ADOPT, ADAPT, ABANDON
Jeff Tunnell here, filling in for Joel Comiskey who is ministering in New York. Early on in transitioning our congregation from Traditional to Cell-based structure, we confronted the issue of building a training track (equipping 
track for discipling new believers into future leaders). Being a small congregation, resources in both manpower and funds were equally small. Like many we ADOPTED someone else’s model and pre-printed materials. As we continued to transition, the publisher of our adopted materials began changing them radically and frequently which led to our frustration. This was due to the belief that any fruitfulness would come from following the “model” exactly and that any change would weaken its inherent strength and wisdom. Ouch!
At a Cell church conference I had a conversation with a well-known cell church leader during which I vented my frustrations. His response finished the issue and gave me direction. He said, “When you follow a model built by someone else, rather than using Cell church principles, your path will be like this; first you will ADOPT their materials, and then when the expected results do not come within your expected timeframe, you will ADAPT them to more closely fit your ministry environment and outreach dynamics. When they still fail to produce the desired results, you will ABANDON them and try to compile your own. All of this will take about 2 years to cycle through.”
Our experience proved this to be true and cost us much time and effectiveness. The simple fix? Follow principles not models! If you examine materials produced and published by someone else, look for at least these two things: adherence to the Word of God and well-known principles of cell church being implemented successfully around the world that have been birthed by the Holy Spirit.
Have you shared a similar frustration in your journey? Are you in the process of looking for help in this area of development? What other insights could you add to these?
Jeff Tunnell
Dan Atwood said,
May 5, 2008 @ 10:43 am
Hey Jeff, Our journey has been somewhat similar to yours with the exception of the order. Within two years we first began with adapting which being in a solo pastorate situation proved to be VERY time consuming. Then we moved on to abandoning and our training track remained dormant while I prayed and sought the Lord on this. I understood the principles but had to mesh that with my context and the reality of how much time I could put into it. Now we have come full circle with a hybrid approach to adopting. We are prayerfully piecing together materials already written from a variety of sources that we consider to be the “most appropriate” for our situation. This has removed a heavy load from me and hopefully will help me be a good steward of time. There truly is a season for everything and right now our season is this approach to adopting materials. Blessings
Bishop Joseph Kimani said,
May 5, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
We highly value the timing in which your article has been produced….I have experienced the same following some groups study, and teaching material that never lasted long many changes followed and finally we got lost…The only right way to follow is what the Holy Spirit leads us to…then we shall never fail.It is true to always be watchful to ensure any teaching corresponds with the word of God in the Holy Bible…….and lead by the Holy spirit.Adopting materials without the guidance of the Holy Spirit will finally fail and be abandoned.