Church Leadership
by Joel Comiskey
I really liked what Mario Vega said at our JCG event in 2011. He said, “Multiplication is a visible sign of discipleship and spiritual health.”
Some churches have a growing, functioning cell system and are producing healthy, multiplying cells, like the Elim Church (11,000 cell groups). Like a beautiful orchard, much fruit is naturally growing on the trees at Elim. Other churches, on the other hand, are not multiplying cells because the ground still needs to be plowed. I have coached pastors who couldn’t go forward because they themselves had not yet grasped key cell values. My job as coach was to help them understand the biblial basis for cell ministry, the trainting track, the power of prayer, etc. God first had to transform these pastors before they could produce leaders through cell ministry.
Other pastors are ready to go. I’ve been coaching one pastor who caught the cell vision , read widely on cell ministry, asked for coaching, and then started a healthy pilot group. He modeled what he wanted others to follow, prepared the members through training, and now has four new cells. His goal is twelve cells by the end of the year, and I fully believe he’ll do it.
Another pastor I’m coaching saw their cells drop way down because a pastor left to start another church nearby. His goal in 2012 is to maintain the ten current cells healthy, while multiplying two more. His actual goal is twelve cells with twelve people by 2012.
Where are you on the cell journey? Do you first need to plow the ground in 2012 and start your mutliplication goals in 2013? Are you ready to run this year because people are prepared through the cell training or are being prepared? Know the state of your flocks, where you are on the journey, and set your goals accordingly.