William A

THESECOND REFORMATION: Shaping the Church for the 21st Century

Houston: Touch Publications, 1997

POB 19888, Houston TX 77224, 800-735-5865

ISBN 1-880828-90-1

 

Page 26-27, Even traditional churches would liketo become:

·        “less isolated from the world in which it lives

·        more relevant to the needs of society

·        more compassionate in the way it uses money and manpower

·        reaching more people instead of promoting betterprograms

·        less materialistic with its huge buildings and debts

·        more redemptive and less political

·        and less influenced by the world it is called toinfluence”

 

Page 28, A small church group is a cell if:

·        It would survive without a building and Sunday service

·        Is called a church by its leaders

·        Its reproductions retain its dynamics

·        It is simple enough to survive without itsadministrators

·        It grows by adding new members, not programs

·        It reaches new, adult converts

·        It can survive under persecution

 

Pages 29-31, Common traits of the “two-winged“church:

·        Meets somewhere every day of the week

·        No building or a functional one

·        Growth before new facilities

·        Home-based cells are the main gatherings

·        Most Christian live out their faith in cells

·        Every church member is trained for small group functions

·        Big group celebrations result from small group health

·        Members remain accountable one to another

·        Many new leaders emerge to enable cell ministries

·        Sincere sharing takes place

·        “One another” passages are lived out

·        Cells are designed to survive persecution

·        Lost are reached through cell friendship

·        Spiritual gifts manifest in cells

·        Full-time leaders pray and seek God’s leading

·        Multiplication of workers and cells is continual

·        Cells touch the needs of society

·        Pastors provide oversight of cell leaders

·        Money goes to ministry and mission before programs

·        Cells minister healing to persons and families

·        Cells require few or no programs

·        Primary care comes from cell members, now staff members

·        Leaders equip others per Eph 4:12

 

Page 42, By AD 300:

·        “Christianity was more and more aligned withpolitical systems.

·        Professional leaders were developing church structure.

·        Spiritual power had given way to human ability andeffort.

·        Servant leadership was gradually replaced withauthoritarianism.

·        Church structure was being patterned after the world.

·        The church was on the defensive rather than theoffensive.

·        The small group context of the church was suspect in theeyes of government.”

 

Page 43, Constintine’s cathedral paradigm:

·        “People go to a building (cathedral)

·        on a special day of the week (Sunday)

·        and someone (a priest, or today a pastor)

·        does something to them (teaching preaching, absolutionor healing)

·        or for them (a ritual or entertainment)

·        for a price (offerings)”

 

Today, 80% of church members are consumers servedby the 20% who are producers, leaving no one to minister to the needy.

 

Much or most of the world today is a dystopia(opposite of utopia) (52): population explosion, urban implosion, socialalienation, church isolation.

 

Every effective social change movement in every countryuses small, action groups. Pastors who disdain cells as a first centurycultural artifact, do so to defend their privilege and incomes. Millions ofAmericans join small groups “seeking help for psychological, physical,emotional, or spiritual problems.” (67)

 

Benefits of two-wingedchurches (small groups & big groups):

·        Melody (small ones) & harmony (gig ones)

·        Simple, manageable units

·        Groups meeting their needs and available to the worldall week long

·        The Lord adds to the church and the churches multiply

·        Called leaders have a place to lead

·        Hurts & needs of the world can better be touched

·        People experience the presence of Jesus and easilyworship

·        Spiritual gifts can be exercised

·        The building problem is neutralized

·        Integrated ministries

 

Page 74, Cell structure enables exponentialmultiplication:

·        Cell structure enables all ministry functions

·        Growth takes place at the basic level

·        Cells multiply naturally without necessary prodding.

·        In both favorable and adverse circumstances.

·        In every type of culture

·        Producing leaders through the basic tasks

 

Page 84, Transcendence & Immanence

·        “Transcendence: How man relates to God in HisGodness.

·        Immanence: How God relates to man in hishumanness.”

Transcendence = The Most High God:holy, great, distant, beyond, eternal, above, King, majesty, inaccessible,exalted, wholly other.

Immanence = The Most NighG1od: intimate, near, present, indwelling, incarnate, involved, fiend, comfort,accessible, humble, identified with (85)

 

Christ indwells believers personally(Jn 14:20) & corporately (18:20). “Together in His name we become Hisliving body in which He indwells, empowers, and ministers.” (101) Hispresence + power –> purpose.

 

Page104, Big & small groups:

“Thelarge group and small group settings we see operating in the New Testamentprovide a unique context for God to express His transcendent and immanentnature to His followers.”

 

Page 107, The NT “rhythm“:

·        “They met in homes.

·        Worship was by participation rather than by being aspectator.

·        Teachings often reflected a small group context.

·        The agape meal was observed from house to house.

·        Gifts were exercised in a small group (cell group)context.”

 

Biblical examples of house meetings:

Jason (Thessalonica), TItus Justus (Corinth), Philip(Caesarea), Lydia (Philippi), Acquila & Pricilla (Rome & Corinth), thejailer (Philippi), Stephanas, upper room (Jerusalem).

 

Threats to small groups

“Historically, small group movements have beenweakened at two points: First, leaders of traditional churches resisted adifferent way of being the church and stamped out new movements. … The secondpoint of weakening was an inadequate theological understanding of the nature ofsmall groups on the part of its proponents. With the exception of Wesley, theleaders failed to teach that these groups were actually the church.” (121)

 

Work we do for Christ vs. work done in us byChrist.

