Chapter one: Signs of Hope<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Summary:<\/strong> The cell based model has numbers to demonstrate its effectiveness in reaching a group of people with the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Quotes and Commentary:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cBut the effectiveness of these dynamic cell churches demonstrates that a local church can significantly penetrate a region with the light of the Gospel\u201d (Loc. 178).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n Note: Models can be effective even if the founding principles are not biblical. And models can be ineffective even if the founding principles are biblical. We have to strive to see both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cGod has chosen to make his Church the instrument through which He will extend His kingdom. When the Church reaches the unreached by demonstrating and proclaiming the Gospel, God\u2019s kingdom advances.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n Note: This wording used here of \u201cKingdom advancing\u201d is often thrown around without a proper understanding of the theology of the Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cNoted cell church researcher Joel Comiskey offers this simple and clear definition of a cell church: \u201ca church that has placed evangelistic small groups at the core of its ministry\u201d (Loc. 215).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n Note: While a \u201ccell group\u201d is \u201ca group of 3-15 people that meets weekly outside the church building for the purpose of evangelism, community, and discipleship with the goal of multiplication\u201d (loc 236).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cOne way cell groups differ from other small groups is that they are fundamentally outward focused\u201c (Loc. 240).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n Note: While not a strict distinction, I think the concept built into cell groups is distinct from most small groups, at least in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cThe goal of the cell-based church is to help equip Christians for the ministry of making disciples who make disciples\u201d (Loc. 245).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n Note: Again, this is in contrast with many small group models which attempt \u201cto keep\u201d people a part of the body. It can do both, but when we focus on \u201ckeeping people in\u201d I think we forget to focus on \u201cbringing people in.\u201d You can have the \u201ckeeping\u201d without the \u201cbringing\u201d, but I don\u2019t think you will see the \u201cbringing\u201d without getting the \u201ckeeping\u201d tossed in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can see the early church\u2019s rhythm of \u2018cell and celebration\u2019 in these passages from the book of Acts: \u2018Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts\u2019 (Acts 2:46) \u2018Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.\u2019 (Acts 5:42)\u201d (Loc. 249).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n\n Note: This is very true. So much so that I think we could handle a lot more development of the New Testament texts here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Overall,<\/strong> relying on numbers and \u201ceffectiveness\u201d can be misleading. Models can be effective even if the founding principles are not. And models can be ineffective numerically even if the foundational principles are biblical. The point is to be faithful in doing what is biblical. So this chapter could use a whole lot more biblical basis, which would be easy since the concept of small groups meeting together to study the Word and inviting pre-believers in is biblical.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chapter one: Signs of Hope Summary: The cell based model has numbers to demonstrate its effectiveness in reaching a group of people with the gospel. Quotes and Commentary: \u201cBut the effectiveness of these dynamic cell churches demonstrates that a local … Continue reading