A Kite Is Made to Fly

Seumean and Iris Kuon shepherd the TOUCH FAMILY in Webster, Texas. We have prayerfully coached them for five years. She writes:

Last year when our beloved Uncle Ralph and Auntie Ruthie had ceiling problems at their town home, they stayed at Galveston for a few days. They invited us to join them for lunch and surprised the kids with two kites. We drove to a spot at the seawall where the wind was particularly strong.

Here we were, four adults with two kids, trying to fly two kites. We felt so covered with love and spoiled by the attention we were getting for just flying kites ! There was excitement, love and laughter in the air ! I was particularly touched at one point when both Uncle Ralph and Seumean were showing XinMing how to “lift” the kite. Three generations right there.

A side note: you may assume people at my age would know how to fly a kite. I didn’t. I had never flown a kite. The kids were having a great time and I wonder how I would have missed out on such fun thing all my life! Timidly, I tried to do what they said and when the kite took off for the first time, I was feeling like the kite : soaring in the air. After all, the law of aerodynamics is not selective of whom it will work for.

A week later, it was P.E. time and the wind was strong. I thought to myself : let me pull out the kites and fly them! I was able to let it drag for a short distance but it never took off !

After a while, I figured out that a small part was missing. Put it back on and it took off – soaring high in the sky once more ! This caught the attention of other kids and they all came wanting to fly the kites.

There is so much similarity between flying a kite and how a cell church works. For a short time, it felt as if it did not work in America. It was not taking off ! But when the wind is strong (the Holy Spirit working in people’s hearts), the spiritual principles behind a cell-based church are no respecter of the flyer! 

It works in South Korea, it works in Brazil, it works in Ukraine and it works in America. It is going to work its way into the very END because it was the model since the very BEGINNING!

We have been so blessed to have someone who knows how to fly a kite taught us. We are teaching the others who want to receive it NOW. This past Christmas, our service was conducted by the young people – 20's and down. It was the most precious scene when kids as little as five were praying for the adults.

Thank you Uncle Ralph and Auntie Ruthie for teaching us how to fly the kite. Shall we go again soon ?

BURNOUT IS TRAGIC!

I have been involved in Brazil and the USA with several cell churches that pushed cell group multiplication so hard that the membership rebelled and the pastors had to shut down cells completely. The idea that every cell member can lead a cell is not only unbiblical, it is impossible.

I actually know of a church where the leaders set a goal of baptisms that had to be produced for each month by each cell. One cell had already met their goal for the month when another conversion took place. The cell leader said to the new believer, "We want you to wait until next month to be baptized because we have already met our goal for this month." While that seldom happens, it signals the wrong motives for winning the lost can occur.

The body of Christ is made up of body members. Not all of them are destined to lead a cell. There are other roles to be honored within the cell group. For examples:

Dawn was a new believer in a singles group I formed in Houston. In the first six months, she drew in so many friends we had to multiply. I suggested to her that she take half the cell and lead it. She asked to pray about the offer and then said, "No. I am not called to lead a cell." At first I was disappointed but then the Holy Spirit said, "Ralph, I have called her to be an evangelist and she needs to be trained to equip others to be evangelists." I helped her see that her role in our midst was to take other cell members by the hand and help them learn how to cultivate their oikos contacts who needed Jesus.

Frank is a Chinese brother who is a brilliant computer programmer. He is shy and retired. In our men's cell, he often would listen while others shared, evaluating the discussion. Then he would present a profound and deeply inspired insight. I would say to him, "Frank, where did that come from?" Confused at first by my question, he would say, "What do you mean?" "Frank, that did not sprout from your mind. It is an energizing of the Holy Spirit. Over and over, you put deepest knowledge into words. That is your ministry!"

We do not pay enough attention to the fact that a toe does not have eyes, that an arm is not a leg, that inward parts are silent but critical to body life.

We must recognize Christ has given to the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. They have authentic contributions to make to the body based on how the Head has formed their ministries in the Body.

