GOD'S RECIPE FOR ORGANIC CHURCH

Gods Recipe For Organic Church
by Terry Somerville www.totalchange.org

 
Eating organic food has become a big industry in recent years. For a while the word "organic" was used to trick the public into paying more with getting the real thing. Now there are government guidelines in labeling "organic' food.
 
In the last few years there's been much talk about returning to the "organic" church. But what does that mean? Many regular churches are using this term to attract members. Now (somewhat tongue in cheek) I'd like to suggest some guidelines to using the term "organic church".

Guidlines To organic Labels in The Church
 
The Organic Church Is Not Genetically Modified - It Has Pure DNA
For centuries church life has been planned and preprogrammed down to tiniest detail. The church's DNA has been modified in the petrie dish of institutionalism. Such manipulation of the core life of Jesus' gathered people is unnatural and "inorganic". In spite of occasionally creating monstrous plants, this modified DNA has resulted in chronic immaturity with little fruit bearing.
To be organic the church must have the unmodified DNA of Jesus controlling her life. Each plant growing according to the divine code within. Only then is the church truly organic. Unfortunately, most of her gardeners are trained in church genetics and refuse to take a "hands off" approach. To be labeled "organic" the life of Jesus must be allowed to freely flourish in His body.

The Organic Church Does Not Use Pesticides - It Has Natural Resistance
In the modern church, out of control plants ( young believers) and disruptive pests (sinners) are controlled by a herbicidal response and poisonous attitude. "Unsubmissive" or "You are not welcome here". No More! What may seem to be "a garden springing up in disorder" in fact allows God's life and natural immunities to start to work! Discernment, healing gifts, evangelism, encouragement, and many other gifts all wait dormant. When these gifts operate, believers will love the unlovely, resist sin, cast out devils, and save souls. Organic church life is a natural pesticide. In the organic church we embrace Christian life, weeds, pests, and all. To be labled 'organic" the church allows God's love to flow to problem people. It covers a multitude of sins.
 
The Organic Church Does Not Use Chemical Fertilizers - It Grows In The Compost of Life Recently, the futility of "seeker friendly" fertilizers has been noticed by church gardeners around the world. The "church growth" garden was all the rage but it produced an addiction to fertilizer, not to Jesus. These chemicals gave a spurt of enthusiasm but soon drained the plants of real life! This "hydroponic church life" is not organic, not genuine. We need real soil! Theres nothing like being dumped in manure grow Gods life! Away with the artificial church! To be labled organic, the church must grow in the compost of daily living.
 
The organic Church Has No Artificial Color or Flavor - It Is All (super) Natural!
In spite of the claims of spectacular signs and wonders, intensely dramatic prophecies and promises of the "greatest anointing", it seems that the plants in God's garden have not been doing well at all! But what do we expect? The recent spate of "heavenly" flavors tasted intensely artificial! Cheap imitations of the real thing, being sold by hucksters! ("Come and get it!") NO! It's time for God's people to get out of the supermarket and visit God's road side stand! Go organic! The organic church produces the best naturally ripened fruit and it tastes like nothing else on earth! Ditch the fake stuff and get into God's organic garden!
 
The Organic Church Has Free Range Believers - No Chicken Coop!
The church as we have known it, has been like a farming conglomerate. Every chicken owned and controlled! Sure you know the manager, but his job is to keep you in the coop! .... Force fed on a timer under artificial lighting! Lay that tithe! The real organic church has free range believers. Freely gathering together, but part of the larger flock. Eat naturally, sharing with each other, growing under the sun! Free to stretch and fly! (God's chickens can fly) To labled organic means believers are free to be part of God's entire garden and not bound. They are bound only by the law of love!

The Organic Church Has Biodiversity - It is Not A MonoCulture
Todays church farm is a monoculture. All may NOT contribute their ministry. All plants are expected to be the same. Sit there and grow! No variety allowed. If something different springs up in a church it is soon cut down. It is "unsubmissive".
In the organic church every plant is unique and contributes to the farm. It is encouraged. Each one contributes their unique gift as Jesus works through them. We are the 'planting of the Lord" and produce His abundance. This makes for stronger roots, rapid growth, greater strength, disease resistance and healthier variety of fruit! To be labled "organic church" every member participates, bringing their particluar flavor. Building each other up.

The organic Church Is Environmentally Sustainable
The modern church garden is coming to an end. It has exhausted the gardeners, stripped the soil, created chemical-resistant pests, become over run with weeds, and produces tasteless fruit. It is not sustainable. The world is not buying from this garden any more.
 
The organic church garden is coming into its own. It can grow in todays environment. It can adapt to a changing world. It thrives in crisis. It is simple. It is portable. It needs no budget or building or program. It is full of God's life. It is real and produces great tasting fruit. It just needs organic believers.
 
