Build Your Team

Why Your Team Matters

The people who run and support your introductory course will have a significant impact on whether participants feel welcomed, valued, and safe to explore faith. A course with excellent content can still fail if the team isn't warm, approachable, and equipped to facilitate well.

Your team sets the tone for the entire experience. They model what Christian community looks like, and their attitudes, listening skills, and hospitality will leave a lasting impression.

Who Should Be on Your Team?

When recruiting a team, look for people who demonstrate these key qualities:

Friendly and Approachable

Team members should be genuinely warm and welcoming. They should make newcomers feel at ease, not intimidated or out of place. A smile, eye contact, and genuine interest in others go a long way.

Solid Understanding of Christian Faith

Team members don't need to be theologians, but they should have a confident grasp of the basics of Christian faith. They need to be able to answer common questions and engage in conversations about Jesus, the Bible, and church life with honesty and clarity.

Good Listeners Who Facilitate Rather Than Dominate

The best team members know how to facilitate discussion rather than dominate it. They ask open-ended questions, listen actively, and create space for others to share without feeling judged or corrected.

Avoid recruiting people who love to talk but struggle to listen. Introductory courses are not platforms for showing off theological knowledge—they're safe spaces for exploration and honest questions.

Including Future Mentors

If you plan to assign mentors to new believers at the end of the course (as outlined in Module 6), it's helpful if those mentors are part of the course team from the beginning.

This allows mentors to build relationships with participants early, so when the course ends, there's already a foundation of trust and familiarity. It also helps mentors understand where each person is in their journey, which makes the mentoring relationship more effective.

Roles Within the Team

Different people will bring different strengths. Consider assigning roles such as:

• Course leader — Oversees the overall structure and flow of the course
• Hospitality team — Welcomes people, serves food, creates a warm atmosphere
• Small group facilitators — Lead discussion in smaller breakout groups
• Prayer support — Commit to praying regularly for the course and participants
• Practical support — Handle logistics, tech, childcare, or accessibility needs

Training Your Team

Before the course begins, bring your team together for training and preparation. This might include:

• Reviewing the course content and structure
• Discussing how to facilitate discussions well
• Practicing active listening and asking open questions
• Clarifying boundaries and safeguarding expectations
• Praying together for the participants and the course

Training doesn't need to be lengthy or formal, but it should equip team members to feel confident, prepared, and aligned on the vision and values of the course.

Ongoing Support

Once the course is running, provide ongoing support for your team. Check in regularly, offer encouragement, and create opportunities for them to share challenges or celebrate breakthroughs.

Running an introductory course can be tiring and emotionally demanding. Make sure your team feels supported, valued, and prayed for throughout the process.