When we push people into roles to make growth happen we make a grave mistake. No! Not every person can be a cell leader. That is a doctrinal error.

A BODY WITHOUT A HEAD

“He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.” Colossians 1:18

Some years ago, a Baptist church here in Spring Branch found a decapitated head in the church dumpster. The pastor said to me, "Spring Branch is a decapitated society and this is a symbol of it!"

The years have passed and that church, so fashionable in the 1970's, no longer exists. It went out of business because Spring Branch was at that very moment changing from being an all white middle class community to an immigrant town.

At the same time the head appeared in the dumpster, the fashionable buildings that held a body of Christ lost its mandate from the Head. Plying their "programs" for the "Like Us" people, they did not listen to the Savior of the World who had come to seek and to save the lost.

The death of that congregation was impacted by that severed head, the head of a Korean. Many families instantly left the church for a location safer for their family. The abandonment of Spring Branch by that church triggered sales of homes as the residents moved to the suburbs.

Then I saw a Lutheran church with mouth watering property in an area of Houston which had been invaded by the Chinese. I tried my best to persuade the pastor that the harvest of immigrant Chinese could transform the use of the property and triple its membership. But neither he nor the caucasian members had Christ as Head and so they sold the property and moved to the suburbs. Every time I see the apartments that now occupy that land I shake my head in disgust.

Now expand this thought beyond a community like Spring Branch or a city like Houston to a nation: the United States. With a few exceptions, the American church society is no longer directed by Christ. It is a consumer oriented structure presided over by a clergy system that protects itself as much as the politicians, who are more interested in re-election than in meeting the needs of the society around them.

How will all this end?

Your response would greatly interest me!

BLACK, WHITE, SHADES OF GRAY

Some time ago Dion Robert sent hundreds of Cell Leaders in a long line of buses from Abidjan to Bouake in the Ivory Coast to counsel conversions in a giant crusade. When the cults in Bouake heard of the crusade they sent a threat: a heavy curse would be placed on all who participated.

Dion called all the Cell Leaders in the mother church in Abidjan and told them of the curse and offered to excuse any workers who did not want to go forward with the crusade counseling None backed out!

At the end of all the buses streaming over a narrow road through the jungle, Pastor Dion rode in a van accompanied by several American visitors.

Halfway up, they found one of the buses had been hit head on by a lumber truck. It sheared the cabin from the frame and it rolled down a steep embankment, killing 29 Cell Leaders. Pastor Dion scrambled down the embankment, prayed over the scene, left instructions for the bodies to be returned to Abidjan, and continued to go directly to the stadium in Bouake where he preached the appeal for people to come to Christ.

Several hundred made decisions to follow the Master and were counseled by the team from Abidjan. After the meeting ended, one of the American pastors said to Pastor Dion, "I am amazed that you could continue to preach after seeing the terrible tragedy of all those who had died in the wreck!"

Dion tapped his finger into the chest of the American and said, "The difference between you Christians from the United States and us is very clear: you see black and white separated by many shades of gray between them. You see Satan and God and a lot of varying shades of good and bad. Here we know we are in a battle: there is only God and Satan and a war going on. I am a General in the Army of God and this day we entered the battle. Satan took 29 of our army but we took hundreds from his power to know  the power and presence of Christ!"

I have just come back from the Ukraine where theynhave the same understanding that there is only black and white, no shades of gray. I have seen Christians set free from demonic oppression, delivered by a word demanding the person be set free. In the USA a Christian would go to a counselor to be helped for depression or suicidal thoughts; in other parts of the world there is a spiritual battle won as the believer is delivered from the oppression of demonic control.

We still war not against flesh and blood but rather principalities and powers!

