What’s in the starter kit?

Four printable pages: a “how we’ll do this” page with eight plain-words group agreements and your meeting details; a first-night checklist covering the week before, the hour before, as people arrive, during and after; a roster with 14 rows for names, phone, email, birthday and notes; and a sign-in sheet with 10 week columns. Your group name, day, time, place and leader’s name are printed on the pages; anything you leave blank becomes a line to write on.

Does it cost anything, and do I need an account?

No and no. We ask for your email only to send the kit as a PDF and as a web page you can print; the same links appear on this page the moment you press send. That one email also mentions our study guides once, with whatever first-year code is live at the time — nothing else follows.

What if we haven’t picked a book or a meeting day yet?

Leave them blank. The pages print with a line to fill in by hand, which is often better on a first night anyway — deciding the day and the book together is a good way to make the group feel like everyone’s.

We’re starting a book study — what else helps on the first night?

An icebreaker question for the first fifteen minutes (we have several hundred, sorted by depth and group), a reading schedule with every meeting on a real date, and the discussion questions for the book itself. All three are linked below; Week 1 of every study guide is free to read.

Small Group Leader Starter Kit (Free Printable)

What’s inside

“How we’ll do this” page

Eight plain-words group agreements — show up, come having read, what’s shared here stays here, no one has to talk — with your meeting details and a line for the leader’s phone and email. Read it out loud the first night.

First-night checklist

The week before, the hour before, as people arrive, during and after — the small things that make a first meeting feel easy. It’s printed below too.

Roster

14 rows for name, phone, email, birthday and one note about each person. Pass it around the first night.

10-week sign-in sheet

Names down the side, ten weeks across with a space for each date. Not for grading — for noticing who has been missing.

The first-night checklist

The same list that prints in the kit. Nothing clever — just the things that are easy to forget.

The week before

Confirm the room (or the living room) and who has the key.
Send one reminder with the day, time, address and what to read — people forget the address more than the date.
Make sure everyone has the book, or at least the first chapter. Order a spare.
Decide who brings snacks and coffee this first week. Volunteers come easier once they’ve seen how it works.
Print this kit: the sign-in sheet, the roster and the agreements page. Bring a few pens.
Read the first chapter yourself and mark two or three questions you actually want to talk about.

An hour before

Chairs in a circle, not rows — everyone should be able to see everyone.
Name tags and a marker by the door, even if you think everyone knows each other.
Sign-in sheet on a table where people walk in.
Coffee, water, something small to eat. Nobody talks well on an empty stomach.
Check the temperature and the lighting. Turn off the television.
Put your own phone away where you won’t reach for it.

As people arrive

Stand near the door and greet each person by name.
Introduce anyone new to one person, not to the whole room.
Have an icebreaker question ready for the first fifteen minutes so nobody has to stand around.

During the meeting

Start on time, even if you’re still waiting on someone. Open with a short prayer.
Read the agreements page out loud together, and ask if anyone wants to add one.
Say plainly that no one has to speak — and mean it.
Let silence sit for a few seconds after a question. Someone will fill it.
Agree out loud on the reading and the date for next week before anyone leaves.
End on time. People come back to a group that respects their evening.

Afterward

Write one thing you learned about each person on the roster while it’s fresh.
Within a day, send a short thank-you with next week’s reading and the meeting time.
Notice who was quiet and check in with them privately this week.
Pray for each name on the sign-in sheet.

The group agreements

What the “how we’ll do this” page says. Groups that name these on the first night have an easier time when someone talks too much or shares something that shouldn’t travel.

We show up.: We come as often as we can, and we tell someone when we can’t. The group is better when you’re here.
We come having read.: We do our best to read each week’s pages. If life got in the way, come anyway — you can still listen and ask.
What is shared here stays here.: Stories, struggles and prayer requests are not repeated outside the room, not even as prayer requests to someone else.
Everyone gets a turn; no one has to talk.: We leave room for the quiet people and we don’t put anyone on the spot. Passing is always fine.
We disagree kindly.: We can hold different views and still be friends. We ask questions before we correct.
We keep our phones away.: Unless you’re on call, the phone stays in a bag or a pocket for the hour.
We start and end on time.: Your evening matters. If the conversation is good we can keep going, but no one should feel stuck.
We pray for one another between meetings.: Take the names on the sign-in sheet home with you.

Frequently asked questions

What’s in the starter kit?: Four printable pages: a “how we’ll do this” page with eight plain-words group agreements and your meeting details; a first-night checklist covering the week before, the hour before, as people arrive, during and after; a roster with 14 rows for names, phone, email, birthday and notes; and a sign-in sheet with 10 week columns. Your group name, day, time, place and leader’s name are printed on the pages; anything you leave blank becomes a line to write on.
Does it cost anything, and do I need an account?: No and no. We ask for your email only to send the kit as a PDF and as a web page you can print; the same links appear on this page the moment you press send. That one email also mentions our study guides once, with whatever first-year code is live at the time — nothing else follows.
What if we haven’t picked a book or a meeting day yet?: Leave them blank. The pages print with a line to fill in by hand, which is often better on a first night anyway — deciding the day and the book together is a good way to make the group feel like everyone’s.
We’re starting a book study — what else helps on the first night?: An icebreaker question for the first fifteen minutes (we have several hundred, sorted by depth and group), a reading schedule with every meeting on a real date, and the discussion questions for the book itself. All three are linked below; Week 1 of every study guide is free to read.

For the first night itself

New to leading? See how our guides work for small groups.