In this ground-breaking book, Joel Comiskey challenges pastors and leaders to move from simply educating children to forming them into disciples who make disciples. Comiskey lays out the Biblical base for children's ministry and then encourages pastors and leaders to formulate their own vision and philosophy for ministry to children based on the Biblical text. Comiskey highlights how to disciple children in both the large group and the small group. He quickly moves into practical examples of intergenerational cell groups and how effective cell churches have implemented this type of group. He then writes about children only cell groups, citing many practical examples from some of the most effective cell churches in the world. Comiskey covers equipping for children, how to equip the parents, and mistakes in working with children in the cell church. This is a must read book for all those wanting to minister to children both in large and small groups.
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.
If we are going to have a victorious church tomorrow, we must focus on the youth today. In this book, Comiskey lays out the biblical base for youth ministry, highlights the felt needs of today’s youth, and then shows why small groups are the most effective way to make youth disciples today. Comiskey explains the difference between inter-generational cells and student-led groups, the equipping process for youth leaders, how to coach leaders, and how to get started in youth cell ministry. Comiskey also describes common errors in youth ministry and how to avoid them. This book is a must-read for all those wanting to make youth disciples through cell ministry.
Home Cell Group Explosion (2023 version) is the most researched and practical book ever written on cell group evangelism! Joel Comiskey traversed the globe to find out why certain churches and small groups are successful in reaching the lost. He found the answers and freely shares them within this volume. If you are a pastor or small group leader, you should devour this book! It will encourage you and give you simple, practical steps for dynamic small group life and growth. My friend Joel Comiskey is a combination of a local church practitioner and a painstaking scholar. Joel spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars visiting eight of the highest-visibility cell group churches to interview their leaders and record his findings. I love this book because it focuses on the multiplication of cells for the greatest evangelistic results. (C.Peter Wagner, Author, Scholar, and Church Growth Expert) Comiskey does not just describe what is happening in cell churches. He takes the next step and identifies in a step-by-step fashion how we can apply these principles in our churches. It is all here-everything we need to know to start and grow a cell group ministry. I am grateful to Dr. Comiskey, for the time, effort, and research that has gone into producing this long-needed book. (Richard Peace, Ph.D., Professor of Evangelism and Spiritual Formation, Fuller Theological Seminary) Joel and I shared many days in Bogota as this book was written. His grasp of cell church models is superior to any other person I have worked with: this book is a treasure of information for church planters and pastors wishing to transition to the cell model. (Ralph W. Neighbour, Jr., Author, and Pioneer Church Planter)
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.
Facilitate highlights the key dynamics of small groups that will give a leader confidence to minister to those in the group. Facilitate teaches a leader how to listen well, ask questions, train others, involve people, and prepare for the meeting. This book shows a potential leader how to develop new leaders to continue the discipleship process. It is excellent to use both in a Sunday school class and one on one. This book has eight lessons, full of practical questions and applications. You will learn how to: Prepare spiritually for the power of God to flow in the meetingStructure the meeting in a dynamic and effective wayEncourage attendees to participate and share their experiencesSuggest interesting topics and questionsListen carefully and detect problems in the group By putting into practice the ideas and suggestions in this book, any leader of a cell group will find it easy to achieve an exciting atmosphere in the meetings and ensure that attendees want to come back and even bring new people with them.
This 2022 version has been completely updated from the 1999 version. Have you tried small groups and hit a brick wall? Have you wondered why your groups are not producing the fruit that was promised? Are you looking to make your small groups more effective? Cell-church specialist and pastor Dr. Joel Comiskey studied the world's most successful cell churches to determine how they effectively make disciples who make disciples. These churches have embraced specific principles. Conversely, churches that do not embrace these same principles have problems with their groups and therefore are not as effective in making disciples. Cell churches are successful not because they have small groups but because they have the system in place to support the groups. In Reap the Harvest, you will discover how these systems work.
Although the largest churches in the world are cell-based, many have questioned whether the model will work in North America. The Church In Many Houses: Reaching Your Community Through Cell-Based Ministry makes the case that the cell model will work— if key assumptions about spiritual growth and the nature of the church are reexamined and renewed. By drawing on scripture, research, and insights gained through personal experience as the pastor of a growing cell church, Steve Cordle identifies the four pivotal philosophical shifts necessary for the cell approach to work. These are mindset shifts that move from: programs to relationships—the purposes of the church are best fulfilled in the cell group instead of in programs member to disciple-maker—every member can and should become a group leader educating to equipping—spiritual growth is not knowing more but applying more “come and see” to “go and show”—the power of penetration evangelism. Impose a cell structure upon a congregation that has not yet made these philosophical shifts we are likely to fail. But when people adopt these biblical mindset changes, the cell approach will seem natural, and will result in great unity and effectiveness. The Church In Many Houses will help congregations make the changes that are necessary for success.
This book has been completely revised in 2022. Notice what others have said about this book: If your groups need more leaders, this book is for you! Dr. Comiskey demonstrates how effective churches develop leaders. Then he shows you how to do the same by outlining the principles of leadership development that will work in any church. This book will revolutionize your future ministry (C. Peter Wagner Chancellor, Wagner Leadership Institute) Many thanks to Comiskey for a helpful and practical book. Many church growth strategies work in the short run, but only leadership multiplication creates ongoing kingdom expansion. This book communicates biblical, proven and effective principles. My advice to you: "Eat this book!" Let it shape your heart, your vision and strategy (Jim Egli, Author, Pastor, and TOUCH Trainer) Joel Comiskey shares insights as a leader who has himself raised up numerous leaders. From how to recognize potential leaders to cell leader training to time-tested principles of leadership, this book has it all. The accurate comparisons of various training models make it a great resource for those who desire more leaders. Great book! (Billy Hornsby, National Director, Bethany Cell Church Network) Comiskey provides an inspiring panoramic view of leadership in this book. The concluding chapters, which outline the guidelines, models and principles for training effective cell group leaders, will prove especially helpful to churches that are seeking to deal with leadership issues (Karen Hurston, Hurston Ministries) Once again, Joel Comiskey has provided a book that answers the questions of those in the cell church movement. I read the manuscript with pen in hand, underlining so many sentences that few were left untouched! This book will be an excellent reference for cell leaders and might well be incorporated into their ongoing training (Ralph W. Neighbour, Jr., Founder, TOUCH Outreach Ministries) Joel has the divine ability to take vital kingdom information compiled from throughout the body of Christ and boil it down so churches can clearly understand and practically apply these truths. I highly recommend this book for everyone who is serious about training leaders for the harvest (Larry Kreider, International Director, DOVE Christian Fellowship International)
