by Joel Comiskey

I was honored to co-lead Saturday’s seminar with Larry Kreider. I spoke 20 minutes on cell church, and he followed with 20 minutes on house church networks. We tag-teamed throughout the day. I sensed a lot of unity between us. But the best part of the my time in Ephrata, PA was hanging out with Larry Kreider before and after the seminar. Larry is one of my heroes. One of the key phrases that comes to mind when describing Larry is: bloom where are you are planted.

God planted Dove Christian Fellowship in Lititz, Pennsylvania some 25+ years ago. Larry showed me the house where Dove started. Then he showed me where he currently lives, which is just down the road from where Dove started. His younger sister lives down the street from him, and his parents live within a couple miles.

From the one house church in Lititz, Dove grew in ten years to 2000 people. Leading a megachurch would be a dream come true for most pastors. Kreider, however, realized that a megachurch would not impact the nations like a church planting movement, so he and the leadership team decided to give it away. Kreider writes, “Giving our church away better suited our vision of a cell-based church planting movement intent on training a new generation of church planters and leaders.”

Dove has now grown into 200+ worldwide churches. Even within a 1.5 hour radius of the Lititz, there are 16 Dove churches. I spoke this morning at Westgate Dove in Ephrata, PA, a church of 500 people.

Dove is the real deal, and one of the reasons is that Larry Kreider has bloomed where God planted them.

It’s quite common for pastors to pack up and leave every 3-4 years. They get itchy feet, problems occur, and they go looking for greener pastures. The greener pasture, however, quickly turns brown, and then it’s time to pack up and move on again. Such ministry rarely has a lasting impact. Kreider, rather, has hung in the saddle, worked through failures and problems, and witnessed God’s power and faithfulness .

As I toured the Dove office structure after the seminar, witnessed their growing book ministry, TV ministry, etc. I was blown away. I was also keenly aware that God is more interested than we are in blessing us and His church. He wants all of us to be fruitful and multiply!

And one of the keys is to bloom where you are planted.

Comments?

Joel

By Mario Vega

The evangelization work in cells is a method that follows its own guidelines and values. It has its own mechanisms to measure effectiveness. As in any process, cell work should be constantly evaluated.

The evaluation is performed by people who have demonstrated ability in the work and have the grace to encourage others. Many churches call these people “coaches.” At Elim church we call them “supervisors.”

In Spanish there is no other word that has exactly the same meaning as the word “coach.” When we use the word “supervisor,” we are thinking of the functions of a coach. The supervisor ensures the work is done as planned and is empowered with authority to correct any deficiency.

Apparently, this is the same idea that Pastor Cho uses. In Cho’s model, the equivalent of “supervisor” or “coach” is called “Senior Leader.” That is a leader who has reached a higher level and, consequently, can look after and exercise authority over the cell leaders.

“’Coach” is best understood as a person who accompanies and encourages other leaders to do the cell work. Although this may only appear to be a matter of semantics, it is interesting because it exposes the different conceptions of the supervising function in different cell churches.

What is term or concept you use in your church?

Mario

Translation:

La supervisión y los supervisores.

El trabajo de evangelización en células es un método que sigue sus propios lineamientos y valores. Establece sus mecanismos de operación y de efectividad. Como todo proceso, el trabajo celular también puede y debe ser evaluado constantemente.

La evaluación se realiza por medio de personas que han demostrado capacidad para el trabajo y que, además, poseen gracia para animar a otras personas. Muchas iglesias llaman a éstas personas ‘coach’. En el caso de iglesia Elim les llamamos ‘supervisores’.

En español no existe una palabra que tenga exactamente el mismo significado que ‘coach’. Por su parte, ‘supervisor’, se entiende como una persona que vela porque el trabajo sea hecho tal como se ha planeado al mismo tiempo que está dotada de autoridad para corregir lo deficiente.

Aparentemente, esta misma idea es la que utiliza el Pastor Cho. Ya que el equivalente a ‘supervisor’ o ‘coach’, es llamado en su modelo ‘Senior Leader’. Es decir un líder que ha alcanzado un nivel superior y que, consecuentemente, puede velar y ejercer autoridad sobre los líderes de células.

