Host FAQ
Interested in hosting a small group? Find out more.
How do I sign up to be a host?
What are the qualifications to be a host?
What are small group hosts asked to do?
What if I want to host but don’t have a group? How will people get into my group?
Why should I consider the optional Host Training?
OK, what are the details on the Host Training?
I went to Host Training last year for Consumed. Do I need to go again?
I’m already in a small group. What should I do for Reset?
Do I need to sign up to be a host if I’m already leading a small group?
Can I host a group at Crossroads’ building in Oakley?
What if I’m going to be out of town for a week? Can I still host a group?
How big should small groups be?
What can I do with my kids while our group meets?
What if people are hesitant about joining my group?
How do I sign up to be a host?
It's easy. Click here. (If you aren't already signed in, you'll be asked to do so, or to register.)
What are the qualifications to be a host?
Hosting is easy and doesn’t require any special skills. You don’t need to be a counselor or a Bible scholar. All you need is a Bible (you can pick up one for free at the Info Center), some group members (we’ll help you find some), and a meeting place with a DVD player.
What are small group hosts asked to do?
Host your own weekly small group during the six weeks of the Reset series, which runs from February 21 to March 29. Hosting involves:
- Finding a place to meet (preferably a home) and having a welcoming attitude
- Having a DVD player available
- Finding group members
What if I want to host but don’t have a group? How will people get into my group?
There are several ways you can find people:
- Ask your friends and people you already interact with on a regular basis to join your group. It could be your co-workers, neighbors, bartenders, hairstylists, Crossroads acquaintances or Community Group friends.
- Post your information here before January 31. Beginning that weekend, thousands of people looking to join a group will use the Reset website to search for a group to join. When you post, be sure to specify what type of group you’re looking for (open to all, women’s only, married couples only, etc), the day and time you plan to meet and area of town. This will allow people to find a group that fits their needs, contact you as the host and then you can discuss the details and form your group with them.
- Attend a Connect Event on Sunday, February 22 to meet other people looking to get connected (in-person) with a host. Crossroads Mason Connect Events will happen immediately after each service on February 22. Crossroads Oakley’s Connect Event will take place that evening at 7:30pm in the Meeting Center (hosts should arrive by 7pm to get ready for would-be group members arriving half an hour later).
- Host an Onsite Group that will meet every Wednesday night of the journey at Crossroads. We’ll need 45-50 hosts for groups of people new to our community to meet here for either men’s, women’s, couples, or open onsite groups. If this is something that interests you, please contact Rachel Mansell via email or at 513.731.7400 x581.
- Host with Pursuit, an ongoing Community Group for 20-somethings. Pursuit meets on Thursdays 4-7pm at Crossroads Oakley. If you’re interested in serving as a small group host for Pursuit, simply SIGN UP and specify “Pursuit” in the available checkbox.
Why should I consider the optional Host Training?
While Reset is set up so that you can be successful without any training, we want to offer the added resources and additional security of training to those who desire it. We place a high value on this all-community journey, and we want to do everything we can to equip hosts to have a great experience. This training experience will give you the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the Reset content, meet other hosts and if desired, learn small group tips and facilitation skills.
OK, what are the details on the Host Training?
Host training will be offered on two separate Saturdays, January 24 and February 21, from 9-11:30am at Crossroads Oakley. (An optional Fundamentals session will continue from 11:30am-1pm each Saturday.) These are identical training sessions, so only attend one date. The training will include a continental breakfast, an overview of the Reset materials, optional training on facilitation tips and fundamentals for leading a small group. Childcare will be provided. You can sign up for training when you sign up to be a host.
I went to Host Training last year for Consumed. Do I need to go again?
The format will be similar, but the topics, materials and tools will be completely new.
I’m already in a small group. What should I do for Reset?
For Reset, we strongly encourage you to expand your group. Branch out and ask your neighbor, your child’s teacher or anyone else you feel led to invite. Consider the dynamics of your group and what you feel God is calling you to do. Given the topic of this year’s journey, the number of people who are not in a small group currently and the need for hosts, we’d love for you to at least consider breaking up. Your group could split either temporarily or permanently for the sake of reproduction.
Do I need to sign up to be a host if I’m already leading a small group?
Yes. We’d like to make sure you receive the tools, information and optional training opportunities available only to hosts, and designating yourself as a host will enable us to do that. Without identifying yourself as a host, it’s likely you’ll miss out on important information, such as when and where to pick up your host materials.
Can I host a group at Crossroads’ building in Oakley?
We hope that people will experience community in a more personal setting outside of the building. Meeting in homes is often the best way to do this. Some groups take turns having meetings in each other’s homes. If that’s not an option, you might want to try a community room in a restaurant or other public place that will give you the space and privacy to discuss the content of the journey without distraction.
What if I’m going to be out of town for a week? Can I still host a group?
Sure. Just let your group know in advance when you’ll be unavailable, and make arrangements with another group member to be host in your place that week.
How big should small groups be?
Find a size that is comfortable for you. You plus your significant other does not equal a group. Our materials provide enough for groups of up to twelve people. Any larger than that, and meetings tend to be chaotic and the experience suffers.
What can I do with my kids while our group meets?
You might need to get creative. Some groups choose to meet after the kids have gone to bed. Others all chip in for a group babysitter. Either way, arrange things in such a way that if the kids are included in your group time, all group members are comfortable with the idea. Kid interruptions are distracting to some people and welcomed by others.
What if people are hesitant about joining my group?
Trying to convince a friend to come to church with you for six weeks can be a pretty tough sell. Inviting friends into a six-week spiritual exploration, though, might sound more appealing.
While it’s definitely easier to invite someone who has already expressed an interest in exploring their faith (or potential faith), there might be someone that keeps coming to mind, but you just don’t know how to invite them, or how they’ll respond. Here are a few common hesitations people might have, and some perspective you could share to make them feel more comfortable:
“I’m not sure how I feel about the whole God thing.”
We all have doubts, questions and assumptions we’ve made about Jesus, and that’s why we’re doing the Reset journey. Together, we’ll investigate the life and claims of a real person whose influence on history was so monumental that we date time after him, and we won’t make any assumptions about what people believe. And, hey, it’s only six weeks.
“Is this just a trick to get me into Crossroads?”
No. Reset is not just a Crossroads thing. 50 other churches are participating in the Reset journey, and you can check out any church you want. The weekend messages will be on the same themes, and the individual materials and group content will be exactly the same.
“I don’t like organized religion/have had a bad experience with church.”
You’re not alone. Many of us feel the same way. It could be a surprising, or really healing experience, though, to keep an open mind and check out one of the participating church communities for six weeks. But if you really don’t want to venture into a “church,” then don’t. But don’t let that stop you from participating in Reset. We’ll post videos of the weekend messages online at crossroads.net/reset every Monday by noon, so if you prefer to listen while sitting on the couch in your pajamas, you can be just as prepared for your small group meeting as everyone else.