1. In the formation and direction of small groups the Senior Pastor will provide the primary leadership with the assistance of an Assistant Pastor.
2. Leaders for these groups will be trained on the job after a brief orientation.
3. Some groups will meet once a week, others twice monthly. Leaders and assistant leaders will be required to attend a monthly meeting. Once a quarter all groups will be called together for a combined meeting at the church.
4. Each leader will have an assistant that will be considered an apprentice in training, preparing for leadership in his or her own group within approximately 6 months.
5. The form of the meeting will be highly interactive in nature; that is, individual members will be drawn out to participate in a meaningful way. Leaders will be trained to move in this direction.
6. Each cell group will have a leader and assistant and host-hostess.
7. The goal for these groups will be to include up to 16 members with a constituency of up to 25 in a group, with an average attendance of 10 to 12 per meeting.
8. When these groups grow beyond the size, a new cell will be formed with the apprentice leading the new group into a new location with a new assistant to serve both groups.
9. At each meeting, one empty chair will be set out to reinforce the idea that this is an open group and efforts will be made to bring others in. Prayer time will include a request that the Lord will enable the group to fill that chair.
10. The basic ingredients of each meeting will include some form of worship, discipleship, fellowship, mission and "maintenance". The amount of these components will vary from group to group, but the balance will be intentional.
11. Each group leader will keep track of up to 25 names of members and their family members and be ready to provide care for them.
12. The small group movement will intentionally begin on a small scale rather then a church wide "big bang" effort, and then be allowed to grow naturally.
13. Some present ministries will be directed into the formation of these groups, such as present prayer groups or home Bible studies and perhaps the single adult ministry and youth ministry.
14. An important goal of these small groups will be leadership development.
15. The small home cell groups will be viewed as the place where spiritually healthy Christians are grown and then moved into the church program and ministry.
Leadership Expectations for Cell Groups
1. Leaders will be appointed by the pastor. No one will serve in leadership of a qualified cell group except through the personal appointment by the pastor.
2. They will receive initial orientation in preparation for
leadership.
3. Leaders will attend one leadership meeting per month. Attendance at this meeting will be absolutely mandatory.
4. Each leader will be expected to have working with him or her an assistant who will seen as an apprentice. This person will be chosen in consultation with the pastor and will also attend leadership meetings.
5. The cell group leader will not use their own home for these meetings but will lead meetings in another home.
6. Leaders will have the freedom to choose the teaching subjects with the approval of the pastor.
7. Leaders will be willing for their group to be divided when the growth occurs to make this necessary. Generally this will take place when the regular attendance exceeds 12.
8. Leaders will be expected to file regular reports regarding the activity of the group, attendance and evaluation.
9. Leaders will except ongoing guidance and training provided by the pastor as needed. Leaders will see to it that their groups do not exclusive but rather always welcoming new people and even making concerted effort to make sure that continues to take place.
10. Leaders will provide the first caring contact when a member
of their group has a special need or emergency. Following that first contact, pastoral staff will be available to provide further assistance.
11. Leaders will see to it that there is no borrowing or lending
of money between members of the group. Nor would there be any promotion of opportunities or sales parties.
12. Each group under the guidance of its leader, will determine
procedures for the caring of children if that is a need for that particular group.
13. Leaders will provide an opportunity for an offering to be
received at each meeting. This offering would be counted by the host and/or hostess and brought to the church in a special offering envelope and given in the Sunday offering, designated from that particular cell group.
14. Leaders will seek to provide an atmosphere of care among the members so that there will be prayer one for another as well as active assistance when that is needed.
15. When larger needs are apparent, the leader may make a benevolence request for the church to give assistance according to the guidelines of the church benevolence fund.
16. Approximately once every 3 months the leader will encourage
his or her group to attend a combined meeting with cell group leaders and members from other groups. This will be for the purpose of providing inspiration through singing, testimonies, discussion and instruction.
17. When a leader fails to perform his or her ministry according to the guidelines and expectations of the pastor, the leader will be spoken to directly, either by the pastor, or his designate (with the pastor's full knowledge), and the leader will be willing to relinquish responsibility without further process.
Interview with Joel Comiskey
Joel Comiskey is a pastor in a cell church in Quito, Ecuador and
has a Ph.D. from Fuller.
Q: How did you get into cell groups? Why are you so passionate
about them?