‘Coach’ se entiende más bien como una persona que acompaña y anima a otros líderes a hacer la labor. Aunque esto parece ser solamente un asunto de semántica, es interesante porque expone las diversas concepciones de la función de supervisión en las distintas iglesias celulares.

¿Cuál es su concepto en su iglesia?

Jeff Tunnell

It’s not too early to start making plans to be in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the “Day with Joel & Mario” in February 2010. This time of year my thoughts lean toward spending this special day with committed cell church leaders to hear from the JCG team. I enjoy the dialogue and discussion that happens over the lunch break,  and dinner out afterwards has some very fond memories for me. I’m marking my calendar for the last week of February so I don’t let anything get in the way. How about you?

by Rob Campbell

Check out Steve’s blog posted yesterday.  It’s excellent!  The motivation he writes about reminded me of a necessary ingredient for every leader.  It is PASSION.

Those with passion have a servant’s heart and a burning desire to pursue God.  Jesus was a passionate person.  Watch his passion and zeal displayed in the following scenario.

“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.   So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.  To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!’” (John 2:13-16).

Jesus was passionate about the temple which he wanted to protect as a house of prayer.

Passion is our personal motivation that overflows into the lives of others.  Yes, passion is contagious.  The passion of Paul and Silas is evident as they are accused of “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) for the gospel of Christ.  You will know passion when the pain is greater than the reward.

Antoine de Saint Exupery is noted for saying, “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders.  Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”  We are looking for men and women who have a passion for the sea of the harvest.

Comments?

Rob

by Steve Cordle (substituting for Joel Comiskey who hasn’t been feeling well)

I remember once as a young boy, standing at the top of our driveway on a fall day with a broom in my hands and gloom in my heart. My parents had asked me to sweep the driveway, which was covered with leaves from our oak tree. To me, the driveway appeared 2 miles long, and it seemed like I would be prisoner to that job for at least 3 days.

Last night I not only swept my driveway, but also our sidewalks. I also cut the grass. No one asked me to do it, and I did not mind doing it. What’s the difference? Motivation.

As a child, I did not care in the least what the driveway looked like. But now as an adult, it’s my driveway and yard, and I value seeing it look decent. Values drive actions. We do what we think is important.

We do what we value, which is why two churches can have the same cell training but see very different results.

We can teach people how to lead groups which multiply, but unless they personally value evangelism, discipleship and community, our instruction and coaching will seem like nagging.

The secret to cell ministry is not in finding the perfect Equipping Track or group material. It is instilling New Testament values of relational evangelism, discipleship, prayer and community. That’s our job as leaders: teach, model, and fan the flame of the values.

How do you assure that these values get driven deep into the fabric of your church?

Steve

by Mario Vega

When we are born into our new life in Christ, we begin to learn like babies. Under those conditions, what ever we are presented with as the Gospel is what the Gospel will be to us.

In a cell church the new converts are immediately incorporated to the leader’s training course. They simply follow the instructions they receive from the church. Therefore, we must not think that new converts will resist to participate in a course that will train them to become new leaders.

When we believe that people might make objections, we are thinking for them. And we’re thinking wrongly. The truth is that they don’t know that the course they are entering will eventually prepare them to be a leader. Besides, even if they knew they would eventually become leaders, they don’t know exactly what it means. Their greatest desire as new believers is to do God’s will. Therefore, they don’t object to serving God as cell leaders.

For these reasons, do not hesitate to incorporate every new believer in the training course. Don’t forget that what ever we present to them as the Gospel, that will be the Gospel to them. Let’s present to them the Gospel of service to God.

Comments?

Mario

Spanish translation:

El evangelio del servicio.

Cuando nacemos a la nueva vida en Cristo, al igual que los bebés, comenzamos a aprender. En esas condiciones, lo que nos presenten como evangelio es lo que el evangelio será para nosotros.

En una iglesia celular la nuevos conversos son incorporados de inmediato al curso de entrenamiento de líderes. Ellos simplemente siguen las instrucciones que reciben de parte de la iglesia. Por ello, no debemos pensar que los nuevos conversos se pueden resistir a participar de un curso que les capacitará para ser nuevos líderes.

