Month: October 2008

The printer is now printing my new church planting book, and it should be available in one week. I’m excited that Ed Stetzer, author and church planting guru, wrote the foreword. People like Alan Hirsch, Aubrey Malphurs, Larry Kreider, Bob Roberts, and Peter Wagner gave wondeful recommendations. Allow me to share the introductory excerpt from the second chapter (What is Simple Church?):
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When Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the door, he didn’t plan to break from the Roman Catholic Church. His goal was to correct abuses in the church and make God’s Word the foundation for faith and practice, not the pope’s authority.

Luther’s reformation didn’t settle the question of the true nature of the church. Break-away groups, like the Anabaptists, wanted to practice Luther’s doctrine in a church with like-minded people. They felt the state church was culturally bound and didn’t conform to Scripture. Yet Luther vehemently opposed the radical reformers, and the debate about the nature of the church continued unabated.

Similar debates continue to this day.

Some denominations, for example, don’t believe a church exists until an ordained pastor is in charge. Others won’t officially recognize a church until there are enough charter members; still others believe a church must first launch a public gathering, say on Sunday morning, before the real church is present. Some go farther, demanding robes and rituals. Wolfgang Simson sums up this view: “The image of much contemporary Christianity could be summarized as holy people coming regularly to a holy place on a holy day at a holy hour to participate in a holy ritual by a holy man dressed in holy clothes for a holy fee.”

I am convinced that many of our church definitions are far too complicated.
What is the church?
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I then go on to explain what I believe Scripture teaches about the simple nature of the New Testament Church. What do you think? Have we over-complicated the simple nature of Christ’s church?

 

Joel Comiskey

by Mario Vega

When recounting the results of our massive rallies, it is evident that in each one of them, we had met the goals we establisehd in our cells by almost 100%.

That is an important element because, normally, cell churches face the fact that the number of people attending the cells is larger than the number attending the celebration. But we found that we were able to mobilize the cells to bring their people to the big rallies.

There are two facts that made such a thing possible: a greater amount of transportation and a major motivation.

Regarding the transportation we might say that in these big rallies a greater number of buses were placed at people’s service. The cells at Elim rent dozens of buses every week to bring guests to the celebration. But, in these big rallies the number of buses came to be a couple of thousand.

I know that to facilitate transportation in some countries and cities is not as easy as in El Salvador. But, to facilitate the means by which the people will arrive to the church’s building is, undoubtedly, a decisive factor for a greater celebration attendance; which allows a balance between the cell meeting and the celebration service.

Comments?
Mario Vega

Otras lecciones de los eventos masivos.

Al relatar los resultados de nuestros eventos masivos, es evidente que en cada uno de ellos se reunió casi el cien por ciento de la asistencia que se tena en las células.

Ese es un elemento importante porque, normalmente, las iglesias celulares enfrentan el hecho que es mayor la cantidad de personas que asisten a las células que las que asisten a la celebración. Pero, ¿qué suceda en esos grandes eventos donde se alcanzaba casi el cien por ciento de asistencia?

Dos son los hechos que hacan tal cosa posible: una mayor cantidad de transporte y una mayor motivación. En cuanto al transporte se puede decir que en éstos grandes eventos una mayor cantidad de autobuses se pusieron a dispocisión de las personas. Las células de iglesia Elim rentan varias docenas de autobuses todas las semanas para llevar a los invitados a la celebración. Pero, en estos grandes eventos la cantidad de autobuses llegó a ser de un par de millares.

Sé que el falicitar transporte en algunos pases y ciudades no es tan fácil como en El Salvador. Pero, el facilitar medios para que las personas lleguen al edificio de la iglesia es, sin duda, un factor decisivo para una mayor asistencia a la celebración. Lo cual, facilita un equilibrio entre la reunión de célula y la de celebración.

 

By Jeff Tunnell

www.bigbearchristiancenter.org

The new cell is only two weeks old today and already in the hands of two other members!  While the forming continues at home, Pastor Dan Atwood (Faith Community Church, Tacoma, Washington) and I are in Baton Rouge, Louisianna for the Shake the Nations conference with Dr. Cho, Mario Vega & Larry Stockstill.  We hope to be catapulted into the next season of cell church expansion in our respective cities.  Or, we could just go to another conference. You understand, don’t you?