 

Two observations from Thailand:

·        “Radical methods were necessary to reach a Buddhistcountry.

·        Current systems would not result in a New Testamentchurch model.” (146)

 

Using Schaller (The Change Agent):

1. Convergence of interest caused by discontent with thestatus quo.

2.Establishment of an initiating strategy group.

3. Legitimating and sponsorship of the idea through thedevelopment of a core group.

4. Mobilization and implementation of resources.

5. Fulfillment of charter by freezing at the new levelof performance.

 

Page 150, NT levels and numbers for transition toa cell church:

·        “Two who were Innovators;

·        Three who composed an Inner Circle;

·        Twelve who He gathered as Core Leaders;

·        70 who comprised His Support Network;

·        120 who became the firs Base Congregation;

·        300 and 5000 who were Converts.”

 

Conceived, introduced, owned, implemented, empowered,expanded. (151)

Page 158, Instant Cell Church Syndrome:

 

Symptoms:

1. Expecting multiplication during the preparationstages

2. Changing structures without first changing values

3. Depending on methods and materials rather than onprinciples and concepts

4. Attaching cell groups as an appendage to the existingone-winged structure

5. Servicing a high maintenance Sunday service whiletrying to establish a cell base”

 

Transmitted:

“1. When reading books about the cell churchmovement which challenge and cast a vision about cell churches withoutadequately explaining the process or time frame for becoming that kind ofchurch.

2. By visionaries who excite leaders aboutpost-Pentecost type results without preparing them to pay the pre-Pentecostprice necessary to establish an Operational model

3. From pilgrimages to large Operational cell churcheswhere the finished product is showcased without adequately explaining thedevelopmental years

4. At seminars and conferences where Operationalstrategies are suggested without taking into account the three and a half  yearpreparation process of Jesus Christ.”

 

Page 159, The Prototype period:

“1. Vision is discovered and cast.

2. Values are defined and internalized.

3. Leadershi0p is identified and developed.

4. Body life is experienced and modeled.

5. Infrastructure is tested and experienced.

6. Power is anticipated and received.”

 

Prototype factors:

Time: develop leaders, grow the cell, disciple converts,reproduce, set up infrastructure.

Commitment of the unpaid and less skilled.

Leadership: visionary team, 12 core leaders, 70followers, 120 – 200  base congregation.

Evangelism: Oikos & Cell.

Edification: cell body life.

Equipping: via trial and correction.

Reorganizing: round leaders, geographically,congregationally, pruning sick cells, to stimulate cell life, to assimilate newleaders.

Predictability: to develop training and materials.

 

Page 169, Foundation of exponential evangelism:

“1. Developing a passion for evangelism thatoverflows from edification

2. Establishing a cell system through which unbelieverscan be contacted, birthed, nurtured and trained

3. Training members to engage in holistic evangelism:relationship evangelism, seeker evangelism and evangelism of hard-coreunbelievers

4. Eliminating program barriers to evangelism

5. Balancing event evangelism with the development ofcell infrastructure”

 

Page 169, “Oikos evangelism …

1… teaches the most basic method of reaching people.

2… fits into a newly forming community and is leastdisruptive.

3… builds a broad network for future harvest while thecell community is being formed.

4… helps control the number of dysfunctional peoplewho are brought into the cell during the critical time of establishingcommunity.

5… trains cell members to win both the responsiveseeker and hardcore unbelievers.”

Page 183, Lessons from subgroups amongst theTwelve:

“1. Discover the format and dynamic of the basiccell unit.

2. Test out the essential working parts of a cellchurch.

3. Identify and gather essential leaders.

4. Develop a cell infrastructure.”

 

Page 184, Towards a basic cell unit:

·        “Live together in community

·        Take off relational masts

·        Learn the meaning of edification

·        Discover a workable cell format

·        Experience the dynamic of cell life

·        Nurture a passion for evangelism”

 

Testable working parts of a cell church:equipping, evangelism, intern training, leadership structure.

 

Essential leaders & interns:

District pastors over 1000s, zone pastors over 100, zonesupervisors over 50, cell shepherds over 10.

All are linked in support relations.

Only to two levels paid or ordained.

Biblical eldership qualifications for top two levels.

Leaders move up not in.

Unqualified leaders can be recognized early.

Everyone supports the cell leaders, Eph 4:12.

 

With ten or 12 functioning cells, it will take twoyears to introduce cell life throughout the congregation.

 

Page194, The support network implements withnumbers, legitimization, loyalty, skill, coalition, and ownership, dying tohidden agenda.

 

Page 207, Transition to a cell church through a “remnant“(retrofit) or plant a cell church (fit) :

“1.Discover the mechanics and dynamics of basic Christian community.

2. Establish 12 to 15 healthy cells through several testcycles of six to nine months each.

3. Insert essential components into the cellinfrastructure, such as the Jethro leadership structure, an equipping track,intern training, celebration worship, prayer and overflow evangelism.”

 

Jesus’ critical mass components: numbers, vision,commitment, values, time, process, leadership, structure, prayer and power.

 

“Reformation ofDoctrine

+ Revival of God’s Spirit

+ Remnant of God’s Committed

+ Restoration of the New Testament Design

= Spiritual Revolution” (232)