On Jul 11, 2012, at 11:29 AM, Jan wrote:

I went to our summer women’s study at Hope Ev. Free church last night. We are studying The Magnificent Obsession by Anne Graham Lotz who is coming for a seminar in 2 weeks at Calvary Chapel. I asked to give out my flyers at the meeting, and the leader was not comfortable. Maybe she was thinking more work for me. I was told “we’ll talk about it at our leaders meeting tomorrow.” The seminar is 24 days away.

Calvary is the largest church in New Mexico and has a sanctuary which seats 2000 and the seminar now 1000 registered, plenty of room, cost of $20 includes lunch and a notebook.

Am I out of line for thinking out of the box?

Jan Matthews

Jan, you are far, far too pure!

Americans live in a curse called "Consumer Christianity." Fords do not advertise where to buy Chevrolets. Hope Ev Free is Ford and Calvary Chapel is Chevrolet. You are advertising for the enemy…advertising another consumer church could attract Hope Ev Free members to attend there, and they might decide to start attending there. 

You see, we have to hold on to our own and not expose them to the competition. 

We need their noses and nickles to support our separate castles.

Your problem is that you think all churches share the same goal--drawing all men to Christ.

No. The curse of religion is every church in town has built its little castle-building with little regard for the Kingdom of God and we must keep our populations separated. Never endorse what the "enemy" may offer.

If you want to feel what Jesus feels about all this, read John 17 and join Him in weeping over how far the organized church has fallen.

Sorry about that…

Ralph

LIFE BASIC TRAINING

Many years ago I realized that "sit and soak" Christians got that way because churchianity made them to be that way. Christian values are shaped by repeating the same old, same old, year after year. Join a building called "church" and sit in it to hear preaching or have Bible study, etc. Maybe play in the gymnasium if one was created for the Private Club. Consequently, our values shape cultural Christianity that never focuses on the truth that the "church" is formed by humans baptized into intimacy by the Holy Spirit.

So I developed LIFE BASIC TRAINING.  My mentor Avery Willis coached me to develop an approach that mingled cognitive, psychomotor and affective domain content. Let me explain.

The equipping requires FIVE people to form a small group for 11 weeks. Same people stay together. "Person Number Five" is rehearsed by the Facilitator to chair the group.

First, it had to be 11 weeks long because anything any shorter would not allow concepts to be sneaked in a total of six times, and "it takes six to stick."

Second, it had to begin with a "brain teaser," a questionaire to set the focus for what would follow. So this is always the first page of each session.

Third, the presentation is planned in 5 parts, so each of the 5 members will take one part of the lecture and summarize it after the presentation has been given. This wraps attentiveness into the group as they listen to the content, about 15 minutes in length.

Fourth, following the presentation there is a small group discussion led by Person Number Five. This is designed to stir up controversy within the group. Disagreement is healthy; it stimulates thinking!

Fifth, there are FIVE DAYS of private Daily Growth Guides to be done at home. These reinforce the core value of the week. Important that they not be "crammed," but done each day so soaking of thought takes place.

Sixth, (this is so powerful!) the member is given an "Observation Assignment" for the week...something to observe in the lives of others that trigger the reality of the core value (usually a negative example of it.)

Seventh, the group reconvenes the next week and the Observations are discussed....following, comes the Brain Teaser and etc.

But one tricky thing is built into the series. The first weeks are shaping the core values. Midway through the series the subtle confrontation occurs: "Are you going to commit to this or not?" Many times those who are like the Rich Young Ruler will drop out. In one church with about 10 small groups going through the material together, some rose up and said, "I will not be returning!"

Yes...this is intentional. (Who is really ready for the next step?) Let the rest depart!

The last sessions reinforce the principle that all spiritual life begins with our death to self.

After these 11 weeks, it's possible to take those who have experienced the series and form Christ Basic Bodies with them.

Now...if you want a FREE download of all that you need to present LIFE BASIC TRAINING, email me at ralph@touchusa.org.

I will try to upload my video presentations for you and post them on the right column during July, 2012. But I am including the script for all 11 sessions so you can personally present the content in your ZIP download. It's too large for email so I will give you a YOUSENDIT link to download it after you write.

