by Steve Cordle – subbing for Joel Comiskey

It is a Sunday evening – and I have been relaxing since getting home from worship at about 1:30pm. Dinner with family, a nap, playing the piano, catching a minute with a friend, doing the NY TImes crossword puzzle with my wife, and just bumming around have filled the remainder of my Sunday. It’s been a time to recharge. Sabbath. 

I thought about blogging on a particular aspect of doing ministry better, but in the end I decided against it. Sometimes we need to simply rest and recharge. How are you doing with that? Is the culture of your ministry one of hard-charging, goal-oriented, constant activity? Or do your leaders see in you and example of a healthy, sustainable life rhythm: times of ministry punctuated with times of rest. 

When we rest, we trust God with what we are not doing. Resting is one of the surest indicators that we are called, not driven.

by Mario Vega

One of the main difficulties we found when designing the lessons for childrens’ cells was the heterogeneity of childrens’ ages. Since our cell model is of a geographical type,  it was not possible for us to have childrens’ cells for different age related children (e.g., three to five, six to eight, etc.). 

We knew that in the same cell we could have children who were too young to go to school as well as children who had the ability to read and write. How could we have an adequate lesson that would meet the needs of a variety of children? 

We found the answer in the Jewish method of teaching children. The  two foundations were Scripture memorization and the use of narration. We designed the model of our lessons based on these two elements.

The children´s cell meeting is designed to last one hour. It starts with an ice-braker, which is related to questions that will introduce the topic of the day. Then follows a section that we call “Search the Bible.” It is a recreational resource for kids to find certain key words in the teaching passage. Since this dynamic is done in pairs or in groups of threes, children who can not read are thrilled to participate too.

Then comes the teaching. This is mainly narrative. It’s short and adjusted to the capture attention spans that don’t last long. Then, follows the repentence call and the prayer for children receive Jesus. 

It ends with the memorization of a short verse that summarizes the teaching of the day.

Our guides have been very well received. When we covered an entire quarter on the rights of children from a biblical perspective, the material reached El Salvador’s UNICEF offices. They were so interested in the lessons that 70,000 copies of our children´s cell guide were printed to be distributed for free among the country’s churches and schools for the teaching of boys and girls’ rights.

Obviously, we have this material available only in Spanish.

Comments?

Mario

Spanish translation:

Lecciones para las células infantiles.

Una de las principales dificultades que nos encontramos al diseñar las lecciones para las células infantiles fue la heterogeneidad de las edades. Siendo nuestro modelo celular de tipo geográfico no nos era posible tener células para niños de tres a cinco años, luego otras para niños de seis a ocho años, etc.

Sabíamos que en una misma célula tendríamos niños tan pequeños que todavía no van a la escuela al lado de otros que sí tienen la capacidad de leer y escribir. ¿Cómo podíamos entonces tener lecciones adecuadas para niños de todas las edades?

La respuesta la encontramos en el método judío de enseñanza a la niñez. Sus dos fundamentos eran la memorización y el uso del relato. Basados en esos dos elementos diseñamos el modelo de nuestras lecciones.

La reunión de célula infantil está diseñada para una hora de duración. Comienza con el rompehielos, el cual, está relacionado con preguntas que introducen al tema del día. Luego le sigue una sección que llamamos “Busca en la Biblia”. Es un recurso lúdico para que los niños encuentren en el pasaje de la enseñanza ciertas palabras claves. Dado que esta dinámica se realiza en parejas o tríos, los niños que no saben leer también participan emocionados.

Después viene la enseñanza. Ésta es predominantemente narrativa. Es breve ajustándose a las características de atención de los niños. Luego, sigue el llamado y la oración por los niños que se convierten.

Se finaliza con la memorización de un versículo muy corto que resume la enseñanza del día.

La guía ha sido muy bien recibida. Cuando dedicamos un trimestre a la enseñanza de los derechos del niño, desde una perspectiva bíblica, el material llegó hasta las oficinas de UNICEF en El Salvador. Ellos se interesaron tanto en las lecciones que imprimieron 70,000 ejemplares de nuestra guía para distribuirlas gratuitamente entre iglesias y escuelas del país para la enseñanza de los derechos de niñas y niñas.

Obviamente, el material solamente lo tenemos disponible en español.

by Jeff Tunnell

In our community there are multiple social agencies that assist the needy; poor, abused, substance abusers (drugs/alcohol), single parent, domestic violence, transportation services, food for elderly shut-ins, food banks, thrift stores, etc.  They all compete for Govermnent funding to continue their noble efforts, while looking to the community for donations. and manpower.

Aren’t these works the responsibility of the Body of Christ?  I reflect that if these agency leaders became believers in Jesus and followed their heartfelt (perhaps inborn) desires, they would then become the organizers of the “arms” of our Savior reaching into out surrounding populaiton.

We stand back saying something like this, “Our small congregation does not have the resources to meet all these needs, so let’s allow the social action groups (non-christian) take the job. After all, they can qualify for funding where a religious group cannot.”  However, I contend that a balanced, life-giving cell church would have all they need if they were winning the lost to Christ and utilizing the generosity of believers (Acts 2:42-47) as in the early church formations.

How can the church become the answer to Social needs?

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com

In this day and time, it would be easy to choose being miserable.  Years ago, I ran across a list entitled “How to be Perfectly Miserable.”  I don’t know the origin of the list, but I do want to share it with you.  Here’s a few things you can do that will not only make you perfectly miserable but also keep you that way.

Think about yourself…Talk about yourself…Use the personal pronoun “I” as often as possible in your conversations…Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others…Listen greedily to what people say about you…Insist on consideration and respect…Demand agreement with your own views on everything…Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them…Never forget a service you may have rendered …Expect to be appreciated…Be suspicious…Be sensitive to slights…Be jealous and envious…Never forget a criticism…Trust nobody but yourself.

