DPC Home Groups have Leaders, Assistant Leaders and Hosts. Leaders, Assistant Leaders & Hosts are appointed by the elders. In 2010 Darryl Soh will oversee the day to day organising of Home Groups and supporting of HG Leadership, Craig Tucker will co-ordinate training days.

The Home Group Leader(s) are responsible to lead the group towards maturity in Christ. The role of the Home Group Leaders includes: leading or delegating the Bible study, helping the group start and finish on time, reminding the group of their purpose and agreed expectations, and generally nurturing the life of the group. However, the success of the group is everyone’s responsibility. Assistant Leaders support the Home Group Leader(s) in this task.

Purpose of Home Groups:

1. to study God’s word, encourage each other to live out its truth and share its truth with others;

2. to pray together;

3. to care for one another and others outside the group in practical ways;

4. to have fun together.

Yet within this framework each group has the freedom to struc­ture things in a way that suits the group members.

The Commitment of the Leaders, Assistant Leaders & Hosts

1. To watch.  Their own life and doctrine; to be faithful Christians modelling the Christian life with integrity.

2. To belong to the church family. This will involve belonging, in a regular committed way, to one of the Sunday congregations.

3. To pray for their group members regularly.

4. To support each other. There are three HGLO meetings planned for the year where we will pray, encourage one another, and participate in training.  In addition, this year we are holding 4 to 5 “Digging Deeper” Sessions which are special nights to “stretch” people in thinking theologically on a range of relevant issues that Christians face.  It is expected that leaders, assistant leaders and hosts attend at least two of these sessions.

A. The responsibilities of the Home Group Leader

1. Prayerful Preparation. Home Group Leaders are asked to commit to prayer and to adequately prepare for group meetings.

2. Cultivating a Healthy Culture. Home Group Leaders will seek to cultivate a safe place where true feelings can be shared and encourage members to take the next step toward involvement in the life of the church. If there are members in the group that require specialized pastoral care or counselling, Home Group Leaders should contact either Craig, Anna or Darryl.

3. Teach God’s Word. Home Group Leaders are responsible for ensuring the Scriptures are taught with care. From time to time, we will study the same material across the DPC church family but the majority of the time, it is the Home Group leader in consultation with his//her leadership team and the group who determines what the group will study.  If you have any questions about what your group is to study, please contact Darryl Soh or Anna Moss with regards to Women’s HUB.

4. Plan the logistics. The Home Group Leader is responsible for ensuring the group develop clear expectations and plan adequately.  Click here for the DPC Home Group Pamphlet for more details.

5. Monitor the group’s progress with respect to the group’s goals and expectations. As part of the Home Group’s first night, it is important to agree as a group the goals and expectations of the group.  Throughout the year, it is the responsibility of the Home Group Leader to monitor how the group is progressing with regards to these agreed goals and expectations.  One suggestion is for the home group leader to chair a “take stock” session with the home group.

6. Meet with Assistant Leaders (about every 2 months) for feedback, prayer and encouragement.

B. The role of the Assistant Leader

1. Be an active participant / observer. This involves:

• Helping build a healthy “culture” for the group (eg. a culture that is honest and open, not flippant)
• Watching the group dynamics and focus on how individuals in the group are going. To effectively manage a group of 10-12 people, it requires at least 2 people working together.
• Intervening when necessary (eg. asking a clarification question when it seems like a member of the group is struggling with a particular point of the Bible study)

2. Providing regular feedback to the Home Group Leader. As part of the leadership team, it is important to provide regular feedback to the Home Group Leader and pray together about how the group is going.  This would help ensure that any issues regarding the group are addressed in a timely manner.

3. Lead meetings from time to time. The assistant leader, like any other home group member, may lead the Bible study or Week of Prayer from time to time.  As a guideline, it is recommended that co-leaders to lead the meeting at least 6 times a year so that there is sufficient opportunity for Co-leaders to develop their leadership skills.  However, the frequency of how often the Co-leader leads is determined by agreement with the Home Group Leader and the Co-leader.

4. In consultation with the Home Group Leader, following up specific members of the group. This may include calling them during the week to see how they are going or meeting up with them one on one.

C. The role of the Host

Provide a comfortable environment for the group to meet. Here are some guidelines in hosting a home group.

(i). Be prepared. Make sure that the meeting room is tidy and pleasant. Also, make sure that the bathroom is clean and supplied.

(ii). Greet everyone warmly. People come to a home group with any number of things on their mind. Some come from work. Others rushed out of the house while trying to finish a quick meal. A warm greeting from a host can help people shift into the home group setting.

(iii). Be sure you are well supplied. Check to be sure you have plenty of pencils, paper, Bibles, etc.  Always have an extra chair or two.  Have cups available for drinks and plates if food is being served.

(iv). Check the lighting. Be sure the room where the small group is held is well lit.  Also, meet in a circle where everyone can see each other’s faces to facilitate equal participation and sharing.

(v). Be mindful of the temperature. A room that is too cold can make it very difficult for people to get comfortable. A room that is too hot can cause people to fall asleep.  Be mindful that rooms warm up when people show up.

(vi). Eliminate distractions. Put your pets (especially dogs and cats) in a separate room for the evening. Let the answering machine pick up your calls (turn off the ringer).   Providing good ventilation is also helpful.

(vii). Provide dinner (if possible). Some hosts either provide dinner or organise a roster with the group members to provide dinner at the host’s residence.  Having time together over a meal prior to the group starting can be beneficial in helping the group “gel together”.

Please see the attached pdf document for a printable version of the DPC Home Group Job Descriptions.