Praying this material will challenge many in the sit and soak church world.....

A CELL CHURCH STRATEGY CALENDAR

THE CELL IS THE LITERAL BODY OF CHRIST IN THE EARTH!

The Father sent the Son on mission to the world. His first assignments were to:

1. Declare the Kingdom of God has come to supercede the kingdoms of this world.

2. Atone for the sin of man.

This was all accomplished as the Son was incarnated in Jesus.

In John 17 as he completed these tasks, He cried out from the cross, "It is Finished!"

But the Son had an unfinished mission. He referred to it when He said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to Me." This additional task began as Christ occupied His new body.

The Resurrected Christ needed a new body to fulfill His next task! His next ministry was to reveal His Presence and Power through all centuries to all mankind, demonstrating the Kingdom by healing the sick, raising the dead, curing the leper, setting the prisoners free.

At Pentecost He inhabited his new body, composed first of the 120. When they were all in "one accord," the Holy Spirit delivered His Spirit to inhabit those human bodies as Shekina fire fell in the upper room. 

The first thing they did under His empowerment was to declare in the streets of Jerusalem to the various visiting nations that Christ had returned. Each person was empowered with the supernatural ability for their spoken Jewish language to be changed into the various languages of the tourists. This was a sign of the Kingdom.

From the start, the purpose of Christ inhabiting His new body had a single purpose: to draw all men to Himself by revealing His Presence in the activity of the house groups who became His new body members. In 1 Corinthians 14:24-25, we see "body life evangelism" functioning. 

Christ Himself was the evangelist who would draw all men by empowering body members with observable supernatural manifestations. Then the work of the body would continue as assigned in Matthew 28:18-20: those He drew were tobe baptized into the new body and "discipled." The pattern for body life was to so equip each new believer to grow from being "Little Children" to "Young Men" to "Fathers" (i John 2:12-14).

The calendar shown above is a schedule to lead cell groups through stages that develop new believers to become Fathers and then to penetrate households (oikoses) influenced by the new believer in their midst - cycling into a significant "Harvest Event" to draw family members and friends to follow Christ.

This intentional strategy has significantly increased the harvest where churches have applied it. If you are interested, please email me at ralph@touchusa.org and I will send you further aids to understand it and apply it to your congregation.

Fantastic Cell Video!

Please view these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioWUjYteKwg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1nqMPZlSoc&feature=related

I have been so blessed by the way the Regeneration Church in Dnepropretskov, Ukraine has absorbed the entire Equipping Track! They are now completing the final Daily Growth Guide that shows how to reach responsive (TYPE A) unbelievers. In the seminar, attended by 1,800 cell members seated by Triads (Little Child>Young Man>Father) they identified over 5,300 "men of peace" they knew. At the close, each Triad team was anointed with oil to set them apart to harvest among the group and then to focus until March 10 on developing relationships with the families of the new converts. Then they will have a Harvest Event to finish the first cycle of the Equipping Strategy.

Vladimir Matveyev and his new bride, who also speaks English, labored to do a voiceover in English for the Russian video the church prepared to promote cell life on their web site (http://vo.org.ua/). I have provided links to them here. This is a wonderfully insightful presentation explaining why equipping the new believer is so crucial.

Please pray for this dear congregation. They will have to go to two services now because the auditorium is so stuffed with chairs that when the invitation is given for people to come forward to accept Christ there is no room between the front row and the platform...so the music team backs off the platform so the harvest, often exceeding 125 souls, can stand on the platform where they are then led in a prayer and counselors come to get their information for follow up!

Truly this is an expression of the "Last Days" church! The sacrificial giving of the congregation that averages $360/month income is astonishing. When they faced a need to purchase their first "Temple" many of the leadership team sold their wedding rings to contribute to the funds required.

I am so blessed to be a part of this dear family of Christ followers!