This book explores how God has used small groups throughout church history, specifically focusing on the early church to the present time. God not only established the early church as a house to house movement, but he also has used small groups throughout church history. This book chronicles the small group or cell movement from Jesus all the way to the modern day cell explosion. Themes include: -Small Groups In Biblical History -Small Groups In Early Christian History -Small Groups and Monasticism -Small Groups During the Pre-Reformation Period -Luther and Small Groups -Martin Bucer and Small Groups -The Anabaptist Movement -Puritan Conventicles -Pietism -The Moravians -The Methodists -Modern House Churches -Small Groups in North America -The Modern Day Cell Church This book will both critique the strengths and weaknesses of these historical movements and apply principles to today's church. You will grow in appreciation and understanding of key small group principles from those pioneers who have paved the way. You will also learn to value those movers and shakers who faced far greater odds to implement small groups than the difficulties confronted today. Many have struggled with the same things you're wrestling with now. And just like they found solutions in the face of persecution and trial, God will help you to persevere, find solutions, and ultimately bear abundant fruit for his kingdom and glory.

Your leaders really can lead cell group meetings that cause the members to say ''WOW!'' This book will show your leaders how to: -hear God during the meeting -structure the meeting so that it flows -spur the group members to participate and share openly -create stimulating questions -listen effectively -and see the details that create a warm, inviting atmosphere for unbelievers Do people expectantly return to your group meetings every week? Do you have fun and experience joy during your meetings? Is everyone participating in discussion and ministry? You can lead a great cell group meeting, one that is life-changing and dynamic. Most people don't realize that they can create a God-filled atmosphere because they don't know-how. Now the secret is out. This guide will show you how to: -Prepare yourself spiritually to hear God during the meeting -Structure the meeting so it flows -Spur people in the group to participate and share their lives openly -Share your life with others in the group -Create stimulating questions -Listen effectively to discover what is transpiring in others' lives -Encourage and edify group members -Open the group to non-Christians -See the details that create a warm atmosphere By implementing these time-tested ideas, your group meetings will become the hot item of your members' week. They will go home wanting more and return each week bringing new people with them.

Most work in the field of Christian leadership has focused on the leader and techniques of management and control. Effective Christian leadership begins with the focus on people and God's purpose for them. With the model of Jesus and His disciples as her starting point, Billie Davis has provided a tool for developing a small group ministry in which members’ strengths and gifts are used to help one another in the biblical sense of Body. Applying an age-level and intercultural approach, Davis examines the structure of groups, how the group influences learning and spiritual development, and the roles people take within groups. Each chapter has self-directed learning exercises and a bibliography of current resources to enhance the reader’s experience.

MINISTRY MANUAL from IN HIM MINISTRIES: "In Him Ministries" is chartered by "The Missionary Church International", (TMCI), out of Columbia, South Carolina. We are and become much of what we come out of or from. So within this ministry we will find elements of Methodist, Baptist, Messianic, Vineyard, Hebraic Roots as well as any other backgrounds that many of us have journeyed in and through. This manual, at times, reflect from many different roots or currents within the Body of Messiah and focusing on Small Group Networks. This manual is compiled of the many currents of the River of God and from many different handouts and teachings from each brought together here to "Help You Reach Your Full Potential In Messiah." We come from many parts of the Body of Messiah yet coming together in unity to fulfill His desire and goal for the Whole Body to be complete In Messiah!

This is an expanded, 624-page reference tool for the 8-stage transition process found in How Do We Get There From Here? (formerly titled, Making Cell Groups Work). This sizable compilation is filled with hundreds of articles by pastors and experts, including helpful articles such as how to transition your church's calendar and budget to allow for a growing holistic small group (cell group) ministry, how to choose team members to implement the transition; tips on how to prototype groups; and much much more! One of the most valuable tools found in this resource is a revealing readiness assessment tool, which will help you determine weaknesses (if any) in four key areas of church health, all of which are required for a successful transition.

