Home Group Types at Xenos

At the time of writing (5/01), Xenos has about 130 home groups including over 2000 adults. Since close community does not form easily at our large meetings (Central Teachings), we encourage it by offering home groups. The concept of home groups is supported by allusions to them in Romans 15, 1 Corinthians 14, Acts 2, and Acts 20.

There are four different models used for these groups. The different models are utilized based on the particular needs, situations, and/or ministry focus of the members of a particular group. Although these groups have some important strategic differences, the actual home group experience remains about the same from group to group. In fact, there are many elements that every home group type has in common:

As the name indicates, all home groups meet in homes.
Each meeting portion combines didactic teaching with interactive group discussion and personal prayer.
Each group has the goal of building in-depth community within the group so that every member can be involved in genuine biblical koinonia.
In order for future members to continue to enjoy the intimate community available in a small group setting, all Xenos home groups have a goal of growing and planting new groups. The leaders are therefore responsible to "multiply" the group at every level (including training up a new team of leaders by discipling key members within the group) so that the group can plant an entirely new home group every few years.
All home groups have Cell Groups for equipping and supporting workers; they are distinguished by gender.
It is normative and crucial for members of all types of groups take advantage of Central Teachings.
It is optional, but highly recommended, for group members to conduct Conversations & Cuisines, Playgroups and other settings conducive to outreach.
Most home groups meet on a weeknight (Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday), or on Friday nights. (Xenos' classes are generally offered on Wednesday evenings.)
Leaders must be members of the Xenos Servant Team, and are considered deacons.
All groups must have a senior leader who is directly accountable to a staff supervisor, called a "Home Group Consultant".
Each group has a structure in place to receive regular oversight from Xenos staff members.

The material below describes the distinctive features of the four basic types of home groups, followed by a short description of Cell Groups, a structure incorporated into each type of home group:

I. Home Churches

A home church is an assembly of anywhere from 15-50 people meeting either weekly or every other week. The vast majority of Xenos home groups are Home Churches.

Our Home Churches are generally characterized by the following features:

They are open to the public, including non-Christians.
The actual meetings are about 60-80 minutes long, but post-meeting socializing tends to last much longer.
New people usually come to the group initially by direct invitation by an existing group member, or by being referred by the Home Group Connection ministry.
Plurality of leadership is required at the home church level: there must be more than one leader (or leader-couple) on the leadership team.
Leaders are both male and female.
The leadership team meets together on a regular basis (usually 1-2 times per month) to discuss issues pertinent to the group.
Leaders work closely with their Home Group Consultant to receive ongoing oversight, to troubleshoot, and to plan ahead for planting future groups. All new leaders and home church plants must be approved by the Xenos leadership.

II. Small Groups

Small groups are, as the name implies, smaller groups comprised of no more than 15 adults. Most aspects of a small group are similar to those of a home church, except that they occur on a smaller scale. The following distinctive features may occur in some or all small groups:

Some small groups limit attendance to Christians only. Members of these groups pursue outreach ministry in other venues such as Central Teachings or Conversation and Cuisine events.
Small groups may invite friends in to the group when they feel the time is right based on the guest's spiritual progress or level of interest. They may also have people referred to them by the Home Group Connection ministry.
In groups with no non-Christians present, discussions can move in to weightier material than some other types of groups. Also, the smaller group size allows for deeper sharing and prayer during the meeting.
Only one leader is necessary for these groups, but they may have more. When a small group's attendance hits fifteen, it is considered a home church and must have plurality of leadership.
Like home churches, small groups receive oversight from the Pastoral Division.

III. Ministry Teams

Some home groups have decided to focus on outreach ministry toward a specific age or people group. They have formed friendships with other Christians who share the same experience and passion. As such, they can choose to apply for Ministry Team status by going through an accreditation process which helps them develop very specific goals, direction, and roles for their team members. Their meetings look like any home group in the church that is open to non-Christians.

However, there are some important differences from Home Churches:

Ministry Teams have the authority to regulate who comes to their group. It is important that Christians wanting to be part of the group be in full agreement with the focus of the team. They may devise rules or parameters for who may participate as part of their application for accreditation as a Ministry Team.
These groups may be called on to complete a self-assessment after their charter is completed in order to determine their viability as a Ministry Team.
Ministry Teams have access to such benefits as presenting ministry highlights at a Central Teaching, placing announcements in bulletins, and, sometimes, to funding.
Because of their formation as a team, like-minded in purpose, the elders hold these teams to greater accountability in outreach and group planting.
Ministry Teams that function as home groups receive oversight from the Community Relations division, not the Pastoral Division.

IV. Team Fellowship Groups

A handful of Xenos home groups have adopted the Team Fellowship Group format. Team fellowship groups are different than other groups in the their members are made up of active members of other ministries. These groups focus on edifying their members and supporting their ministry in their respective teams. For example, adults who serve in youth ministries may choose to form a Team Fellowship Group. In format, they are similar to small groups.

They are not open to the public, or even to other members of Xenos. They may restrict their membership to participants in particular ministries.
Because people in some ministry teams are already leading demanding lives, ministry-wise, they may benefit from a home group that has no aggressive goals and merely seeks nurture and edification; in fact, these groups generally have no plan or intention of expanding or of planting other groups.
Because Team Fellowship Groups usually include a number of people involved in the same line of ministry (such as youth work or a social service ministry), they offer a special opportunity for support and team building in those ministries.
These groups carry out focused intercessory prayer for the ministry team(s) from which they are composed.

Cell Groups

Nearly all of the above types of home groups make use of cell groups within their home groups. Cell groups are small study groups made up either of all men or all women. They are by invitation only and (with few exceptions) are not geared toward non-Christians. As of May 2001, 264 cell groups are operating in Xenos. In general, they can be characterized as follows:

Their goals include edification, koinonia, and discipleship.
Cell groups meet weekly or every other week. (Some home groups chose to alternate weeks between the home group meeting and cell group meetings.)
They may have one or several leaders.
Cell groups consist of roughly 4 to 10 people, and a given home group may have from 2-6 cell groups.
The teaching portion of a cell group meeting usually includes discussion and problem-solving.
Personal prayer and same-gender sharing are also vital elements of a cell group meeting.
Many cell groups meet on Friday nights and run late, including extended social time after the meeting.
Not all members of a given home group are necessarily involved in a cell group; however, anyone involved in a cell group is required to be involved in the home group.
In-depth biblical teaching and training occurs in the context of cell groups, as well as through specific application in the context of personal discipleship.
Often a key preliminary step toward planting a new home group is to divide the cell groups within the home group first.

Student groups are administrated by Student Ministries, not the Pastoral Division. Junior High groups use only cell groups. Some High School groups use a sort of home church format (being adult-led, and recruiting other adults to assist in planting new home churches when needed), while others only use cell groups. College groups usually use the home church structure, along with cell groups.

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Contact Danny (home group director) with a comment or question