1.1.
Preparing
for the harvest
The
Lord promises to pour out His Spirit in
the last days. A harvest is coming when
the Lord will draw multitudes into His
Kingdom. He is calling His church to
prepare new wineskins to contain the new
wine of His harvest.
Matthew
9:37; Matthew 9:17;John 4:35
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2.
Teaching people to know Jesus (prayer)
Many
people know about the Lord, but He is
calling us to know Him intimately and then
help others to know Him. Cell group
ministry provides a proper spiritual
atmosphere for Believers to know Him.
Matthew
9:37;John 17:3
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3.
Reaching the lost (Evangelism)
Jesus
came to seek and save those who are lost.
The primary purpose of the cell group must
be to reach out beyond ourselves. Cells
that focus only inward become stagnant.
Focusing outward brings life.
Mark
1:17; II Timothy 4:5
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4.
The Great Commission (Discipleship)
The
mandate from our Master is to make
disciples, not just converts. Cell groups
provide the opportunity for every Believer
to be actively involved in making
disciples.
Matthew
28:19-20
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5.
Raising up spiritual parents
There
are thousands of teachers today, but few
spiritual fathers and mothers to nurture
young Christians. Cell groups are
spiritual families. Just like natural
families, healthy spiritual families
expect their children to eventually become
parents themselves.
I
Corinthians 4:15-17; I John 2:12-14
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6.
See the church as people, not a building
We
must resist the “holy building myth.”
The church is people (called out ones.)
Every person is important and chosen by
the Lord. Jesus told us He will build His
church. He was not talking about a
physical building, but a company of
people. The church meets both from house
to house and publicly (in the temple).
Matthew
16:18 & Acts 20:20
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7.
The saints are called to do the work of
ministry
We
must also resist the “holy man myth.”
Thinking that the “holy man” (leader
of the church) should do all the work of
ministry is a myth. God has given each of
His children gifts, talents and ministries
to be used to build His church. Many of
these gifts and ministries can only be
effectively nurtured in a small group
setting.
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Believers
need to be released to train others. When
all members are functioning properly in
their gifts and ministries, the church
will grow and prosper. The pastors and
Elders will no longer be held up as holy
men on pedestals doing all the ministry.
Instead, they will be released to train
each Believer to be a minister
Ephesians
4:11-12
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8.
Building trust and relationships
The
New Testament church is built on trust and
relationships, not on meetings and
programs. First and foremost, we need to
trust in God. Then we need to trust others
with whom we serve. Cell groups become a
greenhouse to encourage, strengthen trust
and build relationships among God’s
people.
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When
relationships are strong “underground”
in cell groups, relationships will be
strong in the entire church. God builds
living stones together through the mortar
of healthy relationships.
I
Peter 2:5 & Ephesians 4:16
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We
all need these three types of
relationships:
1.
Paul relationships - those who oversee us.
2.
Barnabas relationships - our peers in
ministry and leadership.
3.
Timothy relationships - those we are
training for future leadership.
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9.
Expecting spiritual multiplication
We
are commanded to be fruitful and multiply
and replenish the earth. Everything with
life will multiply. Believers who lead
others to Christ multiply. Cells multiply.
Churches multiply. A key to experiencing
spiritual multiplication is to expect it
to happen again.
Genesis
1:28; Acts 6:1,7 and 9:31
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10.
Our liberty in Christ (flexibility and
creativity)
God
values flexibility and creativity, and we
need to do the same. We all use the same
biblical principles, but the way they work
out varies from culture to culture, church
to church, and cell group to cell group.
Expect the Lord to give you wisdom to stay
creative. Sameness produces boredom.
Creativity releases life!
I
Corinthains 3:17-18
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11.
Empowering God’s people
Jesus
promised His disciples they would do
greater works than He did, and we are
included in that promise. He was empowered
us to do the works of God in our
generation. Wise church leaders empower
cell leaders as ministers of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and wise cell leaders
empower cell members.
I
John 14:12 and II Timothy 2:2
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12.
God is building teams in His church today
Teamwork
is modeled and learned in a healthy cell
group. We have been created to be
interdependant (to need one another.) Cell
groups are an excellent place to encourage
each other as we work together.
I
Thessalonians 1:1, I Corinthians 12:28
& Amos 3:3
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The
four components of a healthy team are:
1.1.
Common
Vision
2.2.
Common
Values
3.3.
Common
Procedures
4.4.
God-given
healthy relationships
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