A: God truly led me into small group ministry. The first time I
sensed God’s calling in my life was when He told me to lead a small group.
My first ministry was leading a cell group among family members and
friends in my parent’s home for 2 years when I was 20. I was about 3 years
old in the Lord. I’m so passionate about them because small groups allow a
church to reach the lost and care for them and disciple them. Also, I
think it helps a church or ministry to get back to the New Testament. And
they emphasize the priesthood of all believers. I was able to use so many
gifts and leadership qualities —pastoring, teaching, counseling,
administration, visitation, etc. It’s an excellent place to prepare and
train leaders.
Q: What are the essential differences between a traditional
ministry and a true cell ministry?
A: A traditional ministry calls for people to come to the building
to receive help. The building and programs associated with the building
are the main focus. Basically, it’s a "come here" strategy. Cell ministry,
on the other hand, goes where the people live, work, and associate. It’s a
ministry that has a penetration strategy, which then brings the fruit of
the harvest to the church for celebration. Another major emphasis is how
the church views members. In the traditional church, the goal is for
members to come to church and listen to the gifted preacher. In cell
ministry, the goal is to convert those sitting in the pew on Sunday into
cell leaders who minister.
Q: What do you say to those who charge that cell groups don't
provide in-depth discipleship?
A: I would tend to agree with them. A small or cell group doesn’t
provide all the aspects of discipleship. It emphasizes outreach. I think
the small group leader needs to individually visit, call, and spend
additional time one-on-one getting to know the members of the
groups —that’s where discipleship occurs. In cell churches, discipleship
comes from the equipping track and the care structure for those who are
leading cell groups. I would say that cell groups are leader breeders. You
need to get them in, but also to move them out. Make sure the cell groups
have a focus on cell multiplication. A danger can be on the focus too much
on themselves. Healthy groups can stagnate. Make sure the groups are
multiplying. New leaders do need to be trained. Most churches have
equipping tracks in place. The mother cell leader would need to supervise
a new leader. People will not lead small groups until they are presently
participating in their small groups.
Q: Some say that cell groups promote believers who are too young to
be in a position of spiritual authority? How do you answer this?
A: There is a big difference between leading a cell group and
being a full-time pastor or elder in a church. When Paul and other Bible
authors talk about the office of the bishop, they were talking about
top-level leaders who would certainly require additional leadership
qualities. We shouldn’t place those same qualities on a facilitator of a
small group who is seeking to win his or her friends to Christ. A person
grows in maturity and spiritual authority while he or she is exercising
God-given gifts. This is part of the maturing process. We must also be
careful not to tell zealous believers that they must wait for years of
training before they can minister. So often in the process of waiting,
they lose contact with their non-Christian friends.
Q: What makes for a good cell group leader?
A: An effective cell leader is one who depends on God on a daily
basis. They maintain an active devotional life with Jesus Christ and
minister with God’s authority. Those in the group recognize that the
leader spends time with God and hears His voice. Intimacy with God is the
key to effective leadership. Another important quality of an effective
leader is willingness to work hard. Effective leaders are diligent. They
make visits and phone calls to members of the group whether or not they
feel like it.
Q: What can leaders do to train people to be fruitful?
A: Leaders must model the life they want others to live. They must
allow cell members to participate in the cell. Allow a potential member to
lead the worship time, the icebreaker time, and even the lesson time.
Afterwards, meet with the person, offer positive comments and feedback.
Continue the process until the person is leading his or her own cell
group. Give the potential leader some type of training. The training track
will vary from church to church, but a new leader should know basic
Christian doctrine, how to have a devotional time, how to evangelize, and
then how to lead a cell group.
Q: It is hard to change a traditional ministry into a true cell
ministry? Why?
A: No one likes to change. We become locked into our programs.
Some pastors are hesitant about releasing their lay people to do the work
of the ministry. They’re afraid. It’s less demanding to simply ask people
to come to church on Sunday morning and possibly be involved in a few
other programs when time permits. True cell ministry asks each church
member to be involved in cell ministry with the goal of actually leading a
cell group. This requires a greater time commitment and a greater
commitment to people and New Testament community. Many will resist this
and even leave the church.
Q: What are some of the mistakes beginners make?
A: Lack of proper care for cell leaders; asking the cell leader to
do too much (prepare own lessons, etc.); and not laying a firm foundation.
If cell ministry is just one ministry among many, it will probably die out.
