Why Plant New Churches

JOELby Joel Comiskey

People ask me, Joel, why are you so interested in cell groups. I’m excited about their potential for making disciples that make other disciples. Cells are leader breeders as Eddie Gibbs used to say. They are the perfect environment to produce new leaders. Yet, it must move to the realm of church planting and beyond if cell ministry is going to see it’s full potential. Reproduction is at the heart of the cell church movement. This reproduction comes at the level of cell leader but it must also move into the realm of church planting.

A person who has led a cell, multiplied it, and coached the daughter-cell leader(s) has completed the core basics of cell church planting. Such a person is a prime candidate for future church planting—anywhere in the world.

Undoubtedly, this same person will seek out biblical education and grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Fruitfulness on the cell level builds confidence for future church planting and allows the candidate to then make it happen.

Cell churches don’t require a huge budget, a large plot of land, modern buildings, or super-talented pastors. The cell strategy uses the houses of people all over the city as the primary meeting locations. Instead of laboring to get people out of their houses once a week for an hour-long service, it seeks to utilize those same houses to penetrate an entire city and nation.

Last week I ministered at Bethel International Church in Newark New Jersey. This church started as a single cell in 2001 and has now planted approximately fifteen churches worldwide. As I spoke to the 800 cell leaders present at the conference, I challenged each one of them to consider the possibility of planting a church in North America or another country. I told them that if they could multiply their current cell group and then supervize the new leader, they could eventually become church planters in another context. “After all,” I told them, “church planters often begin with a single cell, multiply it, care for the leaders, and eventually start celebration services when enough cells exist.”

I believe that the Lord of the harvest is looking to raise up more church planting pastors and missionaries today. Cell church ministry not only offers an exciting platform to raise up cell leaders but also church planting pastors and missionaries.

Comments?

Joel

11 thoughts on “Why Plant New Churches

  • When you establish a cell, should the leader use primarily his home or some other location as his main meeting place? Or is it all right to alternate between the homes of the members of that particular group? In other words allow the group to meet in different homes not just one home through out the month. You will still have the same leaders leading, but you use not one main home, but different homes every week. Please give me some advise on this, because I have been having problems with this. Also, what do you do with people who go from one cell group to another, but will not stay put in one group?

  • hi George, great question. I normally have used my own home when leading a cell group. However, it is ideal if you can find a great host / hostess to open his or her home. And yes, it’s a great idea to rotate among houses. In this way, the cell members can share the load of hospitality, which can be a challenge. And yes, I believe it’s best to have one leader in charge (and ideally with a team). Cell members should have one primary cell.

  • Hermano Joel, acabo de leer su libro De 12 a 3, me parecio muy interesante y respondio a varias de mis preguntas. Solo quisiera preguntarle algo.
    Menciona usted la conveniencia de que cada ministerio de la Iglesia sea dirigido a traves de un lider de celula del grupo de 12, en el caso de una iglesia que hizo la transicion de tradicional a celular, quien considera usted que debe manejar el asunto de las finanzas y como pues creo dificil que entre 12 personas se pongan de acuerdo para manejar la cuestion monetaria cuando esta incluye salarios etc.

  • Thanks, José. Israel, me parece mucho mejor que buscas alguien aparte como tesorero. La clave es que esta persona también está en la visión celular (mejor si el está guiando una célula).

  • Dios le bendiga siervo del altisimo todas las comferensias que resibimos estaba de bendision para los Lideres del Ministerio Behtel internacional

  • Cali, Colombia / Viernes, 11 de Febrero de 2011

    APRECIADO
    DOCTOR
    JOEL COMISKEY
    USA

    Cordial saludo.
    Gracias por sus Boletines en Español, son de mucha bendición para nuestro Ministerio.
    Por favor, indicarme ¿cómo compro su Libro en Español: PLANTANDO IGLESIAS QUE SE REPRODUCEN?.
    No tengo Tarjetas de Crédito, por eso através de Internet no puedo comprárselo, ¿Cómo lo puedo hacer?

    De antemano, mil gracias por su amable atención.

    Atentamente,

    JORGE DORADO
    PASTOR GENERAL
    IGLESIA MISIÓN APOSTÓLICA LA COSECHA
    CALI – COLOMBIA
    ——————————————————

  • Hermano bendiciones por su boletin, la verdad al igual que otros pastores estamos interesados en ser hombres del modelo celular y convertirnos en plantadores de iglesias en todo el mundo, la pregunta es encontramos este libro con el mismo nombre en nuestro pais Guatemala?

  • Le felicito por la iniciativa, estuve en uno de sus congresos en Rep. Dom. Mi esposo y yo tenemos un frente blanco el Cristo Rey un barrio marginado de la capital y predicamos todos los lunes al aire libre ahora queremos hacer una célula en la casa así que sus enseñanzas nos serán de mucha utilidad.
    Yokaurys Morales.

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