Counsel about Making a Transition to Cell Ministry
If you read last Wednesday’s blog, you’ll noitice that I talked about a new hunger for the radical middle. I illustrated this hunger by a particular church that realized they needed to get back on track after reading Cell Church Solutions. Since I’ll be coaching this church for the next six months, I met with the senior pastor and board to decide on the next course of action.
One of the board members was so hungry for change, he just wanted to go for it immediately. I appreciated his zeal because I have a similar personality. Yet, I also have learned, as many of you have, that it’s super easy to start small groups–even 100s of them. Yet, it’s much more difficult to establish a long-term cell group system. Unless the senior pastor and staff are modeling it, cell ministry usually falters over time. .
I suggested that the senior pastor lead the staff in a prototype for at least two months. I then suggested that each staff person lead a turbo type pilot group for four months that consisted of key lay people who were willing to lead an open cell. After the four months, these key lay people would pair off two by two to open their own cells. The senior pastor and staff could start leading a normal open cell (3-15 that meets weekly outside the church building for the purpose of evangelism, community, and discipleship with the goal of multiplication) at that time.
I recommended that then, and only then, the church make an announcement about the new cell church vision.
I was very impressed with the urgency/passion level among the key leadership. They really wanted to become a cell church. I’m seeing this same passion more and more, not just in majority/third-world chruches, but also in the western world.
According to Jim Egli’s research, coaching is even more important than training to assure long term success. I’ll be covering the topic of coaching in my next few blogs.
Just a reminder that we at JCG do offer coaching for those who are transitioning to the cell church strategy or planting cell churhces. We would count it a privilege to serve you.
Comments?
Joel
Larry Boatright said,
April 27, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
powerful story, anxious to see the aftermath.
I copied your quote that said “coaching is even more important than training to assure long-term success.” What a powerful statement and thought! I sent that to my coaches with a real-world example of that… it really resonates with my heart.
I think I’m about to impliment a “prototype” group similar to what you mentioned (even though our church has had cells for years and years) where I’ll meet with the apprentices of all the leaders for x number of weeks, modeling to them exactly what I expect them to do with their leaders.
Thanks for your words today and last week, they are exciting and keep us informed what happens!
Lennie said,
May 1, 2007 @ 11:41 am
Hello! I found your blog via Amazon.com b/c I found your book “An Appointment with the King” which I am going to buy right after work today!
I do have a question about implementing cell groups in churches. Perhaps I am not educated on what the contents or ideas are in G-12, but I feel that it’s structured in a way that will produce similar thinking people in terms of Christian practices or beliefs. I’m afraid that it will create an empire of people who will all think the same, believe what they believe is right and is the only way to God, and will prohibit them from thinking for themselves, which is a God-given right (free will). I think it’s a great thing to train our church members to be leader-servants, but I’m not sure if this is the method in how it should be done. I understand that as Christians we are unified in Christ, but isn’t it also an individual journey? That verse in Luke about how God has numbered our hairs on our head has to count for something, right?
I’m really struggling with this because our church will implement G-12 within the next year, and I am still not sure how I feel about it. I know that you coach people internationally about cell groups, so I thought maybe you can give insight on a few of my comments above.
Joel Comiskey said,
May 1, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Hey Lennie, if you want to know what I think about the G12 conformity issue, please see my article about this topic at: http://www.joelcomiskeygroup.com/articles/coaching/concernsG12.htm
If you have other questions, let me know,
Joel
Lennie said,
May 10, 2007 @ 9:14 pm
thanks Joel! I appreciate your response and will def. read your site.