Month: November 2007

So often we become enamored with new strategies for reaching people that we forget the old. One of those old strategies is the empty chair. I’m referring to the time-tested method of placing an empty chair in the middle of the group and then praying for the next visitor (non-Christian or unchurched) who will occupy that chair. The empty chair approach helps the group remember that its mission is to reach others.

I was reminded of the empty chair last Thursday night during the American Society for Church Growth’s banquet at BIOLA University. Charles Arns was the speaker, and he presented the life and ministry of his father, Win Arns. Win Arns, who is now deceased, worked closely with Donald McGavran in developing the church growth movement. Charles Arns presented a film that his father had made about church growth way back in the 1970s. Donald McGavran, the father of the church growth movement, appeared frequently in the film and at one point extolled the importance of small groups in the growth of Christ’s church. McGavran said that small groups must focus on evangelism and outreach-in addition to personal care–if church growth is going to occur. McGavran mentioned that one of the ways that some groups reach out is to use the empty chair to remind believers to reach out to non-believers. 

I greeted George Hunter III, author of Celtic Evangelism and many other books, after the banquet. He gave me the paper that he was going to present to the conference and asked me to critique it. As I read his paper entitled What Kind of Local Church Reaches Pre-Christian People? I noticed the importance he places on small groups to reach pre-Christian people. Hunter writes, “In small groups, people gain experience in lay ministry, and are more likely to minister to people outside the group, and outside the church. In small groups with an “empty chair” that they fill with a seeker every six months, small groups reach people; in many churches, the groups are the initial port of entry for far more seekers tham the worship service.”

The empty chair anology stuck in my mind. When I was planning the WITNESS time for last Sunday night’s cell group, I placed an empty chair before the group and asked various members to pray for the next person to fill it. I believe it helped us all to remember that small groups are not just for the SAINTS–they’re also for those who AIN’T.

Comments?

 

Joel

The greatest of these is…. LOVE.  In Joel’s recent posts, he has been highlighting people around the world who are caring for the hurting.  Indeed, a good majority of these individuals are in quite hopeless situations.  The reason that these cells and/or cell churches care to help others is anchored in their love for God.  If we do anything “right,” then let’s love God and others. 

Love is a verb.  Love is action oriented.  Love never fails.  Perfect love casts out fear.  Those who love and care for you– show up.  They are present in your times of sorrow, discouragement and despair.  They also rejoice in your victories, successes and triumphs. 

Love also sends.  This past weekend, I had the opportunity to worship with Palabra de la Vida, a cell church in El Cercado, Mexico (thirty miles south of Monterrey).  This cell church is led by Pastor David Grimaldo and his wife, Lorena.  For the past ten years, I have watched this church transition to cells, grow in their passion for God through worship and prayer, reach out to not-yet believers, and more.  The church is full of love, excitement, and vision.

Here’s one example.  I asked Pastor David a few years ago to consider coming to San Marcos, Texas and begin a spanish speaking cell church.  To make a long story short– David accepted the opportunity.  This past Sunday during worship, I watched his church family love him…by sending him.  They didn’t try to hold on to him.  To be clear, they desperately want him to stay, but they trust God and Pastor David.  I believe that this church family in El Cercado AND the new cell church in San Marcos will flourish.  You see, their vision is anchored in love for God and others.

How, then, do we help the hurting?  First, we pray that God’s love will be stirred up in our hearts.  Next, we accept the fact that God is not calling us to change the world alone.  We need Him and we need others.  Finally, as a cell, we extend the love of God to those who are hurting…those who need to experience a God of love.

Find a need outside of your cell and go for it!  Your cell will be changed.  You will have a story to tell about the goodness of God.

Comments?

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com

 

For the last several blogs, I’ve talked about ways to offer practical assistance to those in need. I shared how Elton Lin, a church planter in San Jose, CA, gave $5,000 to each cell group and said, “Find a significant need and meet it.” I also highlighted how James Penner, pastor of a church in Canada, began to serve a local elementary school and then positioned the small groups to help the needy families of that school.

I’m feeling very burdened right now for the situation in Tabasco, Mexico, the home of Jesuscristo es la Vida Eterna. In my blogs on October 17 and 19, I talked about my seminar in this cell church of 3,000 people and 400 cell groups. When I was with them in mid-October I noticed that it was raining a lot, yet I was shocked to find out that the rains never stopped. Right now some 80% of the city of Tabasco is underwater. MNSBC reports, “A week of heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, leaving 70 percent of the Gulf state of Tabasco underwater, and forcing thousands of people to cling to rooftops or flee to shelters. It is the worst flooding the state has seen in 50 years. Nearly all services, including drinking water and public transportation, were shut down.”

One of the pastors of Jesuscristo es la Vida Eterna, pastor Alejandro, told me that the church itself is not underwater but that many members of his church are in crisis. Pastor Alejandro sent me an email saying, “Many of the brothers of the church have lost everything, and because we are a very large church, I’m talking about a lot of people. The way to help us at this time is economically. If it’s possible please take a love offering.”

He then gave me a way to wire money to the church’s bank account. My wife and I plan on sending an offering to help during this time of crisis. If you’re interested in helping, please send me an email and I’ll tell you how.

Joel

On Wednesday’s blog I spoke about Elton Lin’s novel idea of giving each home group $5,000 to minister to the poor and needy. Elton’s groups are still actively working on their projects. Elton writes, “All three groups have linked up with local agencies to connect with people. One group has completed their project and have helped clean out the basements and repainted the exterior of two houses in their neighborhood. We’ll see how the other two groups go.”

On Wednesday, I was coaching another pastor, James Penner, senior pastor of Ross Road Community Church in Abbotsford, British Columbia (picture of James on right) and was thrilled to hear his testimony of practical service. James felt a burden to make a difference in his community. He decided to adopt a nearby school called Ross Road Elementary School. He told the principal that his church wanted to love and serve the school in anyway possible. James figured that by serving the public school, the church would be reaching out to the community.

Since that time, the church has sent approximately ten to fifteen volunteers to the school to help out. The church has financed a literacy program, raised money for the school, and tutored needy students. The church found out which families at the school were in fnancial need and asked some of the small groups to reach out to these people (food, Christmas presents, etc.).

The church gives $300.00 to each small group at the end of the year to minister to needy people. James told me that his own small group poured their time and money into a poor, non-Christian family from the school, whose father was dying of cancer. The dad eventually died and asked the church to do the funeral. The parents of the deceased father (the mother a former devout Jehovah’s Witnesses) were so touched that they started attending Ross Roads Community Church! James told me that he’s trying to change the DNA of his groups to become outreach oriented.

I was touched and challenged by Pastor James Penner example to reach the poor and needy.

Comments?

 

Joel