Category: Cell Church Ministry

by Jeff Tunnell

www.bigbearchristiancenter.org

Discipleship requires that someone is asking the “hard” questions that relate to the application of the Word of God.  Some would refer to these questions as “Accountability Questions”, and if you Google that phrase you will find the first ten results will all be from Christian sites.  There are a myriad of questions that reflect a basic discipleship process and help you to mentor someone else in following Christ.

For cell leaders, our questions reflect another facet of accountability that is simple and fundamental.  Questions that request an honest response and intial evaluation of how the most recent Bible message that we shared together is being actively pursued for apprehension and lifestyle upgrades, i.e. becoming more Christlike.

This is certainly a great advantage within the cell-based church.  Any pastor would love to know that his message preparation has produced fruit in the lives of hearers.  Mid-week cell meetings bring the message to a strong deveolpment point where someone who knows the other person intimately is able to ask the questions that promote growth and progress.

What are the questions you ask?

by Jeff Tunnell

www.bigbearchristiancenter.org

Fishing in our town is done with poles, not nets.  This is a resort town with a man made lake, stocked to the fisherman’s delight!  Trout, Bass, Bluegill, Catfish, and a few others are just waiting to be caught.  Even after four decades of living here  I do not fish.

But net fishing for men is quite a different conversation.  In cells, we make “nets” to become fishers of men as a group.  This is the season of mending those nets for the coming year.  Cell activity is a little slower during January due to the recent holiday period.  This gives us a moment to examine the last year’s statistics and evaluate existing momentum.

Are the leaders tired, or excited?  Have there been salvations, baptisms, and regular progress through the training track?  Are new leaders being formed?  Are some nearly prepared for launching?  Would it be good to merge a couple of waning cells?  Is it time to “push” a little on a stalled out leader who is reluctant to multiply?  What is the health level of each leader?

Stepping back and getting a longer view of your work is helpful.  Healthy cells are the nets that we cast into our community to accomplish the work Jesus gave us.  Attention to the continued well being of leaders is so very important.  Where do your nets need mending?

Hebrews 13:20-21    Kataridzo!

Last night, we as a family celebrated our last advent time before Christmas. We read from Luke 2 where the angels felt compelled to share the good news to the shepherds about an extraordinary babe in the manger. After reading the familiar passage, we went around as a family and answered the questions:

1. How has Christ’s birth transformed the world

2. How has Christ’s birth changed our own lives.

We talked about: 

• Knowledge: Jesus gave us true knowledge of the Father. He portrayed a loving, caring Father–so different from the impersonal dieties of that time period. Jesus showed us that God is love. In fact, He loved the world so much He came down Himself to die for the sins of the world.
• Purpose: the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus gives us reason to live. Christ’s birth and death sets us free to live holistic, joyful lives. We are not a freak accident of nature. Rather, God has a perfect plan for each of us, and one day we will live forever with Him in heaven.
• Dignity: Christ’s birth among the lowly reminds us that God desires to reach all of His creation. While on earth, Jesus demonstrated his love for the oppressed, the impoverished, the sick, and those on the margins of society. Jesus gave new dignity to women. Christ’s birth gives new new confidence and hope.

Christmas is all about Christ, and we at JCG want to wish a very merry Christmas and happy new year.

Becuase of these important holidays, we will not be blogging for the next two weeks. We will continue this blog on January 05. Enjoy time with you families!

Joel Comiskey and the JCG team,

by Mario Vega

Once the prayer process has been completed, the first contact has been made, the friendship promoted and a special gesture has been expressed, the person is finally ready to be invited to the cell meeting.

This invitation is not an isolated event but rather the continuation of a constant interest to help a person. In fact, the invitation to the cell meeting represents a more efficient way to help a person.

At the moment you interpenetrate with their problems and concerns, you can invite them to come to a cell meeting where they’ll meet another person who experienced similar problems but has found solutions. New friendships will provide support for the new person’s difficulties.

If this process to “make a new guest” is followed step by step, the person will not hesitate to attend the cell meeting. Once he or she does, we must keep on encouraging this person to continue to do so. The greater the number of times a person hears the gospel the greater the possibilities to be converted.

The road to bring a guest to the cell meeting may seem long, but every time you travel through it, a pattern is created that will soon become a lifestyle. It is the lifestyle of an evangelist.

Do you have the courage to do it?

Mario

Translation:

La invitación a la célula.

Una vez se ha completado el proceso de oración, establecer el primer contacto, fomentar la amistad y expresar detalles especiales, finalmente, la persona está lista para ser invitada a la célula.

Esta invitación no es un hecho aislado sino que es la continuación de un interés constante por ayudar a la persona. De hecho, la invitación a la célula se presenta como una forma de auxiliar más eficientemente a la persona.

Ya compenetrados de sus problemas y preocupaciones, se le ofrece ir a una reunión donde conocerá a otra persona que vivió problemas similares a los suyos y para los cuales encontró la solución. Se le ofrece nuevas amistades que le apoyarán en sus dificultades.

Si este proceso para ‘hacer un invitado’ se sigue paso a paso, la persona no pondrá reparos en asistir a la célula. Una vez lo haga, se le debe continuar animando a que siga haciéndolo. A mayor cantidad de veces una persona escucha la exposición del evangelio mayores posibilidades que llegue a la conversión.

El camino para llevar un invitado a la célula puede parecer largo; pero, cada vez que se transite irá creando una pauta que pronto se convertirá en un estilo de vida. Es el estilo de vida de un evangelizador.

¿Tienes ánimo para hacerlo?

by Jeff Tunnell

www.bigbearchristiancenter.org

Genius; the ability to make complex things simple. 

Choose from the following list the activity you most regularly begin with in pursuit of your calling: Pray, think, read, sing, work, connect with others, write, avoid, postpone, gather information, just get started with whatever presents itself, delegate, prioritize.

Now, if you picked anything but the first word, PRAY, how are things going for you? Really? Jesus said “abide” or you will be fruitless. Once you abide, keep the outworking “simple”.  This is true genius; dependence upon God FIRST in prayer.  It is so simple that we miss it easily and substitute many activities in the place of “learn of me”.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light – how’s your load?

Do a quick word study on “commit” from Proverbs 16:3 – roll your works into God’s care. The picture is of a camel burdened with a heavy load: when the load is to be removed, the camel kneels down, tilts far to one side and the load rolls off.

Mary or Martha? Luke 10:42! Read it again, “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Be a genius today! Keep your cell ministry simple from the start, don’t make it harder than it needs to be.