How often do we register for a conference just to get away for a few days, letting someone else do the work while we relax a bit?  Hmm…, should I pick up another 3-ring binder with the magic formula for this year’s attempts to expand my work, returning home to launch the latest attempt to grow the church?  Fortunately, No!  These leaders in the cell church movement will challenge us to fast, pray, dream, evangelize and build groups that multiply.  They will restate and reinforce the principles that have underwritten growth of the largest churches in the world. And they will do it with humility, sincerity and a desire to help us grasp a transforming kairos moment.  Maybe I am just excited to be here, but chosing a conference or cell church to visit each year has become a regular event since coaching with Joel Comiskey who formed this pattern in me.

The next event for me will be a smaller, intimate environment. Attending the one-day conferences offered by Joel Comiskey Group in February 2009 and sitting across the table from Joel Comiskey, Mario Vega, Rob Campbell and Steve Cordle.  Visit our home page at  www.joelcomiskeygroup.com to find more information and register. See you there!

by Rob Campbell

In the scriptures, we find a strong, dedicated leader of the people of God– his name is Moses. Moses was a brilliant man, educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:22). When we think of Moses, we recall God using him to part the Red Sea. We remember the challenges presented to him by his own people as they wandered through the wilderness. We think of his mentoring abilities with certain proteges like Joshua. There were times, however, when Moses needed others to experience God’s power. Let me cite three examples.

First, Moses was called by God to speak with the Egyptian Pharaoh and lead God’s people to liberty. His response to the Lord may ring of familiarity to you. “O Lord, I have never been eloquent,” he said. “I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exodus 4:10). Here, Moses is expressing to God his lack of confidence and power. How does God respond? God instructs Moses to take his brother, Aaron, with him to speak with the Pharaoh. In essence, God said to Moses, “Okay, my chosen leader, look around you– who is best qualified on your team to deliver the goods?”

The second episode illustrating Moses’ need for others occurs during Israel’s battle with the Amalekites. In Exodus 17:10-13 we read, “Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up– one on one side, one on the other– so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army.”

Finally, in Exodus 18 we find a very tired and weary leader. Moses was serving the people as judge from morning till evening. Enter Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. Jethro is being used of God as he says to Moses, “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone” (Exodus 18:18). Jethro further advises Moses to select capable people who would serve as judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, leaving only the most difficult cases to Moses.

Please notice that in all three cases cited above– God provided the power for Moses to be an effective leader. God sent to Moses other people– his team members. Now, don’t miss Moses’ response to these three scenarios in his life. He received his team members as a gift from God. This reception of help is rooted in humility.

Like Moses, you may need to receive help from God through others. No man is an island. No man can be strong all the time. Who is God placing in your life to be a conduit of His power? Who is your Aaron? Hur? Jethro?

Comments?

Rob

I’m on my way back to California from an awesome cell ministry trip to Allen Memorial Baptist in Salisbury, Maryland. Bill Warren (senior pastor) and Michael Sove (cell champion) are doing a great job of transitioning a traditional Baptist church to the cell church strategy (about 600 worshippers and 28 cell groups). I’ve had the privilege of coaching this church for the last two years.
This church hasn’t arrived. They’ve struggled and are struggling–like all churches. Transitioning this church is especially difficult because it has a 50+ year-old history.

Here’s an important lesson I learned from my time with them: Go with those who are running with the vision. Another version is: “Find your Eddy.”

Not long after picking me up from the airport, Michael and Carrie Sove started telling me about Eddy. “He will soon be a pastor in our church,” Michael said. “He’s not only multiplying cells, but he’s positive, has excellent people skills, and is totally committed to the cell vision.”

Here’s an interesting fact: Eddy has only been running with Jesus for one year! God used the cell group and the Encounter Retreat to transform him (delivered from drugs and alcohol). He moved from associate to cell leader to multiplication leader. He’s now planning his second multiplication and has a vision for 50 future cell groups. Eddy is young enough in the Christian life to bypass the tradition that says he can’t do it.

Michael Sove is spending loads of time with Eddy, because he sees his potential. Michael knows that Eddy’s fruit will inspire confidence in others, showing them that they can do it too.

I’ve seen this same strategy used over and over in the growing cell churches around the world.

Find your Eddy and run with him (or her)!

Comments?

Joel Comiskey