By Joel Comiskey, The Relational Disciple
In a recent meeting with cell leaders, several spoke about the joy of community within their groups—yet also expressed concern over the lack of new people.
It’s good to desire new people. After all, winning souls for Jesus and making disciples is a central purpose of cell ministry. But we must also remember that discipleship includes growing together in community. The danger is to minimize community while focusing only on evangelism and newcomers.
I used to think this way myself. I worried that too much emphasis on community could turn groups into clubs. That’s why, in the past, I encouraged my own group to multiply quickly. Then God showed me the biblical foundation for community, which reflects the very nature of the Trinity. As we live out the “one anothers,” God shapes us into disciples through unity, love, and shared life.
What I’ve also discovered is that deep community actually leads to multiplication. Jim Egli and I found in our research (Groups that Thrive) that community fuels growth and stimulates the planting of new groups. Far from being in competition, community and outreach go hand in hand. A strong community produces vibrant groups, eager leaders, and natural expansion.
So let’s not treat community as secondary or optional. Being a disciple of Jesus means sharing life deeply, loving one another, and working through conflict together. Out of such a community comes genuine outreach and lasting fruit.
For October, we’ll publish twenty blogs on the theme of saying yes to community. If you’d like to receive them by email, click here. Here’s the roadmap:
- October 05–11: The biblical basis for community
- October 12–18: Why community matters—we become disciples as we forgive and grow to be like Jesus
- October 19–25: Community and member retention. Unity and love attract people, while Groups that Thrive highlights the obstacles and how to overcome them.
- October 26–November 01: Community and multiplication. Unified groups multiply faster because health produces health, and new leaders long to reproduce the same love and care.