On Monday’s blog I was talking about the G-12 model, and specifically how César Fajardo, the key architect of the G12 strategy in Bogota, Colombia has now left the church. Fajardo has started a new church called Sin Muros (without walls), and I heard it has grown rapidly. Sadly, Castellanos now forbids all G12 churches under his apostleship to have any association with Fajardo.

Fajardo has maintained a humble attitude and is now holding his own conferences. Rather than asking people to buy only his material, Fajardo encourages churches to use the material they already have. I’m looking forward to hearing in the future about Fajardo’s balanced approach to cell church ministry.

Another pastor who has left ICM is Luis (Lucho) Salas. Salas is a good friend of mine, and was the only person back in 1996 who could clealy explain the G12 model to me. Salas grew his network of cells to 600+ back in 1998, and is now planting his own church in Colombia called En Tu Presencia (In Your Presence). The church has already grown to 1500 people. Interestingly enough, he’s not using the G12 model anymore. Rather, he’s using Cho’s model (5×5) because he believes that the G12 model has too many weaknesses.

Even through I’m saddened by many of the recent occurences in the G12 model, I am happy that those like Fajardo and Salas are following cell church principles and seeking to unite the body of Christ. On Friday’s blog, I’ll talk more about the temptation to follow models.

Joel