It is God's Organic Garden

WHY LESS IS MORE: ADVANTAGES OF SIMPLE CHURCHES

Why Less is More: Advantages of Simple Churches
By Neil Cole

In our quest to be part of a powerful move of God’s kingdom, we often are tempted to think the solution will come from a complex composite of things that produce the results we so desperately long for. We cry out to the heavens for a solution that will finally change the church forever. Many travel every year to new seminars and conferences, buying the latest books and binders full of new methods in our search for the answer. The primal scream of our hearts is a search for spiritual success that will ultimately change the world. To our query of the universe, Albert Einstein once commented, “When the solution is simple, God is answering.” In this article, we will describe the practical ways our team—Church Multiplication Associates—has used to multiply and network house churches that saturate neighborhoods and nations with the message of Jesus Christ .

                                            Why Are Simple Things Better?
The Power of Simplicity
There is something special about the power of simplicity. Many of the most profound things in life are indeed simple. Simple, however, does not mean simplistic. We tend to overlook simple things thinking that anything of value and substance will be complex, require professional oversight and will be very expensive. A valuable lesson that we have integrated into all we do as a church multiplication movement is that “less is more.”
Simplicity is a step beyond complexity. It takes great skill and effort to make something simple. It is easy to create something that is complex. But, to design something that is simple and yet profound, however, is a creative challenge. It takes great skill to know what is absolutely essential and what can be discarded.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”(1) For most, discipleship has become so complicated that it is no longer an easy burden and a light load. But Jesus intends for the Christian life to be easy and light and to bring rest to our souls. Fulfillment of the Great Commission is meant to be restful, not stressful!

Simple Things Last, while Complex Things Breaks Down
When we approach disciple making—wanting to pass the baton on to succeeding generations—we must refine the process so that it is simple and transferable. Simplicity is the key to the fulfillment of the Great Commission in this generation. If the process is complex, it will breakdown early in the transference to the next generation of disciples. The more complex the process, the greater the giftedness needed to keep it going. The simpler the process, the more available it is to the broader Christian populace.
Perhaps the reason that we do not see multiplication of disciples more often is that we are trying to do too much too soon in the process. We fail to grasp the fact that discipleship—following Christ in simple obedience—is a life-long pursuit. We, unfortunately, attempt to teach our disciples so much in the first year that we unintentionally sabotage the rest of the years by intimidating them into thinking it is way too hard for common people to do. We tend to over estimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what we can do in three years.

Simple Things are “Sticky” and Transferable to Others
In the best selling book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell says any epidemic type of expansion requires a “stickiness factor.”(2) In other words, the pattern must stick with people in such a way that it is unforgettable and easily passed on to others. It is not enough that it is easy, but it also must capture the imagination and affection of those who will pass it on.
Paul passed on to Timothy truths that were so profound that he would not forget them. They gripped his life and never left him. At the same time, however, the things Paul passed on were simple enough that Timothy could in turn pass them on to others who could then pass them on to others.(3) The gospel itself is the most profound truth mankind has ever received, yet it is simple enough for a child to understand and pass on to others! It is not enough that people can pass it on, it is necessary that they will want to pass it on. The gospel is good news, and like a profound secret, it should be something that we all want to tell others.
What we need are systems that are practical and profound. They must be both simple and significant! A system that is significant enough to tap into the Christian’s internal motivation, yet simple enough that it can be easily passed on from disciple to disciple, such a system will strengthen the church and produce growth that is qualitative and quantitative.
Our team of house church planters uses the following criteria to evaluate the ways we function as a movement in order to see multiplication to the ends of the earth:
Received personally. It has a profound implication. It must be internalized and must transform the soul of the follower.
Repeated easily. It has a simple application. It must be able to be passed on after only a brief encounter.
Reproduced strategically. It has universal communication. It must pass on globally by being translated into a variety of cultural contexts and languages.

Simple Things Keep the Focus on What is Important
Another reason why simple methods are better is that they do not take away the glory from Christ himself. There are many times, unfortunately, that methods can be so impressive that people cease to notice Christ . Yet, Christ chooses to put his glory in weak vessels so that all the glory is retained by him. If people are so impressed with our wineskins (i.e. systems and strategies) that they stop noticing the wine (i.e. the message and person of Christ ), then there is a big problem. Simple strategies keep it focused on Christ , not the plans or the people dreaming up the plans.
Jesus spoke of wine and wineskins.(4) Wineskins are important because they carry the wine, but without the wine, the skins are useless. It is good to give some thought to ministry systems, but the systems should not be the main thing. In fact, if done right, they should hardly be noticed at all because the living water has captivated our attention and affection. Simple systems are more likely to allow for this.

Simple Things Can Reproduce Easily
One final reason why simple methods are important is that multiplication becomes much more feasible. Reproduction comes from a natural desire and ability inherent in all healthy living things. Similarly, reproduction of churches should not be hard. It should be natural and even pleasurable. The fact that reproduction is thought to be so hard and painful for churches is evidence of how far removed we are from being healthy and natural. Reproduction is the product of intimacy, and we are created to enjoy intimacy. Even among churches, reproduction is the product of intimacy—with Christ , his mission, his spiritual family, and the lost world.
All reproduction begins at the molecular level and develops from the micro to the macro, from the simple to the complex. It is the same in the kingdom of God . We each began life as a zygote. A zygote is a cell formed by the union of a male seed and a female egg. Life multiplies from there. The moment that conception occurs, all the DNA necessary for the formation, growth, and development of a mature person is intact. The DNA never changes—it just leads the multiplication process within every tiny cell into forming the complete body. The same can be said for the body of Christ .

