| Uniting Members | ||
| World Harvest Church > About Us > Fellowship |
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| An apostolic church unites members to fulfill the Great Commission. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family (Ephesians 2:19b NLT). • We are'members of God's family' and we must provide one another relational support to carry out our Christian living and the vision of winning the world. 1. Consolidate in group dynamics Cluster dynamics in Church is a vehicle for the Holy Spirit. a. Cluster dynamics in the Early Church For three hundred years, the Early Church met in homes and enjoyed the Holy Spirit working mightily through the cluster dynamics of small groups. And that day about three thousand souls were added to them … So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house (Acts 2:41b, 46a NKJV). • Christian Church started with hundreds or more home gatherings. • The original apostles took care of these groups through the one hundred and twenty disciples. They alone could not possibly lead all these groups. From Jerusalem to the entire Mediterranean region, Christians gathered in homes. • The first church met daily from house to house (see Acts 2:46). Peter and the apostles taught and preached in every house (see Acts 5:41-42). Saul entered every Christian house and took the believers to prisons (see Acts 8:3). Many gathered at Mary's house and prayed for Peter (see Acts 12:12). • Paul taught in Ephesus publicly and from house to house (see Acts 20:20). He taught for two years in his rented house at Rome (see Acts 28:30-31). • Aquila, Priscilla, Nymphas, and Philemon had church meetings in their houses (see Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). b. Cluster dynamics and revival Revival took place through cluster dynamics in home gatherings. • Revival started as Paul was teaching from house to house in Ephesus and it spread throughout the province of Asia Minor (see Acts 20:20). Revival stopped when religious formality replaced gatherings in groups. • When Christians met in the assembly centers that Constantine had built all over the Roman Empire from A. D. 323-327, the Church became institutionalized and went into the Dark Ages for over a thousand years. Revival resumed when Christians gathered in small groups in the Reformation. • Martin Luther encouraged the ecclesiolae in ecclesia —little churches within the Church. Wesley put new believers in small groups, which he called the 'class meetings'. c. Cluster dynamics in cell-based churches Cluster dynamics unites large membership in numerous small groups. • Christian A. Schwarz surveyed one thousand churches in thirty-two nations and concluded from a database of four million and two hundred thousand responses that the cause for church growth is 'the multiplication of small groups'. • Like cells multiply in the human body to cluster together at that particular place, cell groups multiply in a church and confederate to fulfill the Great Commission. • Christians of the first church fellowshipped from house to house but belonged to one local church, called the Church in Jerusalem (see Acts 11:22). • Cell based churches give members the feeling that they are a part of something significant and are given the personal care and attention that every member deserves, no matter how big the church becomes. 2. Strong bonding in loving supports Fellowship is holy affection and relationship among members. It gives strong sense of belonging and drives members to serve one another willingly. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples (John 13:34-35 NLT). • Christ requires us to give trustful relationship to one another as a testimony to the world that we are His disciples. I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends (John 15:12-13 NLT). • The greatest expression of love is laying down one's life to benefit others. a. Relate lovingly with one another To make the church relationally warm, you… • Love one another with a pure heart (see 1 Peter 1:22), • Receive one another as Christ has received us (see Romans 15:7), • Greet one another heartily (see 1 Corinthians 16:19-20), • Submit to one another in humility (see 1 Peter 5:5), • Honor one another by giving proper respect (see 1 Peter 2:17 NIV), • Give preference and kindness to one another (see Romans 12:10), • Be of the same mind toward one another (see Romans 12:16), and • Be hospitable and generous to one another (see 1 Peter 4:9). b. Give support to one another To make the church a place of good influence, you… • Pray for one another (see James 5:16), • Build up one another (see Romans 14:19), • Fellowship with one another (see 1 John 1:7). • Help one another to stop sinning (see Galatians 5:13), • Encourage one another to remain strong (see Hebrews 3:13; 10:25), • Comfort one another when facing difficulties (see 1 Thessalonians 4:18), and • Do not judge one another but resolve conflicts (see Romans 14:13). c. Restore one another to move forward To make the church a place of recovery, you… • Help carry one another's burdens willingly (see Galatians 6:2, 5), • Be patient with one another lovingly (see Ephesians 4:2), • Correct one another with spiritual knowledge (see Romans 15:14), • Be kind to one another and tenderhearted (see Ephesians 4:32), • Forgive one another as Christ forgave you (see Colossians 3:13), and • Minister to one another with spiritual gifts (see 1 Peter 4:10). 3. Supported by caring leadership A caring cell leader is the key to the success of uniting cell members. • Spiritual leadership is gained through serving. Unlike worldly greatness which wants to dominate, greatness in the Church rises from voluntary service (see Mark 10:37, 41-45). Like Christ had first given His life, you lay down your life to serve before you lead. • There is no place for competition in God's family. Like a little child who does not need to compete for an acceptance we should just accept one another (see Mark 9:36-37). Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12 NKJV). • In the environment of caring leadership, members will mature quickly to support others to carry out their life and dreams. a. Support for life development A cell leader can give four kinds of support to make members more effective. • Nurturing support: Train them to accomplish the Great Commission. • Energizing support: Bring out their talents, potentials, creativity, and spiritual gifts for good use. • Performing support: Teamwork helps each one to accomplish results. • Relaxing support: Rejoice with them after having accomplished together. This refreshes them for greater challenges ahead. b. Support for life situations A cell leader can benefit members' lives in four ways. • Support for the rhythm of life: Train members to accomplish more at the high points of each day and week. Give understanding to cushion their low points. • Support for transitions: When members encounter confusions in a transition, give them help to move on to a higher stage. • Support for a crisis: Give compassion when members are handling the shock, denial, acceptance, and integration in a crisis cycle. • Support for success: Congratulating or celebrating achievements will energize them to succeed further. 4. Rising up to serve in cell group A member will rise up to lead when he functions correctly in a cell group. a. Identify with one another A member goes through five stages to serve together in a cell group. • Forming stage: He learns the purpose and expectation of the cell to fit into it. • Storming stage: He is coming to terms with others and with the leadership. • Norming stage: He commits to function collectively with others. • Performing stage: He harmonizes with others to achieve the vision together. • Celebrating stage: He gives appreciation to others who accomplish together. b. Participate to gain response How a member participates determines how others would respond to him. • Inclusion: He is accepted when his interest in becoming part of the cell group is the same with the official aim. • Influence: He gains respect when he gives good influence. • Affection: He is loved when he gives understanding to others. c. Gain recognition with character How a member influences others determines their recognizing of his ability to lead. • Responsible leader: Members look up to a person of accountability to lead. • Effective leader: They look up to a person who can lead others to accomplish. • Psychological leader: They trust the one they can identify with emotionally. d. Service the support system How a member keeps the relational support system benefits himself. Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12 NLT). • He will get respectful treatments when he has given enough to fellow members. |
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