You might not have noticed but Bill Joukhadar made a comment to my Monday blog on ethnic diversity in the worldwide cell church movement saying, “As you know the Maadi Community Church in Cairo, Egypt is a spiritual home to 50 nationalities and 40 Christian denominations. That’s our ‘normal’ mix! And, cells are flourishing!”
The MAADI church is an English speaking International church, a spiritual home for expatriates from 50 nations. When Bill took over the cell ministry, there were zero cell groups. Now there are 330 cell groups (3,100 members), 1,300 + new believers have come to Christ through our cell groups, 5 daughter churches were planted in the second half of 2006, and 900 + lay members have undergone their locally developed 6 session cell pastor training course (600+ are presently serving as lay cell pastors). The cell driven church plan has been adopted by evangelical churches in Cyprus, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Finland, The Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, The Philippines and California.
The MAADI church is known as ‘the church with the revolving door,’ with a turn over of 1/3 of the congregation every year. Yet, this church refuses to see this as a negative, but rather a postive because the church can help those who enter the church leave ‘on fire’ for Him and His purposes. Bill refers to them as “Fire Foxes burning up the work of the enemy, world wide.”
I did a cell seminar at MAADI church in March 2003 and remember being amazed at the power of God using cell church principles in every culture, time, and setting! They are unchanging. Way to go, Jesus. Thanks for using, Bill and team!
Joel