by Jeff Tunnell
Facing a blank wall, I decide to hang books like paintings, but leaving no space between them. A mosaic of literature appears: a quilted library, a checkerboard of potential education, and information that could change my future. Titles include:
Simple Church, Sticky Church, The Cell Church, Organic Church, The Vibrant Church, The Apostolic Cell Church, The Connecting Church, Purpose Driven Church, Cell-Driven Church, Church Without Walls, The Multiplying Church, Prepare Your Church for the Future, The Church in Many Houses, The Church that Multiplies, When the Church was a Family, and the classic title that poses the question in my mind as I face this wall, Where Do We Go From Here?
Blindfolding myself, turning around backwards and throwing a dart over my shoulder, I pin the book that has the secret on which I will base my future ministry!
Do you get the picture I’m painting here? I’m referring to what many leaders are attempting as they approach the most glorious task every given to man.
All of the titles listed are helpful, but NONE contain a singular, most prominent ‘secret’ to success in ministry. Hoping to read a book, attend a conference, or buy a program binder with accompanying audio instruction, in order to find the secret to advancing HIS kingdom is a never-ending and futile hope. Hard work is required; consistency is essential; dedication is mandatory.
Joel Comiskey’s Cell Church Reading List and Bibliography contains 85 titles, all worthy of attention. Read and digested, these titles have provided me and many others the accumulated wisdom of the very fine authors whose collective desire is to see Jesus glorified through His body.
Pray, seek His face and allow His hand to guide you step-by-step into a well rounded, consistent ministry. Don’t fall for the idea that a single secret will produce results that require no effort.
Jeff
Portuguese:
Atirando Dados?
por Jeff Tunnell
De frente para uma parede em branco, eu decidi pendurar livros como quadros, mas sem deixar espaço entre eles. Um mosaico de literatura aparece: uma biblioteca montada, um tabuleiro de educação potencial e informações que poderiam mudar o meu futuro. Os ttulos incluem:
[Tradução livre dos ttulos em inglês]: Igreja simples, Sticky Church, A Igreja Celular, Igreja Orgânica, A Igreja Viva, A Igreja Celular Apostólica, A Igreja Conectiva, Igreja com Propósitos, Igreja Dirigida por Células, Igreja Sem Paredes, A Igreja Multiplicadora, Prepare Sua Igreja Para o Futuro, A Igreja Em Muitas Casas, A Igreja Que Se Multiplica, Quando a Igreja Era Uma Famlia, e o ttulo clássico que coloca a questão em minha mente enquanto eu enfrento esse muro: Para Onde Vamos Daqui?
Me vendando, virando-me para trás e jogando um dardo sobre o meu ombro, eu acerto o livro que tem o segredo sobre o qual vou basear meu ministério futuro!
Você entende o quadro que eu estou pintando aqui? Estou me referindo ao que muitos lderes estão se atentando à medida que se aproximam da tarefa mais gloriosa já dada ao homem.
Todos os ttulos listados acima são úteis, mas NENHUM contém um único e mais importante "segredo" para o sucesso no ministério. Ter esperança de ler um livro, assistir a uma conferência, ou comprar uma pasta com programa que acompanha instrução por áudio, a fim de encontrar o segredo para fazer avançar o Reino DELE é uma esperança interminável e fútil. É necessário trabalho duro; é essencial ter consistência; a dedicação é obrigatória.
A Lista de Leitura e Bibliografia da Igreja em Células de Joel Comiskey contém 85 ttulos, todos dignos de atenção. Após ter lido e digerido, esses ttulos proporcionaram a mim e a muitos outros a sabedoria acumulada desses finos autores cujo desejo coletivo é ver Jesus glorificado por meio de Seu corpo.
Ore, busque a Sua face e permita que a Sua mão o guie passo a passo até um ministério pleno e consistente. Não caia na ideia de que um único segredo produzirá resultados que não exigem esforço algum.
Jeff
Spanish blog:
Lanzando dardos.
Por Jeff Tunnell
Frente a una pared en blanco, decide colgar libros como pinturas, pero sin dejar espacio entre ellos. Parece un mosaico de la literatura: una biblioteca abultada, un tablero de ajedrez de educación potencial, y la información que podra cambiar mi futuro. Los ttulos incluyen:
Iglesia Simple (simple Church), La Iglesia que se pega (Sticky Church), La Iglesia celular (The Cell Church), La Iglesia Orgánica (Organic Church), La Iglesia vibrante (The Vibrant Church), La Iglesia Celular Apostólica (The Apostolic Cell Church), La Iglesia Conexión (The Connecting Church), Iglesia con Propósito (Purpose Driven Church), La Iglesia conducida por la célula (Cell-Driven Church), La Iglesia Sin Paredes (Church Without Walls), La Iglesia que se multiplica (The Multiplying Church), Prepare Su Iglesia para el Futuro (Prepare Your Church for the Future), La Iglesia en muchas casas (The Church in Many Houses), La Iglesia que se multiplica (The Church that Multiplies), Cuando la Iglesia era una familia (When the Church was a Family), y el ttulo clásico que plantea la pregunta en mi mente mientras me enfrento a esta pared, ¿A dónde vamos desde aqu?
