Month: January 2008

In chapter three (Cell Reproduction: The Guiding Start of Leadership Development) of Leadership Explosion, I explore the subject of cell multiplication:

Our natural, human tendency steers us to maintain the normal, the status quo. We want the warmth and communion of the small group to continue forever. It won’t. In refreshing others, we are refreshed. Members of a team will never reach full potential unless they are able to grow to point of leading others. Unless provision is made for a cell member to become a cell leader, he never has the chance to exercise his spiritual muscles and truly depend on the living God.

Recently, I received a compliment from one of my cell leaders. He said, “Joel, the reason I like this church is because you were concerned about me. You kept on inviting me to your cell group. But you didn’t stop there. You prepared me and launched me out into ministry.” Paul is fulfilled in his new cell leadership position. I could have held tightly to Paul in my own cell group. But by sending him out, he’s able to exercise his own gifts and talents, while the church continues to grow.

It’s my growing conviction that cell multiplication and reproduction is the chief motivation behind leadership development. Effective cell churches tailor their training to fulfill the objective of cell multiplication. The genetic code of cell multiplication is instilled in each leader from the first moment he or she begins leading the new group.
Cell multiplication is so central to cell ministry that the goal of cell leadership is not fulfilled until the new groups are also reproducing. The new group can only be considered viable if it eventually births a new group itself.
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You can probably feel the radical nature of the above comments. I’ve learned since coming back to the U.S. from Ecuador in 2001 that multiplication might take a lot longer than in Ecaudor. Yet, the principles of the above comments remain true.

Comments?

 

Joel

Here’s the scenario:

You desire to help a brand new believer in Christ develop into a cell leader.  He/she is excited about the opportunity and desires to lead one day.

What TWO or THREE THINGS would you want to DO to prepare this person for cell leadership?

Your brief response would be appreciated.  You need not have eloquent sentences or lengthy paragraphs.  Make your response as simple and raw as possible.

Indeed, our BEING is quite important to God.  However, for now…let’s consider what you would want to DO with this individual?

Comments?

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com 

 

For the next several blogs I’d like to quote from Leadership Explosion. The three paragraphs come from chapter three, Cell Reproduction: The Guiding Start of Leadership Development.

The church will only expand its influence in the world by reproducing its most powerful unit, the cell group. Therefore, just as a family guarantees its legacy by producing children, so a cell group must seek to reproduce life in others by producing new groups.

God’s desire for reproduction is seen in the first chapter of Genesis: “God blessed mankind saying, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (Gen. 1:28).

In a similar fashion, God blessed Abraham at the age of ninety-nine saying, “I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers” (Gen. 17:2). Jesus commands the same type of fruitfulness in John 15:8: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” At the end of His ministry, Jesus said to His disciples: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:18-19). The only viable way to reap the harvest is through the reproduction of cell groups, and this demands more leaders.

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Small Groups are wonderful, but they can become stagnant and inward focused. Reproduction helps the group push forward and exercise spiritual muscles that would normally, naturally lie dormat.

Comments?

We’ve been talking about leadership tips. Steve Cordle reminded us yesterday about the importance of waiting on God to hear what He says. Amen, Steve. Great leaders are led by vision. And the lasting, important visions come from God.

We need God’s renewing vision on a daily basis. Are you leading a cell? Seek Jesus for His vision for your cell group. Are you considering leading a cell group? Capture what He’s saying about your future cell leadership. On Wednesday I read an interesting story about vision and a fish tank. Lance Wallnau was interviewing a homeowner for a project. Lance writes:

“I glanced at his fish tank and saw a most unusual, almost exotic looking fish. ‘What kind of fish is that?’ I asked. ‘That is a Japanese Oranda fish,’ the owner replied with evident pride. The fish seemed a bit larger than any tropical fish I had seen, so I asked, ‘How big will it grow?’ ‘That depends,’ the owner answered thoughtfully. ‘Depends on what?’ I mumbled absentmindedly as I observed the different colors of the scales. ‘Depends on the size tank you put it in. Stick him in a 50-gallon tank and he grows to nine. Without a tank he can be a foot long'” (Tranformational Coaching, p. 193).

As we spend time with God, He instills us with His vision for our lives and ministries. He also enlarges our vision. He helps us to enter new “fish tanks” of ministry with greater effectiveness and power. Asks Jesus to renew and enlarge your vision today.

Comments?

Joel

 

by Steve Cordle

 

John 1:13 tells us that those who come to faith in Christ are “children born not of natural descent, not of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Leadership and minstry can be spoken of in a similar way. Ministry which flows from God’s Spirit and initiative has a distinctly different flavor than that which comes from human ingenuity and will.

The NT repeatedly shows ministry flowing out of time alone with God. Consider, for example:

   Luke 9:18 – “Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them ‘”Who do the crowds say that I am?'” [Jesus’ time of prayer leads to this breakthrough for the disciples’ understanding of who He is.]

   Acts 10:9 – About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.” [Then comes revelation the Gentiles are to be part of the church].

   Acts 13:2 – As the church was worshipping and fasting, the Spirit speaks to set apart Paul and Barnabas for mission work.

   The book of Revelation was given as John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.

In my experience, most of the enduring and effective ministry ideas come out of time with God. It may be less manageable or predictable to minister this way, but much more fruitful too!