Nearly every church is trying to help their congregants build relationships with others, grow as disciples, and/or engage in meaningful service through small groups. Many have argued that these small groups are the preferred vehicle for relationship building, disciple making, and membership assimilation in the local church, especially in large, multisite churches. Leading Small Groups That Thrive shows small group leaders, step by step, how to plan for, launch, build, sustain, and multiply highly effective, transformational, healthy small group experiences where people grow spiritually together. Based on a large-scale research study of small group pastors, leaders, and members, Leading Small Groups That Thrive gives church leaders both what they want--practical, straightforward, actual small group member voices and experiences, and compelling guidance on how to build transformational groups complemented with real-life examples and data of successful small groups--and what they need--substantial, challenging insights and a data-driven model grounded in the latest research on church small groups.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus makes the mission of the church abundantly clear: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations ..." But how do you reach a twenty-first-century society filled with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of religious interest? And how can you expect to grow the body of Christ when only half of your own congregation regularly attends services? The answer may be simpler than you think: involve and empower the laity in small-group ministry. Kurt W. Johnson not only provides the tools for organizing and leading successful small groups, but also explores the biblical and historical foundations for small-group ministry. In this practical guide Johnson illustrates the proven effectiveness that small groups have for both nurturing the spirituality of current church members and leading friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others to a saving relationship with Christ. Do you want to fulfill Jesus' Great Commission? Discover how you and your church can change the world around you through the power of the Holy Spiritùone disciple at a time. Kurt W. Johnson, D.Min., is the Bible school director for the Voice of. Prophecy international radio ministry. His enthusiasm for small-group ministry has led him to conduct training sessions internationally and to author multiple group Bible study guides, including Face td-Face. With Jesus and Focus on Prophecy. Book jacket.

Christians desire to grow in their relationship with God. They want to flourish, to experience victory in their Christian lives. They want to live in the overcoming power that the cross provides. But they are stuck. They are like my friend, John, who works sixty hours per week, sits in two hours of traffic each day and carries the burdens of the world on his shoulders. He and his wife, Jenny, love each other, or at least they used to. They now spend their time together carting their kids to activities after driving through Taco Bell for dinner. Every week, John sits in the second row at church, listening to the pastor, and he and Jenny volunteer in the children’s church. But he told me last week that he is exhausted. On the surface, he has a good life, but deep down he is drowning. He has no real victory. How does someone like John stem the tide? How does he start living the victorious lifestyle Jesus came to offer? Many find the answer in promises of a magic pill, something that provides a quick fix. But such fixes don’t exist. The victory of God is an ongoing lifestyle while adopting and applying certain priorities that prepare and equip us for life. True victory comes in heaven and not on earth. And only the Spirit of God living through the believer based on God’s Word can give true victory. But there are basic principles that God has used throughout the centuries to encourage believers and give them victory. In this book, I’ve pinpointed nine principles and priorities that will help a believer live a victorious Christian life. They are: -victory in preparing for eternity -victory in experiencing God's love -victory in God's grace -victory in God’s sovereignty -victory in spending time with Jesus -victory in close relationships -victory in the local church -victory in rest -victory in healthy living These nine priorities will help you understand and apply principles that are simple, biblical, and time-tested to produce spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits. My aim is to stimulate you to live these biblical truths while allowing the Holy Spirit to transform you.

Research has proven that the greatest contributor to cell group success is the quality of coaching provided for cell group leaders. Many are serving in the position of a coach, but they don't fully understand what they are supposed to do in this position. Joel Comiskey has identified seven habits of great cell group coaches. These include: • Receiving from God. • Listening to the needs of the cell group leader. • Encouraging the cell group leader. • Caring for the multiple aspects of a leader's life. • Developing the cell leader in various aspects of leadership. • Strategizing with the cell leader to create a plan. • Challenging the cell leader to grow. Practical insights on how to develop these seven habits are outlined in section one. Section two addresses how to polish your skills as a coach with instructions on diagnosing problems in a cell group, how to lead coaching meetings, and what to do when visiting a cell group meeting. This book will prepare you to be a great cell group coach, one who mentors, supports, and guides cell group leaders into great ministry.