“Hospitality is making space for the gospel.”

Hospitality starts way before the event does. Begin thinking of ways you can receive your students and their families with warmth before check-in begins. A few days before check-in, you’ll get your group roster. Go ahead and make a group chat. Share schedules and reminders. Pray over your co-leader and each of your students by name. Start getting your heart wrapped around leading this particular group of students before you even come face-to-face with them.

We want you to be the experts in the room. In order to be hospitable, you need information. Our commitment to you is to provide you with as much information as we can. Please take advantage of every resource we give you such as our emails, Zoom trainings, digital Leader Hub, schedules, small group guide, and group chats. Stay up to date with emails and messages during the event. If you don’t know, ask! We do not believe a stupid question exists.

We believe hospitality isn’t extra fluff you add if you have the capacity, it’s the foundation of setting a safe, caring environment for your students. At WinterCon, you’ll get a group of about 10-12 students. When you first meet with them at check-in, we want you to be thinking through the lens of hospitality.

Think about your small group like an extension of your home. When people walk in, what do you want them to feel, what do you want them to know? Do you know their names? Do they know yours? Do they know where the bathroom is? Do they know what to expect for the event?

We want all of our students who attend WinterCon to feel safe: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As the group leader, we are looking to you to set the tone and ensure a safe environment for all of your students. We will do everything in our power to provide and promote safety for the overall event; however, there are dynamics in your group that we won’t see, but you will.

Think through physical safety. Be aware of your surroundings, and speak up if you see something. Direct any adults not approved to serve with us away from areas where students are, and confiscate any potentially dangerous items your students might have. Pay attention to the way your students are talking to each other, how they are physically interacting with each other, and any potential bullying situations that might arise. If a student in your group has an injury, disability, or allergy, keep your eyes peeled for roadblocks or even dangerous things that might impact these specific students.

As you create a safe space, remember your SAFE training. For all of our SAFE policies and practices, see our full SAFE Handbook below.

Think through emotional safety. Be considerate of how your words and actions impact your students. There will be moments over the weekend where you are frustrated; be mindful of the way you speak to your students in these moments. Lead with compassion and patience. Let your students know that they know they can always approach you without fear of how you will respond, and always come to you with their thoughts and questions without fear of being interrupted or condescended.

Think through spiritual safety. Your students are likely wrestling with and growing in their faith. They will likely say things that aren’t in line with scripture and ask deep questions. Be sure to respond with gentleness and never make them feel silly for asking questions or doubting. Encourage their curiosity and always point them to truths found in scripture. We want you to share what the Lord has done in your heart, but do this in a responsible and appropriate manner. Be cautious about imposing specific personal convictions you have and refrain from sharing personal opinions that you cannot support with scripture.

We know small group can get awkward. You ask a question… silence. You rephrase the question… silence. You share your own answer to the question… silence. So you just keep talking. We’ve all been there.

Although this tendency is a normal and common one, a good rule of thumb during discussion is to talk about 20% of the time and listen 80% of the time. Give them some thinking time. Perhaps they’re not ignoring you, they just need some time to process.

Small group is not the place for you to give another sermon; it’s space for your students to process, experience community, and ask questions. In other words, small group is for your students, not for you. Great small group leaders are leaders who guide the conversation yet don’t dominate it.

Pro tips for leading small group:

• Be an active listener. Don’t worry about the next question, focus on what your students are saying. Really listen to their answers and pastor them through the content.

• Allow everyone to discuss. Don’t be afraid to call on students who are extra quiet and don’t be afraid to remind the extra talkative students, “we want to give others a change to talk.”

• Eliminate distractions. Collect phones, have students take off their headphones, and shut down any secondary conversations.

• Invite follow up conversations. If one student tends to drive the conversation or overshare, direct the conversation back to the whole group and invite them into a 1:1 conversation after group. End group by reminding them they can come find you and talk to you at any time.

At WinterCon, it is unlikely that you will be leading your small group alone. We design our groups to have two leaders who love Jesus and want to point students to truth. We do this 1) because we are made to be in community, serving together and 2) because we want you to share the load.

Here are some best practices for being a great co-leader:

• Assume the best in each other. Start your friendship off with trust.

• Get on the same page. Talk about the culture you want to set in your group, agree on the rules you want to enforce, and compromise where you need to.

• Communicate effectively. Don’t let miscommunication blossom into distrust.

• Lean into each others’ strengths. Share with each other your strengths and weaknesses and split up tasks accordingly.

• Both of you have a voice. Alternate who leads group or take turns asking questions. Both of you have valuable insights and teaching to offer your students.

• Pray for each other.

Your words carry a lot of weight, but your actions might even carry more. Your students are watching the way you lead, the way you worship, your phone habits, how you talk to others, the faces you make when you are doing something that might not be your favorite.

Don’t be fake, but be mindful.

Want your kids to bring their physical Bibles? Bring yours. Want your kids to take notes as they listen to the message? Take notes yourself. Want your kids to stay off their phones? Put your phone away. Want your kids to be kind and welcoming to others? Be kind and welcoming to others. You’re a leader before small group officially starts and your students are looking up to you as soon as you walk through the doors.

A huge part of leading at WinterCon is going to be helping your students take their best next step in their journey with Jesus. Some of your students have never made a decision to follow Jesus. Some of them follow Jesus, but they’ve never been baptized. Some of them are struggling with sin and will experience conviction. Some of them feel the call to serve. Some of them just want to talk to a safe adult and process some hard stuff in their lives.

No matter what they’re processing, listen out for opportunities to discuss next steps and be intentional about asking questions. Free time, meals, and late nights are great times to have pointed conversations with students who are interested in taking a next step.

When you arrive at check in, you will receive a Next Steps Sheet. This sheet exists for you to document the next steps your students make, track their decisions, and make notes to assist you as you continue to counsel and shepherd them. On the sheet are also instructions for how you will communicate to staff so we can get you all of the information you need.

We’ve created a response guide for your review. It is a helpful starting point as you prepare to counsel students and come alongside them as they follow and obey Jesus.

SAFE Abuse Prevention Training

This video course will take you about 30 minutes to complete.

Code of Conduct

This form is your agreement you will abide by all of our child protection policies.

Leader Quiz

This quiz is based on information found in the training above.