05 1a

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Section 05: NEW CHURCHES AND HOME GROUPS, Foundation Level 1a

05 1a: Start daughter churches, reproductive home groups (cells)

Multiply reproductive discipling communities (new churches or home groups).

Good home groups (cells) are really tiny churches within a larger one.
DO NOT import the model of another church or organization. This is a major cause of failure. Rather, investigate the underlying principles, especially those that come from the New Testament, that God uses in other churches, to learn from their experience.
Each congregation has its own God-given corporate personality that we preserve.
As to organizational structure and detailed policies, let your church or home group reproduction evolve by building on the strengths, gifts, existing relationships and unique opportunities that God is giving your church.
Build on people and their strengths.

Do not build on ideas for programs, starting new groups or programs because of an ideology or plan. Let them grow around the leaders that God gives you.

Arrange constantly for new leaders to apprentice newer leaders.

Find in Matthew 28:18-20 what Jesus says we are to teach His new disciples do. (Let this be the foundation for any new church or home group you start, as it was in Acts 2:37-47).

Find in Acts 2:46 and 5:42 examples of home groups.

*Find in Acts 10 and 11:1-18 several principles for starting a new church. Look for:

the place of prayer,
adaptation to another culture,
a multi-church missionary team,
building on networks of family and friends,
the way Peter related the gospel narrative,
at what point the Holy Spirit converted the hearers,
the timing of their baptism,
evidence of ongoing follow-up,
the need to do new things for God in spite of critics (chapter 11).

*Find in Acts 16:19-40 several things that happened that helped give birth to the baby church in Philippi.

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* Stories (better, for letting the Word flow from friend to friend)

2(Optional Documents, to view, download or translate, for additional help)

Seven Tasks of Reproductive Home Groups.

Reproducing Churches--the Quickest Way to Win Many People to Christ. This document is cited from Church Multiplication Guide, © 2002 Patterson and Scoggins, William Carey Library, Pasadena, CA, USA, Chapter 01, Section 01. Select any of the following guidelines:

A. Let us Acknowledge that Church Reproduction Is Normal
B. God Makes His Kingdom on Earth Grow by Addition and Multiplication
C. Keep Church Planting Simple!
D. Pray and Plan with Coworkers to Multiply
E. Keep Records and Review Progress
F. Let Church Planters Practice in the Mother Church the Skills They Will Need

Becoming a Sending Church. Cited from Church Multiplication Guide, Patterson and Scoggins, William Carey Library, Pasadena, CA, USA, Chapter 15, Section 01. "We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith" 1 Thessalonians 3:2. Click the explanation you want now, of why and how God wants your church to serve as a 'mother church':

A. Let Your Church Be a Mother Church
B. Form Task Groups of Those who Have God’s Apostolic Gifting
C. Arrange for Bivocational Workers to Serve with Task Groups
D. Provide Unbiased Mission Career Counseling
E. Help Workers to Love and Esteem God’s Church
F. Pray for God’s Help to Grow by Multiplication as Well as by Addition
G. Give Missionary Trainees Practice in Effective Witnessing
H. Arrange for Activities That Will Help Your Church to Reproduce

(Optional Reading)

A must for home groups in the city: Home Groups for Urban Centers: Biblical Small Group Ministry on Five Continents, Mikel Neumann. If not yet in the book store, contact Dr. Neumann at Western Seminary, 5511 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97215; (503) 233 8561. E-mail MNeumann@WesternSeminary.edu

For evaluating church life in the light of Scripture: The Measure of a Church, Gene Getz

Discover any existing small groups among your people, their purposes and activities.

Who among those who attend small groups can bear testimony to the benefits their experience has given them?
Who else among your people have had satisfying small group experiences in the past?
How can testimonials be woven into congregational meetings to support your plans and efforts?

For help: Research

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