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.