FACE TIME

Face Time
What is church? - This is another topic that came up at the Kingdom Economic Summit last week. Marketplace ministries often find themselves in a tension between going to church and becoming the church. Let's define "church."
The congregation - In the West the concept of church is usually several meetings a week in a building led by the pastor or his delegate. We "go to church" and we ask others "do you go to church" or "what church do you attend." It's a good concept. We're not throwing rocks at it. The preaching format is Biblical, the worship is filled with the presence of God, and new believers receive a spiritual foundation for their lives. Children's ministries are often excellent.
The home group - Home groups, cell groups, or house church is a group of under 10 - 15 that meets weekly. There is a biblical lesson and a leader to teach it but the smaller format is more conducive to discussion and questions; same dynamic as Jesus and the 12.
The two basic approaches above assume you need the contents of the lesson involved in the meeting. Not a bad assumption - it's just not as relevant as finding out what you really need and addressing it. Congregations and home groups are really different variations on pew time where we can learn something from the lesson or sermon.
Face Time - Here's reality. There is a large group in the marketplace that either; 1) don't have time for a life-long series of lessons, 2) don't have the patience, or 3) already have several decades of lessons under their belts and don't feel the same level of need. Are we saying they don't need "church?" Nope. We're just suggesting that for some, the most relevant format for spiritual growth comes from peer mentoring relationships we'll call "face time."
Once we are mature enough to say yes to personal ministry in the marketplace the most helpful mentoring comes from peers that are already functioning in that particular area. If you could find a small group of peers seasoned with experience in your field and committed to help make you a success, would you be interested? Businessmen often hire that service from consultants at a high price. What if we viewed it as ministry and gave it to one another? What if it included counsel on practical things like cash flow and prophetic ministry at the same time? What if profits and prophets came in the same package?
Freely you have received , freely give.  Matt 10:8 NIV
18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matt 18:18-20
What do you need to take the next step? - For example, a businessman is generally interested in getting help taking his business to the next level by improving his product and profits, blessing his employees, connecting with his Kingdom purpose, and managing time for his wife and family. Those "general" needs do come up occasionally in the lesson version of church. Sometimes we can be more specific with our businessman through the prophetic ministry. However, we're best when we have the face time and simply ask what he or she needs to take the next step in their business / ministry. At some level, groups like this are closer to "church" than either congregations or home groups (although we don't need to play one against the other).
Key ingredients for "Face Time" - I'll update this list over time and welcome your comments if you've participated in something similar.
1. It's a small group of peers and friends with the a similar resume that minister to one another on a weekly or monthly basis. Kent Humphries helped me with this concept. He's a businessman that primarily travels and ministers on Marketplace Ministry (gone on Sundays). He takes a plane to Denver once a month to meet with his group of peers. At each get together one member of the group is the primary focus of ministry. The other members are chosen for their experience to help with new ideas and new networks of contacts. The heart of each participant is a willingness to give and receive on a personal and professional level.
not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another... Heb 10:25 NASU
2. Each participant loves the other guys enough to help them become successful over the long haul. "Accountability" isn't quite the right term unless you think of it in terms of helping a brother or sister inherit all of their land. We're helping one another through the spiritual warfare involved in becoming David's "mighty men" to do great exploits. We're not competing against one other; we're competing with a small group of friends to inspire one another to greater heights. We're on the same team.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Eccl 4:12 NIV
 
Check it out - Here are some examples Kent gave me - existing organizations experienced with "Face Time." You can do the same thing without the entry fee but sometimes the experience is worth the price to speed up the process. I found the video testimonies especially interesting.
Kent Humphreys - FCCI see their summary
Rick Miller - CBMC see excellent videos; note wives' perspective
Marc Ottestad - BBL Forum see their Video
Buck Jacobs - C12 Group see their video
 
Love,
 
John & Sue   

CHANGING CHURCH - CHANGING EARTH

Changing Church - Changing Earth
by Greg Austin www.gregaustin.org

(The following was written ten years ago, in 1998. Reading it again today caused me to edit a few lines, but the text is largely the same as when I first wrote, and is more applicable today than it was a decade ago. GJA)
 
In this critical hour in earth's history, the Holy Spirit of God is leading those "who have an ear" into a new dimension of revelation and glory. Any return to the status quo, business-as-usual, traditional church experience will only frustrate the full desire of the Spirit of God.
 
I'm convinced that God is raising up a NEW VOICE, a NEW FACE and a NEW HEART in the earth. On a recent flight I read an article that reported that in Great Britain less than 2% of the population claims to attend church at all. Something is gravely wrong when the land that felt the footsteps of Spurgeon, Whitefield, Wesley, Wigglesworth and so many others has deteriorated into the state it currently languishes in.
 
In America, the times of Jonathon Edwards have become merely historic; indeed few Christians today can even recall the story of a Great Awakening that once shook the very foundations of the nation. The echo of Azusa Street has faded into oblivion even as Street by that name was turned into a narrow alleyway. Aimee Semple McPherson, John G. Lake, Oral Roberts, Billy Graham all shook the land, but their efforts are now represented by so little.
 
