A band of brothers/sisters is a small, gender-specific group (ideally 4-5 people, max 6) that meets weekly for 75–90 minutes (approx.) to practice honest confession, mutual encouragement, and listening prayer.

🌿 Core Practices

• Share where you’re stuck, struggling, or disconnected; also celebrate victories

• Confess sin and ask for prayer (Prov. 28:13)

• Encourage and strengthen one another daily (Heb. 3:13)

• Practice listening prayer in community

It is not: a Bible/book study or advice circle.
It is: life-on-life relationship where we can be raw, real, and ourselves.

God invites us to new depths in Him, and those depths are often accessed through other people. The church is a conduit of grace where we are fully known and fully loved. Bands of Brothers and Bands of Sisters are small, trusted groups where transparency and transformation go hand in hand. Through intentional relationships, we learn to walk closely with one another, mining what’s really going on beneath the surface of daily life. As we practice listening prayer, we ask God to speak directly to the root issues revealed in honest conversation. Bands are our intentional response to isolation—a safe place for confession, encouragement, and prayer.

🌿 What We’re Resisting

• Hiding behind a “good false self”

• Carrying unprocessed shame, loneliness, and pain

• Turning to counterfeits (pornography, substances, food, busyness) for quick relief
  
  

🌿 God’s Antidote

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16 NKJV)

“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…” (1 John 1:7 NKJV)

We don’t need to be “fixed” so much as we need to be seen, known, and loved. Freedom isn’t keeping others from knowing our brokenness; it’s not fearing who knows.

🌿 Facilitator Posture

• Go first when sharing stories to set depth/tone; name real things (e.g., lust, anger), not generalities.

• Be a participant and a referee: protect time, safety, and confidentiality.

• Get comfortable with silence; if unsure, go to prayer and linger.

🌿 Forming the Group

• Start with people already seeking help (individual mentoring often funnels into a band).

• Vet new invites: explain purpose, expectations, and depth.

🌿 Time and Place

• Weekly is essential; mornings often work best for margin.

• Meet in a private home/office; public spots (e.g., Panera Bread) can work for lighter weeks.

🌿 Sample Flow

• Open in prayer. (Leave real space; quiet is okay).

• Check‑ins: (popcorn style; not systematically around-the-room). Draw out quieter members; lovingly help talkers land the plane.

• Minister to one another: (if a share is heavy, move immediately into listening prayer for that person).

• Close with brief intercession for those who didn’t receive focused ministry.

🌿 Telling Your Story

At launch (and whenever someone new joins) everyone shares a timed mini‑story (5-7 minutes). Re‑share stories every 3-6 months (trust deepens and new layers emerge).

🌿 Between Meetings

• Create a group text/chat thread.

• Normalize reaching out before failure: “I’m tempted; please pray.” Pair off for coffee, check‑ins, or practical help.

🌿 Handling Personality & Conflict

Strong personalities aren’t the problem; unaddressed tension is the problem. People may be triggered by traits that echo past wounds.

A good facilitator will:

• Name the tension you sense in the room.

• Decide case‑by‑case: address in group or offline first, then bring learnings back to the group to bless everyone.

• Coach members to own impact (e.g., “I can be intense; please tell me if my tone feels dismissive”).
  
  

Don’t sweep conflict under the rug. Honesty + humility ≠ chaos; it builds trust.

🌿 Guardrails & Guidelines

• Confidentiality is sacred. Define it up front; revisit often. Gossip is a zero‑tolerance breach.

• Be specific, not graphic.

• Keep the focus on your own heart, not others.

• No fixing or advice during listening prayer. Offer impressions humbly.

• Consent for touch; one still hand (no rubbing/massage).

• Leaders go first to model vulnerability and depth.

🌿 A Simple Launch Plan

Week 1: Vision and Safety

• Share purpose, guidelines, confidentiality; set communication channel (i.e., text thread).

• Timed stories (5-7 min/person). Close with brief listening prayer for 1-2 people.

• Establish a between‑meetings support rhythm. Encourage both electronic communication (i.e., texts) throughout the week as well as in-person connections when needed (i.e., coffee, lunch, etc.)

Week 2+: Walking in Wholeness

• Open in prayer/silence.

• Check‑ins (popcorn style).

• Move into focused listening prayer for 1-2 people.

• Close with prayer.

Note: This schedule is just a suggestion. Each session may look completely different. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.