Participant FAQ
Curious about the journey? Start here.
What is a journey?
How can I get into a Home Team?
If I don’t consider myself a believer, should I participate in the Strong Challenge?
I’ll need to miss a meeting. Can I still be in a Home Team?
I’m already in a small group. Are we going to be asked to split up for the Strong Challenge?
If I miss a weekend service during the series, can I still be on a team?
What materials do I need for the Strong Challenge?
Is this just a trick to get me into Crossroads?
I’ve got more questions. What should I do?
What is a journey?
A community-wide journey focuses the entire church on one topic for approximately six weeks. Everyone—from kids to the old folks—is on the same page, learning about the same topics and growing in similar ways. A journey consists of three parts: the weekend message, individual study and Home Team interaction. For the six weeks of the journey (beginning the weekend of October 8-9), it is the main thing. Everything else shuts down. Everyone participates. Everyone is challenged.
How can I get into a Home Team?
There are all kinds of ways to get into a group:
- Consider asking a group of friends or people with whom you serve to form a team, or try the Find A Home Team tool (available beginning September 17 at StrongChallenge.com) to get connected with small group hosts looking for people to join their group. The online tool will enable you to specify the kind of group you’re looking for and the area of town you’d like to meet.
- Attend a Connect Event on Sunday, October 9 to meet others looking to get connected (in-person) with a host. Connect Events in Mason and Oakley will take place at 7:30pm (hosts should arrive by 7pm to get ready for would-be group members arriving half an hour later). The Mason Connect Event will take place at the Mason Heights Annex and the Oakley Connect Event will take place in the Meeting Center at Crossroads Oakley.
- Join an onsite group that will meet on all six Wednesday nights of the journey. You can attend at Oakley or Mason. There will be groups for men, women and couples, as well as an open group. You can also try Crux, a ministry for 18-35 year-olds held at Crossroads Oakley on Thursday nights at 7pm. Simply show up at either and we’ll get you connected.
If I don’t consider myself a believer, should I participate in the Strong Challenge?
Absolutely. We welcome people from all different places of their spiritual journey. During the Strong Challenge, we’ll ask you to read from the Bible and try a series of daily spiritual exercises, but your questions are welcome and expected. Just know your host may not have all the answers; hosts are just people willing to facilitate your experience and are not authorized counselors or Bible scholars. But we are willing to help in any way we can.
I’ll need to miss a meeting. Can I still be on a Home Team?
Of course. Just let your Home Team host know in advance when you won’t be able to attend.
I’m already in a small group. Are we going to be asked to split up for the Strong Challenge?
For the Strong Challenge, we strongly encourage you to expand your group (to no more than 12 people), or to consider breaking up. Given the number of people who are not in a small group currently, and the need for hosts, we’d love for you to consider having your current group split, either temporarily or permanently, for the sake of reproduction. Consider the dynamics of your group and what you feel God is calling you to do.
If I miss a weekend service during the series, can I still be on a team?
Sure! Our weekend messages are posted online so you can catch up if you have to miss. The weekend experience is a large component in the journey, but it is just one of three important components. The materials we provide and the Home Team experience will be of great benefit, even on the weeks you have to miss.
What materials do I need for the Strong Challenge?
Your deck of Strong Challenge cards and accompanying journal will be available at Crossroads on the first weekend of the Strong Challenge series, October 8 and 9. Web versions of the daily challenge cards will also be available online at strongChallenge.com. You’ll also want to get your hands on a Bible for the series. You can pick one up for free at the Info Center. Your host will also provide Home Team materials.
Is this just a trick to get me into Crossroads?
No. The Strong Challenge is not just a Crossroads thing. More than 50 other churches are participating, and you can check out any church you want. The weekend messages will be on the same themes, and the individual materials and group content will be exactly the same.
I’ve got more questions. What should I do?
First of all, relax. We’re here to help. You can stop by the Info Center before and after services, or just send us an email.