Those who are seeking to plumb the depths of God's Spirit and His well of wisdom must look beyond former personalities and movements for direction and understanding. What God is doing is BEYOND. God told Daniel to "seal up the prophecy" because it would require a future generation to understand. There is a new generation that has risen with understanding, and those who will hear "what the Spirit says to the churches" must listen intently.
 
As I watched the faces of young leaders at a staff meeting in a world-renowned church recently my heart ached to just get up and shout to them,
 
"You can change your nation! Get up! Get full of God! Get His Power and His Resource and His Word and His Wisdom and His Enablement and storm the nations with His love and grace and mercy!!!!!!!!!!"
 
I love the men and women God raised up in former generations. God uniquely used them in their own times, but God is not mired in the past and He is not satisfied with what has been.
 
The previous generation of leaders knew and experienced God within the dimension of their own understanding. It was an understanding that we now recognize as part of an “Old Wineskin” of revelation, manifestation and tradition. And God continues to use these men and women and their understandings of Christian ministry in this hour. And so, as I write this, my mind presents to me a mental image of a bridge. Could it be that God desires – intends – to use this former generation to provide strength and stability for a new generation and a New Wineskin, while developing this entirely new generation and new concept of changing the earth through God’s glory?
 
I believe something significant is contained in the Darlene Zschech song, "Touching Heaven, Changing Earth." Greater concern on "touching heaven" will produce a changed earth. The focus has been on doing "things:" Developing programs and producing strategies has caused the church to focus on the "doing." Growing churches, gaining numbers and increasing budgets began to replace growing in Christ and gaining spiritual knowledge by the Spirit. Maintaining inherited ministries, and “doing” the work of the ministry provided a playground for our spiritual enemy as hell initiated the subtle shift in focus from “being” to “doing.” And while we were “doing” we lost sight of the “touching heaven” aspect of our faith. What we called “church” became an organization, a machine and an institution; it devolved into a corporation and ceased to be the corporate Body Jesus left in the care of eleven men two thousand years ago.
 
God is looking for those who will concentrate on "being." If our concerns should turn from the next ministry emphasis to an emphasis on heaven, on worshipping, loving, and hearing God, and on building deep, spiritual relationships with others in the Body of Christ, the resulting transformations in our own lives would have a powerful impact on the earth!
 
We've got to touch heaven! We've got to become more connected with heaven than we are connected with a denomination or church or a religious system that promises water and produces sand! Until our supreme connection is with heaven, all our best attempts to change our world will fall flat and we will find ourselves in jeopardy of spiritual mutiny.
 
This is where the heart of ministry will derive in the coming days – from men and women who have sought the face of God and who have found relationship with one another until the very essence of Jesus may be seen by the world.
 
This emergent church cannot be as churches have been, or we will no longer have a reason to exist. My heart cries to a young, eager and zealous generation: Let God lead you into the deep; into uncharted waters, and into latitudes no one ever has explored.
 
Make no mistake: This is FLESH and BLOOD and not ORGANIZATION and BUILDINGS and GROWTH CHARTS and sanctimonious SCORE CARDS.
 
God is building something far more substantive than an organization or a building. He's building His church. That church has little or nothing to do with buildings, budgets and Big Name personalities. Observing the machinery of yesterday’s church may be instructional, but what we need in this hour is relational. Please, turn your heart and your ear from the former things and the former ways – Refuse to imitate yesterday's anointing and discover fresh oil for today.
 
Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise. (Isaiah 43:18-21)

FROM SEATING CAPACITY TO STANDING CAPACITY

From Seating Capacity to Sending Capacity:
Why an Incarnational Kingdom on Mission is Very Attractive
by Neil Cole
If we think that a model of church is our solution to reaching the world we are already in a bad place, whether that model is a mega church or a micro church.
There is a vast difference, however, between an attractional posture and an incarnational/missional understanding of church. The difference is not in the organization, but in the release and flow of God's kingdom. The church is not meant to be sedentary but sent-"one holy, apostolic (sent) church."
Today we expect the lost to come to us. In the Bible, God is always the Seeker going after those who are lost. He pursued Adam in a garden and Moses in a desert. He found Jonah at the bottom of the sea and Peter on top. Jesus found Matthew in an office and Paul out on the road.

God became a man and entered the world through a birth canal just like the rest of us. He chose to come to us on our turf, rather then expecting us to rise to His. Jesus preached everywhere that the kingdom of God has come near. He came to seek and to save the lost, and He now invites us to join Him.

Many ask: "How can we make the church more attractive to the lost?" If we start down this path we unintentionally leave our true path: Letting people see how attractive Jesus is! It's all about Jesus ...not us. In a sense, for every step we take toward impressing people with our own strengths we move further from letting them become impressed with His.

God always prefers to reveal Himself in weak things rather strong. It is the simple vessels that often reveal God's glory more then having to find Him in the midst of laser lights and fog machines. The curiosity of a child's question; the embrace of a loving grandmother; the accepting handshake of a good friend; the smile of a proud father; the warmth of a soft shoulder to cry on-these are the things that reveal God's character more than any sermon.

