By Joel Comiskey, Making Disciples in the 21st Century Church
When Jesus started his ministry, he made it very simple and plain—make disciples. While the Romans and Jewish leaders didn’t understand what Jesus was trying to do, he had a clear formula and plan to change the world through making disciples.
His command to his group of disciples was to continue making disciples worldwide. They did this in small house churches, which would come together and celebrate whenever possible. They traveled throughout the entire known world, implementing this simple discipling process. Even fierce persecution couldn’t stamp them out. And the strategy that Jesus promoted is the same one that propels the Church forward today.
Cell church ministry is simple, following the pattern of Jesus Christ. Many people over-complicate cell church ministry, but it only involves four elements that focus on making disciples:
- Cell
- Celebration
- Equipping
- Coaching
All cell churches highlight these four essential elements. And these four elements apply equally to youth and children as adults. We must say a hearty yes to making disciples who make disciples through cell-based ministry. Yes to cell involvement, consistent Sunday celebration attendance, completing (or teaching) the equipping, and regular coaching.
And may I add that a local church can never have enough prayer and missions. I view prayer and missions as the oxygen of the local Church. Churches can never have enough prayer and missions and need these elements to breathe correctly.
Jesus is asking his Church to be very proactive in making disciples who make disciples, and because of this, we must make sure that our focus is razor-sharp.
Acts 2:46-47 says, “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, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Paul said, “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20).
Let’s say yes to making disciples through house-to-house ministry.