Greetings from Ponce, Puerto Rico (I’m here with my daughter, Nicole). I’ve been doing a seminar in Ponce (second largest city in Puerto Rico), and the main theme of my seminar has been: how to transition to the cell church strategy! (I’ve appreciated all your comments about transitioning from Mario Vega’s blog). I wasn’t planning on talking about transitioning here in Puerto Rico. Yet, as I started learning about the host church, I realized that the topic of “how to transition” was exactly what the host church needed (and the other pastors present as well).

The host church (a 800 member church called iglesia Cristiana de la familia) had stalled in their transition to become a cell church. Unlike the Elim’s smooth transition, this church started in the cell church vision and then fizzled (they currently have ten cell groups). They started as a G12 church about five years ago. They sent pastors to Bogota and “adopted” the G12 model. Yet, criticism against G12 in Puerto Rico was so strong, they decided to quit midstream. The church had started a bunch of discipleship groups (supposedly G12 groups), but never really transitioned to the cell church vision.

The senior pastor, Angel Martinez, is a man of integrity. I appreciated his honesty in the seminar. He said in his opening remarks, “I need to learn how to do this. I’ve made plenty of mistakes and I, like all of you, am here to learn.” I then reminded everyone that David Cho once said that you have to fail at least three times in the cell church strategy to get it right.

Like many churches trying to copy the G12 vision, this church had started a lot of discipleship groups in the church, but had missed the CELL, the crown jewell of the cell church. I talked to those present about the need for PRE-TRANSITION (instilling values, and the need to win the movers and shakers). I then stressed the importance of the TRANSITION–starting a prototype cell and eventually multiplying that pilot group before making announcements to the rest of the church. Only afterwards, could a church enter the POST-TRANSITION–building the cell church infraestructure. This church had practically started with the POST-TRANSITION phase (developing the coaching structure first).

You’ve all experienced those times when GOD SHOWED UP and moved supernaturally. This was one of those seminars.

Let’s follow the example of Angel Martinez, who was willing to say, “Lord, I need help. Teach me.”
Comments?

Joel Comiskey

by Mario Vega

Our experience on the transition from being a traditional church to become a cell church occurred without major problems. In fact, our transition took place very quickly. Some of the factors that influenced the transition to be successful were:

• The Pastor’s involvement. Any initiative, presentation, teaching and leadership training was under the direct responsibility of the Pastor. That filled the church with confidence.
• The fact of knowing that the model is entirely biblical. By showing that small meetings in houses was the custom of the early church, we encouraged the congregation to follow the model.
• A participatory congregation. The members of the church were used to being active in the work of the gospel. Almost all were born again in an atmosphere of work and dedication to the service.
• Cultural conditions. The fervent, communicative and open character of the Latin American. The custom of being hospitable and to open the doors of their house to guests and friends.
• The passion that exists in El Salvador for getting all the people to know the good news of salvation. Being a Christian is not something that is taken for granted. Nobody is recognized as a Christian by the fact of having been born of Christian parents. Always looking for each one to have a personal salvation experience.
• Seeing the results. As we began to work with the first cells the growth in the church came rapidly. That pointed out to the congregation that the model worked, and that it was worth the effort.

Despite of not having at that time the awareness that we were in a transitional stage, the above conditions allowed it to be completed soon and successfully.

Comments?

Mario Vega

Spanish translation:
Iglesia en transición

Nuestra experiencia de transición de ser una iglesia tradicional para convertirnos en una iglesia celular se dio sin mayores problemas. En realidad, nuestra transición se produjo muy rápidamente.
Algunos de los factores que influyeron para que la transición fuera exitosa fueron:
• El involucramiento del Pastor. Toda la iniciativa, la presentación, la enseñanza y la capacitación de líderes estuvo bajo la responsabilidad directa del Pastor. Eso llenó de confianza a la iglesia.
• El hecho de saber que el modelo es completamente bíblico. El mostrar que las reuniones pequeñas en casas fue la costumbre de la iglesia primitiva animó a la congregación a seguir el modelo.
• Una congregación participativa. Los miembros de la iglesia estaban acostumbrados a ser activos dentro de la obra del evangelio. Casi todos habían nacido de nuevo en un ambiente de trabajo y dedicación al servicio.
• Condiciones culturales. El carácter ferviente, comunicativo y abierto del latinoamericano. La costumbre de ser hospitalarios y abrir las puertas de casa a invitados y amigos.
• La pasión que existe en El Salvador por dar a conocer las buenas de salvación a otras personas. El ser cristiano es algo que no se da por sentado. Nadie es reconocido como cristiano por el hecho de haber nacido de padres cristianos. Siempre se busca que cada persona tenga una experiencia personal de salvación.
• El ver los resultados. Al comenzar a trabajar con las primeras células el crecimiento en la iglesia se dio rápidamente. Eso hizo ver a la congregación que el modelo funcionaba y que valía la pena el esfuerzo.