Q: What is the first step you recommend a person take who is
looking into starting a cell ministry?
A:
(1) Establish a prayer base;
(2) Make sure the senior pastor is 100% committed;
(3) Study growing cell churches;
(4) Make an analysis of your own church in order to see the needs; people
won’t change unless they sense a need for change;
(5) Envision what you want to become;
(6) Patiently win the influential people in your church or organization
who you’ll need to make it happen;
(7) Start with a model cell group. The senior pastor or senior leader
leads this model cell group. Some people call it a turbo group. The goal
is that each member of this model cell group will eventually lead their
own cell group.
Q: Some may say the cell group strategy works better overseas than
in America. Have you found that to be true, and if so, what are the
challenges and keys to unlocking cell group ministries in the U.S.?
A: The small group explosion is alive and well in the U.S. Note
the following in an introduction to my next book on the small group
explosion in the U.S.: Seventy-five million adult Americans (not including
all teenagers and children in groups) are meeting regularly for some kind
of small group interaction and support. There are some 300,000 churches in
the U.S. but more than three million in small groups. Seven percent of
those surveyed who are not currently in a small group plan on joining one
within the next year. With the interest in small groups mounting
continually, especially in the face of an ever-increasing impersonal
Internet society, people are hungry to understand the dynamics of small
groups--and even how to lead one. I would also say that the small group
emphasis is probably the most effective on university campuses. In
general, while the small group movement is EXPLODING overseas, that’s not
to say that small group ministry and even cell church ministry is not
alive and well in the U.S. (Bethany World Prayer Center hosts 1500 pastors
and key leaders each year for their cell church conferences).
Q: What was your experience with university students in Ecuador at
El Batan Church like?
A: When my wife and I first started leading university students in
Ecuador, we started gathering them in a large group. We found that
although they had a good time, we weren’t preparing new leaders. They were
slipping through the cracks. We found small groups gave them the
opportunity to exercise their gifts. The university students were like a
pilot project in our church. That’s what’s happening in Bogota. The cell
strategy is modeled in the university students first. In our church now,
The Republic Church, I’m not the minister of youth. We have another pastor
who’s over the network of small groups. He has 40 groups under his care,
and 30 of those groups meet on university campuses. We’re seeing exciting
fruit from the university groups. It’s giving us a new vision. We’ve seen
a number of students saved.
In Bogota, they lead small groups anywhere and everywhere. I’ve seen
small groups meet outside a stadium on a Saturday, in parks, and just
about anywhere. There are 8000 cell groups just among the youth. We’re
talking maybe 17 to 25 maximum, maybe 23. Every Saturday night, 18,000
come to the stadium for worship. It’s a real harvest there. When people
get saved, they’re immediately funneled into a small group. It’s kind of
the in thing now, because of the harvest among young people, for parents
to send troubled youth into these cell groups. The in music in their
culture is now Christian music.
Q: What do you think would be the keys to transforming small groups
into effective cell groups on universities in America?
A: It’s important to understand the nature of a cell. It’s
constantly multiplying in the human body. It needs to be outward focused.
It needs to have a genetic code within it which tells it to multiply. It
needs to have the focus on multiplication. It doesn’t just involve
evangelism; it involves preparing new leaders, and discipleship. It
involves a variety of disciplines. The overriding theme needs to be
multiplication for small group leaders.
Q: What would you say to 300 university missionaries about
implementing cell groups on universities, many with 20,000-50,000 students
enrolled?
A: I think you have an incredible opportunity. It’s exciting what
God is doing in your midst. Remember the words of Christ, "The harvest is
plentiful, but the laborers are few." Raise up new leaders and release
them. You need to be willing to risk for Jesus. Determine what
discipleship means to you, and lead your cell groups with boldness and
confidence. Make sure that you’re always preparing new leaders. Focus on
multiplication. In other words, don’t focus on the group as an end in
itself. Think of the group as leader breeders. You must mentor and train
others to lead new groups!
Tracking down this former pastor turned missionary turned Ph.D. student
who traveled around the world and wrote a book that everybody’s reading is
no easy feat! He surfaced in Ecuador, where he and his wife and 3
daughters serve as missionaries at The Republic Church, a place where cell
groups are making inroads into the community and universities in Quito.
Besides being a really nice guy and knowing a whole lot about cell groups,
Joel Comiskey offers great resources through his website:
http://geocities.com/joelcomiskey/
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