I was talking to a youth pastor last week about multiplication. “What is the KEY to multiply groups?” he asked. “What is the secret of cell multiplication?”
My anxious mind raced to find an answer. I want to act like I know what I’m talking about, I thought.
My thoughts stopped at one theme. It’s the same theme that Mario Vega covered in last week’s blog on helping leaders to multiply cells. Mario concluded, “Today after all these years, I believe the key issue lies in training. Every leader is able to multiply the cell if he or she is properly trained and guided. I believe that multiplication is not reached by removing leaders, but by training them for the multiplication task.” [italics and bold mine]
I believe the KEY to multiply groups is to equip potential leaders who will in turn plant new groups or hive off daughter cells. Some of the best worldwide cell churches set future cell multiplication goals based on how many they expect to graduate from the equipping track. If eight will graduate by October, for example, they might set a goal of five new groups. Multiplication, in other words, is not something that happens by osmosis.
The most important task for the current cell leader is to make sure that one or more cell members are in the equipping process. Otherwise, there is very little chance that multiplication will actually take place.
I’m currently taking one couple through our equipping track on Wednesday night and another single guy on Thursday morning. I’m confident that both will eventually lead a cell group in our church. I’m not 100% sure they will do so, but I have a reasonable hope. Without a clear equipping process, however, we can talk about multiplication KEYS until we’re blue in the face, but it probably won’t happen.
What are your thoughts/ questions on this issue?
Joel
Several researchers have found on-going training or mentoring to be essential activities in church and cell reproduction. E.g. Garrison, Neumann, Patterson, Cole, Schwartz…
There are many training programmes and curricula, all of which prove helpful in training for reproduction, if followed by immediate application.
Outline of training practices from Mt 10, Mk 6, Lk 9 & 10
Action A: EMPOWER APPRENTICE WORKERS
Task 1. Have current workers pray out more workers (apprentices).
Task 2. Share authority with new workers to do all that you do.
Action B: ENABLE APPRINTICE WORKERS
Task 3. Commission apprentice workers in little teams.
Task 4. Give instruction to new workers in what to do and not to do.
Action C: HELP APPRENTICE WORKERS PLAN
Task 5. Practice with apprentice workers affordable, imitable methods.
Task 6. Plan with apprentice workers what they are to say and to do.
Action D: LET WORKERS REACH WHOLE FAMILIES
Task 7. Let workers start cells in homes of worthy (responsive) persons.
Task 8. Let workers bond with the people & adopt their customs.
Action E: LET WORKERS PREACH AND HEAL
Task 9. Let workers pray for signs and wonders in cell groups.
Task 10. Let workers proclaim the original Good News in cell groups.
Action F: HAVE WORKERS REPORT ACTIVITIES & RESULTS
Task 11. Let workers leave those who reject them.
Task 12. Listen to workers report to you on all they did and said.
Thus back to action A and task 1, and so forth, until each apprentice is able to do the same with their own apprentices.