For leaders of City Groups, Collectives, and Bible Clubs at Golden City Church, including hosts, co-leaders, table leaders, and facilitators.

Pastoral Contacts

  • Primary: Russ Daly, Lead Pastor
  • Backup: Paul Zhang, Ministry Director, Groups and Classes

In an emergency, call 911 first. Then contact the primary pastoral contact, or the backup if the primary cannot be reached. Pastoral phone numbers are shared privately with leaders.

The Heart Behind This Agreement

Group leaders are shepherds of a small flock, not security guards, counselors, or investigators. These policies exist so leaders never have to carry a heavy moment alone or improvise in a crisis. In every situation the posture is the same: keep people safe, stay present, and bring in pastoral help. Policies protect the vulnerable, the leader, and the trust that lets a group become a place of belonging.

Theological Rationale

Group leadership is stewardship of people made in God's image. Boundaries serve truth, hospitality, holiness, safety, accountability, and the flourishing of Christ's church; they are not merely risk-management rules.

Boundaries Every Leader Keeps

  • Leaders operate within approved role descriptions, church beliefs, and pastoral oversight.
  • Leaders do not promise absolute confidentiality.
  • Sensitive concerns move to approved pastoral, safeguarding, professional, or emergency support when required.
  • Leaders do not act as licensed counselors, legal advisers, medical professionals, or sole crisis responders.
  • Prayer and Scripture are never used to force disclosure, excuse harm, avoid reporting, or pressure a particular outcome.
  • Groups involving minors, vulnerable people, childcare, transportation, overnight activity, or private homes follow the applicable church-approved safeguards before meeting.
  • Suspected abuse, imminent danger, threats of harm, or other urgent concerns follow the approved reporting process immediately.
  • No offering, fee, sale, solicitation, or financial assistance process is introduced through a group without church authorization.
  • Leaders and hosts do not make facility, transportation, childcare, or financial commitments on behalf of the church without approval.

Part 1 — Urgent Situations

1. Medical Emergency or Immediate Danger

Policy: When anyone's life or safety is in immediate danger, leaders call 911 first, then notify the church.

What leaders do:

  1. Call 911. Do not wait for permission or try to handle a serious situation alone.
  2. Stay with the person if it is safe to do so; keep others calm and clear of danger.
  3. When the situation is stable, notify Russ (primary pastoral contact) the same day, or Paul (backup) if the primary cannot be reached.
  4. Write down only the basic facts (what happened, when, who responded) and give them to the pastoral contact. Do not post details in a group chat.

2. Suspected Abuse or Neglect of a Child or Vulnerable Adult

Policy: Any leader who learns of or suspects abuse or neglect of a child or a vulnerable adult reports it promptly, does not investigate, and does not promise to keep it secret.

What leaders do:

  1. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.
  2. Listen calmly. Do not ask leading questions, press for details, or confront the person suspected.
  3. Do not promise to keep it confidential; say instead, "I care about you, and I need to get you help."
  4. Contact Russ (primary pastoral contact) the same day.
  5. Make or support a report to the authorities as the church's approved procedure requires. In Colorado, child abuse and neglect can be reported to the statewide hotline at 1-844-CO-4-KIDS (1-844-264-5437). A report to the church never replaces a report the law requires.
  6. Record only the facts given and the actions taken, and hand them to the pastoral contact. Keep them out of chats and email threads.

3. Risk of Suicide or Self-Harm

Policy: When someone speaks of ending their life or harming themselves, leaders take it seriously every time, stay with them, and connect them to help.

What leaders do:

  1. If there is immediate risk, call 911 and stay with the person.
  2. Ask directly and gently whether they are thinking about suicide. Asking does not plant the idea.
  3. Share the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) and offer to make the call with them.
  4. Do not leave someone at immediate risk alone, and do not promise secrecy.
  5. Notify Russ (primary pastoral contact) the same day.
  6. Follow up with care afterward, without making the leader the person's only support.

4. Disclosure of Domestic Violence or Abuse at Home

Policy: When someone discloses violence or abuse at home, leaders put the person's safety first and connect them to pastoral and professional help. Leaders never confront the person accused or arrange a meeting between them.

