by Mario Vega
In a cell church that has reached maturity, the story of a person who becomes a convert is often like this: the person is invited to attend a cell. The message of the Gospel is presented to the person there. The person becomes a believer in two or three weeks.
Once he or she has made a profession of faith, he will attend the Leader’s route/training once a week. Meanwhile, he will continue to gather in the cell and in the celebration service. He is surrounded by the atmosphere of evangelism taking place. The person joins up with others who already share their faith as part of their Christian life.
For this person to present the gospel to others becomes something very natural. He will soon be talking to his family, friends and neighbors about Jesus. He will gain experience in how to evangelize. He´ll learn by doing, even though he hasn’t received much training in the theoretical field. Why? because evangelism has been the environment in which he was born again and began to grow in his faith. It’s what he has seen other Christians do.
In one word, evangelism becomes a way of life. It is not seen as an activity to which he devotes some time on a casual basis, but it is part of an everyday life. This is what should take place in every cell church.
Comments?
Mario
Translation:
El evangelismo como estilo de vida.
En una iglesia celular que ha llegado a la madurez, la historia de una persona que llega a la conversión se producira de la siguiente manera: la persona es invitada a asistir a una célula. En ella se encuentra con una presentación del mensaje del evangelio. Muy probablemente terminará creyendo después de dos o tres semanas.
Una vez hecha su profesión de fe, comenzará a asistir una vez por semana a la Ruta del Lder. Mientras tanto, continuará reuniéndose en la célula y en la celebración. A su alrededor todo el ambiente es de acción evangelizadora. La persona misma se suma a otros que ya comparten su fe como parte de su vida cristiana.
Para esta persona el presentar el evangelio a otras personas se vuelve algo muy natural. Pronto estará hablando de Jesús a su familia, amigos y vecinos. Adquirirá experiencia en la evangelización. Aprenderá, haciendo. No ha recibido mayor formación en el campo teórico pero en el práctico el evangelismos ha sido el ambiente que lo vio nacer y crecer. Es lo que ha visto hacer a otros cristianos.
En una palabra, el evangelismo llega a ser una forma de vida. No se ve como una actividad a la que se dedica cierto tiempo de manera eventual, sino que es parte de la vida diaria. Esto, más o menos, es lo que debera ocurrir con cada cristiano en una iglesia celular.
“evangelism becomes a way of life. It is not seen as an activity to which he devotes some time on a casual basis, but it is part of an everyday life.”
What a powerful and succinct statement, Mario. This is what is missing from so many American churches and why the churches don’t need cell groups or are not able to make them work when the pastors attempt to launch them.
Without evangelism as a part of everyday life on behalf of the members, a church fails to be a real church, groups or no groups!
Right on, Randall!! Randall, what is the best book on EVANGELISM through the cell that you know of?