Q: What’s the purpose of Starting Point?
A: To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating a conversational environment for people to explore faith and experience community.
Q: What is Starting Point?
A: Starting Point is a conversational environment where people can explore faith and experience community. Starting Point groups are a safe place for people with questions about faith, as well as those who want to learn about the Bible and Christianity. Groups meet for about 10 weeks and together explore the grand story of the Bible. One of the goals of Starting Point is to help participants find their places in the story.
Q: Who is the target audience for Starting Point?
A: • Seekers - those who are curious about God, Jesus, the Bible, or Christianity.
• Starters - those who are new to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Returners - those who have some church experience, but have been away for a while.
Q: How are Starting Point groups structured?
A: Starting Point is 10 weeks with weekly group meetings and each group meeting is 75 minutes. Starting Point groups are typically ten to twelve participants and two to four leaders (for a maximum of sixteen people). Each group has at least two leader units, where one “leader unit” is one person or a married couple. This includes apprentice leaders. Most groups meet at an NPMI campus on Sunday morning, but some do meet in homes or on campus during the week.
Q: How does North Point advertise Starting Point?
A: We use many different means of letting people know about Starting Point and directing them to a Starting Point Orientation. The most effective is word of mouth from satisfied group members and personal testimonies of the impact of Starting Point in their lives. We also use marketing tools such as signs, brochures, slides, bulletin announcements and stage announcements. We direct people to attend a 20 minute orientation that explains what Starting Point is, what it isn’t, and provide details on logistics and how to sign up for a group
Q: How does North Point place people into groups?
A: Those wanting to get into a Starting Point group attend a 20-minute orientation. Starting Point Orientations are held on the first and third Sundays of each month. We primarily describe the Starting Point environment and answer questions about logistics. After the orientation, people can sign up for a group. Most groups will begin within one to three weeks after the orientation. Depending on the size of your church and the interest level, you may elect to have monthly, quarterly, or seasonal orientations.
Q. What do group members use to participate in Starting Point?
A. Each group member utilizes a Starting Point Conversation Guide, which contains ten chapters of content and ten teaching messages featuring Andy Stanley on five audio CDs. During the course of each week, participants:
1. Listen to the audio message.
2. Use the Conversation Guide to journal thoughts and answer questions on how themes connect with their lives.
3. Meet in their Starting Point groups to explore and share what they are learning.
We also encourage group members to use the Starting Point Bible with custom-written book introductions and numerous Starting Point-specific articles for group members. The benefit of everyone in the group using the same Bible is that page numbers can be referenced when discussing a specific passage.
Q. What do leaders use to prepare and participate in Starting Point?
A. Leaders utilize the Starting Point Conversation Guide, just like the group members. The leaders also can download Leader Notes (available for a small fee) that are essential in helping leaders facilitate each group meeting. These notes offer background information and suggestions for leading the discussion for each chapter and are indispensable to our leaders.
Q. What resources are available for a church to have a Starting Point ministry?
A. The Starting Point Starter Kit is geared for ministry leaders. It contains:
• Four-color Starting Point Conversation Guide containing five audio disks, with over five hours of teaching by Andy Stanley
• Starter Guide providing step-by-step instructions on how to successfully launch and sustain the Starting Point ministry
• One-hour leader training DVD
• Interactive DVD containing promotional videos, pre-service marketing graphics, leader training tools, and administrative resources
Q: What happens after people complete Starting Point?
A: Once individuals have completed Starting Point, we encourage them to continue their journey of learning with others in community by joining a community group.
Q: Do long-term small groups use the Starting Point materials?
A: Yes, NPMI churches have many long-term community groups that have utilized the Starting Point materials as one of their curriculum choices. Some groups have seekers, starters, or returners involved, and therefore, Starting Point is a good choice, especially at the beginning of the life of the group. However, given the right mindset, every group could benefit from using the Starting Point materials. New or farther down the journey, everyone profits from spending time exploring the message of the Bible and how God has revealed himself in our lives.
Q: What are North Point’s qualifications for leaders?
