Small groups and accountability groups

Groups give a few people their own private place to talk. There are two kinds:

• Small groups, like a Bible study or home group. The church office starts them and chooses the leaders.
• Accountability groups, which any adult member can start, for up to six adults.

Nobody is put in a group without saying yes.

Who can see what

• Small group: only the people in the group can read its messages. The church office can see the group’s name, leaders and size, but not its messages.
• Accountability group: only the people in it know it exists. Not even the church office can see it. New members see only what’s said after they join.

Start a small group (office)

1. The secretary or webmaster (or whatever your church calls those roles) goes to Administration → Small groups.
2. Under Start a small group, type a Name, and if you like, About and When and where.
3. Leave Members can find it and ask to join ticked if anyone may ask to join.
4. Choose the Leaders. Each gets an invitation to say yes.
5. Choose Start the group.

Start an accountability group (any adult)

1. Open the Groups page and choose Start an accountability group.
2. Type a name (only the group sees it) and invite up to five other adults.
3. Choose Start the group. You’re its leader.

Using a group

• Open the Groups page. Invitations appear at the top. Choose Join or No, thank you.
• To join an open small group, find it under Groups you can join and choose Ask to join.
• Open your group to read and write messages. Choose Send to post.
• Under Settings, tick Don’t send me alerts for this group to stop alerts.

Leaders can invite people, let in people who asked, remove someone, make someone a leader, and change the group’s details. The person who wrote a message, or a leader, can remove it.

Leaving or closing

• Leave this group takes you out. If the last leader leaves, the longest-standing member becomes leader.
• A leader can close the group. A closed small group’s messages are deleted. A closed accountability group is deleted with all its messages.

If something goes wrong

• “Your login isn’t linked to the church directory yet.” Ask the church office to link your sign-in to your directory record.
• “No one by that name has a church login yet.” People need a sign-in before they can be invited.
• “Accountability groups are for adults.” Only adults can start or join one.