ZPC Home Groups are the most effective way to discuss and apply the sermon scripture, build friendships, as well as pray and serve together. Contact Scott for more information.
+ Scott Shelton [317.873.8137 x 1007]
Frequently Asked Home Group Questions
We believe a home group ministry is vital to build a community of fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Believers are called by God to be in community and fellowship with other believers to encourage, support, and challenge one another toward spiritual maturity. Sermon-based Home Groups are the primary vehicle for discipleship at ZPC, with an emphasis on leadership development.
A home group is made up of 8-12 people who meet weekly in homes to study, share, and support one another in their Christian lives. The studies are based on the previous weekend’s sermon text. Each group is led by a trained facilitator. A typical meeting lasts an hour and a half to two hours including light refreshments, discussion, and prayer. No homework is required. Groups can choose to be open to new people, or can remain a closed group once they are filled.
This model enhances the effectiveness of the large group worship experience by building a discussion around application of the weekly message. Imagine this as a “lecture-lab” style that encourages people to personalize their insights, get feedback from group members, and discover how Scripture works out in real life. By making the sermon text the core content for spiritual growth, the discipleship of individuals is unified under a single theme, relationships become much more significant, and the group accountability promotes personal application.
Each small group session lasts 10 weeks. Each year will have three sessions with a brief hiatus between sessions. At the end of each session participants may choose to stay in the same group, try a new group, or even take a break. Many groups may stay together and meet informally through the summer.
Joining a small group requires a 10-week commitment to attend the weekly meetings. This commitment is the key to strong relationships and healthy groups.
Because we don’t want childcare (or lack of) to be a barrier to individuals joining a home group, ZPC provides several options for those who need childcare during home group meetings. The first option is that ZPC will reimburse individuals for the cost of childcare during home group meetings. By this, we mean when groups come together and a sitter is hired to watch all of the children in that group for the meeting time, ZPC will absorb the cost of hiring a sitter for that time.
Home Groups meet on various days and nights of the week in homes (preferably) throughout the community. Some groups choose to rotate homes between members. If homes are not available a room on the church campus may be requested.
Sign-ups occur twice-a-year in September and January. Individuals may sign up through the ZPC Office. Those who are new to the church may sign up and join designated groups that have openings without waiting for the start of a new session.
Leadership is a both a calling and a process. A person may be invited into leadership through a leader’s recommendation or a personal sense of call. In order to begin the process you must be participating in a Sermon-based Home Group, be a member of ZPC, and have a conversation with the ministry leadership.