Love for one another is a powerful ingredient in evangelism, but sitting in an auditorium listening to a preacher talk about it is not as powerful as being able to see it and taste it first hand. A "neighbor nudge" for two minutes on Sunday morning is not enough.
Coming into a home with a loving spiritual family-each praying, singing and sharing their inner lives-is amazing for someone who never learned to trust. Sensing the power of Christ working in and through those people can break even the most hardened heart.
More than once, I have seen toughened gangsters and drug dealers, weep in the presence of Christ among His people and pour out confession unsolicited. I have seen a Palestinian Muslim surrender everything to Christ in the midst of a faith community praying together. Four fraternity brothers gave their life to Christ in a meeting at their frat house in front of their peers unreservedly. Christ in us is powerful; it is the hope of glory. Simply being another anonymous person in a pew is not so powerful.

The reality is most people are not even curious about what is happening in church. For the few who are seeking, the last place they want to look is in church. Why? Because church is seen as a passive religious event that demands allegiance but offers very little experience. We ask for volunteers all the time. We offer spiritual-gift assessments to see where people fit best in our program, but we never really offer very challenging experiences for people. Handing out bulletins, directing traffic wearing a bright orange vest, chaperoning a youth function, or changing a diaper in the nursery may be helpful for the church program, but none of it is a task worth giving your life to. Many who struggle to do these things have a nagging unspoken question: "Did Jesus come so I can do this?"

We must transition from seeing church as a once-a-week worship event to an ongoing spiritual family on mission together. Then people will see church as something worth giving your life for. Honestly, people need one another more then they need another inspiring message. You would be surprised what people will do for Jesus , or for a brother or sister, that they will not do for a vision statement and a capital giving campaign.

One side effect of pursuing excellence in production is that common Christians become spectators who can contribute a percentage of their income to keep things going, but little more. We have raised the bar on how church is done so high that few believe they could ever do it themselves. The dark side of this endeavor is that we have lowered the bar of what it means to be a Christian so that simply showing up to the weekly one hour event with some regularity and a check book is all it takes.

My goal in life is to reverse this. I want to lower the bar of how church is done so that anyone can do it, and raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple so that they will do it.

I will never forget meeting with an organic church made up of high school students. As we were all singing praises to the Lord I felt His pleasure. I asked the students to share the biggest church they had ever been to. Southern California has many mega-churches. Several were mentioned, ranging from 2,000 to 20,000 attendees.

"I think Satan is more intimidated by this little church of 15 kids than by any of those Godzilla-sized churches," I said. They all snickered and looked around the room at one another with smiles, thinking that the old man had finally lost his mind.

I then showed them why I thought this way. I asked, "How many of you think you could start a church like one of those mega-churches?" No one raised a hand. I then asked, "How many of you think you could start a church like this one?" All raised their hands. The snickering stopped. It was one of those holy moments in life that are hard to forget. I then asked them to look around the room at all the raised hands, and I said, "I assure you, Satan is terrified by this. And he should be!"
 

ROLE OF A HOUSE CHURCH LEADER

Role of a House Church Leader
Rad Zdero, Ph.D.

As house church or small group leaders, our job is not simply to organize a weekly meeting, but rather to build community between members, facilitate spiritual growth, and create an inviting atmosphere for newcomers. Our job is not unlike that of the apostle Paul, who wrote, “we delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thes 2:8). The house church elder has two roles, namely that of Shepherd and Strategist.

***Principle. What is common sense must become common practice***




Shepherd (nurture, protect, “heart”)

Set tone, boundaries, safety
set out protection for people in the group
e.g. at the start of each new group or when new people joint, I usually state that (1) anyone can say anything but with respect, (2) group confidentiality

Stimulate Relationships
bad leader – creates a group whose primary relationship is with him/her
good leader – stimulates relationships b/w members
e.g. test – from time to time I’ll leave the room during group to see if conversation continues

Resolve Conflicts
do not need to be ‘police’ but will need to be arbitrator from time to time…encourage people to resolve it themselves first
e.g. I have had to ask someone to leave a group b/c they were way too disruptive continually

Pray for People
nurture an environment of prayer as far as the group depends by praying one-on-one, during group time, and encouraging others to pray
e.g. seekers group – I had quiet time at end of group as opportunity to pray…some started to…
e.g. shy people - I ask people before hand to if they’re willing to open/close in prayer or even the day or week before

Be Aware of Special Needs
be aware of people and their individual needs and wants
e.g. intellectual needs – learning tracks – resource individuals with books, seminars, videos, etc
e.g. physical – if the person is a shut in or in a wheel chair you can still involve them greatly (I had a friend host our group in his home because he was in a wheel chair and was shut in during cold months)
e.g. emotional – does someone need professional counseling that you can’t give?