A: We use volunteer leaders who fit the following criteria:
1. Members of an NPMI church
2. Participants in a community group
3. Be in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ for the past five years
4. Submit an application; interview with a staff member; be approved, attend a new leader orientation, and apprentice with an experienced leader
Q: How does North Point train Starting Point leaders?
A: We provide our leaders with a variety of training opportunities, including:
• New Leader Orientation - A two-hour overview of our mission, strategy, environment, and practical tools for leadership.
• Apprenticing - All new leaders apprentice with seasoned leaders for at least one group cycle.
• Monthly Leader Huddles - A forty-minute meeting of all leaders currently leading Starting Point groups. We share ideas around one of our leader essentials, include stories to celebrate life change in our groups, and do some brainstorming.
• Focused Training Events - Periodically, we host an all-day event with all the Starting Point and/or small group leaders in the church. The purpose is to inspire, appreciate, and equip our leaders.
• Co-leader Evaluation - A survey to be filled out by co-leaders, and we encourage them to meet together to provide constructive feedback for one another.
• One-on-One Leader Development - Leaders meet with a staff member, usually once per group cycle, for encouragement, advice, celebration, and prayer.
• Online Resources - We have helpful articles and recommended books and websites to assist Starting Point leaders.
Q: Where did North Point get the Starting Point curriculum?
A: North Point Community Church (NPCC) started in 1996 and began hosting a Starting Point environment in 1998. Initially, we utilized a different curriculum, but in 2001 we wrote and published the first version of Starting Point materials. Since then, NPCC has grown and added other campuses and strategic partners as part of NPMI. In 2005, we began revising the materials and officially published a new version of the Starting Point materials in May 2006. In January 2009, Starting Point distribution went national as we partnered with Zondervan to greatly increase the reach of Starting Point. While the content did not change, the look was updated and the price decreased. Hundreds of churches across the world are currently hosting Starting Point groups.
Q: Does North Point provide childcare for Starting Point groups?
A: Our Sunday morning groups are held at the same time as our services, so we have childcare options available on-site on Sunday mornings. Childcare reimbursement is available for those groups meeting offsite on other days.
Q: Are the Starting Point materials available in other languages?
A: The Starting Point materials are translated and available in Spanish, Portuguese, Slovakian, and Marathi. We are currently in the process of translating the new Starting Point materials into other languages as well. The former version of Starting Point was translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Croatian, and Marathi. If you’re interested in using Starting Point in another language or international location, please contact info@startingpoint.com. Starting Point in Spanish can be purchased HERE.
Question: Can Starting Point be used outside the United States?
A: Yes! NPMI works with select strategic partners around the world to implement Starting Point where it may be helpful. For more information about our strategic partnerships, go to www.goglobalx.org. If you’re interested in launching Starting Point in an international setting, contact info@startingpoint.com.
Q: How can we order the Starting Point materials for our church? Is there a group discount?
A: You may order Starting Point materials at our online store, resources.northpoint.org. Check the online store for any current specials and quantity discounts being offered.
Q: Why does Starting Point work?
A: We don’t know exactly why. What we do know is that God has blessed Starting Point and used it to change thousands of lives. We can identify several aspects of the environment that seem to set the table for success as follows:
1. Simplicity of the church model – Starting Point is the only step for seekers, starters, and returners.
2. Invest and invite strategy – As a church, we agree to create environments that our attendees will want to partner with us and then invite their friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
3. Small group emphasis – We believe that small groups create a context for life change.
4. Visibility – Because of our target audience, visibility is a priority when it comes to marketing Starting Point. Weekly bulletins, stage announcements, baptism videos, orientations, and building signage are a few examples of our visibility.
5. Valued – The resources given to Starting Point demonstrate the value placed on it by the leadership of NPMI. Examples at each campus include dedicated Starting Point staff, an entire hallway with beautifully-appointed rooms devoted exclusively to Starting Point on Sunday mornings, and an Orientation room at the front of the church building.
6. Modeled – Many of our staff members, elders, and senior management team have led Starting Point groups.