A pesar que no teníamos en ese tiempo conciencia que estábamos en una etapa de transición, las condiciones mencionadas permitieron que la misma se completara pronto y con éxito.

by Steve Cordle

Many churches trying to transition to the cell model find it a huge challenge to get most of their people into groups. While some people get involved quickly, it is not uncommon to hit a barrier; no matter how many times you refer to groups in the sermon, or how often people are told of the wonders of group life, it seems like most just don’t respond. Why? How does a church break through this barrier?

There are multiple causes for this “barrier”, but I believe one has to do with the percentage of church life which occurs in the group.

Joel recently blogged about sharing Communion in the cell. This is excellent! James, an Episcopal pastor, commented that when he did this it was a huge step because “since the sacrament is such an important part of Anglican spirituality it meant that the center of the congregation was Sunday morning worship. It also meant that I, as the Pastor, was the central person.” Huge point! If most people see that sacrament as the central part of what the church does, but that does not happen in the cell, how can cells be central? They will always be seen as an optional activity, and there will be little felt need for them on the part of most people.

How much of your church life happens in the cell?

Visiting Xenos Church in Columbus I realized that there was no musical worship at their central weekend gatherings. And if you got married, it was in the group, and likewise baptisms. Most of what people looked for as “church” happened ONLY at the group. Now, by their own admission, Xenos is actually more of a network of house churches than it is a cell church. That influences how much happens in the group.

The point is, the more of your church life you locate in the group, the more central to the church groups become. (And the reverse is true). So what can you move to the group?

Our worship design team is exploring moving our Maundy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter) service to groups and not at the building. It fits the Upper Room experience, and it is just another way of locating more church life in the group.

This is a huge and delicate transition question: What that you are currently doing can you move to the group?

Elie Wiesel wrote, “God made man because he loves stories.”

Let me present to you a sad reality that may exist in your cell (church).  Your cell may have “been together” and “with each other” for months and not know the life stories of the cell members.

I would encourage you to remedy the situation.  For example, how about once a month a cell member would have the opportunity to share his/her life story in thirty minutes or less during a cell gathering?

A few cells in my church family practice this ….AND they LOVE getting to KNOW their fellow cell members.

Listening to HIS-story through the lives of your cell members will ignite your cell experience.

Larry Crabb wrote, “Throughout Genesis and the Old Testament, man is the mediator.  He is the connection between past and the future.  He remembers the sotries of old, the stories of his fathers and grandfathers.  And he lives to transfer the story of God to the next generation, to his children and grandchildren.”

I challenge you to share your life stories!

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com

Comments?

Do you observe the Lord’s Supper in the cell group? What has been your experience?

My own cell meets on Sunday night at 6 p.m., so just a few hours ago we participated in the Lord’s Supper.

I shared from Mark 14 where the scripture Jesus told his disciples to, “Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there” (vv 14,15). In those days, the houses frequently had upper rooms where they would entertain guests and hold family meetings. The kitchen and living quarters were downstairs but the upper room was larger and could hold more people. The early church followed the same pattern by meeting in homes to observe the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:46).

One of my first questions was, “What was the atmosphere of the first Lord’s supper?” Members shared the anxiety that the disciples must have experienced because of the hostile Jewish atmosphere at the time. We also came to grips with the fact that the disciples didn’t catch the significance of Christ’s body and blood in the supper. They thought the meal was a normal Passover observance. I then asked the following questions:

• Share how Jesus has ministered to you during the Lord’s supper
• What helps you to focus on Jesus during this time?
• According to 1 Corinthians 11:17-33, How should we prepare for the Lord’s supper? Why?
• Take a moment to prepare yourself right now before we participate in the Lord’s Supper.

We passed around the grape juice and the crackers, while meditating on Christ’s broken body and precious blood. Because we were a small group, we felt the liberty to offer praise. We sang Amazing Grace and meditated on what Jesus did on the cross. Christ’s presence ministered to our hearts, and we sensed His healing power.

Many cell churches celebrate the Lord’s supper in the celebration time when all the cells are present. We at Wellspring normally follow that pattern as well. Yet, it’s wonderful to observe the Lord’s Supper in the home group, just like Christ did with His disciples. 

Share your experience (s) of celebrating the Lord’s Supper. Do you like to observe it the cell or celebration? Why or why not?

Joel Comiskey

by Mario Vega

When I invited the deacons and deaconesses to join as new leaders of our cellular effort, they all accepted the challenge. One of the deaconess named Eugenia, received the whole training as a leader.

At the end of the small training course, she came by my office requesting to talk with me in private. I received her and she explained me that she did not feel capable of taking on the responsibility of leading a cell. By her words, I noticed that she had the idea that being a cell leader was something that I was imposing.

Under that perception I decided to demonstrate to her that I was not trying to impose anything to anybody. So I told her that there was no problem. If she did not feel capable of becoming a leader she did not have to feel obligated. Moreover, I assured her that I was not going to hand over her a cell.

The next day, Eugenia returned to my office. This time she came weeping and could not speak because of her crying. Once she managed to calm down a bit, she told me that the night before she had not been able to sleep. She had no peace because she felt that she had denied her service to the Lord Jesus. She told me that she had changed her mind and, despite of not feeling capable she was well disposed towards doing God’s will.