Vendando mis ojos, dando vuelta atrás y lanzando un dardo sobre mi hombro, toque el libro que tiene el secreto sobre el que voy a basar mi futuro ministerio.
¿Entiendes lo que estoy pintando aqu? Me refiero a lo que muchos lderes están tratando cuando se acercan a la tarea más gloriosa dada a cada hombre.
Todos los ttulos enumerados son útiles, pero ninguno contiene un singular más prominente "secreto" del éxito en el ministerio. Con la esperanza de leer un libro, asistir a una conferencia, o comprar una carpeta del programa con el acompañamiento de la instrucción de audio, con el fin de encontrar el secreto para hacer avanzar su reino es una esperanza interminable e inútil. Se requiere trabajo duro; la consistencia es esencial; la dedicación es obligatoria.
La Lista de Lectura y bibliografa de Joel Comiskey para la iglesia celular contiene 85 ttulos, todos dignos de atención. Lee y digiere, estos ttulos me ha provedo y muchos otros me han proporcionado la sabidura acumulada de los muy finos autores cuyo deseo colectivo es ver a Jesús glorificarse a través de su cuerpo.
Oren, busquen su rostro y permita que su mano les guie paso a paso en un ministerio consistente bien redondeado. No caiga en la idea de que un solo secreto va a producir resultados que no requieren esfuerzo.
Jeff
Hey Jeff, I didn’t see the title of my book listed in all those titles. No wonder you haven’t found the “most prominent secret”. 😉
The “Most Prominent Secretâ€
Well, it’s been a week since I posted my reply to Jeff’s article concerning ‘the most prominent secret’ and still no one has posted a comment. I’m a thinking this confirms my thoughts that no one pays attentions to words, and the meaning of words (even words found in the Bible), anymore.
I believe it to be very sad that the majority of posts written by this group’s “cell-church experts†suggest there is no ‘secret’ to cell-based church ministry. I believe the Bible DOES contain “the most prominent secretâ€. And, I expect harsh criticism in response to what I am writing which will only serve as further proof that no one pays attention to words (even words found in the Bible) anymore.
Is it any wonder that we who consider ourselves to be the ‘primary vision carriers’ of the cell-based church face difficulty leading others into cell-based living when we who consider ourselves ‘primary vision carriers’ can’t even agree amongst ourselves of the existence of ‘the most prominent secret’?
I believe many people assume that today’s church and the biblical New Testament church are the same. I do not believe they are! I believe today’s church in general and God’s people in particular have wandered far from the first century model of Christianity.
The ‘Most Prominent Secret’
In his book, “The Purpose Driven Churchâ€, Rick Warren reminds us that balance is needed for a healthy church.
“Balance in a church does not occur naturally; in fact, we must continually correct imbalance. It is human nature to overemphasize the aspect of the church we feel most passionate about. Intentionally setting up a strategy and a structure to force ourselves to give equal attention to each purpose is what being a purpose-driven church is all about.
In Acts 2:41-47 we discover ‘the most prominent secret’—the strategy and structure–in the nine basic activities which equates to just four essential attributes. How unfortunate that after so many years we who are pursuing cell-based ministry cannot even agree on the existence of a ‘most prominent secret’!
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Everyday they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”
Here we discover the first century model of the New Testament church was involved in only nine basic activities. They: believed in Jesus Christ, were baptized, were added to the group, spent their time in learning, took part in the fellowship, shared their possessions, prayed together, met regularly as a group to worship, and regularly added new believers to the group.
These nine basic activities reveal four essential attributes which comprise the ‘most prominent secret’: Worship, Instruction, Fellowship and Expressions of faith (i.e.; edification of Saints, evangelism of skeptics). I am convinced that today’s cell-based church must follow this ‘most prominent secret’ of the first century church if we have any hope of becoming what the church was originally designed to be – irresistible! Today’s cell-based church must follow this ‘most prominent secret’ of the first century church if we have any hope of becoming irresistible Christian communities “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” And then? Well, then the Lord will add to our number daily those who are being saved.”
“The Most Prominent Secret†of Acts 2:41-47…
Warren also writes (in the above mentioned book), “Blessed are the balanced, for they shall outlast everyone else”.
Balance…
WORSHIP – Man to God — Best accomplished in celebration services as we speak to God in prayer and in the singing. Worship can also be, and should also be, accomplished in daily private devotion in prayer and thanksgiving unto the Lord.
INSTRUCTION — God to man — Best accomplished in celebration services as we hear God’s Word proclaimed from the pulpit each Sunday. Biblical instruction is also, and should also be, accomplished in daily private study of God’s Word.2
FELLOWSHIP — Man to man — Fellowship is a time when we become connected with one another. This is best accomplished within the basic Christian community known as “cell”. Cells meet once each week in homes scattered across the city. Fellowship is impossible to experience when living alone.
EXPRESSIONS — Man to the world — This is best accomplished within a network of cells as people edify one another within the body of Christ and also pray for the salvation of those who are in need of repenting and accepting Jesus Christ, and then introducing such people to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is also known as “lifestyle/friendship evangelism”.
Rick,
Well, let’s see… It has been two weeks since I last had time to look at my computer, so maybe your assumptions are off a bit. Always too soon to judge. Sorry I missed your book on the line up, like you perhaps, I have over 90 titles to draw from and in fact none of them are mine! At least you have one.
Jeff