Month: February 2011

by Michael Sove

In my last two blogs I have been sharing about the amazing things God did during my recent month in India.  This week I want to share with you the power of getting your cell group involved in missions, both locally and foreign.

The mandate from Jesus is clear, “… you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8b

For some of you it will begin with getting your cell involved outside themselves in the local community.  This is so important for the health and future of your cell.  This could be a service evangelism event or finding a needy family to adopt and care for.  We need to be in the community making a difference.  So we look for our cells to be doing something monthly either as a cell or working with another cell on some outreach or caring initiative.  Right now our church is hosting a homeless shelter next week and all our cells are involved in feeding and caring for these men.  We also continue to reach out to families we delivered Thanksgiving meals and Christmas presents to seeking to build relationships with these people.

But don’t stop with “Jerusalem” take your cell to the ends of the earth.  Here is how that has worked for us.  My vision is for each of our cells to adopt one of the pastors and their ministries who participates in my Impact India Prayer Network.  The primary purpose is for prayer, encouragement and communication but I hope it doesn’t stop there.  I encourage the cell to get behind their pastor in a financial way as well.

On my recent trip everywhere I looked I could see the evidence and impact of our cells on these Indian pastors and their ministries.  For example I was transported in a brand new vehicle for part of my trip, which was provided to a pastor by someone from one of our cell groups.  I stood in a church facility with a thatched roof, which will now be replaced with a new roof because of the generous gifts from two cell groups. I baptized 25 people in a tank that was paid for by another cell member and my last night in India I preached in a place that was rented thanks to the down payment from another cell group.  Computers and sewing machines have been provided and I was able to bless pastors everywhere I went because of the “Heart for the Nations” that has been developed in our cells over the last three years.

Imagine what God could do through your cell to impact nations for His Glory.

Michael

by Bill Mellinger

“Oikos” is such an important word and concept when referring to cell community that results in evangelism.  As you know, oikos is the Greek word for household or extended family. It refers to the people we come in contact with on a regular basis. Many of these people will be non-Christian.

Recently, one of our cell members wanted to do something to connect with his neighborhood oikos. He started planning a block party, and the cell helped him with the details.  We brought food, tables and chairs, and we ate with the neighborhood.

My own cell is doing the same thing. We are reaching out to our close friends and neighbors, so that they also may come to know the love of Jesus. We as a cell pray for opportunities to connect with friends, family, and close contacts. Through this type of outreach, my nephew and brother-n-law recently received Jesus and were baptized.

Who are the people in your “household,” your oikos, who do not know Jesus?  Are you sharing their names with the other members of your cell? Whenever we introduce our oikos to our cell, we take our cell to a higher level of community. I am convinced that true Christian community will always result in evangelism.

It is one thing to say we are really friendly.  Most churches and cells will say they are friendly, but rarely reach out. Yet real community can’t be contained. Frankly, I cannot think of anything more selfish than to enjoy the friendship of Jesus with other Christians and not share that friendship with those who do not know Him.  Community and evangelism must go together!

Comments?

Bill

by Mario Vega

The experience of fellowship in a house meeting is one of the key elements for evangelism. I don’t agree with those who say that if a cell promotes community/fellowship,  it will neglect evangelization. Or, conversely, that if it engages in evangelism, fellowship will be hindered.

In the model of the New Testament Church,  the two elements were mutually supportive. Scripture teaches, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47).

This passage clearly shows that fellowship and evangelization are two sides of the same coin. The one does not exclude the other. The truth is that one is not possible without the other. When a cell promotes fellowship among its members, it becomes a very attractive community to an  isolated, lonely world. And when the group works on evangelism, the bonds of fellowship deepen. When a group evagnelizes correctly, strong bonds of fellowship are developed. When true fellowship occurs, evangelism will be the natural result.

Comments?

Joel

Translation into Spanish

La comunión conduce a la evangelización.

La experiencia de comunidad que se vive en una reunión de casa es uno de los elementos que la convierten en una fuerza evangelizadora. No existe una oposición como la de afirmar que si una célula fomenta la comunión descuidará la evangelización. O, por el contrario, que si se dedica a evangelizar se obstaculizará la comunión.

En el modelo de la iglesia del Nuevo Testamento los dos elementos se sustentaban mutuamente. “De casa en casa partan el pan y compartan la comida con alegra y generosidad, alabando a Dios y disfrutando de la estimación general del pueblo. Y cada da el Señor añada al grupo los que iban siendo salvos.” Hechos 2:46-47

Claramente se nota en este pasaje, como en otros, que la comunión y la evangelización son dos caras de una misma moneda. La una no excluye a la otra. Lo cierto es que la una no es posible sin la otra. Cuando una célula fomenta la comunión entre sus miembros se vuelve una comunidad muy atractiva para un mundo despersonalizado. Y cuando se trabaja en evangelizar se profundizan los lazos de comunión dentro del grupo. Haber evangelizado bien, es haber construido una buena comunión. Tener una buena comunión, producirá evangelización.