I encouraged this sister and told her that everything would be fine. Indeed, she began to work as a new leader. Eugenia turned out to be one of our most effective leaders. And she had an additional merit. She was the first leader that brought a bus filled with guests to our Sunday’s celebrations–all by herself.

I was amazed. The cellular work had increased her self-esteem. She was happy to be useful in the Lord’s hands. I learned that those who think that they will not be good leaders, often end up being the best ones.

Have you found this to be true? Why or why not?

Mario

Translation in Spanish:
¿QUIÉN PUEDE SER LÍDER?

Cuando invité a los diáconos y diaconisas a que se sumaran como nuevos líderes de nuestro esfuerzo celular, todos aceptaron el reto. Una de las diaconisas, llamada Eugenia, recibió la capacitación completa como líder.
Al final del pequeño curso de entrenamiento, ella se acercó por mi oficina para solicitarme platicar en privado. La recibí y me explicó que ella no se sentía capaz de tomar la responsabilidad de dirigir una célula. En sus palabras advertí que ella tenía la idea que ser líder de una célula era algo que yo estaba imponiendo.
Bajo esa percepción decidí demostrarle que no estaba tratando de imponer nada a nadie. Así que le dije que no había problema. Si ella no se sentía capaz de ser líder no debía sentirse obligada. Es más, le aseguré que no iba a entregarle una célula.
Al día siguiente, Eugenia volvió a buscarme en mi oficina. Esta vez venía llorando y no podía hablar debido a su llanto. Cuando logró tranquilizarse un poco, me dijo que la noche anterior no había podido dormir. Que no tenía paz porque sentía que le había negado su servicio al Señor Jesús. Me dijo que había cambiado de opinión y que, a pesar de no sentirse capaz, estaba dispuesta a hacer lo que Dios quisiera.
Animé a la hermana y le dije que todo estaría bien. Efectivamente, ella comenzó a trabajar como una nueva líder. Eugenia llegó a convertirse en una de nuestras más eficientes líderes. Y tuvo un mérito adicional. Fue la primera líder en llevar, ella sola, un bus lleno de invitados a nuestros cultos dominicales.
Yo mismo estaba asombrado. El trabajo celular había elevado su autoestima. Ella estaba feliz por ser útil en las manos del Señor. Aprendí que aquellas personas que piensan que no serán buenos líderes, muchas veces terminan siendo los mejores.

by Steve Cordle

 Our group had one of those weeks leaders love: several new people came to our meeting for the first time.

The meeting went well, but it reminded me how hard it can be for someone to take the leap to attend a group for the first time. After all, they need to sit in the living room of someone they may not have met, to do something they have never done before with several people they may not know. And if they aren’t confident in their faith, they can feel out of their element.

Here’s what we tell our leaders about making first-time attenders feel relaxed:

- Explain everything as you do it. “We are going to center on Jesus’ presence now in a moment of worship…” or “Turn Mark 5… it is in the New Testament, toward the back of the Bible”, or “Each week we pray together like this…”

- No “inside” talk among older members

- Be careful about specifically calling on a first-timer; do it sparingly and never with a “right or wrong” answer kind of question.

- Don’t call on someone (even an existing member) to read the Scripture text; ask for a volunteer instead. Many people are uncomfortable reading, and the visitor might be wondering if you’ll call on them next.

- Be relaxed about their presence so they can be.

- Follow up with a call to the new person after their first visit

What other ideas do you have about first-time visitors to a group?

I stumbled upon something that I would like to offer to this JCG community.  What I stumbled upon deals with Celebration AND Cells.  In recent weeks, I’ve been teaching on the parables of Christ.  This past Sunday, I taught on the Rich Man and Lazarus.  I taught verse by verse sharing different tid bits that I had learned through others.  My desire was to “land” the message by stating:  “Here’s what this parable means…cite three points and conclude the message.”

I wrestled with a pretty big problem during my preparation time.  I really couldn’t say without reservation, “Here’s what this story told by Christ means.”  The funny thing was– I was perfectly at peace not knowing the “answers.”

Immediately, a thought entered my mind.  A friend once told me, “Rob, be careful about using blatant statements.  Instead, ask good questions.”

Therefore, I concluded my message by stating, “This is the part of the message where I am supposed to cite three points and bring perfect clarity to this story of Christ.  I am unable to do that.  I would like, however, for you to wrestle with the meaning of this story by reflecting on the following three questions:

1.  What is the big idea of the parable?

2.  What questions does this parable beg you to ask?

3.  What dominant emotion is present as you ponder this parable?”

This approach created a decent “buzz.”  People were excited that they were challenged to individually reflect upon these questions and dialogue about them at their cell gathering.

Maybe the lesson for me was simple, yet powerful.  The pastor does not have to be the “resident theologian” or the “Bible answer man” week in and week out.  Trust the Spirit of God to speak to the body concerning the principles of a parable.  I really (I mean REALLY) look forward to what God is going to do through our cell gatherings this week.

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com

Comments?