A journeyman walking down a miserable path is inward focused.  He’s not others-centered.  One will never find himself until he/she focuses on the needs of others.

The scriptures proclaim, “Encourage one another.”  Cell gathering and cell life are incredible platforms for encouragement to flow.  God, indeed, is the “lifter of our head.”  How God wants to use you to lift up the head of your fellow cell members!

Comments?

by Steve Cordle – guest blogging for Joel

Encounter Retreats have been used for years now in cell churches around the world. Our church just finished our 27th Encounter yesterday, and I am amazed that the power of that experience is still undiluted. It continues to provide a transformational experience of Jesus’ grace to all who attend. 

The Encounter Retreat is a weekend (though we do it in 28 hours) designed to allow people to bring all of their past to the  cross of Jesus and experience His freedom. Though each church seems to tailor their own, Encounter usually consists of a series of talks about the cross, discussion groups, worship and prayer for inner healing, deliverance, and filling of the Spirit. 

It has such an impact at our church that when people return we like to say they have the “Encounter glow”. Here are a few of the keys we have found to making the Encounter effective on an on-going basis:

1. Bath it with prayer and fasting. Our team prays and fasts for each attender for weeks before the retreat. 

2. Assign a staff person to over see and care for it. 

3. Only group leaders serve as Table/discussion leaders – so they own and connect the church’s vision to that of the Encounter and follow-up is natural.

4. Make it experiential. Video, drama, music, creative elements supplement the talks.

5. Keep the weekend’s exact agenda a surprise.

6. Connect the Encounter to the Equipping Track. At the end of the weekend challenge participants to enroll in the next session of the Equipping Track. They work together: the Encounter provides the “Want to” and the Equipping Track provides the “How to” of group leadership development. 

Joel has a book on the Encounter, as does Touch Publications. How have you done Encounter?

by Mario Vega

We had to define the profile we needed to start our first training course for leaders of children’s cells. Obviously, we were looking for leaders who were born again, baptized in water, of good reputation, and full of the Holy Spirit.

The minimum age was set on 16 years. The fact that these cells are for children does not mean that the leader has to be another child. The work of evangelizing and making disciples out of children is not a game. We needed responsible people, and that’s why we decided that the leaders could be grownups, parents, etc., but never children under 16 years of age.

Another important element is the vocation or aptitude. Not all people have the patience or the grace needed to be children’s leaders. Because of that, the choice has been left up to each person to work with adults or children’s cells. Only the person knows if he or she has the inclination to work or not with children.

Finally, we set as a condition for leaders of children’s cells to go through the training course. This course was designed especially for children’s cells and has additional components from the adult’s cell. Today, after several years of working with children’s cells, the teaching has been systematized into a Training Center where the leaders are trained in contents such as Children’s Theology and Children’s and Adolescents Rights, in addition to the traditional contents of the cell work.

Comments?

Mario

Cualidades de los líderes de células infantiles.

Para iniciar nuestro primer curso de formación de líderes para células infantiles definimos el perfil que necesitábamos. Obviamente, buscábamos personas nacidas de nuevo, bautizadas en agua, de buen testimonio y llenas del Espíritu Santo.

Además se fijó la edad mínima de 16 años. El que las células sean para niños no significa que el líder deba ser otro niño. El trabajo de evangelizar y hacer discípulos a los niños no es cosa de juego. Necesitábamos personas responsables y, por ello, decidimos que los líderes podían ser personas mayores, padres de familia, etc. Pero nunca menores de 16 años.

Otro elemento importante es el de la vocación. No todas las personas tienen la paciencia o la gracia que se necesitan para ser líderes de niños. Por ello, se ha dejado a la elección de cada persona el trabajar con células de adultos o con células de niños. Solamente la persona sabe si posee la inclinación para trabajar con niños o no.

Finalmente, establecimos como condición cubrir el curso de formación de líderes de células infantiles. Éste curso se diseñó especialmente para células infantiles y posee componentes adicionales al de células de adultos. Actualmente, después de varios años de trabajar con células infantiles, se ha sistematizado la enseñaza hasta formar un Centro de Formación donde se capacita a los líderes en contenidos como Teología de la Niñez y Derechos de los Niños y Adolescentes. Además de los contenidos tradicionales sobre el trabajo celular.

Thanks for praying for the Day with Joel and Mario in Myrtle Beach, SC and for the JCG board meeting. God exceeded our expectations and really answered your prayers.

The Wednesday “day with Joel and Mario” was the first such event, and I had my bouts of anxiousness. Yet, Rob Campbell led us in a very friendly, relaxed style. The 12 pastors and leaders, who were present for the event, were able to interact and share freely. 

I spoke twice, Mario Vega spoke twice, and both Rob Campbell and Steve Cordle also spoke. The participants were able to ask questions, add comments, and interact among themselves. Jeff Tunnell and Celyce Comiskey did a superb job of making the details work (baskets, refreshments, etc.).

The evaluations were excellent, so we had a time of rejoicing at the board meeting on Thursday.

Here’s just a few of the things I’ll share with you from the board meeting on Thursday (more later):

1. We’ll add a TWITTER sidebar to the JCG front page. By the time you read this, it should be up and running on the JCG home page.

2. We’ll have another Day with Joel and Mario next year on February 24, 2010, from 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Let me know if you’re interested (joelcomiskey@msn.com). The price of the day will be much cheaper, and we’ll have special prices for pastors who bring their lay leaders

3. We’d like to do the same thing (day with Joel and Mario) in additional cities in the future.

We appreciate your partnership,

Joel and team