Cuando creemos que las personas pueden presentar objeciones estamos pensando por ellos. Y estamos pensando mal. En realidad, ellos no saben que el curso al cual se les invita es para llegar a ser un líder. Además, si supiesen que terminarán siendo líderes no saben exactamente que significa eso. Pero, lo más importante es que su máximo deseo, como nuevos creyentes, es hacer la voluntad de Dios. Por tanto, ellos no objetan el servir a Dios como líderes celulares.

Por esos motivos, no se debe dudar en incorporar a todo nuevo creyente en el curso de capacitación. No se olvide que lo que les presentemos como evangelio eso será el evangelio para ellos. Presentémosles entonces el evangelio del servicio a Dios.

  Jeff Tunnell

“ Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”  Proverbs 13:12  NIV

This week welcomes the arrival of Rob Hastings, our new staff man.  I have seen the power of the above verse at work in me and was discussing it this morning with a very good friend of mine.  Many of you following this blog have accompanied me on the journey of transition during which this “smaller sized” cell church has begun preparing for the future.  We have been from one end of the emotional road to the other and have become familiar with both sides of the street!

Now we enter a time of rejoicing as the “longing” is fulfilled and becomes a tree of life for this congregation.   W e asked Rob to join us earlier in the year, and agreed that he should fulfill his assignment with the church he was serving at the time.  The months following were the season of longing for God’s desire to be manifested and for a goal to be reached.  Now we are here, finally, and  I want to enjoy the fruit from this tree of life.

Goal setting, an eye for the future, staying the course in difficulty, and remaining faithful in the calling of God on our lives are essential to continued ministry to His people.

There remain some “hopes” deferred and I continue to pray for their arrival and/or fruition, but for now…REJOICE!

by Rob Campbell

Who empowers others for ministry?

What is my role as a spiritual leader in this empowerment process?

First, Jesus is full of the Spirit of God– His source for power. He empowers you for ministry through His Spirit. Next, Jesus desires to release His power to his followers. Finally, as a leader, I must follow the example of Jesus and be a conduit of God’s power in the lives of others to release them for ministry. Therefore, as a pastor (or a cell leader), God uses me to empower others for ministry. This reality has nothing to do with my own power, but God’s power through me as Jesus exemplified in His own earthly ministry.

We see this impartation of leadership ability throughout the scriptures. “The Lord took some of the spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon the seventy elders, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it alone” (Numbers 11:17). As Moses prepared to relinquish his leadership role with the people of Israel, he said of Joshua (his successor), “Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him” (Numbers 27:18, 20). Be reminded of how David was selected by God to rule Israel. “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward” (I Samuel 16:33).

If you are still wrestling with your role in this process, then consider the following relationships of empowerment found in scriptures: King Artaxerxes and Nehemiah, Elijah and Elishah, Jesus and his twelve, Jesus and the seventy, Barnabas and Saul (Didn’t the ‘son of encouragement’ partner with God in empowering this former murderer of Christians?), Paul and Silas, Barnabas and John Mark, Paul and Timothy.

There are many more examples, but let’s focus in on you. Who partnered with God in empowering you to minister? Who believed in you? Who encouraged you? Who mentored you in your abilities, spiritual gifts and talents? Who took the time to listen to the dream that God put in your heart? Now, are you God’s conduit in empowering others? Or, are you all God needs in your field or area to do the work of ministry? How is God using you in empowering others for ministry?

Christian Schwarz writes, “Leaders of growing churches concentrate on empowering other Christians for ministry. They do not use lay workers as ‘helpers’ in attaining their own goals and fulfilling their own visions. Rather, they invert the pyramid of authority so that the leader assists Christians to attain the spiritual potential God has for them.”

M. Scott Peck wrote in A World Waiting to be Born: “Increasingly, the civil leader or manager begins to sense that the power of her position is not hers. It is not her possession; it is not hers to possess. The power belongs to God, and the proper role of the civil leader is merely to be a conduit and to steward that power as God’s agent. Merely! What a paradox! To exercise temporal power with civility is to undertake a role of great glory, and it can only be undertaken with genuine humility.” A spiritual leader saturated with the humility of Christ releases others for ministry so that God’s power may be extended.

Comments?

Rob