What does a Life Group Host actually do each week?

A Host opens their home, helps get a simple meal going (optional), and runs the group through that week's one-page discussion guide (tied to the weekend sermon). Once a month, the group splits by gender for deeper prayer and conversation. That's it. No lesson to prepare from scratch.

How am I trained to host a Life Group?

One 90-minute Host Training session before launch, covering vision, running the weekly rhythm, basic facilitation skills, and what to do if something serious comes up in your group. After that, you get monthly personal check-ins, a Host Huddle for peer support, and one clear contact for any question.

Host a Life Group | Emmaus Church

Host a Life Group

You don't have to be a teacher. You just have to open your door.

Q: What if something serious comes up in my Life Group, like a crisis, abuse, or a marriage in trouble?

Hosts handle ordinary hard weeks, like grief, a hard season, or an honest confession, directly and personally. Anything involving danger, abuse, a marriage crisis, unrepentant sin needing confrontation, or a mental health emergency gets escalated the same day to a pastor. You're never expected to carry that alone.

Q: Will I be approved automatically if I fill out the Host interest form?

No, the form is just a way to raise your hand. A pastor will reach out personally to talk it through before anything is decided. Hosting is a conversation, not a self-service signup.

A Host isn't a counselor or a Bible expert, but a Host is a discipler, the same way every follower of Jesus is called to be. Open a home, serve a meal (optional), and let the guide carry the content while you invest in real people.

I'm Interested in Hosting Back to Life Groups

What hosting isn't, and what it is

You don't have to be

A trained teacher or Bible scholar
A licensed counselor
Someone with all the answers
Married, a certain age, or "spiritually elite"

You do need to be

A growing believer, further down the road than day one
Actually discipling the people in your group, the way every believer is called to
Willing to open your home on a normal weeknight
Able to keep a conversation moving using a guide we give you
Willing to ask for help when something's above your head

Where hosting can lead, if you want it to

Most Hosts stay exactly where they start, and that's a win. Some grow into more over time. Nobody's ever expected to skip ahead.

1

Host

Runs the weekly rhythm: meal (optional), guide, a monthly gender split for deeper conversation. No formal teaching expected, but real discipleship is. This is the whole job for most people, indefinitely.

2

Trained Leader

Takes on more responsibility and deeper care capacity, and starts noticing who else in the group could host someday.

3

Multiplier

Deliberately develops two or more future hosts at once, not just one. The group's next chapter is already taking shape.

4

New Group Planter

Takes a handful of people from their group plus new people from a Connect Night to start a second group. It's a graduation we celebrate publicly, never a forced split.

How you'll be trained

One 90-minute session before you ever run a group, not a semester of classes.

Welcome & Vision 15 min

Running the Weekly Rhythm: meal (optional), discussion, monthly gender split, close 20 min

Facilitation Skills 20 min

Shepherding & Care Escalation: what's yours to carry, what's ours 15 min

Looking for the Next Host 10 min

Logistics & Materials 10 min

Raise your hand

This isn't an application and it won't be auto-approved. No pressure, no commitment yet.

1You fill out the form. Takes about a minute.
2A member of our team reaches out personally, usually within a few days.
3You talk it through together. Nothing's decided yet.

Host Interest

First name

Last name

Email or phone

Why are you interested? Optional

No commitment. A pastor will reach out personally.

Questions people ask before hosting

Do I have to be a mature believer or trained teacher?

You don't need a seminary degree, a counseling license, or teaching credentials. What you do need is to actually disciple the people in your group, the same way every follower of Jesus is called to invest in someone else. The weekly guide carries the content, so a Host's job is opening their home, serving a meal (optional), and shepherding the conversation, not delivering a lesson.

What does a Host actually do each week?

Opens their home, helps get a simple meal going (optional), and runs the group through that week's one-page discussion guide. Once a month, splits the group by gender for deeper prayer and conversation. No lesson to prepare from scratch.

How am I trained?

One 90-minute Host Training session before launch, covering vision, the weekly rhythm, basic facilitation, and what to do if something serious comes up. After that: monthly check-ins, a Host Huddle, and one clear contact for questions.

What if something serious comes up in my group?

Hosts handle ordinary hard weeks directly. Anything involving danger, abuse, a marriage crisis, unrepentant sin needing confrontation, or a mental health emergency gets escalated the same day to a pastor. You're never expected to carry that alone.

Do I have to host forever once I start?

No. Hosting runs for a defined term, and most Hosts grow into more responsibility over time rather than being locked into one role permanently.

Will I be approved automatically if I fill out this form?

No, this is just a way to raise your hand. A pastor will reach out personally to talk it through before anything is decided.