Myth: Cell Church coaching models bring life and growth
Truth: Coaching models have no life; they only organize the coaching that is already taking place. 
The largest cell churches in the world have incredible coaching models. That is, they’ve learned how to provide coaching/supervision for each cell leader. Each cell leader feels vitally cared for and supported. I’ve written a number of books on these coaching models: Passion and Persistence, Groups of Twelve, and From Twelve to Three. The problem is not with the model.
The problem occurs when a pastor thinks that having a coaching organization will produce coaching results. It doesn’t. The act of actually coaching cell leaders brings the results. The coaching model simply organizes the coaching that is already happening–it doesn’t force it to happen.
Some of the mega church coaching models (G12, 5X5) are found in places like Korea, San Salvador, Sinapore, and Africa. The tendency is to go there and copy the coaching model, hoping for similar results. Yet, in the western world, where growth isn’t happening as rapidly, the coaching model isn’t nearly as important as the coaching process itself.
Comments?
p.s.: I’m here in southern Ireland! My entire family is with me. Ireland is beautiful and the people are very friendly. But the roads are so narrow! We’re taking a week vacation. I spoke at a cell conference last week in northern Ireland, along with Laurence Singlehurst from the UK. The conference was held at Christian Fellowship Church, a cell church in which Robin Mark (“Revival in Belfast” CD) leads worship.
Joel