Who is Building your Home Team?

I saw some friends at church on Sunday who told me they are concerned that their new Home Team (HT) wasn’t growing as fast as they would like. This was in response to my question about how the new HT was going.

Some questions went through my mind as to why they may be concerned about this:

Is it because a fast growing HT means they are successful and to be admired?
Or do they think they will be judged by people at church or the church staff?
Or have expectations been created that the HTs must grow fast?
Or do they have doubts about whether they can build a HT?
Or do they think people don’t like them and won’t join?

I didn’t offer any advice because I didn’t think I was being asked for any. Although I do have a propensity to offer advice when not asked.

I am not an expert at building a Home Team, but I have helped start two Men’s Home Teams at CCV. I think the most important thing we can do is to ask God to lead us and for us to be obedient to God and to trust Him that He will put together the HT that He wants.

It may not always be what we want or be built as rapidly or as big as we want. And it may not include the people we want.

Does that mean that we don’t do anything? No. We should work to meet new people every week at church, build relationships with them and when they are more comfortable with us invite them to come to a HT meeting.

Think about what the HT can offer people. Why would it benefit them to be in this HT? What are the common interests, similarities, etc. that you share? Or do you just get along really well with these people? As you get to know them certain things will become evident. Relationships are important.

It’s great if they ask you to recommend a HT for them, even if it isn’t the one you are in. It means they are starting to trust you. If people don’t trust you then you won’t be able to recruit them or lead a group effectively.

Here’s an example. I was sending out e-mail invitations to the June 30 CCV Men – Breakfast meeting. I came across the name of a guy I hadn’t seen in awhile but knew well enough to say hello to.

I hesitated about sending an invitation to him and thought about it. I usually try to pray for God to bring the men He wants to the Breakfast meeting. So I thought it’s up to you God and I sent an invitation to him. He responded shortly after saying he was coming.

When I saw him at the breakfast meeting I went up to him and greeted him and almost immediately he told me he was interested in joining a morning men’s HT.

The men’s HT I am part of meets in the evening. There was a time when I would have been upset by this and would have tried to convince him to come to the evening group.

But I immediately took him to the morning group HT Leader and introduced them. I was glad this guy trusted me and that God was answering prayer. I don’t know if he joined the group or not, but I’ll ask him when I see him.

If the couple I wrote about in the first paragraph asked for my help, my responses would have been questions which I think are more appropriate than advice:

Are you praying that God will work in your life to help you become the person He wants you to be to lead this group?
Are you praying for God to lead you to the people He wants you to have in this group?
Are you praying for God to give you the words He wants you to speak to people?
Are you meeting new people every week at church?
Are you reading the Bible and growing in your Faith so you can lead?
Are you learning how to work with people?

God’s timing is different than our timing and God’s ways are different than our ways.

My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord.'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

God, help us to realize that we are building Home Teams for you and your Kingdom. Use us to reach the people you want and equip us to help them grow closer to you.