Strategist (vision, direction, “head”)
Conduct, Lead, and Organize the House Church or Cell group
can share facilitation, it is important that the HC leader actually lead…primary leader needs to be there, otherwise nothing will get done or way too slowly…don’t be afraid to lead and make decisions
BUT, look for opportunities to involve people - we remember 10 % of what we read, 20 % of what we hear, 30 % of what we see, 50 % of what we hear and see, 70 % of what we say ourselves, 90 % of what we do ourselves (Wolfgang Simson, Houses that Change the World, p.86)

Mentoring or Peer Mentoring with House Church co-leader
right from get go, start ‘training’ your junior co-leader…look for delegation opportunities…
get together regularly to talk about, plan, and pray for the group, pray for each other…
e.g. alternate leading the discussions from week to week (or part of the evening) or calling or organizing

One-on-One Mentoring of Others in the Group
need mentors: non, new, or growing Christians, people in pain, emerging leaders
this doesn’t have to be only you, can be your co-leader or someone else in the group
e.g. I had 2 mentors/spiritual dads who met weekly with me for 2 years and 4 years, and I have mentored a number of folks too over extended periods of time, several months to years

Identify Emerging Leaders
right from your first get together, look for potential leaders
not necessarily the most vocal or gifted person, but rather F.A.T.
Faithful (keen and eager, they fulfill their promises, consistently do prep work if required)
Available (make time to be there and get involved in other ways…not the person who is last to arrive and first to leave)
Teachable (open, not big complainer, willing to try things, learner’s attitude)

“Open Chair” – new people, evangelism
be open and deliberate about inviting new people and encourage others in the group to do so
model it, pray about it, encourage/talk about it
e.g. some groups literally have an open chair during their time as a reminder, and spend some time together to pray for the new person who will one day fill it

Know when to Multiply your group, Plant a new group, or End your group
is your group willing to multiply or plant ? what are the obstacles ?
multiply or plant when…
group gets big (20 or so)
when there are 1 or 2 who want to plant a new group (at work or school or neighbourhood)…encourage them…commission them officially during the group time to start a new one…pray for them
in some cases it is best to end your group temporarily or permanently, if…
group gets stale/boring or is together way too long…usually if a group does not multiply/plant in 1-1.5 yrs, it probably never will

About the Author
Rad Zdero, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. He has been starting and leading small groups and house churches for 15 years and is currently part of a team starting up ‘House Church Canada’, which is intent on birthing a multiplying network of house churches in the greater Toronto area. He is also the author of The Global House Church Movement, available from William Carey Library, www.WCLbooks.com
Mail: House Church Canada, Box 42067, 128 Queen St.S, Mississauga, ON, Canada, L5M-4Z0.
Phone: 905-820-8846
Website: www.housechurch.ca, Email: rad@housechurch.ca

SMALL GROUP EVANGELISM

Small Group Evangelism
Rad Zdero © March 2000, rad@housechurch.ca, www.housechurch.ca

Introduction
The Christian community today recognizes and utilizes the power of small groups, often referred to as Cells, as vehicles for spiritual nurture, accountability, intimacy, and growth in a particular area of knowledge. In many churches and faith communities there are a number of such subgroups to plug into – prayer groups, bible study groups, book study groups, affinity groups, accountability groups, home groups, and the list goes on. Often, however, these huddles are geared toward the development of the Christian (i.e. discipleship) as a very specific outcome.
The purpose of this short article is to open up some of the possibilities of utilizing small groups as a vehicle for very intentional, creative and sensitive evangelism. Let me state that I am not saying here that evangelism should only be done one way or that there is necessarily a best way – this is dictated by context usually. What is given in this article, however, is an examination of an alternate way of thinking about evangelism specifically in the context of small groups.
Two Approaches to Evangelism
Now let’s suppose that our spheres of influence as Christians – such as the city we live in, our immediate neighborhood, our workplace, our circle of friends, or maybe our school - is like a flowing river (see diagram). The river represents the various contexts that we have in which we relate, in the daily ebb and flow of life, with the lost. Our non-Christian friends are like fish in the river, some are big, some small, some are easier to get along with than others. Some are very open to engaging on faith issues, whereas others are either indifferent or hostile. So, we see this huge opportunity to ‘be Jesus’ and ‘see Jesus’ and to engage those around us with the good news. So, now what do we do? There are two choices as I see it, namely bridge fishing and small boat fishing.

Bridge Fishing
Belonging to a tight knit group that has a somewhat definable goal is, unfortunately, not only a foreign experience to many followers of Jesus, but also to much of larger society. And so, when it comes to evangelism, the Christian approach is often similar to someone who gets their fishing pole, worms it, and positions themselves at the most strategic spot they know of on the bridge. This tactic ensures that we never get wet or dirty or in any kind of real close contact with dirty and smelly fish, until we catch one and pull it up to where we are.
In actuality, this might mean that we invite a friend to an ‘outreach’ event that’s coming to town, or perhaps we invite someone to church or a church related event, or we take part in a missions week that our church or campus group is sponsoring by going door-to-door in our neighborhood handing out videos on Jesus, etc.
The advantages of this method are that it’s safer, cleaner, and less risky for the person doing the evangelizing. There’s not much of a chance that we’ll have to go to places and be with people that may challenge our moral or theological views. The main disadvantage, though, is that we’ll never truly be challenged and forced to grow in what we believe by thoughtful non-Christians. And we may never really get to know any non-kingdom friends up close and personally until they become Christians.
So, bridge fishing is more of a ‘suck in’ rather than a ‘reach out’, periodically going out on evangelism raids rather than becoming an insider in our non-Christian circles. I‘m not suggesting that this strategy has no place at all, because that is in fact how I became a Christian, by someone handing out Bibles. But, I think there is a complementary approach that may be ideally suited for today's Christians, namely small boat fishing.


