by Steve Cordle
Faith is “being sure of what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1)
One of the ways faith is released in cell ministry is through envisioning what could be; for example, the unreached person who could become a follower of Jesus through your group, or the group member who could become a leader, or the current group that could become two groups. Faith is “seeing” this future reality and following the prompting of the Spirit to take steps toward making it real. That usually involves spotting and maximizing opportunities.
Every day we are presented with more opportunities than we recognize. That’s because these opportunities often come disguised as problems (like a group leader who is stepping down) or simply are not noticed (like a cluster of friends who could become the core of a new group).
The church in Mexico which Joel wrote about in yesterday’s blog was practicing this visioing in their weekly meetings: they focused on outreach, and therefore were able to recognize and leverage the opportunities the Lord gave them.
Do you have a group leader stepping down? That problem might also be an opportunity. Perhaps the coach can help a new leader step up with even more vision and a goal to help the group birth.
There might just be a number of people in your church who could beomce a new group if the leader catalyzed it. And you might note several friends on the outskirts of your church who are receptive to becoming the core for a new group if given the chance.
Coaches can help leaders recognize and act on opportunities because they are a little less consumed with the details of operating the group. Effective coaches help their leaders see and seize possibilities.
What opportunities do you see the Lord presenting you to help launch new groups and advance your cell ministry? Are you scanning the horizon in faith for opportunities?