The Story - Reading Plan
Click here to access the PDF of The Story Reading Plan
Group Leader Resources
IDEAS FOR MID-SEASON ATTENDANCE WOES
To revitalize a Grace group mid-season, you need to lift the weight of "spiritual performance" or calendar guilt that often causes members to drift. Home groups are uniquely vulnerable to relational friction, childcare exhaustion, and host fatigue.
Here is a targeted blueprint to get your home group back on track:
1. Address "Host and Leader" Exhaustion
Before fixing the attendees, check the infrastructure. If the same person has been hosting, cleaning, and preparing food every week, energy will naturally dip.
Before fixing the attendees, check the infrastructure. If the same person has been hosting, cleaning, and preparing food every week, energy will naturally dip.
- Rotate Homes: If possible, move the meeting to a different house for a month to share the hosting burden.
- Divide the Roles (if you haven’t already): Separate the Host (opens the door/makes coffee), the Leader (facilitates the discussion), and the Admin (coordinates snacks/childcare).
2. Lower the "Prep" Barrier Immediately
When life gets chaotic, members stop coming to home groups because they haven't done the reading or sermon notes and feel too guilty to show up unprepared.
When life gets chaotic, members stop coming to home groups because they haven't done the reading or sermon notes and feel too guilty to show up unprepared.
- Do the work in the room: For the next few weeks, read the Scripture passage out loud together during the first 10 minutes, or watch a short 5-minute video clip.
- Explicitly message the group: "Hey everyone! Just a reminder for this week—zero homework or prep needed. Just show up as you are, even if you’ve had a crazy week."
3. Simplify the Food and Childcare Friction
Getting out the door to someone's house on a weeknight is structurally difficult, especially for families.
Getting out the door to someone's house on a weeknight is structurally difficult, especially for families.
- Audit the Dinner Plan: If cooking a meal is stressing people out, pivot to a strict "just snacks" or "dessert-only" model, or do a cheap pizza pool.
- Address Childcare Head-On: If kids are running around the living room causing chaotic discussions, look into hiring a shared babysitter for the basement/backroom, or split the adults for a night so one group can focus entirely on the kids.
4. Throw a "No-Agenda" Living Room Social
When attendance drops, the living room can feel awkward with too many empty spots on the couches. Break the ice by completely removing the Bible study or discussion for one week.
When attendance drops, the living room can feel awkward with too many empty spots on the couches. Break the ice by completely removing the Bible study or discussion for one week.
- The "Intermission" Night: Host a casual game night, a prayer-and-worship-only night, or a massive dessert potluck.
- The Re-entry Point: Use this casual night as the perfect "low-stakes" invitation to text those who have been missing: "No study this week, we're just hanging out and eating tacos. Would love to just see your face if you can make it!"
5. Focus on Care Over Content
People drift from church small groups when they feel like they are just attending a mini-lecture (remember, leader should speak only 20%). They stay when they feel known.
People drift from church small groups when they feel like they are just attending a mini-lecture (remember, leader should speak only 20%). They stay when they feel known.
- If only 3 or 4 people show up, care for them well.
- Order takeout, sit in a circle, and spend the evening asking, "How are you actually doing, and how can we pray for you this week?" Real community thrives in smaller, intimate numbers.
PODCASTS
Please check out the group leader podcasts listed below. We believe they are informative and helpful to all who lead various types of groups.
DATABASE TRANSITION - YOURGRACECHURCH (CCB) TO TOUCHPOINT
The staff just completed their initial TouchPoint Database training this week! We've learned a lot, and we're VERY excited for all that we're going to be able to do to move ministry forward using this new platform. We've also learned that there's STILL a lot to learn. Because of this reality, we're pumping the breaks on rolling this out to volunteers and group leaders.
We've been using a "Driver's License" analogy - there are stages of "practice" and "testing" before you get to drive your care alone. Well, the majority of the staff is still in "testing for our learner's permit" land, and before we can be set loose to train people, we need to complete some in-cars first.
The great news is that YourGraceChurch (CCB) still works. We'll continue using this system as we learn our new database (and also transfer all new data). We ask that you remain patient with us during this process, and we appreciate your prayers!
