Criticism comes easily. Solutions are far harder. D.L. Moody once responded to his critics by saying, "I like what I'm doing better than what you're not doing."

Some authors are skilled at criticizing others. I read a dissertation on cell-celebration ministry in which the student spent one-third of the paper to lambast his own congregation as being dead, traditional, and inadequate. Yet, this same student said preciously little about how he was going to graciously lead his congregation to make the transition to cell-based ministry. This student is one of those idealists who loves to criticize and envision the perfect church but has few solutions, I thought to myself.

I just finished reading a popular book in which the author tears apart the church as we know it because of all its unbiblical traditions. Yet this author offered exceedingly few answers. Again, it's very easy to criticize but much more difficult to offer practical help for people in ministry. Larry  Kreider, a great cell church leader, once said to me, "Joel there's a lot of poison out there." He was referring to certain authors who major in tearing down the church, rather than providing practical suggestions.  

One of the key thrusts of JCG is to offer solutions. We want to be a non-profit organization that takes the theory down to where pastors and leaders live and work. We believe in the radical middle of cell church ministry--revolutionary principles that actually work in today's society. We want to offer advice that has been filtered through fruitful experience. 

I rejoiced when I received a flier from Bethany World Prayer Center promoting their October CGI (Church Growth International) conference in Baker, LA. David Cho, Larry Stockstill, and Mario Vega will be speaking at this conference. All three of these leaders are radical cell church pastors who have seen cell church work effectively. We need to applaud what God has done and learn from them. Now, I strongly believe that small cell churches are just as healthy or healthier than the mega cell churches--like the ones that Cho, Stockstill, and Vega lead (In my book, The Church that Multiplies, I list great examples of both small and large cell churches).

My point is that we need to find cell solutions that   strengthen believers, multiply groups, raise up new leaders, revitalize the church, and plant new churches--rather than offering criticisms that go nowhere.

What do you think? What has been your experience in this area?  

If you have an opinion or comment about this topic, please express it here.    
 

Joel Comiskey