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Wanna Host Your Own FINDINGbalance Gathering? Now you can!

 

Do you feel called to bring God’s truth to those who struggle with eating and body image issues? Do you feel you are in a season of your life to do so? Our Fb Gathering small group tool is designed to equip passionate individuals to facilitate community and discussion to cut through the lies of our culture and walk in freedom from food.

 

Become an “Fb Gathering” host for the low monthly fee of just $16.95/month (Facilitator members) or $24.95 (Organizational members). Subscribe Now.

 

What Your Membership Includes

• Free downloads of weekly “Fb Gathering” webcasts, including video, discussion sheet and leader guide (up to 5 per month).
• Access to “Group Guidelines” and “Facilitator Guidelines” to use with your group.
• Access to editable customizable Informed Consent, Confidentiality and Suicide Agreement forms, to help keep your group safe.
• Access to promotional tools including customizable flyers, PowerPoint slides, church bulletin copy and email language to help promote your group.
• Access to Facilitator-only Online Forum.

 

Seven Steps to Starting Your Group

1. Sign up to become an Fb Gathering host. Upon signing up, you will have instant access to “Facilitator Central” – a special area of our site just for our facilitators. Additionally, 5 credits will automatically be deposited into your account upon signup. Each credit allows you to download one lesson, including a video, discussion sheet and leader guide. With the “credit” system, you are free to pick and choose from our ever-growing library, and can even download a full month’s lesson’s in advance (for you advance planners).
2. Determine a location, time, and dates. Tell us what they are by clicking “add/update info” tab in Facilitator Central and we’ll add them to the directory on our site.
3. Find someone to help you facilitate the group and share the load of administrative and ministry details.
4. Promote, promote, promote! Click the “promo tools” tab inside Facilitator Central and access our downloadable flyers, bulletin copy and more.
5. A day or two before each week’s group, log in to Facilitator Central and download your lesson. Select from new weekly offerings or pick topically from our archive.
6. Use the video and worksheets at your gathering to create a directed spiritual growth group and a safe place for growth and recovery.
7. Visit the “My Fb” facilitator forum online to chat with other group leaders, get questions answered, or gain tips (and support) for growing and maintaining your group.

 

Try Before You Buy... view our sample session, complete with discussion sheet and leader guide. Once you sign up, you’ll be able to access our “weekly lessons” page in “Facilitator Central” which will list out each week’s lesson from newest to oldest, giving you complete freedom to choose what you’d like to see.

 

Who Can Lead

 

On the Practical Side

Anyone who feels called to lead others into freedom from eating and body image issues, is aware of their own brokenness, and can lead from a place of humility and respect for the others in the room. Leaders should be self-starters, willing to ask for help, resourceful in promoting their groups, respectful of stated times and guidelines, and in a healthy place with their own personal growth journey. While there are counselors and clinicians who lead Fb groups, due to the “spiritual growth” emphasis of our programs, professional credentials are not required.

 

On the Spiritual Side

As a Christian organization, our program content is based upon Christ-centered, biblical principles. While sessions are not designed to be church services, scriptural principles are often incorporated and most guests will be speaking from a Biblical world-view. Because of this, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is a key factor for those seeking to lead an Fb group. That said, we frequently have participants who may or may not subscribe to Christianity and/or other faiths, and being a Christian is not a prerequisite to attending or in some cases leading a group. Just be aware that each week will raise new questions answered by God’s word.

 

Male vs. Female

Fb groups are typically for women, led by women. This provides a sense of safety among members who may have had negative experiences with men. From time to time program content will feature male speakers, but it is generally encouraged that the facilitator team include at least one woman. (Note: Down the road we look forward to releasing a new study format designed by men, for men. More on that in a couple years…)

 

Am I Ready?

Before launching a group of your own, it’s important to know this is the right step for you. While we can’t control who hosts groups, we do want to help give guidance as you make this important decision.

 

If you are already a small group recovery leader, we encourage you to dig deep and be honest with yourself as to whether you’ve got room on your plate to add another thing. If so, great! If not, we invite you to give yourself permission to take a break.

 

If you are one of the many folks we hear from who have struggled with eating issues (or another addiction) and want to know if it’s ok for them to lead a group, consider whether you can agree with the following statements:

 

• I can focus on others because I have honestly dealt with my past and understand the effect my own eating issues/addictions have had on me and others.
• I have developed the ability to manage my own emotions, tolerate any distress they may bring, and remain in thatistress long enough to allow the Lord to do the necessary work in me (1 Cor. 1-3-7).
• I understand and have experienced personal redemption and am willing to share my own story of brokenness, redemption and hope.
• I will refrain from rescuing others from painful and difficult emotions and model a tolerance for God’s activity in the lives of others without my interference.

 

If you have trouble agreeing with any of these statements, then we encourage you to wait a little before jumping into group leadership. That doesn’t mean you can’t help get a group going, but you may want to remove yourself from the lead-facilitator role. There is no shame in this. There is always time to continue growing personally and walking in the direction of leadership as your group (and your own recovery) develops.

 

Got more questions about how it all works? Click here to access our FAQ sheet.

 

Closed-Group Option:

Interested in hosting a closed group with a set curriculum you can purchase ahead of time for the whole course? Click here to find out more about our Finding Balance with Food 12-week small group tool.