In the past few posts, Steve and Joel have been discussing holiness and fasting.  Indeed, fasting is a spiritual discipline that increases our dependence on God.  There are a variety of fasts such as a food fast, the ever so popular “Daniel” fast, and more.  Believers have become quite creative concerning fasts as of late, eh?

I would like to encourage your cell to participate in a “word” fast.  I believe I first heard about this type of fast through Sylvia Gunter, the author of Prayer Portions.  The main gist of this fast is hinged to a strict adherence to the following scripture.

Ephesians 4:29 states, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  I understand that this is a command for our entire lives, not just a set period of time.  However, for now– participate in this experience for a twenty-four time period.

You will soon discover the connection that Jesus highlights between your words and your heart.  You may discover that you participate in idle chatter, sarcasm or judgment.  It’s an amazing experience that allows God to reveal to you who you are and grants to you a vivid glimpse of your heart.

Many of our leaders participate in such a fast prior to an Encounter retreat.  I do a word fast on a consistent basis.  Frankly, it’s gut-wrenching, revealing and at the same time….worthwhile.

As God leads you, why not invite your cell members to participate in such an experience?  Allow your cell members to pick a twenty-four hour period that best suits them.  Experience the word fast and then share with each other at your cell gathering. 

For clarity sake, please know that a word fast is not necessarily an experience in which you do not speak at all.  You do speak in accordance with the verse mentioned above.

Comments?

One Christian discipline that helps us grow in our holiness is fasting. Fasting gives us a sensitivity to God that we don’t normally possess. Fasting helps us to concentrate on God, pray more fervently and overcome personal bondages. Fasting helps us to hear God’s voice because we become more sensitive to Him. It clears up the cobwebs in our brain and helps us see with spiritual eyes.

I’ve found that fasting helps me to have more power in my writing and speaking. If I have a writing deadline to meet, for example, I’ll resort to fasting. I just sense an added power, flow, and sensitivity to the Lord.

I’ve known Carl Everett, now director of BCCN at Bethany World Prayer Center, for eleven years. When I first met him in 1996, he had already multiplied his cell six times. Carl told me that he and his wife , Gaynel, would fast and pray the day of the cell meeting. Before the meeting, they anointed the food, the sidewalks, the yard, every room in the house, even each seat to be used that night. They waited until after the meeting (during the refreshment time) before eating. The Everetts’ example is not unusual at Bethany, where cell leaders are encouraged to fast and pray before the cell meeting. Some fast the whole day, others until 3 p.m., some may skip one meal. Carl says, “It is important to mobilize as many from the group as possible to fast and pray.”

What role does fasting play in your own life and ministry?

I really appreciated what Steve Cordle said on his Thursday blog about holiness. Last Wednesday I was on the phone with a pastor who also leads an open cell group. He was just about to release a leader to take over his own group, while he planted another one. But as we talked about this particular new leader, we both agreed that he needed to first go through my Encounter book to make sure he was walking in holiness in all areas of his life (this pastor happened to be using my encounter material but there are a number of other great encounter resources out there that help members walk in holiness).

I know this pastor wanted to quickly leave his group in the hands of someone else, yet long term effectivness demands holiness in the life of the leader. Holiness brings fruit. Without holiness, cell leaders won’t bear long-term fruit.

Some shy away from talking about holiness. They only want to talk about God’s grace.  But let’s remember that true grace brings holiness! Pauls says in Titus 2:11-14, ” For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

In one sense, the entire cell movement is trying to say, “let’s get back to holy living; let’s start walking in honesty and truth with one another. Let’s start seeing real change among our members.”

Comments?

Joel

By Steve Cordle

How much does it matter how your group leaders are living?

in Joshua 7, the Israelite army gets soundly beaten at a small town named Ai. The reason was that one of their number, Achan, sinned by keping spoils of war he was told not to keep. After he was killed for his isn, the Israeiltes were again victorious in their battle to tale the Promised Land.

In Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira are struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit (also about material possessions, it is worth noting).