THINGS TO PRAY FOR
- Your group season & group members
- Your “one more”
- Worthy of It All
- Upcoming Prayer Night
- Continued forward movement at Grace Fellowship
- Pastor Keith, Executive Team, and Elders
SAVE THE DATES
Don’t forget to checkout the Events Page for more details!
Thank you for all you do for the forward movement of the Kingdom here at Grace. You leaders are the best!
2026 Calendar
Below are some important dates and timelines specific to groups we want to be sure are on your calendar. We'll continue to update this information throughout the season!
2026
Don’t forget to checkout the Events Page for more details!
Why Partnership?
Pastor Keith explains "Why Partnership?" at Grace. Feel free to send this resource to group members who are exploring Partnership with Grace.
Leader Reference Materials & Resources
Follow Group Devotional – click here
Next Steps in Your Faith Journey - click here
Gospel Conversation Starters – click here
Growth Resources
- Gospel Coach, Shepherding Leaders to Glorify God – 4/4/23 – click here
- The Shepherd Leader – 4/17/23 – click here
- Teaching Like a Shepherd – 5/2/23 – click here
- Shepherding God’s People: A Guide to Faithful & Fruitful Pastoral Ministry – 5/16/23 – click here
- Making Small Groups Work – 6/6/23 – click here
- Shepherds Protect the Sheep – 6/29/23 – click here
- A Gospel Coach Conversation – 7/12/23 – click here
- Gospel Coach, Shepherding Leaders to Glorify God – 7/26/23 – click here
- Group Leader Journal – 8/8/23 – click here
- Shepherding God’s People – 8/22/23 – click here
- Shepherding God’s People – 9/6/23 – click here
- Creating Community – 5 Keys to Building a Small Group Culture – 9/20/23 – click here
- Small Groups with Purpose – 10/4/23 – click here
- Creating Community – 5 Keys to Building a Small Group CultureI – 11/12/23 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Plays to Win – 12/10/23 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Plays to Win – 12/18/23 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Plays to Win – 1/7/24 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Makes the Team Better – 1/21/24 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Makes the Team Better – 2/11/24 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Team Player – 3/3/24 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Follows the Coach – 3/10/24 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Follows the Coach – 3/24/24 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Prioritizes Health – 4/7/24 – click here
- Volunteer Code – Prioritizes Health – 4/21/24 – click here
Reference Materials
YourGraceChurch Tutorials
LEAD – Small Group Leader App
Download LEAD, the Small Group Leader app from CCB. This app allows you to take or edit attendance, send messages to your group, access a group list at all times, and also access a list of group members’ birthdays and anniversaries. *When installing, use CCB Church Prefix “YourGraceChurch” to set up the app on your device.
RightNowMedia
Everything done at RightNowMedia is rooted in Jesus’ promise that God will use His people to change the world. They’re also here to serve the church. They provide Christians across the globe with resources that will inspire them to champion the mission Jesus gave to His people – making disciples of all nations. God calls us to focus our lives on Him rather than on ourselves. Whether in church, in the workplace, or at home, RightNowMedia wants to see disciples of Jesus loving God and loving others.
Community/Outreach Projects
Looking for Local Impact projects? Check out the Local Impact page where you’ll find a list of project ideas and Grace’s Local Impact Partners.
In addition to local impact, Grace also partners with families in our local communities through Neighbor Care. Volunteers have the opportunity to offer physical assistance in projects like minor home repairs, lawn/yard work, moving, etc. You can sign up here:
Care & Resources
Grace offers resources for those facing a variety of challenges. And if Grace doesn’t offer them, we partner with someone who does. Click the button below for more information including a list of recommended counselors.
Leader Trainings
To access a variety of trainings on RightNow Media, login or contact your Groups Pastor/Staff contact to sign up for a FREE account.
This Season's Past Message Guides
2026 Message Guides
All Message Guides from the 2026-2027 Group Season
Message Guide - Week of October 18
Message Guide - Week of October 11
Message Guide - Week of September 27