only eat 5 different foods for the rest of your life.
What are they?
You can only listen to 3 Albums/Records/CD’s for the rest of your life.
What are they?
You are stuck in a cabin for 2 years.
What 5 movies would you take with you?
Your having a dinner party.
If you can pick anyone, which 3 people in the world would you invite?
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“My Favorite…”
My favorite meal is… Why?
My favorite band is… Why?
My favorite TV show is… Why?
My favorite movie is… Why?
My favorite sport/team is… Why?
My favorite time of day is… Why?
My favorite hobbies are… Why?
Ten Challenge Questions
These are good for groups that have been
together long enough to build trust and
go deeper. Larger groups should split into
sub-groups for these.
What qualities do you most look for in a
friend?
If you could have any question answered,
what would it be?
What was the best thing that happened to
you this past week?
If you had this week to do over again, what
would you do differently?
How would your life be different if you knew
Jesus was returning in six months?
If you could change anything about yourself,
what would you change?
What is the best lesson you ever learned
from your parents?
What person from the Bible do you most
identify with?
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What is the hardest thing you have ever
done?
What are your spiritual gifts?
Describe your current week in terms of
weather.
Sort And Mingle
Sort and Mingle is an interactive
icebreaker that helps people recognize
common and unique interests and
preferences. The speaker calls out various
categories and everyone moves toward
various parts of the room, finding people
with similar tastes. There are two halves.
The first half is the “Sort” game. The
moderator tosses out two contrasting
choices and everyone must move to
opposing sides of the room. Some sorts
that work well include: dogs vs. cats,
books vs. movies, sweet vs. salty, casual
vs. dress up, inside vs. outside; be on
the stage performing vs. in the audience
watching, and so on. The second half of
the icebreaker, the “Mingle” game, works
as follows: The moderator shouts out a
general category and the group is asked
to mingle around to find others that have
the same answer and they clump up to
form a larger group. After about thirty
seconds to one minute, the moderator
asks each group to call out their answer.
If a person is unique and is the only one
with an answer, that’s okay. Examples of
mingles: your favorite place on Earth; your
favorite dessert; the kind of animal you
like best; if you could have dinner with
someone, who would you choose; your

favorite hobby; if you could be anyone,
what would it be?
Both halves of this game help people
introduce themselves in a fun, interactive
format.
take one piece of music, one book, and
one luxury item you can carry with you e.g.,
not a boat to leave the island!
“What would you take and why?”
Fact Or Fiction?
Ask everyone to write on a piece of paper
THREE things about themselves that
may not be known to the others in the
group. Two are true and one is not. Taking
turns, they read out the three ‘facts’ about
themselves and the rest of the group
votes, which are true and false. There
are always surprises. This simple activity
is always fun, and helps the group and
leaders get to know more about each
other.
Deserted Island
Announce, you’ve been exiled to a
deserted island for a year. In addition to
the essentials and your Bible, you may
Allow a few minutes for people to draw
up their list of three items, before sharing
their choices with the rest of the group.
Would You Rather?
Questions may range from silly trivia to
serious content. Place a line of tape down
the center of the room. Ask the group to
straddle the tape. When asked ‘Would you
rather?’, they must move to the left or right
as indicated by the leader. Here are 20
starter questions; add your own and let the
fun begin!
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Would you rather...?
Visit the doctor or the dentist?
Make headlines for saving somebody’s life
or winning a Nobel Prize?
Eat broccoli or carrots?
Watch TV or listen to music?
Own a lizard or a snake?
Go without television or fast food for the
rest of your life?
Be handsome/beautiful and dumb or be
ugly and really smart?
Have a beach holiday or a mountain
holiday?
Be an apple or a banana?
Always be cold or always be hot?
Not hear or not see?
Eliminate hunger and disease or be able
to bring lasting world peace?
Be invisible or be able to read minds?
Be hairy all over or completely bald?
Be the most popular or the smartest
person you know?
Be stranded on a deserted island alone or
with someone you don’t like?
See the future or change the past?
Be three inches taller or three inches
shorter?
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Wrestle a lion or fight a shark?

Never Have I Ever
Best for 5-10 people; sub-group if
necessary. Instruct everyone to sit in a
circle. To start each round, each player
holds out all ten fingers. Go around the
circle and one at a time, each person
announces something that they have
never done, beginning the sentence with
the phrase “Never have I ever _____” .
For example, a person could say, “Never
have I ever been to Europe.”
For each statement that is said, all the
other players drop a finger if they have
done that statement. So if three other
people have been to Europe before, those
three people must put down one finger,
leaving them with nine fingers. The goal is
to stay in the game the longest (to be the
last person with fingers remaining). To win,
it’s a good strategy to say statements that
most people have done, but you haven’t.
10 Creative Ideas For
Connection Group Socials
Hosting a Connection Group is an
adventure. Asking a group of people to
share their stories and open up to one
another is an ask unlike most. In order to
break the ice and bring everyone together,
we’ve outlined a few ideas for social events
you can use for your first group gathering
of the season. In fact, these ideas are built
for any kind of celebration your group goes
through together.
1. Potluck Party
Nothing brings people together like time
around the table. The tried and true potluck
method is a great way to get everyone
involved. Pick a theme, or don’t, just set
the stage for a warm evening of getting to
know everyone before you dive into this
new season together.
