Bethel International

by | Jan 31, 2010 | Uncategorized | 12 comments

joelI’ve had a great time this past week ministering in New York and New Jersey. I just finished ministering at Bethel International, pastored by Byron and Rosa Straube in Newark, New Jersey. Byron started the church in 2001, not knowing what strategy he was going to use.  Jesus showed him the cell-driven church strategy, and he started with a single cell. A few years later, he felt the need to connect his church to a network of churches, so he joined the Church of God denomination (Cleveland). Although Byron identifies with the Church of God, he is an apostolic leader and has spawned his own network of churches.

From a single cell in 2001, Bethel has now grown to 400 cells and 4000 people in the mother church (9 satellite churches) as well as ten church plants worldwide! I love this church because it raises up leaders from within.  Each of the full-time pastors at Bethel was converted in a Bethel cell group. They then followed the same process:

  • go through the training track (3-day Encounter retreat, school of leaders, second encounter. They’ve created their own material)
  • become a co-leader
  • become the cell leader
  • multiply the cell various times

Fruit and character has everything to do with becoming a pastor; Nationality doesn’t matter (2 are from Ecuador, 1 from Mexico, 2 from Honduras, 1 from Guatemala, etc.)

Spanish ministry in the U.S. is like working within the United Nations. Every country and culture is represented. Yet, what unites these various nationalities at Bethel is Jesus Christ and a shared vision to penetrate the nation with multiplying cell groups. Vision is very important.

I spoke each night for two hours. On Thursday night, Byron announced to the 800 leaders and co-leaders present that the new goal for 2010 was to go from 400 cells to 800 cells by October 2010! And I believe they can do it.

Byron’s vision goes beyond starting cell groups. His passion is to multiply new churches as well, and he encourages his leaders to dream of church planting.

The vision for cell ministry worldwide can be summed up in Christ’s Words: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). Bethel is fulfilling Christ’s heart-beat to raise-up an army of leaders to reap the harvest.

Comments?

Joel

TRANSLATION IN SPANISH:

He disfrutado un tiempo maravilloso ministrando en Nueva York y Nueva Jersey. La segunda semana estuve ministrando en el Ministerio Bethel Internacional pastoreado por Byron y Rosa Straube en la ciudad de Newark, NJ. Byron comenzo en el año 2001 sin saber que estrategia usar. Habia sido un creyente apenas siete años antes de comenzar a pastorear a tiempo completo. Jesus le mostro la estrategia celular y comenzo la iglesia con una celula. Unos años despues sintio la necesidad de unirse a una red the iglesias, y se unio al concilio pentecostal, Iglesia de Dios. Aunque el Pastor Byron se identifica con la Iglesia de Dios, tambien es un lider apostolico que ha dado lugar a su propia red de iglesias.

¡De una sola celula en el 2001, Bethel ha crecido a 400 celulas y a 4000 personas en la iglesia madre (9 iglesias satelites), y tambien ha plantado 10 iglesias mas a nivel mundial! Amo esta iglesia porque levanta lideres de entre si. Con solo un excepcion que conozco, cada uno de los pastores a tiempo completo en Bethel se convirtio en una celula de Bethel. Ellos entonces siguieron el mismo proceso.

Ir por el camino de entrenamiento (Retiro de 3 dias(Encuentro), escuela de lideres, y re-encuentro. Han creado su propio material) Hacerce sub-lider Hacerce Lider celular Multiplicar la celula varias veces

El fruto y el caracter tienen todo que ver con ser un pastor; la Nacionalidad no importa (2 son de Ecuador, 1 de Mexico, 2 de Honduras, 1 de Guatemala, etc.)

El ministerio hispano en los E.E.U.U es como trabajar entre las Naciones Unidas. Cada pais y cultura es representada. Pero lo que une todas estas varias nacionalidades en Bethel es Jesucristo y una vision compartida para penetrar la nacion con celulas que se multiplican. Vision es muy importante.

Hable cada noche por dos horas. ¡El Jueves por la noche, Byron anuncio a los 800 lideres y sub-lideres presentes que la meta nueva en el año 2010 es de ir de 400 celulas a 800 celulas para el mes de Octubre 2010! Yo creo que lo lograran.

La vision de Byron va mas alla de levantar grupos celulares. Su pasion es multiplicar nuevas iglesias tambien, y anima a sus lideres a que sueñen con plantar iglesias.

La vision del ministerio celular al nivel mundial se puede resumir con las palabras de Cristo cuando dijo: “A la verdad la mies es mucha, mas los obreros pocos. Rogad, pues, al Señor de la mies, que enve obreros a su mies.” (Mateo 9:37-38). Bethel esta cumpliendo con el latido del corazon de Cristo de querer levantar un ejercito de lideres para recoger la cosecha.

Comentarios?

Joel

12 Comments

  1. Randall Neighbour

    Praise God! Joel, did you hear them share any goals for winning souls? I know this is at the very heart of this church and is probably part of the doubling the groups goal but I was just wondering…

    Reply
  2. Joel Comiskey

    Yes, this church was 100% committed to winning souls; their cells are completely evangelistic. Do you know about this church?

    Reply
  3. Bethel leader..

    All the training that we received from you was very important to us because the goal of each leader is multiply every cell thanks for all this conferences and all the estrategies that God gave already to you and you gave to us….thanks God continue Blessing you..

    Reply
  4. Joel Comiskey

    Thanks so much for those encouraging words!

    Reply
  5. Mary

    I believe that Cells bring division in people

    Reply
    • Joel Comiskey

      Mary, did you have a bad experience in a cell group? Why do you say this?

      Reply
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Joel Comiskey, Ph.D., founder of JCG Resources

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