Month: March 2008

by Mario Vega

In 1987, after several attempts to establish an evangelistic work with small groups in homes, I decided to launch a much larger new effort. This time, I was encouraged by the fact of having a little more information on how Pastor Cho´s Korean model operated.

I chose among the church ten brothers who I consider were more spiritually developed. All of them had already significant roles within the church. For several weeks I devoted myself to explain in detail the little I knew about the cell model, its results, and mechanics and how they would become the first leaders.

The brothers received with much pleasure and excitement the idea and none of them missed even one of the training sessions. At the end of the course we had dinner together, since we saw this moment as the one that would mark history in our city.

With the first ten trained leaders, I dedicated myself for another several weeks to teach the church about the adjustments we would make to work with cells. Without knowing it at that moment, we were taking steps for the transition of a traditional church to a cell church. We were serious this time and on our way with all the enthusiasm and commitment.

At the end of those weeks the enthusiasm in the church was so great that I thought that everything was ready… until the time to ask for the first homes to initiate the work came. As much as I insisted, it was not possible to complete the ten homes I needed for the first ten cells. I managed to find only nine houses. With great pity I had to apologize to one of the brothers who ended without a cell. But he was very sympathetic and waited until there was a home available.

All the effort was focused on the leaders. I hadn’t given any training course for hosts or done anything to motivate them. It was a mistake that hampered the initiation of the first ten prototype cells, as I had planned. I learned to never underestimate the important role of hosts.
Comments?

Mario Vega

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Blog in Spanish:

En 1987, después de varios intentos por establecer un trabajo de evangelización con pequeños grupos en casas, decid lanzar un nuevo esfuerzo mucho mayor. Esta vez, me animaba el haber obtenido un poco de más información de cómo operaba el modelo coreano del Pastor Cho.
Escog en la iglesia a los diez hermanos que consideré más desarrollados espiritualmente. Todos ellos tenan ya funciones significativas dentro de la iglesia. Durante varias semanas me dediqué a explicarles detalladamente lo poco que saba del modelo celular, sus resultados, la mecánica y cómo ellos se convertiran en los primeros lderes.
Los hermanos recibieron con mucho agrado y emoción la idea y ninguno de ellos faltó a una sola de las reuniones de entrenamiento. Al final del curso tuvimos una cena juntos, pues, lo veamos como un momento que marcara historia en nuestra ciudad.
Con los primeros diez lderes entrenados, me dediqué por otras semanas más a enseñar a la iglesia sobre las adaptaciones que haramos para trabajar con células. Sin saberlo en ese momento, estábamos dando los pasos para transitar de una iglesia tradicional a una iglesia celular. Esta vez bamos en serio e bamos con todo el entusiasmo y el empeño.
Al final de esas semanas el entusiasmo en la iglesia era tan grande que pensé que todo estaba listo… hasta que llegó el momento de solicitar los primeros hogares para iniciar el trabajo. Por mucho que insist no fue posible completar los diez hogares que necesitaba para las primeras diez células. Solamente logré encontrar nueve casas. Con mucha pena tuve que disculparme con uno de los hermanos que se quedara sin célula. Pero él fue muy comprensivo y esperó hasta que ubiese un hogar disponible.
Todo el esfuerzo estuvo centrado en los lderes. No haba hecho ningún curso de capacitación para anfitriones ni haba hecho nada por motivarles. Fue un error que me dificultó iniciar las primeras diez células prototipos, como lo haba planeado. Aprend que nunca se debe subestimar el importante papel de los anfitriones.
 

 

 

by Steve Cordle

Connecting personally with one another and with the world is an essential part of group life. Actually, we are already connected in many ways – we just need to recognize it.

Recently it was discovered that the water supply for over 41 U.S. residents contained trace amounts of prescription drugs. Mood stabilizers, hormones, antibiotics and more were found in the water of several major metropolitan areas.

It turns out that when we take pills our bodies don’t use all the medication, and some of it gets…well…flushed. Treatment plants take out most other impurities, but the drugs have snuck through the system and into the tap water.

We are not isolated beings — as humans we are connected. What happens to the person next door, across town, or across the globe, will affect you.

If the person next door is so down that she is taking anti-depressants, it will affect you, not just in the water supply, but in the very fabric of the community. The hope, fear, blessing, and pain of those around you will in some way influence your life.

If those next door are not yet following Jesus, our interconnectedness is yet another reason to reach out.

And of course the Bible says we Christ-followwers are the body of Christ, that “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Cor. 12:26)

Make your group a place of true connection, authentic community, and you changee the world (and maybe the water supply).

 

Jeff Tunnell, sitting in for Rob Campbell this week

Relationships, conversational establishment of belief and action frameworks, application of truth with a genuine love for our own cultural groupings while embracing diversity are dominant attitudes of this generation. Cell ministry embraces all of these ideals, and more, while consistently holding to principles that shape enduring ministry to a hurting world in search of stability and faith.

Principles must never be abandoned! They guide us consistently through life while it is “coming at us”. Scripture itself tells us that firm foundations in biblical truth are required to keep us from being blown about by every wind of doctrine. Following this principle, we conclude that there exist firm foundations in Cell-based ministry that keep us from being tossed about in our approach to ministry.

