by Joel Comiskey, Five-book Equipping
As I’ve watched World War II documentaries or read books on World War II, one constant thread is that the soldier’s boot camp experience was invaluable. Over and over, the surviving soldiers talked about how much they hated yet needed the boot camp training. In actual battle, they would respond subconsciously to what they learned through the repeated boot camp drills. The monotonous workouts they loathed during boot camp saved their lives by helping them respond efficiently and automatically in battle.
The “book camp” in cell churches is the specific equipping for all members. Cell churches promote equipping as one of the foundational pillars to make disciples who make disciples. They ask everyone in the church to enter the equipping with the goal of deeper discipleship. Those who graduate can participate in team leadership.
Preaching on Sunday and applying the passage in the cell groups is essential, but more is needed. Sermons and cell lessons don’t cover key biblical doctrines, how to have a quiet time, how to evangelize, how to lead a small group, and so forth. Clear-cut “boot camps” or equipping tracks fulfill this need. Churches call their training by various names, such as school of leaders, training tracks, or leader’s route. I like discipleship equipping because it includes discipleship in the title. The goal is to help members to become more like Jesus.
Perhaps you have questions, like,
- How long should an equipping last?
- Where should the equipping take place?
- What kind of material?
- Who teaches the equipping?
For September, we’ll write twenty-five blogs on equipping in the cell-based church. Click here if you’d like to receive these blogs in your email inbox. We’ll cover:
- September 01-07: The Scriptural reasons for equipping tracks. What do cell church equipping tracks add that sermons and cell lessons cannot provide?
- September 08-14: Benefits of equipping the entire church. What are the benefits of getting everyone involved in the equipping?
- September 15-21: Equipping details. This week, we’ll answer questions like, “How long should an equipping track last?” “What kind of materials are best for cell church equipping?”
- September 22 to September 28: Equipping methodology. What are some of the distinct ways to equip people? Where to equip the people?
- September 29 to October 05: Beyond equipping. What about those who graduate? What’s the next step?
Feel free to comment here.