Ways to Multiply Cell Groups
By Joel Comiskey
Winter 2010
n the early days of the cell movement, everyone talked about mother-daugher cell multiplication because that’s what David Cho was doing in Korea (half the group leaving to form another cell when reaching fifteen people). The problem with waiting for the number “fifteen” was twofold: 1. The number would often fluctuate from week to week. 2. Members who didn’t want to multiply would leave the group at about fifteen people.
Then the cell church world learned about new ways to multiply, such as cell planting (two or three hiving off to form a new celll). The cell didn’t need to wait for a certain number to multiply. Rather, it simply needed to have a trained leader. Thus, training and the development of leadership became the new emphasis.
More recently I’ve been emphasizing “mother leader multiplication,” because I believe it’s often the best way to jump-start a stagnant cell group. This method is actually very simple. The mother cell leader leaves behind a prepared facilitator while he or she launches out to start a new cell, either by him or herself or with one or two cell members.
Of course, there are other ways to multiply cells. Jay Firebaugh, a veteran of cell ministry, has developed a proven cell multiplication method, that is an adaptation of the mother-daughter strategy:
- Prenatal (weeks #1, 2 and 3)
- Have new leader, host, and a few members selected who will start the new group.
- Talk about the upcoming birth and why it is important.
- Divide the group for ministry time. Have the new team go to different parts of the house.
- It is important that the new team develops social relationships during the week (phone calls, social contacts, etc.).
- Birth (week #4)
- Meet as separate cells but in the same house.
- Postnatal
- (weeks #5, 6 and 7)
- Meet as two separate cells in two different locations.
- (Week #8 – one month after birth)
- Meet back together for a reunion. This should not be a formal meeting but a time of fellowship and enjoying one another.
- (Week #9, 10, and 11)
- Meet as two separate cells in two different locations.
- (Week #12 – two months after birth)
- (weeks #5, 6 and 7)
Further reading on this topic: Comiskey's book Home Cell Group Explosion explains how cells evangelize. Cell Church Solutions dedicates one chapter to group evangelism. Reap the Harvest highlights growing cell churches. Buy HERE or call 1-888-344-CELL.
