All Resources
Stepping Down From Leadership
There may come a time, for one reason or another, that you may need a break from leading a small group. Should that time come, please clearly communicate that first to your coach and then to the Small Group Staff team as soon as possible. We would also like you to...
Accountability in Small Groups
Hope Community is not merely a place, but a group of people who desire to live as followers of Jesus and to make a difference in our city for Christ. Effective use of gospel centered accountability in small groups is vital to the growth and health of group members. As...
How to: Care for Hurting or Grieving People
At Hope, we value all people, regardless of their life or faith condition. As small group leaders, you have a unique role in that you will be on the “frontlines” with people who are experiencing varying life and faith situations. Specifically, you will find that...
Creating & Maintaining Community in Small Groups
Creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for a small group is vital to the success of the group in general. The reasoning is pretty simple - people return to environments where they feel welcome and accepted. People also feel freer to be themselves in a...
How to: Identify & Ask New Co-Leaders
Why Hope Community Church utilizes the structure of Co-leaders What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in...
Planting a Small Group
Why plant a new small group from your existing group? Before we continue, we would like to be very clear: Hope does not desire numerical growth of the small group ministry just for the sake of having a large ministry. We only hope for numerical growth if it reflects...
Small Group Fencelines
While no two Hope Community Church small groups are identical, some parameters have been established to help ensure groups maintain a healthy environment that is in keeping with the vision and philosophies of Hope Community Church. These parameters are referred to as...
Shepherd Leadership
What is a Shepherd Leader? At Hope Community Church we place a high value on spiritual leadership. As we consider who would make an excellent small group leader we think less about conventional leadership skills and more about ‘shepherd leadership’. The following...
Mighty God
The following is the second in a four part series on preparing your heart for the Christmas Season. It has been adapted from a sermon called “Preparing Your Heart for the Christmas Season” delivered at Hope Community Church by Steve Treichler on November 30, 2003....
Caring for the Panhandler
I’ve been asked numerous times, “What’s a Christian response to panhandlers?” I didn’t know the origins of the term “panhandler”. An ASU study says, “The term ‘panhandling’ derives either from the impression created by someone holding out his or her hand (as a pan's...
Killing Sin: Confession, Contrition, Community
“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” ― John Owen, The Mortification of Sin Recently someone sent me a video of a leopard in India caught on camera...
Relating to Others During COVID-19
We have all had different reactions to the pandemic. In this short video, Pastor Steve Treichler gives us some guidance in how to relate to those who may think a bit differently than us. He gives five possible reactions to the pandemic, and says that although two of...