To some 21st century minds these deaths might seem like an extreme reaction to moral lapses. (It might be interesting to do a Bible study on the times God struck someone dead!)

However, it is no accident that these events occurred when they did: during the birth of God’s people - Israel and the Early Church. God was seeing to it that his people were born into an atmosphere of holiness. He was showing that purity was vital to the life of His people.

If we want the favor and power of God released consistently in our ministries, holiness is vital. Group leaders who lead others to spiritaul maturity over the long haul have hearts yielded to the Lord.

Do you know how your group leaders are doing spiritually? What expectations do you communicate? How do you stay in touch with your group leaders without getting perfectionistic, judgmental, or rigid?

Someone asked a question in a recent seminar about model cell churches. He wondered if there was a place for model cell churches. Perhaps he perceived that I resisted them.

I answered him by saying that I believed God wanted to raise up flagship cell churches all over the world. I told him, in fact, that if principles are not fleshed out in real, live churches, they have little value.

I added, however, that the best way to become a model cell church was to learn the common patterns of the growing cell churches around the world and then to apply (adapt) those principles to the church’s own context. I told him that his church, culture, and situation was so unique that only principles (common patterns) would bring life and help his church grow. I told him that God is seeking to raise up unique, creative models all over the world and that perhaps his church would become one of them.

So in reality, I believe that every church has the potential of being a model for others to learn from. And when you get to that point and are sharing with others what God has done, be sure to talk about the life-giving, transferrable principles that will be beneficial to those asking.

Please don’t tell them to adopt your model exactly–remember that part of change theory is reinvention. Be sure to generously share all that you have and know. Don’t hold back! We’re all on this journey together. We can learn from each other.

Comments?

Joel

In Joel’s blog post yesterday, he reminded us “about the dangers of trying to change structures without first changing the values.”  I totally concur and would encourage you to clearly define your values as a church family.

Years ago, I enjoyed reading Built to Last by Collins and Porras.  I believe that their definition of core values is superb.  “Core Values:  a small set of guiding principles; the organism’s essential and enduring tenets; not to be confused with specific cultural or operating practices; not to be compromised for financial gain or short term expediency.” 

I encouraged the leaders of my church family to read Built to Last and in due time we journeyed to a retreat center for a couple of days.  Our purpose was to “put on paper” three to five core values.  It was a fascinating time of dialogue, prayer, laughter, and passionate “debate.” 

Here’s what we came up with for Cypress Creek Church.

CCC adheres to the following three core values. 

First, we adhere to the eternal authority and relevance of the scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16; Psalm 119:105, 160; Psalm 12:6). 

Next, we are Christ centered because Christ is Lord (John 1:1-5, 12, 14; John 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:14-15). 

Finally, all members are equipped and engaged for the work of service (2 Tim. 2:2; Ephesians 4:11-13). 

As we lead our church family, these are the values that undergird or decisions, plans, and ministry initiatives.  I’m sure these three core values are not “perfect.”  Further, I understand that these values may not be who you are or who God has called you to be.  I affirm and applaud the diversity of the body of Christ.  Indeed, diversity is not the enemy of unity.  I would not choose to project our values upon you.  Here’s why.

Like Jacob, you need to wrestle with God.  Putting your core values on paper, requires a great deal of wrestling (with God and others).  One thing I love about Jacob’s story is that he chose one day to deal with his issues and wrestle with God.  He would never be the same after this wrestling match.  Do the same and invite others into the ring.  Defining a church’s core values is a team event.

One final thought:  Did you notice that a specific church structure is not one of our core values?  Why do you think this is so?

Comments? 

I’ve always appreciated the insights of Ralph Neighbour and Bill Beckham, two gurus in the cell church movement,  about the dangers of trying to change structures without first changing the values. Many have visited  growing cell churches and tried to copy everything from the way the pastor preaches to the exact cell structure. It seems easier to imitate a model, but very few people have successfully reproduced a model. And perhaps the greatest danger is that in the process of copying a model, the church loses its uniqueness.

