Joel Comiskey Group

Joel Comiskey Group
Resourcing the Worldwide Cell Church
October 2011 Newsletter

JCG NEWS

Venta de libros por Joel Comiskey
(precios mejores que amazon por promedio de $4.00)
--Una Cita con el Rey (9.95)
--Plantando Iglesias que Reproducen (10.95)
--Recoged la Cosecha (9.95)
--La Ruta del Líder (9.95)
--Vive (7.95)
--Elim (9.95)
--Todos los libros de publicaciones de Touch por 12.95

Evento de JCG para 2012:

Día con Joel Comiskey, Mario Vega y el eqipo JCG, Febrero 25, 2012. El evento Será tanto en Español como en Ingles en Richardson, TX (12 millas en las afueras de Dallas). El precio es $59.00 por tiempo limitado (Escriba el código de descuento: member). Sign-up now

Entrenamiento de Elim Disponible:

CCS Publishing is emocionado en publicar Elim training track in Spanish. También estaremos publicando una nueva edición del material de entrenamiento de Joel. Vea JCG bookstore

Nuevo Libro:

Joel Comiskey estas trabajando en Myths and Truth of the Cell Church: Principios claves que puden hacer y deshacer un Ministerio Celular. Este libro sale en Octubre 2011.

Ministerio de Joel Comiskey in Agosto:

26-28 de agosto de 2011: San Diego, Ca. Seminario celular en la iglesia: Centro Familiar Cristiano. Persona responsable: Martin Muñoz

Facebook y Twitter:
JCG está ahora en Facebook y Twitter. Vea el JCG home page, y notará en la columna a mano derecha que los micro-blogs están al día.

Blogs de JCG:
Regístrese para recibir JCG blog enviado directamente a su correo electrónico gratuitamente. Vaya al sitio blog y ponga la dirección de su correo electrónico

Donaciones:
Descubra como usted puede invertir en donar a JCG, un ministerio sin fines de lucro

The Role of Host

The role of the host is one of the most under-appreciated aspects of cell ministry. We hear a lot about the cell leader,supervisor, and pastor but prseciously little about the host.

Yet, hosting a cell meeting can make or break cell ministry. An effective host creates a welcoming atmosphere that draws people back. Hosts allow the cell leader to focus on the people present and relieves him or her from all the additional hosting work.

One of the main reasons why cell ministry doesn't grow and prosper more rapidly is because people aren't willing to open their homes. This same problem plagued the early church and Peter addresses it in 1 Peter 4:9 by saying, "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (1 Peter 4:9). Like us today, the early church depended on hospitable members to open their homes for house church ministry. Back then, there were no church buildings or hotels, and so the believer's homes became the center point for early church ministry.

I don't believe, however, that the home is the only place for cells to meet. My men's group, for example, meets at a Denny's restaurant on Thursday night. Some cells might meet at Starbucks, a school, or a park. I do encourage cells, however, not to meet in the church building because cell ministry is an evangelistic penetration strategy rather than a "come to the church" strategy.

Most cells will meet in homes or apartments, and I think this is a great idea. Why? Because Scripture says the church is a family, and the home atmosphere brings this out in a wonderful way.

In October, we will be discussing the role of the host, rotation of cell groups, different cell meeting places, and the need for hospitality. Experienced cell church pastors will write 25 blogs on this topic throughout the month of October. If you'd like to receive these blogs daily via email, please sign up HERE. The schedule is:

WEEK 1 (October 2-8) Where should cells meet? There are a wide variety of places: homes, restaurants, parks, community centers, hotels, etc. Jesus loved to meet with his small group in homes, mountains, and boats. My conviction is that they should meet "outside the church building" due to cells being a penetration strategy.
WEEK 2 (October 9-15): Should cells rotate or is it best to have one place? There is no one right answer. Rotation is great because it lessens the burden on one person or family doing all of the hosting. Having one place is great due to the permanency of address--everyone know where it is.
WEEK 3 (October 16-22): What do the best hosts do well. The best hosts provide a welcoming atmosphere, prepare the meeting place, arrange the chairs, and eliminate distractions.
WEEK 4 (October 23-29): Cell members can make the host's job a lot easier by being sensitive to his or her needs. This includes helping out by bringing refreshments, being sensitive to the host rules, finishing the cell on time (1.5 hours), and even having a designated time limit for fellowship after the cell group.
WEEK 5 (October 30-November 05): the crying need of the church today is for the practice of hospitality. One key reason why cell ministry is not more abundant today is that people are not willing to be hospitable.

Our goal this month is to answer questions about cell hosting as well as encouraging you and your church to become more hospitable. The extension of Christ's church should not be limited to parking lots and building space. Penetrating cells meeting outside the church building bring the church to needy people wherever they live and work.Please comment HERE.

Joel Comiskey