What leaders do:

  1. If there is immediate danger, call 911.
  2. Believe and listen; do not tell the person what they must do.
  3. Share the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788).
  4. Notify Russ (primary pastoral contact) the same day. If a child is involved, follow Policy 2.
  5. Do not use Scripture or prayer to pressure the person to stay, reconcile, or stay silent.

Part 2 — Care and Confidentiality

5. Confidentiality

Policy: What is shared in a group stays in the group, with clear exceptions. Leaders never promise absolute confidentiality.

What leaders do:

  • Early in the season, tell the group plainly: "What's shared here stays here, unless someone is in danger, a child or vulnerable person may be harmed, or the law requires us to tell someone."
  • Do not repeat a person's story outside the group without their permission, including to other leaders, except to the pastoral contact when care requires it.
  • Keep identifiable pastoral details out of group chats, social media, and personal notes.

6. Sharing Prayer Requests

Policy: A prayer request belongs to the person who shares it. Leaders and members ask before passing it on.

What leaders do:

  • Ask, "Is it okay to share this with the group?" or "Can I pass this along to the pastors?"
  • In group chats, share only what the person has agreed to share.
  • Move sensitive requests (health, marriage, legal, mental-health) to private, pastoral follow-up rather than the group thread.

7. When Care Needs More Than the Group Can Give

Policy: Groups care for people through presence, prayer, and practical help, and they connect people to pastors and professionals when a need goes beyond that. Leaders are not counselors, therapists, or crisis responders.

What leaders do:

  • Grief, illness, or hospitalization: let Russ (primary pastoral contact) know (with the person's permission) so a pastor can follow up; organize meals or visits if the person welcomes them.
  • Ongoing emotional, marital, addiction, or mental-health struggles: pray and stay connected, and refer the person to a pastor or a qualified professional.
  • Spiritual or emotional crisis in a gathering: pause, care for the person privately with another leader present if possible, and follow up with the pastoral contact.

8. Financial Needs and Requests for Money

Policy: Leaders do not give or promise church funds, and they do not take up offerings for the group. Requests for financial help go to the church's pastoral team.

What leaders do:

  • Listen with care and refer the person to Russ (primary pastoral contact).
  • Do not take up offerings for the group. A group is part of the church's life, not a church of its own.
  • Support raising through the group, such as for a mission trip, needs permission first. Ask Russ before raising support.
  • A group may choose to bless someone together (a meal, groceries, a gift card), but leaders should not pressure members to give or collect money for anyone without church approval.
  • If someone asks multiple members for money, let the pastoral contact know.

Part 3 — Group Life

9. Difficult or Disruptive Behavior

Policy: Leaders love people well, including people who are hard to be with, while protecting the group so others can belong.

What leaders do:

  1. Dominating the conversation: redirect warmly ("Let's hear from someone who hasn't shared yet"); if it continues, talk privately and kindly.
  2. Repeated disruption, divisive talk, or pushing an agenda: speak privately with the person, ideally with a co-leader present; name the concern and the hope.
  3. If it continues: involve Paul. A pastor may need to meet with the person.
  4. Threatening, abusive, or unsafe behavior: see Policy 1 and contact the pastoral contact immediately. Leaders may ask a person to leave a gathering if others' safety is at risk.

Leaders do not remove someone from a group on their own; removing someone is decided with Paul and, where needed, Russ.

10. Conflict Between Members

Policy: Conflict is handled the way Scripture teaches: directly, privately first, and with grace (Matthew 18:15–17), and never as gossip in the group or the group chat.

What leaders do:

  • Encourage members to go to each other first.
  • If it does not resolve, the leader may help the two meet together.
  • If it involves the leader, or if it escalates, bring in Paul.

11. Teaching, Disputed Doctrine, and Guest Speakers

Policy: City Group leaders choose their group's material. Teaching stays within Golden City Church's beliefs, and disputed or divisive teaching moves to pastoral review.

What leaders do:

  • Choose material freely, and ask Paul if unsure whether something fits.
  • When a question comes up the leader cannot answer, say so and bring it to Paul or a pastor rather than guessing.
  • Do not invite outside speakers or teachers to lead the group without Paul's okay.
  • Do not use the group for political campaigning, fundraising, or selling products. Support raising that Russ has given permission for is the exception (Policy 8).

12. Leader Conduct and Appropriate Boundaries

Policy: Leaders model integrity, protect people from harm, and avoid situations that could hurt someone or be misunderstood.

