Grace In Cranberry

Quick Links for reaLife guides

Goals and Expectations of Coaches and Guides
ReaLife Covenant and Guiding Prayer
Mutual Care for Small Groups
Hosting Social Events
Suggested Group Studies

What is a reaLife Guide?

Purpose

Honoring God by Reaching People with the Good News of Jesus Christ and teaching them to become Fully Devoted Followers of Him in the context of small groups.

Qualifications

1. Commitment to Christian character and sound moral conduct inside and outside of Grace Community Church.
2. Agreement with the statement of faith and overall vision of Grace Community Church and an attitude of support and submission to its leadership. (Romans 13:1-5; 1 Peter 2:13-25; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Hebrews 13:17)
3. Commitment to unity by dealing with issues, offenses and disagreements in a biblical and timely manner. (Psalm 133; Matthew 18:15-17)
4. Displays an attitude of love, patience, longsuffering, service, humility, compassion and grace towards others. (Galatians 5:16-25)
5. Acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
6. Member (or moving toward membership) and regular attendee at Grace Community Church.
7. Commitment to the Bible as the inspired and inerrant Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
8. Willingness to develop and grow as a Christian and reaLife guide and to bring others along who will eventually become guides themselves.

Expectations

1. Affirms Grace Community Church's reaLife together principles by:

Model life as a fully devoted follower of Christ
Committing to praying for the group, it's purpose, members and growth.
Participating in Workshops/Training/Events
Speaking with reaLife coach on a monthly basis
Seeking opportunities to build and create new groups

2. Organize group - including time, location(s), refreshments, activities, study, discussion leader, and prayer.

3. Help create and build authentic relationships through encouraging, supporting, caring, and providing a safe environment for group members.

4. Equip group participants to:

Grow in faith - knowledge, understanding and trust in God
Apply that faith by growing in community - loving, nurturing relationships with God and other believers
And seeking His purpose - being salt and light to the world

reaLife guide Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a "Bible Expert" to be a guide?
Definitely not! If you have a willing heart, a DVD player or computer that plays DVD's, and a few open seats in your living room, office, or coffee shop nearby, you are ready to be a reaLife guide. A teaching DVD and accompanying study guide are "plug and play" so that anyone can guide a successful group. We'll also have a reaLife guide orientation prior to the study series beginning, and assign you a reaLife coach to come alongside of you outside of group gatherings to answer your questions, and to support and encourage you.

Can I get a friend to help me guide a group?
Absolutely! We encourage you to pair up with another friend or another couple. Together you can pray for the people God will be bringing to your home, office, coffee shop, or wherever! Together, you can decide how you will share the role of reaLife guide. It is our hope that by teaming up with someone else, you can find a way to make this an exciting and challenging adventure for both of you.

What I am committing to?
As the reaLife guide, we are asking that you open your home to a small group for eight (8) short weeks. We ask that you show the DVD each week and help the group discuss the content. We also ask that you pray for your group and each of the members individually.

What is my time requirement each week?
From start to finish, the average reaLife group gathering lasts between 1 ½ to 2 hours. As the reaLife guide, you should commit a little extra time each week to review the study guide, watch the "guide lifter" on the DVD, and to pray for your group members.

When will my group meet?
One of the great things about reaLife group is that it can fit with every person's schedule. As reaLife guide, you can pick the day and time that works best for you! Alternatively you could just pick a night for the first meeting and let the group decide from there.

How long is the study each week?
The group gathering will last between 90 and 120 minutes. This includes time spent in fellowship (a shared meal or snack), prayer and Bible study. The teaching DVD will be approximately 15 minutes in length. The rest of the study will be spent using the discussion materials provided in the study guide we will provide.

How many people should I expect to be in my group?
An optimum number of people to have in a reaLife group is 8-10. This allows for great interactive communication while still giving people a chance to talk and share. If your group gets much larger you can break into smaller groups to share and pray after the study.

Can I build a group with people who are similar to me?
If you would like to build a group based on a certain affinity (like Couples, Singles, Women, Men, Single Parents etc.), simply let us know by marking this on your commitment card. If you already know others who share that affinity, invite them!

Will I be asked to continue guiding this group after the study is completed?
We are SO grateful for your gift of 8 weeks. When your commitment is over, each reaLife guide will need to decide what their role will be with the group of people that began in their home. It is our hope and prayer that you will enjoy the experience so much that you will choose to continue with your groups. But, if that's not your plan, we thank you and ask you to help the group raise up a new reaLife guide and find a new place to meet. We strongly encourage you to rotate homes and share facilitating the discussion to see who may be a fit for the reaLife guide role. Again, your reaLife coach can help you!

How should we handle the childcare issue?
Because the answer varies from group to group, we can only offer suggestion of what has worked for others in the past. Ultimately, each guide will decide how they will address the issue of childcare. Some groups ask the participants to find their own babysitters and attend the group without children. Some groups put the children together in a "bonus" room at the group member's home and either 1) all the participants pitch in to pay a sitter or two to care for them or 2) members of the group take turns watching them. Other groups swap child-care with another group they know who meets on another night. There are many creative solutions and it is a great idea to address these up front with the people you are inviting.

I will be out of town this weekend or during one of the weeks of the series, any suggestions?
If you have to miss a group meeting, simply contact your reaLife coach and they will help provide you with appropriate suggestions for your specific group.

We have small place, but can we still help out?
Sure, because an idea size is 8 - 10 people you may be all able to break into two smaller groups in different areas in the house. This can be fun for everyone, but it's really up to you.

How do I build a group?
We suggest inviting between 15-30 people. Then after the first night let group members invite some of their friends. In our experience, about half of those who say they will come will actually come. Our reaLife core team and reaLife coaches have experience building small groups and can provide you with many suggestions you can use for inviting people into the reaLife together experience. Also, we encourage you to invite people you already know who are not already part of Grace. Perhaps you have a casual relationship with the people who live in nearby homes, apartments, condos, dorms, etc. Maybe you have been looking for a safe way to have a spiritual impact in your workplace. From time to time, your reaLife coach may also provide you with names of people who are interested in being in your group.