Small Boat Fishing
Imagine a Small Boat that’s part of a larger fleet of similar boats whose main purpose is to catch fish (see diagram). The crew of each small boat eats together, hangs out, strategizes, encourages every member of the team, and casts out the fishing nets together. They are a unit. They do everything together: move, stop, slow down, speed up, change direction, pull up the nets, put down the nets. They make decisions quickly in a non-bureaucratic manner regarding issues like when they need to buy new nets, fix the side of the boat, and change directions. They also have the accountability, support and direction that comes from being part of a larger fleet of such boats.
This method may look something like a small group of five or six friends who have decided that they want to intentionally reach out to their friends together as a team. Their main thrust and contribution to evangelism is in the context of what this small team does. They meet together once a week, pray for each other and their non-Christian friends, learn from each other’s attempts at evangelism, brainstorm on overcoming obstacles, invite their seeker friends to social occasions or events, and get into each other’s social spheres. They are mobile, flexible, non-bureaucratic, quick to implement decisions and changes, and have support from each other as part of a team. There is also the accountability and intimacy that naturally evolves in being part of a close knit team.
The main caution here is that, unless this small boat is part of a larger network of small boats doing the same thing, an independent and Isolated Small Boat (see diagram) can potentially sink or get shipwrecked due to questionable doctrine, unhealthy practices, lack of direction and not much space. The other danger is that using an overly large group, i.e. Big and Loud Boat, as an evangelistic tool that meets, say, in someone’s home, may possibly scare some people away because it is large, loud and may seem cultish. We need to be aware of the potential obstacles with any approach we take, however, making sure to capitalize on the strengths of each as well.
Examples of Small Boat Fishing
From my personal experience, the advantages of small boat fishing far outweigh the potential dangers involved. As such, this section explores 6 possible scenarios, based on personal experience, of how this approach to evangelism could work within the context of one small fishing boat. One thing to keep in mind here is the importance of being an ‘insider’ and full participant in our non-Christian networks. Without such insider status, small boat fishing can easily degenerate into ‘suck in’ evangelism rather than ‘reach out’ evangelism.
Discussion Dinners
A discussion dinner is basically an event hosted periodically (maybe monthly) by the evangelistically oriented small group, in which members invite a few non-Christian friends to an evening meal. This is followed by people gathering in the living room for a short 10-20 minute presentation that addresses some important questions of life (e.g. does God exist?, why so much suffering?, who is Jesus?, etc) to launch the discussion. The material used to start the evening’s discussion is usually a contemporary and mainstream music video, movie, poem, song, newspaper article, painting, etc. The key here, as in any small group, is to make sure that all opinions are valued and allowed to be fully expressed and explored. A good discussion facilitator is required. The non-Christian friend should not feel pounced on or cornered or that their opinion is somehow wrong. Remember, the purpose for these dinners is to create discussion and open up the doors for further dialogue down the line. They are not meant to be high pressure situations. Casual, comfortable and creative are the main ingredients for a good discussion dinner.
Evangelists Anonymous
This type of small group is sort of an evangelism support group that meets together to pray for, encourage, brainstorm, and keep each member accountable in their personal one-on-one evangelism efforts in their respective spheres of influence, whether that be at the workplace, in the school, or in the neighbourhood. As members help and encourage each other in this endeavour, all will become more motivated and skilled in their own efforts. Suggestions for increasing skills and growing in vision may be for the group to be reading through some helpful books on ‘lifestyle’ and ‘friendship’ evangelism (Green, 1995; Petersen, 1989; Pippert, 1979), going through a video learning series (Petersen, 1989), studying biblical patterns of mission, going to related seminars, reading through a book that links prayer and evangelism, expanding our knowledge of the world’s religions (Smith, 1991), apologetics (Boyd & Boyd, 1994; Little, 1988), etc. If at all possible, opportunities to enter into each other’s social circles should be encouraged.
The Partiers
This small team of five or six folks focuses on giving each other opportunities to connect with and engage each other’s friends with the good news by merging their social circles together. These people like to party and socialize. They’re always having dinners, movie nights, going out bowling, playing hockey, and going away to the cottage on weekends. Or perhaps this small team loves to cook, play scrabble, watch movies, or perhaps play cards. They are always including their non-Christian friends so that their friendship networks begin to overlap. In other words, the focus here is on social cross-pollination. The potential here lies in the synergistic and overlapping efforts and talents of each team member with each other’s non-kingdom friends. The breakthrough that I’ve been working on with a friend may not come until they connect with another member of the team who perhaps understands them more and is able to connect at a deeper level. What we have here really is the emergence of a community made up of overlapping social circles, with Christians and non-Christians alike, that creates opportunities to dialogue on life, faith, family, work, sports, suffering, and Jesus.
Service Oriented Groups
This small team starts off, say, as a run-of-the-mill Bible study meeting once a week on Wednesday nights. But then one of them noticed that there is something wrong in town – homeless people in the streets, food banks running low on donations, soup kitchens needing volunteers. This guy then rallied a few friends from the bible study, and they decided they needed to make a difference, somehow.
They start praying, thinking, and doing some research. They come up with the idea of opening up an emergency last resort overnight shelter for homeless people when all other existing shelters and agencies are full up. They garnered support and advice from existing shelters in town, organized a homeless walk to raise money for their shelter, within a few months were up and running successfully, and were supported greatly by their home church and other agencies with supplies and money. They were able to initially recruit about two dozen volunteers, mostly from their home church but also from the community at large, some of whom were non-Christians.
Although the main goal of the project was to help the homeless, the project not only strengthened the bonds between the Christians involved but has also created opportunities to share in word and deed the good news of Jesus to those around them. This, by the way, is a true story and only one example of the possibilities.
Social Issues Discussion Groups
Many in our society are deeply concerned about social issues and are willing to engage and explore societal problems in conversation. Organizing a discussion group that attempts to address and explore various societal problems can be a way of building bridges between Christians and non-Christians. Typical meetings may simply involve discussing a book, magazine article or newspaper clipping on a certain topic. This provides an opportunity for the believer to learn about issues the church does not address frequently, to formulate and articulate their perspective, and to learn from non-Christians their views on the environment, AIDS, crime, international relations, abortion, euthanasia, genetic engineering, the media, poverty, homelessness, as well as a host of local concerns. It may be surprising to both believers and non-believers that they share many overlapping perspectives, something that can create friendships and a springboard for dialogue on faith issues.
Investigative Bible Studies
This basically involves a small team of Christians organizing a weekly bible study group geared towards our non-Christian friends. Out of some friendships may emerge a few seeker friends who are interested in a more thorough look at the Bible and this guy named Jesus. It’s just a matter of inviting them.
A great approach is certainly one of the gospels, in which we all agree to systematically look through the life of Christ, one chapter at a time on a weekly basis. Other possibilities may be a topical or thematic introductory look at questions like: Who was Jesus? What about science and faith? Why suffering and evil? Is the Bible Reliable? Does God Really Care? Helpful books such as Know Why You Believe (Little, 1988) address a variety of questions that people often ask. As well, introductory courses to the Christian faith such as the ever-popular Alpha Course (Gumbel, 1993), offer a practical and refreshing look at some foundational issues. This Alpha Course is oriented around a meal and lively video presentation, followed by group discussion on the issues addressed.
Final Thoughts
This article has attempted to touch on issues related to small group evangelism and offer some practical tips. There are many types of small groups you could start. Be creative, intentional, sensitive and, above all, trust God to do something through you to touch the lives of people around you.

