What is the vision for Come & Stay?

Come & Stay will be a membership based website that connects travelers to hosts and enables communication and coordination for short-term stays. As a unique hospitality and home exchange platform exclusively for the International Churches of Christ community, we will strive to simplify connections between disciples traveling for various purposes and to make travel more accessible to all members.

What is hospitality and home exchange?
 

A HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE is when a member chooses to host another member in their home as a guest while they are present.  

 

A HOME EXCHANGE is when two members agree to exchange their homes, either simultaneously or non-simultaneously, for full usage of each other's home.  

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How much will a Come & Stay membership cost and what will it entail?
 

HOST MEMBERSHIP will be completely FREE! Hosts will create a member profile and listing for their home to share about their household, what they have to offer and expectations of the guests.  Hosts will be able to respond to traveler inquiries through the Come & Stay messaging system.

TRAVELER MEMBERSHIP will be an annual fee equivalent to the average cost of a one to two night stay at a hotel in the US.  Travelers will create a member profile and will have access to host listings.  Travelers will be able to initiate communication with potential hosts through the Come & Stay messaging system.  

 

Will money be exchanged between Come & Stay members?

No, money will not be exchanged between members of Come & Stay.  Many disciples in the ICOC currently host other disciples for overnight stays in their home as an expression of Christian love and obedience to God's word. Our goal at Come & Stay is to simplify this process while giving more disciples the opportunity to serve God's kingdom through the gift of hospitality.  

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If no money is being exchanged, what is the benefit of being a Host?

God's word implores us to practice hospitality (Romans 12:13). Hosting someone overnight requires trust, preparation, and coordination. Hosts will have the opportunity to meet needs within the church and be mutually encouraged as well as expand their spiritual network. Most importantly, being a gracious host honors God. Hosts will also earn Reward Points for each successful stay coordinated through Come & Stay which can be used toward great perks.

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Will Come & Stay be safe?

The foundation of Come & Stay will be rooted trust, sharing and caring. A Verification process will be done between Come & Stay and local ICOC churches to ensure members belong to a community of committed Christians. As an extra layer of protection, the platform will have built-in verification tools. By creating a detailed listing and member profile and writing reviews, members become active participants in ensuring transparency on the platform.

 

Will insurance be included in membership? 

If members own or rent their home, they should have a current homeowners or renters insurance policy.  In most instances, this insurance offers liability coverage if a guest is injured or property is damaged during their visit.  We recommend that members check directly with their insurance provider regarding what is covered. Come & Stay will explore third party liability insurance options for members as an additional layer of protection. 

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How will we build the Come & Stay platform?

Fifty (50) backers contributed close to $2,000 in total to Come & Stay's crowdfunding campaigns in 2016! Many of these backers will receive Come & Stay membership upon launch. An alpha site was built in 2017 and tested by 20 participants. Results from the testing were implemented and over 20 users interacted with the beta site in the summer of 2018 in  conjunction with Inspire International Singles Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Various testing efforts are being conducted up to present.

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How can you help?

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• Like us on Facebook @comeandstay and Follow us on Twitter @comeandstayicoc 

• Share Come & Stay with your local congregation and disciples you know around the world  

• Provide your email address in the Contact section so we can stay in touch

• And pray for our efforts!