Month: August 2007

Jeff Tunnell again, filling in for Steve Cordle. 

Cell-based ministry is difficult, not readily accepted by the masses, and feels like pushing an oversized bowling ball uphill.  It starts out as an awkward task and just about the time you have both hands behind it and are making progress there’s a bump in the road.  Now the ball moves to the right or left and wants to roll backward by gravitational pull.  You are forced to spend your time ‘chasing the movement’ to recapture your uphill direction.  When you arrest the ball from its sideways attempt and discover that you’re slightly off the original path chosen you make corrections to adjust.  Oh, and you’ve lost the momentum previously gained and start pushing as if you had never started.  What Fun!

Every bit of progress is made by EFFORT that has a worthwhile cause driving it.  Joel has often reminded his listeners of “Spoude”, the Greek word for “diligence”.  The word also carries the concept of “forwardness”, i.e., having a set mind to move ahead.

I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back…, you know the song?  We make this decision to follow Jesus because He alone is the Savior.  Pursuing Cell-based ministry is a similar decision, or should I say ‘conversion’?  It is against the grain, swimming upstream and in conflict with ‘norms’ of ministry – but it is right, biblical, relational (like Jesus) and long-term effective.

Don’t give up, stay the course, make the effort!  James 5:7

I like what Rob said yesterday about the importance of team ministry. Let’s apply this to the cell. Many cell leaders assume the mentality: “I’m the cell leader. I need to do all the work.” Wrong. The cell leader is the facilitator, not the work horse. The cell leaders is the person who orchestrates the work for the whole group to carry out.

Remember the concept of net fishing versus pole fishing? It’s the team that does the work. Everyone participates!

There’s too much work for one leader to do alone. Consider the pressures that a cell leader places upon himself when he embraces the statement “I need to do all the work.”

• Prepare and facilitate all the various parts of the weekly meetings, making it look very polished and professional.
• Personally reach your lost friends (and your member’s lost friends) for Christ.
• Meet with everyone in the group as often as possible to mentor and disciple them into strong believers.
• Train an intern or apprentice by having them watch what you do so that when he gets his own group, he’ll know what to do.

Instead of doing everything yourself — which will never create a feeling of community or new leaders — involve the team! Ask others to help you in every aspect of cell life and leadership. On Friday, I’ll give some practical steps to involve everyone in the cell.

Comments?

Joel