Christian Shwarz writes in Natural Church Development , “There is nothing wrong with being inspired by a model church. However, if we want to go beyond enthusiasm to the transfer of reproducible elements, we must seek to discover the universal principles that are the basis for every kind of church growth. . . This means more than simply adopting the explanation church leaders often present as the key to success” (p. 17).

Last Friday’s blog I listed thirteen key cell church principles and highlighted four of them as being especially important:

1. Dependence on Jesus Christ through prayer
2. Senior pastor and leadership team giving strong, visionary leadership to the cell ministry.
3. Cell ministry promoted as the backbone of the church.
4. Clear definition of a cell group (weekly, outside the church building, evangelistic, pastoral care/discipleship, clear goal of multiplication).

What have you discovered about the importance of following principles rather than copying models?

Joel

Someone recently asked me to clarify what I meant by cell church principles. I explained to him that I was referring to common patterns in cell churches. That is, what are the common patterns of growing cell churches around the world? In my study, I found at least thirteen common patterns:

1. Dependence on Jesus Christ through prayer
2. Senior pastor and leadership team giving strong, visionary leadership to the cell ministry.
3. Cell ministry promoted as the backbone of the church.
4. Clear definition of a cell group (weekly, outside the church building, evangelistic, pastoral care/discipleship, clear goal of multiplication).
5. The passion behind cell ministry is evangelism and church growth.
6. Reproduction (multiplication) is the major goal of each cell group.
7. Cell and celebration attendance expected of everyone attending the church.
8. Clearly established leadership requirements for those entering cell ministry.
9. Required cell leadership training for all potential cell group leaders.
10. Cell leadership developed from within the church itself, at all levels.
11. A supervisory care structure for each level of leadership (G-12 or 5×5).
12. Follow-up system of visitors and new converts administered through cell groups.
13. Cell lessons based on pastor’s teaching to promote continuity between cell and celebration (although flexibility might be given to meet the needs of specific homogeneous groups)

The first four (highlighted in bold) are the most important (foundational) common patterns, in my opinion. But why is it important to base your cell church on common pattterns or principles? I’ll talk more about that on Monday’s blog.

Comments?

Joel

By Steve Cordle
As a pastor I spend a fair amount of time seeking to inspire our leaders and groups. But they also inspire me! Today I thought I’d pass along an  email from one of our group leaders. It describes how she mobilized her group to set up a stand at her town’s community July 4th celebration in order to extend the love of Jesus through a simpe gift of popcorn… and prayer. Maybe it will spur you on as it did me.

Dear Steve,
Yesterday, my group served free popcorn and a prayer at Carnegie Park’s 4th of July celebration (on the 3rd)  It was an amazing day.  Some people were totally baffled by our question-’May we pray for you?’  Most took a moment to think about it and said yes.  We prayed for people who had family members with cancer, a baby who had a deformed trachea, aching backs, knees, someone who was kicked out of her house, women from a church whose church was quarreling and just general prayers of blessing.  As it got busier, we gave a simple-God be with you.  For about an hour and a half, we couldn’t keep up with the demand-there was a long line of people waiting for their popcorn.  God gave me a silly story (it was aimed at the children)  to tell as we waited for it to pop.  I compared God to the popcorn in the kettle.  We couldn’t see it-as we can’t see God-but as we seek after Him, His love overflows.  Then the popcorn starts popping like crazy out of the kettle and we would yell-God is good-look at his blessings overflowing!
About a half dozen people had serious inquiries about a church.  Ed made a flyer to attach to the popcorn bags-it had our service places, times, phone # and website.  I spoke with one woman at length about our groups.”Cool, isn’t it? Who knows how many lives were not only touched, but maybe changed. Even more, the lives of those group members will not be the same as they got out of the livingroom and into the commmunity.

May the Lord keep us all poppin’!

Steve

   Today is a very important holiday in the USA–the 4th of July is when the American colonies declared independence from British rule.  I thank God that I was born in a free country like the USA, but I’m far more thankful that in September 1973, Jesus came into my heart and truly set me free.

Joel