Month: May 2010

by Steve Cordle

Sometimes I am asked “You’re the senior pastor, why do you lead a group?”

Though our church is not as large as some, it is still a challenge to keep up with the demands of 3 campuses and over 1,300 attenders. Though we have several network pastors, I still lead a cell because:

1. It’s a good example.
I can’t call people to be in a group if I’m not, and if I’m in one I may as well lead it! It communicates that groups are where the action is.

2. I love seeing lives change from close-up.
It energizes me to see God working in the lives of people! Last week in our group I saw someone set free from decades long bondage to fear, a single mom experience the support and love of Christ-centered community, and another plan to share the gospel with a friend. Yes, most of my role is about the overall mission of Crossroads and developing others to minister, but why should I let others have all the fun?

3. I get to raise up more leaders.
I get to replicate my leadership, and it helps our church when more leaders are released to serve.

Other senior pastors out there, why do you lead a cell?

Steve

by Michael Sove

We have already established how important it is for the lead/senior pastor to actually take the lead when it comes to cell church vision and principles.  It’s not something that can be delegated away to someone else.  This week we’re looking at some practical ways to do this.

The lead/senior pastor has the opportunity to communicate cell church values every time he stands up to preach.  I’m not referring to speaking about cells using cell church terminology but speaking and giving personal examples that reinforce the values that form the foundation of a cell church strategy.

For example:  Instead of talking, “cells, cells, cells” speak about the beauty and benefit of community, the power of evangelism as a team, the need for “Spiritual Fathers and Mothers” to help and encourage those who are one step behind or just beginning their faith journey.  Of course all these messages are strengthened by stories from your life and others who are participating in cell life.

Not only must you talk about the values but you must walk out those values as well.  When you lead a cell or participate in a cell, you show that this is something you value, it is not just something you talk about.  The same can be said about personal evangelism, and discipleship as well.  The story about how God just used you to lead a person to Christ and how you are meeting him weekly for discipleship speaks volumes to those who are listening.

Bill Warren, our Senior Pastor, has been visiting cells and I continue to hear how that has encouraged the leaders and those in their cells.  They get the feeling that they matter and what they are doing is important, just through a simple visit.

Both Bill, our Senior Pastor and I the Cell Pastor / Champion lead the monthly V.H.S. (vision, huddle and skill) meeting for all our cell leaders.  He casts the vision for some aspect of our strategy.  He also uses this as a time to honor those who have lived out the values we are teaching.

Another way to exemplify leadership in a cell church is to keep things simple and on task.  In our setting, our objective is lived out in three words, “Connect, Grow and Serve.”  So everything we do and say comes back to living out these three objectives and helping others to understand how they can live them out as well.

People will tend to value what they see you doing rather than what they hear you saying.  So make sure what you are saying is supported by what you are doing and you will exemplify cell church leadership that will invite others to follow.

Comments or other practical suggestions?

Michael

by Mario Vega

The Pastor sets the biblical priorities through his preaching. With his teachings he determines the emphasis that his congregation will follow. From that point of view, the Pastor’s role is decisive to promote the cell model within his church.

To achieve this, the Pastor should use as a biblical interpretation tool the historical recognition that the New Testament churches had no meeting places for worship, only the meetings in the houses.

From that recognition, the biblical teaching takes on a new perspective to interpret passages that are traditionally seen from our culture and from our time. But when it is done from the historical reality, people discover the New Testament church’s lif,e and it allows them to be encouraged to live a Christian life where they can serve with their gifts, practice the ministry, and be motivated to evangelize.

As the pastor develops these subjects, he will help people understand the biblical concept of the church. And this is the best motivation for cell work. It also help a lot when the pastor is involved in goal setting, assessments, leadership training, home visits, etc.

Comments?

Mario

Translation in Spanish

El Pastor como impulsador del modelo celular.

El Pastor establece las prioridades bblicas por medio de sus predicaciones. Al enseñar determina los énfasis que seguirá su congregación. Desde ese punto de vista, es definitorio el papel del Pastor para impulsar el modelo celular dentro de su iglesia.

Para lograrlo, el Pastor debe utilizar como herramienta de interpretación bblica el reconocimiento histórico que la iglesia del Nuevo Testamento no posea lugares de reunión para el culto, solamente las reuniones en las casas.

A partir de ese reconocimiento, la enseñanza bblica adquiere una nueva perspectiva para interpretar pasajes que tradicionalmente se ven desde nuestra cultura y desde nuestro tiempo. Pero cuando se hace desde la realidad histórica, las personas descubren la vida de la iglesia del Nuevo Testamento y les permite ser animados a una vida cristiana donde pueden servir con sus dones, ejercer el ministerio y ser motivados al trabajo evangelizador.

En la medida que el Pastor desarrolla estos temas, enfatiza el concepto bblico de la iglesia. Y eso, es la mejor motivación para el trabajo celular. Por supuesto, tal trabajo de sustentación bblica puede ser completado con el involucramiento del Pastor en el establecimiento de metas, evaluaciones, entrenamiento de lderes, visitas a las casas, etc.

by Jeff Tunnell & President Dwight D. Eisenhower

You cannot teach what you do not know.

You cannot lead where you will not go. —

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

In speaking of the Lead Pastor’s role in Cell ministry I think the President’s quote is an apt summary.  Want to add yours?

by Joel Comiskey

We blogged last week about the need for the lead pastor to be totally committed to the cell vision and that without this commitment, the cell driven strategy would become irrelevant. To guard the cell vision as the main thing, the lead pastor must be personally involved in practical ways.

Personal involvement (such as leading a cell,attending a cell, or rotating among cells) allows the pastor to freely add cell examples to sermons. When a pastor who is personally involved in a cell talks about the need for community, body-life evangelism, leadership development, and the use of the gifts of the Spirit, that pastor can tie in personal involvement in cell life, drawing on a variety of illustrations and testimonies from real life.

A lead pastor who is involved in cell ministry will be more committed to assure that cell ministry is central in the Sunday service. Those attending the Sunday celebration need to realize that the primary pastoral services of the church are offered through the cell system. If they need ministry and help, they can find it in a loving cell group.Here are some ideas to make sure this happens:

• asking a cell member who has been transformed through relational ministry—new friendships, special ministry times—to share what God has done
• hearing the testimony of someone who has received healing within the cell group
• presenting a new multiplication leader to the entire church
• leading the monthly or bimonthly coaching meetings in which all the cell leaders are present
• making sure cell ministry is first on the agenda during staff meetings
• presiding over an annual appreciation dinner for cell leaders

As mentioned earlier, I think it’s a great idea for the lead pastor to facilitate a cell group or be part of a cell team. Most of the lead pastors I coach also lead their own cell groups. At the church I founded, Wellspring, both Eric, the lead pastor, and I lead a cell group. We want to exemplify what we want others to follow. For some pastors, like Mario Vega, leading a cell group just isn’t practical. Others, like Bill Warren, rotate among the cell groups. The key issue is involvement and leading by example. When the lead pastor is involved in cell ministry, he exemplifies to others the priority and importance of cell driven ministry.

Comments?

Joel