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2. Pizza Party
Dinner is almost always winner. Instead of
asking everyone to bring prepared dishes,
bring everyone in to make dinner together.
Start with some pizza dough and get
everyone to top it off. You’ll have time for
some get to know you questions before it’s
time to eat.
3. Game Night
The name of the game, in this case, is
simply getting everyone to relax and have
fun together. Have an assortment of
games, or ask everyone to bring a favorite.
Set aside a few hours to laugh and have
fun without any pressure.
4. Celebrate Kickoff
It doesn’t have to be a football game to
warrant tailgate fun at home. Crank up the
grill and put out some corn hole boards, or
whatever yard games you think most will
enjoy. Turn on the game, or not. Celebrate
the kickoff of your group with some laid
back time together.
5. Battle Of The Sexes
It’s fun to start off with some competition
right? You can use this idea as part of a
game night or dinner party. Either compete
as a team in a game night, or see who
made it better with a dinner dish that
everyone can enjoy. If you’re not leading a
couple’s group, partner with a group of the
opposite sex to mix it up a bit.
6. Out And About
Pick a fun place around town to meet. Go
bowling, skating, or playing at an arcade
together. You could even hang out at a
nearby park for a few hours, just to be
outside.
7. Serve Together
What better way to unite the group, than
by serving outside of your group. Prepare
a meal together for a family in need in
your community, serve the elderly in your
area, or go Christmas shopping for a
shelter together. The options are probably
endless. Talk with your church staff to find
out how your group can work together to
serve together.
8. Party At The Ball Game
Go support your local team together.
Whether you’re cheering on the high
school football team or supporting your
local pro team, grab some popcorn and hit
the stands.
9. Cookie Swap
It’s a classic. Have everyone bring their
favorite sweet treat. Make it a game by
trying to guess who brought which.
10. Get Out Of Town
Some solid time away from every day
life together is sure to be a bonding
experience. Spend a night or two away
at a cabin, a lake house, or a favorite
getaway space.
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Childcare Subsidy Program
The Childcare Subsidy Program is available for parents who want to participate in a
Connection Group. It’s a fantastic resource allowing you the opportunity to participate
in a Connection Group without the worry of childcare costs. You have the flexibility of
choosing your own sitter and setting your own price. First Colony will then subsidize the
cost based on fixed rates (found on our website). Depending on the cost of your sitter
this may cover all or a portion of the cost.
To learn more and sign up visit the link below:
firstcolonychurch.org/subsidyprogram
Ideas for Childcare in Connection Groups
There are several ways to arrange Childcare in groups. Each approach has pros and
cons. The main thing is finding a solution that fits your Connection Group.
1. Kids attend the group with parents. Children can play together or join the
discussion if they are old enough.
UPSIDE
• No cost
• Children feel part of the group
• Easy to coordinate. Just bring your kids with you
DOWNSIDE
• Including children in the discussion changes the dynamic of the group
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• People may be reluctant to share openly and honestly in front of kids
• Children can be a distraction and make it difficult to have a discussion
2. Hire 1-2 babysitters to come to the house where your group meets.
UPSIDE
• The church will subsidize the cost of the babysitter
• Makes it easy for parents to have a discussion time
• Children feel part of the group
DOWNSIDE
• Kids can be a distraction in the home even with a sitter
3. Arrange individual childcare for each family.
UPSIDE
• The church will subsidize the cost of the babysitter
• Each family chooses their own babysitter
• Kids maintain their routine for meals and bedtime
• Children are not a distraction at the parent’s group meeting
DOWNSIDE
• More expensive for each family to hire a babysitter, than sharing the cost
• If parents can’t find childcare they will miss the group time
4. Offer childcare at a house close by and hire 1-2 babysitters.
UPSIDE
• The church will subsidize the cost of the babysitter
• Shared cost is cheaper
• Children are off-site so there are no distractions
DOWNSIDE
• It might be hard to agree on a babysitter
• If you don’t have another house available, this option may not be possible
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5. Sign up two group members each week and take turns watching the
children. Alternate, two guys one week, and two ladies the next week (this avoids
couples missing out on the group time).
UPSIDE
• No cost
• Builds friendships by serving together
• Adults build relationships with all the kids in the group
• Easy to coordinate
DOWNSIDE
• Removing two people from the group each week disrupts community
• Kids can be a distraction in the home
6. Rotate childcare with another Connection Group that meets on the same night
i.e. one week group A meets, and a couple of people from group B provide childcare.
Next week, switch.
UPSIDE
• No cost
• Groups work together and build a connection
DOWNSIDE
• The groups can only meet every-other-week, which slows down community
• People can get tired of not meeting with their group to provide childcare
• Lots of coordination
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Shepherding Elder System
Your Connection Group has an assigned Shepherding Elder that is always a call or text
away. Your Elder will check in with you periodically, but you should feel free to reach out
when you need support.
Ways Elders Support Connection Groups
• Pastoral Care matter within the group
• Discussing Connection Group progress
• Encouragement and prayer
• Meeting one-on-one with leader or group members
• Attending a group meeting or social event
• Discussing a special area of knowledge with groups
(e.g. parenting, finances, marriage, spiritual growth)
If you need help getting in touch with your Shepherding Elder, contact our Connections
Minister, Ryan Bien.
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Notes
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Notes
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Notes
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firstcolonychurch.org
christschurchfostercreek.org