Month: July 2008

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com

Thanks Joel for the excellent post yesterday on a very real experience in your cell gathering that led you to write on community.  We extend our prayers to Celyce and your family in the loss of her father.  We are also grateful for his conversion to Christ in his final years.  We commit to pray now and in the days ahead.

Let me share a few thoughts about community.  Indeed, “community” has become a buzz word of late in many churches.  Indeed, some simply talk of community, but never experience the essence of community.  I’ve listened to many pastors elaborate on community, but never taste its joy, intimacy, and transparency.  Others experience community week in and week out to which we give thanks to God. 

Years ago, I ran across this definition of spiritual community.  I wish I could give credit where credit is due, but I do not remember the source of these words.  The author was eloborating on spiritual community in the context of Acts 2:42-47.

He/She writes:  “[Spiritual] Community is revolutionary, designed for any society or age; subjects are loved, nurtured and protected; everyone has distinct gifts, yet differences bring people together; anyone can be included, yet each person is irreplaceable; unconditional love abounds, but also uncompromising accountability; a center of joy, celebration and worship; one big happy family.”

In essence, we need God and each other– don’t we?  Mother Teresa once said, “You can do what I cannot do.  I can do what you cannot do.  Together we can do great things.”

May our desire for such community be more than talk and words on a page.  May it be expressed through our actions.

I trust that Celyce will not soon forget her cell community grieving with her.  Yes, their presence will be cherished in the days ahead. 

Comments?

Sometimes nothing works in my own LIFE group. You know what I’m talking about. The flow isn’t there; I’m out of touch; children act, well, like children. How wonderful when the Holy Spirit shows up and creates a sense of community that transcends human understanding.

We had one of those LIFE group meetings last week. Everyone showed up on time. The ice-breaker opened us up (what do you like best about the summer?) My 13-year old daughter did an awesome job of leading worship on guitar. She even guided us to wait on the Lord between songs. The little kids behaved very well during the ice-breaker and worship. They were a blessing and not a distraction. Or was it my own attitude?

The children then left for their own LIFE group in the adjoining room. We then applied Acts 12 about Peter’s miraculous escape from prison. The questions flowed well between observation and application (download the lesson here). We learned about what happened back in Peter’s day, but we also shared deeply about our own miraculous answers to prayer. My wife, Celyce, shared about the miracle of her dad’s salvation at the age of 80–just six months ago.

We were about to enter the Witness time when Celyce received a phone call from her sister, Belinda. Belinda relayed the news that their dad had died two hours earlier. We gathered around Celyce to pray for her as she wept. We comforted her in a sensitive, Spirit-led way, all the time rejoicing inwardly that Leo is now in heaven and free from pain.

Celyce needed the entire LIFE group community at that moment. The Spirit brought comfort through the members in a deep way. Community through cell ministry is powerful! We experienced Christ’s presence in a special way. 

Do you have a similar story. Please feel free to share it. .

Joel

by Mario Vega

It was quite common listening to shootings in the city during the war. This is why, despite of it we had become accustomed to continue with our meetings. That, precisely, happened the day when the offensive began. Nobody imagined that those shootings would no longer stop.

It was already too late by the time people realized that something out of the ordinary was happening. To go out the street was a lethal risk. No one ventured to such a possibility. So, Christians and invited friends had to stay at the hosts´ houses while the fighting lasted. Soon the power and water service ceased. Large capital areas were left without these services for more than ten days. How could a number of 20 people survive in one house under these conditions? In addition there was no food reserves in those houses.

Several things happened. Essentially the practice of solidarity. The leaders acted as such. They assumed the responsibility of the group not only encouraging them spiritually but taking measures for what it seemed was going to be a long stay. They began to share space, the little water available and food rationing. They sent the children to the interior rooms while covering the doors and windows with the furniture to prevent the entry of any stray bullet.

The situation was extreme but leaders reacted putting into practice the truths about love and service they had been taught. Wasn’t evangelism and care the cells´ purpose? It was time to achieve both tasks. Some leaders had to go out into the middle of the fighting to find food and water and succeeded. After that, people knew that Christianity was more than mere words.

Comments?

Mario

Translation in Spanish:

La solidaridad en marcha.

Escuchar tiroteos en la ciudad durante la guerra era bastante común. Por ello, nos habamos acostumbrado a continuar con nuestras reuniones a pesar de ello. Eso, justamente, pasó el da cuando la ofensiva comenzó. Nadie se imaginaba que esos tiroteos ya no se detendran.

Para el momento en que las personas se dieron cuenta que algo fuera de serie estaba sucediendo ya era muy tarde. El salir a la calle era un riesgo letal. Nadie se aventuraba a tal posibilidad. As, los cristianos y amigos invitados tuvieron que quedarse en casa de los anfitriones mientras duraban los combates. Pronto cesó la energa eléctrica y con ella el servicio de agua. Enormes áreas de la capital se quedaron sin esos servicios por más de diez das. ¿Cómo podan sobrevivir alrededor de 20 personas en una sola casa en esas condiciones? Además en esas casas no haba reservas de alimentos.

Sucedieron varias cosas. Pero, esencialmente fue la puesta en práctica de la solidaridad. Los lderes actuaron como tales. Asumieron la responsabilidad del grupo y además de alentarles espiritualmente tomaron medidas para una permanencia que se presenta prolongada. Comenzaron a compartir el espacio, la poca agua disponible y a racionar los alimentos. Enviaron a los niños a las habitaciones interiores mientras cubran con los muebles las puertas y ventanas previniendo la entrada de alguna bala perdida.

La situación era extrema pero los lderes reaccionaron poniendo en práctica las verdades que les haban sido enseñadas sobre el amor y el servicio. ¿Acaso no era el propósito de las células la evangelización y el cuidado? Era el momento de lograr ambos cometidos. Algunos lderes tuvieron que salir en medio de los combates para encontrar alimentos y agua y lo lograron. Después de ello las personas saban que el cristianismo era más que simples palabras.

 

 

by Steve Cordle

 As Joel said in a post earlier this week, many can criticize, but fewer offer solutions.

I happened upon a blog in which the author (Brian Jones) was asked, if you think small groups are as effecftive as they should be in the U.S., what would you do instead?

His answer was thought-provoking: he said he’d pull together some of the most spiritually responsive people in his church and regualrly take them out with him evangelizing, feeding the poor, as well as spend time praying and doing Bible memorization of lkey passages.

Now, I’m not pushing a Brian’s strategy here; you might define the actions of a disciple differently than he does. I am asking this question: when a cell groups lose energy, numerical growth, and transformational power, could the reason be that there is not enough focus on the actions of disciple making – on teaching people “to obey” (Matt. 28:20)?

Groups don’t make disciples, people do. Specifically, people who are living out discipleship and inviting others to join them. People generally don’t become closer followers of Jesus just by sitting in a living room talking – they need to be in action with others.

Are your group members memorizing and obeying key Bible passages? Are they regularly talking to others about their faith? Have they served the poor this month? [some disciple activities] If so, I suspect you have a growing, life-giving group.

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com

A fellow JCG Board member and friend has experienced a deep loss in the past few days.

Mario Vega (Pastor of Elim Church in San Salvador, El Salvador) lost 29 of Elim’s church members in a church bus/van accident in which high waters washed the vehicle off the road.  See details at this link:

 

 http://www.elsalvador.com/mwedh/nota/nota_varias_fotos.asp?idCat=6329&idArt=2566952

May I suggest your church family pray for Mario and this tragic loss for Elim?

“We rejoice with those that rejoice, and we mourn for those who mourn.”

Please click on comments to encourage and support Mario and Elim during this tragedy.