Preparing to Host a JOG

Select a JOG Format

Select a Date

• Allow six to eight weeks to plan your JOG.
• Start by identifying a few individuals or couples from your list who you think would be most excited to experience a JOG. Talk with those key people first and gain their buy-in. Once they are committed, it is easier to build the rest of the group.

Pick a Venue

• The best venue is peaceful and cozy—one that allows guests to engage in meaningful discussion without distractions. You can host a JOG in a home, a vacation home, or an inviting gathering space at your church. The JOG is meant to feel like a gift to your guests, so consider choosing a venue that elevates their experience.
• Consider your group size when picking a venue. We have found that about 8-16 people is an ideal group size. If you have closer to 30 attendees, we have found it best to split the group with two different facilitators to guide the experience. Contact our team if you have a larger group size and would like to discuss options.
• A JOG host is responsible for providing food and beverages, so an ideal venue has a separate space for the group to eat.

Submit the JOG Registration Form

• Once you have chosen a date, format, and venue, please register the JOG using the button below. Then our JOG Concierge will send you a material order form and work with you as you plan your event.
• If you need Generous Giving to provide a volunteer to facilitate your JOG, let us know by marking that on the form. For churches wanting to build a culture of generosity, we recommend having key volunteers get trained to facilitate after attending their first JOG, so they can be part of sharing this experience with their church community. Contact our team to learn more about the potential of scheduling a facilitator training for your church.
• You will be invited use our invitation portal, Greenvelope, to create a custom invitation and manage your RSVPs. Greenvelope feels similar to Paperless Post—you can import your list of contacts and communicate with your invitees in one place. You can watch a Greenvelope tutorial here to get a feel for the experience. Read more about attendee communication here.

Invite Your Guests

Make Your Guest List

• Prayerfully consider who to invite. Think through the established spheres of influence at your church: leadership, key volunteers, top givers, those who have the gift of hospitality, convening, and/or activation.
• Write down a list of names, knowing that you’ll likely need to extend double the number of invitations to fill your JOG. We recommend inviting more people than the ideal group size of 12-16. It is a fair assumption that a few people will cancel before the event, so do not be afraid to over-invite.
• A large, impersonal invite may seem efficient, but it’s rarely effective on its own. Because generosity is not often a felt need, a personal, thoughtful invitation is often what makes the difference in who says yes!

Invitation Language

These are some phrases we like to use in-person, or via text or email to invite people to a JOG retreat.

• You are making a difference in the life of our church, and I appreciate you. I would like to invite you, along with a few key leaders in our congregation, to experience a retreat called a Journey of Generosity. This is not a fundraising event. It is a one-of-a-kind experience designed to be a gift to you, and to draw you closer to the heart of God.
• Because I have experienced you as a generous person, I would like to invite you to a special event. A Journey of Generosity (JOG) is a retreat where I was inspired, and I hope it will be a blessing to you as well!

Other Resources for Inviting

Planning your JOG

Upon registering to attend the JOG from your Greenvelope invite, attendees will begin receiving automated emails from Generous Giving* to help them prepare for the experience. For an overview of the email sequence your attendees will receive leading up to the JOG, select your JOG type below.

*If you choose to use your church’s preferred registration system, attendees will not receive email automated communication leading up to the JOG from Generous Giving. After they fill out the survey at the end of the JOG, they will opt in to receive post-JOG emails from Generous Giving. 

Keep your guests informed if there are additional details you would like to communicate to your guests that are unique to your event. (i.e. parking instructions, gathering food preferences, etc.) You can also include this information in your Greenvelope invite under event details.

Coordinating Meals

• About 2-4 weeks before the date of the JOG, we recommend you begin planning the food and beverages you will provide your guests.
  • If you are hosting a Two-Day Getaway JOG, you would provide refreshments in the afternoon, dinner in the evening, and breakfast the next morning.
  • If you are hosting a Two-Day Local JOG, you would provide dinner in the evening and breakfast the next morning.
  • If you are hosting a One-Day JOG, you would provide refreshments and at least one meal, depending on your start time.

Food and Beverage Tips

• We recommend serving beautiful, thoughtful food. Guests should feel warmth and hospitality at the JOG. Is there a local restaurant, bakery, or coffee shop that is beloved by your church community? Surprise and delight attendees with something special. This JOG is meant to be a gift to them.
• Snacks: Plan on offering some salty and sweet options.
• Drinks: Provide your guests with plenty of water. It’s always a good idea to have some caffeinated options throughout the JOG as well!
• Lunch and Dinner: These meals should enhance the experience but are not meant to be the focus. Most hosts find it helpful to order catering or prepare food in advance, especially if they are attending the JOG themselves!
• Breakfast: We have found that light, grab-and-go breakfast options work well for JOGs. Some hosts choose to cater or buy trays of fruit, pastries, coffee, and juice.
• Hotel/other venues: Make sure you discuss food and beverage details with your venue in advance.

Request Your JOG Materials

Generous Giving will send you a box with your JOG booklets, Facilitator booklet(s), pens, and nametags the week of your JOG.

• Three weeks before your JOG date, you will be emailed this JOG Materials Form. Please fill this out as soon as possible to ensure a timely arrival of your JOG box! If you’re unsure how many will attend, please overestimate by a few to ensure you’ll have enough booklets.

Finalize Your Technology Plan

• Two weeks before your JOG, we suggest that you coordinate with your facilitator to make a solid technology plan!
• During the JOG, the facilitator and/or host will be using their phone, tablet, or laptop to connect or stream videos from a TV. We recommend downloading JOG videos to the device and having an HDMI cord and the appropriate adapter handy.
• You can read more detailed instructions on how to access the JOG video playlist, download, and stream JOG videos here.

Church Video Playlists

Our team has curated playlists of stories that work best for different groups.

• Church Staff/Pastor JOG
• Top Givers

Other Hosting Tips

We would like to share a few unique ideas we have collected from fellow JOG hosts over the years. These are by no means required, but are meant to inspire you as you dream of ways to reflect hospitality and generosity to your guests.

• Before your event, spend time in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit what videos would speak most effectively to your guests. Coordinate with your facilitator to determine which videos are best for your group.
• Offer childcare for guests, especially in the case where that may be a barrier for them to attend the JOG.
• Print out “Welcome” yard signs to direct guests to the venue. You can find our brand assets here.
• Provide thoughtful welcome gifts for your guests upon arrival.

After your JOG

JOG Host Survey

After the JOG, you will have the opportunity to reflect on the experience and provide feedback to the Generous Giving team by completing this JOG host survey.

Gift for Attendees

We love surprising and delighting your guests with one of our favorite books, The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. For every first-time JOG attendee, we send a copy of the book using the address they provide in the participant survey.

Charitable Contributions Form

When you help further the message and mission of Generous Giving through hosting or facilitating a JOG, the expenses that you incur in doing so may be considered a “Charitable Donation.” See more instructions and our Charitable Contributions Form here.

Building a Culture of Generosity in Your Church

By hosting a JOG, you’ve invited others into a new vision of generosity—one that moves from obligation to abundance, from a single “ask” to a whole-life journey with God. When hearts are transformed in this way, the impact extends beyond individuals to shape the life and culture of your church. So keep the momentum going!

• Host a JOG Reunion – Reconvene your group to check in and watch more inspiring stories of generosity.
• Schedule a Church-Wide JOG Facilitator Training – Peer influence is an essential part of sharing this message. Who better to guide JOG conversations than members of your church? Those who have attended a JOG can be trained to guide the conversation. Contact our team to establish what this could like for your church.