Convergence Gifts · 18 min read
Christian Residency Host Preparation Checklist
A comprehensive host guide to preparing space, food, work privacy, transportation, references, spiritual formation, safety, and reflection for a one-week residency.
Clarify the purpose and scope
Define the residency’s formation purpose, dates, host, resident capacity, location, schedule, included experiences, costs if any, transportation, application process, and follow-up. Describe the week accurately so applicants can discern with informed expectations.
Complete screening and references
Confirm identity and review professional or ministry references and personal character references. Use consistent questions concerning integrity, dependability, boundaries, communication, conflict repair, shared-space conduct, and suitability. Document decisions with confidentiality and care.
Prepare the physical environment
Ready the sleeping area, bathroom access, linens, towels, storage, workspace, outlets, Wi-Fi, lighting, temperature, keys, emergency supplies, and accessibility features. Identify private spaces and shared spaces. Remove preventable hazards and clarify property-care expectations.
Plan nourishment
Gather allergies, dietary needs, workday schedule, and meaningful preferences. Agree upon shopping, meals, self-service food, kitchen use, restaurant plans, and expenses. Orient the resident to the kitchen so nourishment supports independence.
Protect work and privacy
Map calls, meetings, sound sensitivity, secure devices, screens, documents, headphones, closed rooms, and sound masking. Establish confidentiality for all information heard or seen. Identify an alternate workspace when professional duties require greater separation.
Prepare formation experiences
Describe possible worship, teaching, prayer, prophetic activation, service, entrepreneurship, recreation, and nature experiences. Provide consent language, facilitator information, transportation, dress, timing, accessibility, and freedom to pass or pause.
Establish communication and incident response
Name daily check-in times, household concerns, emergency contacts, medical emergencies, urgent safety response, early departure, transportation contingencies, severe weather, and host backup. Ensure both people know how to raise a concern promptly.
Close and learn
Schedule separate host and resident reflections, a shared feedback conversation, departure review, property return, gratitude, follow-up, and program revision. Preserve successful practices and document improvements before inviting another resident.