Hosting FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions Answers to our most commonly asked questions from interested hosts.
General Questions
What is expected of me as a Host Home?
- We ask that all of our Hospitality Homes are a smoke-free, clean and comfortable place to serve those in vocational ministry.
- If a hosted home, we ask hosts to provide the first 2 meals (dinner & breakfast). Beyond that, meals are up to hosts.
- And finally, tell us the parameters for your home such as—hosting preferences, max length of stay, max number of guests, etc. so we can communicate that up front to guests.
Who can be a Host?
Christ-followers who have a heart for biblical hospitality and want to serve those in ministry. Hosts must also agree to ServantCARE’s Statement of Beliefs and be actively connected to a local body of believers (Christian Church).
What kind of people stay in my home?
Guests are pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders who align with ServantCARE’s Statement of Beliefs and are referred by trusted churches or sending agencies. From time to time, guests may also include: ServantCARE staff and/or Hospitality Home Hosts that are serving with the ministry.
In addition, some of our Hosts are in life situations or homes that only allow for certain types of guests to stay. Meaning: some are only able to host adults, others are only able to host women or families, and still others are only able to host families with older children. We ask hosts to share these preferences on who they’re able to host during onboarding.
Are guests vetted?
Yes. All guests complete a vetting process, which includes:
- A referral from one’s church or mission sending agency (this is given by a leader who personally knows the applicant).
- Agreement to personally align with our Statement of Beliefs
- Staff review and approval
- Cross-referencing vetting through our partners Truvi
How often do I need to host?
As often—or as infrequently—as one likes. Hosts choose when and how often to host. Before any ServantCARE guest is booked, our housing team will reach out to the host with the details to receive the host's approval.
Can I set blackout dates or make my home unavailable?
Yes! All hosts are able to manage their own calendar and can block out dates anytime. This is particularly helpful when hosts go on vacation or have a commitment they are aware of in advance to block out dates so those dates are unable to be requested by guests.
Can I approve or decline guest requests?
Absolutely. ServantCARE will never book any host’s home without prior approval, and ServantCARE does not keep a record of declined requests.
How long do guests typically stay?
Stay lengths vary and are determined by hosts. We want this to be a blessing for both guests and hosts; therefore, hosts set the maximum number of nights on the host profile. Some stays are for a few nights, others may be a few weeks or more. It’s common for hosted homes to begin offering their space for anywhere between 4-10 nights. This setting can be changed at any time.
What is the process for matching guests to homes?
- Hosts set their preferences (max # guests, stay length, groceries/meals, etc.)
- Guests search the network and request a specific home
- ServantCARE staff contacts hosts for approval and shares some information about the guests
- Hosts approve or decline the request. Nothing is finalized without a host’s consent
Can we host it if we have children? Or do we need to be empty-nesters?
We have hosts with kids at home and without kids at home. This decision is entirely up to the host family.
Logistics & Support
Do I need to provide meals, transportation, or other services?
- Overnight guests: we ask hosts in hosted homes to provide the first 2 meals (dinner & breakfast).
- Longer stays: Light arrangements like fridge or kitchen access are great. Beyond the first 2 meals, we ask Hosts to set the parameters on kitchen access and food/meal specifics. Most hosts clear a shelf in the fridge and pantry for guests to bring their own groceries while they stay. A few common options hosts can choose from are:
- Open kitchen, guests prepare all own meals
- Open kitchen, guests prepare meals, guests welcome to join the host for some meals.
- Open kitchen, host prepares all meals.
- Transportation: Guests are responsible for their own transportation.
What about pets?
Host homes are certainly still able to have pets and be a host home. We have an allergy section on the host home listing where all potential guests will clearly see that hosts have pets in the home. Guests are never allowed to bring pets with them.
What is the expectation for hosts interacting with guests?
We partner with many hosts in different seasons of life. Some have open schedules and are able and willing to spend a lot of time with guests, while others work full-time jobs and have less time available to spend with guests. Sometimes guests are very busy, spending time with their church, their family, or at a conference, other times guests’ schedules are more open.
We hear many stories of mutual encouragement, shared faith, and testimonies when hosts and guests interact. Therefore, we encourage personal interaction as much as hosts and guests are able to, but by no means do we require a set amount of time of personal interaction from hosts to guests or vice versa.
Is there a tax benefit for being a Host Home?
ServantCARE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. While hosting is a ministry service, consult your tax advisor for details.
Do I need to carry special insurance?
Hosts should have homeowners' insurance that covers guest incidentals. Hosts are encouraged toward wisdom and personal responsibility, and ServantCARE has a “ServantCARE Safeguard” risk-management platform—a flat $12 fee is added to bookings to cover accident-related damages. This is paid by guests.
Some of our hosts open their rental property or Bnb for ServantCARE guests at highly reduced rates. For these specific instances, where hosts are receiving fees for opening their rental homes to ServantCARE guests, hosts are encouraged to work with their homeowner’s insurance and accountant.
How often should I anticipate my home being requested?
This varies greatly depending on several factors such as: the size, availability, and location of the home. Those in ministry typically request places for reasons like: returning to see family, going to a local conference, returning to their sending church, or vacation/sabbath. If the home is in a large city or a destination location, hosts will probably get frequent requests. But we also have some homes in rural areas that are very quiet and restful that get frequent requests. Hosts could join the ministry and not receive a request for quite some time, so it varies.
What happens if there’s an issue or emergency during a stay?
ServantCARE will send out a Host Survey to every host the day after guests leave. This is a great way for hosts to send feedback to ServantCARE, as we read over every survey sent to us.
In the event of an emergency, hosts can contact ServantCARE staff for help. We’re available by phone and email to support all of our hosts! [email protected] or call 334-355-3345
Spiritual Alignment
What are the spiritual expectations of me as a host?
Hosts must be Christian believers opening their home as an act of biblical hospitality. Hosts should have a genuine interest in showing hospitality to guests, and should be growing in their walk with Jesus through a local body of believers (church). New hosts join a global community with shared spiritual values, care, and purpose.
How do I know guests align with our shared beliefs?
Guests must affirm ServantCARE’s Statement of Beliefs and complete a referral process from their church or agency, ensuring alignment. During the vetting process, our team also checks their church or agency’s values and beliefs.
Will guests & hosts share all of the exact same beliefs on every point of doctrine?
ServantCARE is an evangelical cross-denominational Christian ministry. This means we serve many different denominations across the Christian faith because we are passionate about seeing ministry leaders receive rest and care. We have a statement of beliefs whereby we ask every person involved with the ministry to agree on. We call these ‘essentials’ of the faith, or often referred to as ‘salvific.’ Because there are different interpretations in scripture on a variety of doctrinal beliefs, hosts will more than likely encounter a guest that has a different viewpoint regarding secondary matters and personal convictions. Regarding these viewpoints, we align with the statement from Constantine - “in essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty, in all things, charity.”
Is there any training or spiritual preparation for hosting?
Before hosting begins, new hosts will have a call, a staff visit, paperwork, waivers, and access to guidance and support. Many hosts gain spiritual encouragement through relationships with ministry guests and the broader community. All hosts are invited into the hosting community of ServantCARE. In the near future, ServantCARE will be producing more training and equipping material regarding hosting.
