Strengthening the Family

Cell Basics

by Joel Comiskey

Spring 2012

One of the saddest things about Western culture is the breakdown between the personal (e.g., marriage, family) and public lives of people. It is acceptable to say, “I don’t care what he or she does in private. That’s none of my business.”

God does care.

He’s not interested in public success without private victory. The two go hand in hand. This is true for cells and cell churches. I visited one large cell church that was a model of multiplying cell groups. Yet many of the leaders were so busy every night of the week trying to multiply cell groups that their marriages were suffering. “This might be a great success right now, but eventually this ship is going to sink,” I thought to myself. Sure enough, that church is now in disarray.

Healthy cell groups start with the inner cell circle–the relationships between husbands/wives and parents/children. John Maxwell once said, “True success is having those closest to you love and respect you the most.” Maxwell was referring to success in marriage and family.

Remember that the New Testament writers wrote their books to house churches. In Ephesians and Colossians, Paul gave family instructions to the house churches. He first deals with husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:22-33) and then follows with parents and children (Ephesians 6:1-4). These instructions were read to those in the house churches. Paul knew that healthy family relationships were the foundation for strong house churches. Do we? What are you doing in your cell church to promote healthy marriages and families?