What leaders do:

  • Treat group members with respect; never use a leader's role for personal, romantic, financial, or business advantage.
  • Avoid extended one-on-one time alone with a member of the opposite sex, especially in private settings; meet in public places or bring another person along.
  • In Collectives, men care for men and women care for women; cross-gender pastoral follow-up goes through a co-leader of the same gender or a pastor.
  • Leaders who become aware of a fellow leader's misconduct tell Russ (primary pastoral contact).
  • A leader going through a hard season should feel free to step back without shame.

Part 4 — Gatherings and Logistics

13. Meeting in Private Homes

Policy: A home gathering is welcoming, safe, and honest about what people can expect. Applicable safeguards are confirmed before a group meets in a private home.

What hosts do:

  • Keep the space reasonably safe: clear walkways, working lighting, pets secured or disclosed in advance for those with allergies or fears.
  • Tell people in advance about stairs, parking, and accessibility.
  • Never publish the home address. Share it privately with members who join.
  • Know the nearest exits and keep a phone available.
  • Let Paul know of any safety concern with the home or its surroundings.

14. Alcohol at Gatherings

Policy: No alcohol at regular group gatherings. At social events, leaders may allow alcohol in moderation, never where minors are present or where anyone in recovery would be affected.

15. Children at Gatherings and Childcare

Policy: Parents are responsible for their own children at group gatherings unless the church has approved a childcare arrangement. Groups do not run their own childcare without church approval.

What leaders do:

  • Tell families in advance whether children are welcome and how they will be supervised.
  • If a group wants to share childcare (for example, hiring a sitter together), get approval first so the church's child-safety requirements apply.
  • Never leave a child alone with one unrelated adult; use a two-adult rule for any supervised children.
  • A future Youth City Group would need the church's full child-safety requirements before it begins.

16. Transportation

Policy: Groups do not arrange church-sponsored transportation without approval. Members who carpool do so as private individuals.

What leaders do:

  • Do not drive minors who are not your own unless a parent is present or the church's child-safety rules allow it.
  • Do not ask anyone to drive members as a church responsibility.

17. Photos, Social Media, and Group Chats

Policy: Group members' privacy is protected online.

What leaders do:

  • Ask before taking or posting photos of members; never post photos of minors without a parent's permission.
  • Keep group chats for logistics, encouragement, and agreed prayer requests; keep sensitive details out.
  • Do not share members' contact information outside the group without permission.
  • Do not add people to a group chat without their agreement.

18. Cancellations, Leader Absence, and Stepping Down

Policy: Members can count on clear communication, and leaders can count on the ministry's support.

What leaders do:

  • If a gathering is cancelled, tell the group as early as possible through the group's usual channel.
  • If a leader will miss several weeks, arrange for a co-leader to lead or let Paul know.
  • A leader who needs to step down talks with Paul first; together they plan care for the group.
  • Few sign-ups or uneven attendance are never a reason a leader has failed.

Part 5 — Sensitive Attendance

19. A Person Whose Presence Raises a Safety Concern

Policy: Everyone is welcome to belong, but safety comes first where there is a known risk. A leader who learns that someone attending may pose a risk, such as a known history of harming children or of violence, tells Russ (primary pastoral contact) promptly and does not handle it alone.

What leaders do:

  • Do not confront, announce, or gossip about the concern.
  • Contact the pastoral contact the same day; the church decides whether and how the person may take part.

Leader Acknowledgement

Leaders affirm this acknowledgement as part of their preparation to lead.

I have read the GCC Group Leader Agreement. As I serve in a City Group, Collective, or Bible Club at Golden City Church, by God's grace I will:

  • shepherd the people entrusted to me under the church's beliefs and pastoral oversight;
  • keep people safe, stay present, and bring in pastoral help rather than carry a heavy moment alone;
  • call 911 first in an emergency, and tell the pastoral contact the same day;
  • never promise absolute confidentiality, and guard what people share with care;
  • follow these policies, and ask when I'm unsure rather than improvise; and
  • say so when I need to step back, without shame.

Name: ______________________ Group: ______________________

Signature: ______________________ Date: ______________

Golden City Church Groups and Classes Ministry

Public edition. Pastoral phone numbers are shared privately with leaders. Completed acknowledgements remain private.