Acknowledgements
The diagram ‘Evangelism as Fishing’ was adapted and modified based on material from my friend Jeremy Horne who is the director of The Navigators of Canada (Campus Mission).

References & Further Reading
Arnold, J (1992), The Big Book on Small Groups, InterVarsity Press.
Boyd G.A. and E.K. Boyd (1994), Letters from a Skeptic, Chariot Victor Publishing.
Bruce, F.F. (1992), The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?, InterVarsity Press.
Coleman, Robert (1963), The Master Plan of Evangelism, Spire Books / Revell.
Green, M., and A. McGrath (1995), How Shall We Reach Them? Thomas Nelson Pub.
Green, Michael (1995), One to One, Random House.
Gumbel, Nicky (1993), Questions of Life, Alpha Course, Cook Ministry Resources.
Little, Paul (1988), Know Why You Believe, InterVarsity Press.
Martin, Walter (1992), The Kingdom of the Cults, Bethany House Publishers.
McDowell, Josh (1977), More Than a Carpenter, Living Books, Tyndale House Publishers.
McDowell, Josh (1988), Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Volume 1) - Historical Evidences for the Christian Faith, Here's Life Publishers.
Petersen, Jim (1989), Living Proof - Sharing the Gospel Naturally, NavPress, Colorado Springs, USA. A video series is available based on the book.
Petersen, Jim (1992), Church without Walls, NavPress.
Pippert, R.M. (1979), Out of the Salt Shaker and Into the World, InterVarsity Press.
Schumacher, E.F. (1973), Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, Harper & Row.
Shorrosh, Anis A. (1988), Islam Revealed - A Christian Arab's View of Islam, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Smith, Huston (1991), The World's Religions, Harper SanFrancisco.
Zdero, Rad (2004), The Global House Church Movement, available from William Carey Library, www.WCLbooks.com
About the Author
Rad Zdero, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. He is currently part of a team starting up ‘HouseChurch.Ca’, an umbrella group intent on birthing a network of house churches in the greater Toronto area. Contact Information - Website: www.housechurch.ca, Email: rad@housechurch.ca, Tel: 905-820-8846, Mail: Box 42067, 128 Queen St. South, Mississauga, ON, Canada, L5M-4Z0.