Have you been deluded by the world’s thinking that you can have everything you want, as fast as you want, any way you want it? Do you think you deserve a faster transition that comes in half the time? Are you disappointed in God who has not granted your requests within your timing? Be careful, look for the principles you are working with (or against). Principles change us, we don’t change them. It takes time to establish strong foundations.

Pastor Mario Vega opens his heart and ministry attempts to us, discussing the efforts made prior to their fulfillment. Joel Comiskey continues to remind us that principles always work. Steve Cordle articulates our continuing need to evaluate what and how we are “doing ministry” and Rob Campbell is ever ready to challenge us to think outside the box. Each one calls on us to comment on these valuable insights into cell ministry.

Hey, what a team! Thanks guys for your concern for the world-wide cell church!!

Comments?

Jeff Tunnell

Has anyone used www.meetup.com to invite new people to your cell group? We have one couple in our church who has literally birthed a cell of 15-20 people through this website. John and Janet live approximately 15-20 minutes from our celebration venue. Janet said to me, “I became desperate for communication with young mothers who were experiencing similar struggles and joys of raising young children. So I began to search on the internet and discovered meetup.com. I posted that I was starting a group for young mothers and now I have 36 mothers registered.”

As a result of the mother’s group, John and Janet started a family cell group on Monday night for those who wanted to learn more about Jesus. They now have 15-20 people coming. They also post their Monday night cell group on meetup.com.

Meetup.com is not a Christian site. Every kind of group imaginable is listed. Yet, it might be a great way to attract pre-Christian people to your small group. The service is only free for the first 30 days. After that, it costs $12.00 per month for a minimum of six months ($19.00 if you just use it one month at a time).

I haven’t tried it but I think I will. Why? At least in CA it’s not attractive to go door to door. And fliers rarely work. Yet, people are on the Internet 24-7. It seems like an effective way to advertize the cell group to unchurched/pre-Christian people in the area. Janet told met that when people respond to the invitation, it’s wise to first set up a phone call with the person to make sure it’s the right fit (e.g., you don’t want to attract evangelicals from other churches to your cell). Granted, nothing can replace friendship evangelism. Yet, meetup.com might be an effective tool to add to your evangelism arsenol.

Has anyone on this blog tried meetup.com? Do you have suggestions or ideas?

Other comments?

 

Joel Comiskey

In my third attempt to work with family groups, I developed a more articulated plan which I solemnly presented to the whole church. I named that attempt “Kalós Plan”. “Kalós” is a Greek word and it appears in the New Testament several times. It is translated as: good, better, straight, honest, loyal. As in Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good (kalós) works”. This verse was the motto of our plan.

After several weeks emphasizing the plan, the brethren had been infected. They had to reach their friends showing them their kindness, honesty and faithfulness. All of that within the context of small groups in homes.

After several weeks of promoting the plan we did not get the expected growth. I was disappointed, and knew that we had failed in a new attempt to follow Pastor Cho footsteps.

Today, remembering that Kalós plan, I see that we were on the right track. It was persistence what we lacked of. To obtain the first fruits we only had to persevere. But, my impatience ruined the effort.

Winning the lost ones by showing them our good works is effective. It is the way that Jesus recommended. But it is necessary to add the ingredients of patience and perseverance. After sowing it is necessary to patiently wait for the arrival of the harvest. We must not get tire of doing good.

 

What has your experience been in reaching out to others?

 

Mario Vega

 

In Spanish:

EL PLAN ‘KALOS’

En mi tercer intento por trabajar con grupos familiares, desarrollé un plan más articulado que presenté solemnemente a toda la iglesia. A ese intento le di el nombre de ‘Plan Kalós’. La palabra ‘kalós’ es griega y aparece en el Nuevo Testamento varias veces. Se traduce como: bueno, mejor, recto, honesto, fiel. Como en Mateo 5:16, ‘As alumbre vuestra luz delante de los hombres, para que vean vuestras buenas (kalós) obras.’ Este versculo fue el lema de nuestro plan.
Después de varias semanas de enfatizar el plan, los hermanos se haban contagiado. Ellos deban alcanzar a sus amigos mostrándoles su bondad, honestidad y fidelidad. Todo ello dentro de un contexto de grupos pequeños en los hogares.
Después de varias semanas de promocionar el plan no obtuvimos el crecimiento esperado. Decepcionado, saba que habamos fracasado en un nuevo intento por serguir los pasos del Pastor Cho.
Ahora, recordando aquel plan Kalós, veo que estábamos en el camino correcto. Lo que nos hizo falta fue la persistencia. Solamente debamos haber perseverado para obtener los primeros frutos. Pero, mi impaciencia hizo que el esfuerzo se echara a perder.
El ganar a los perdidos mostrándoles nuestras buenas obras es efectivo. Es el camino que Jesús recomendó. Pero es necesario añadir los ingredientes de paciencia y perseverancia. Después de sembrar es necesario esperar con paciencia la llegada de la cosecha. No debemos cansarnos de hacer bien.