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SAVE THE WORLD …
PLANT A HOUSE CHURCH A BUILDING GUIDE
JASON JOHNSTON, M.DIV.
RAD ZDERO, PH.D. © July 2001
RREEVVOOLLUUTTIIOONNAARRYY BBOOOOKKSS bbyy RRAADD ZZDDEERROO
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
RAD ZDERO earned his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario, Canada), specializing in orthopaedic biomechanics. He is currently the director of a hospital-based research lab in Toronto. Rad has been actively involved in the house church and small group movement since 1985 and is dedicated to encouraging the full restoration of original New Testament Christianity in our day. He lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
The Global House Church Movement Rad Zdero gives you biblical, historical, and practical insights for a radical new type of church that is arising all around the world. This book is guaranteed to challenge your under-standing of what the church is really meant to be and do! Perfect as a study guide to kick-start a new house church! (paperback, 155 pages)
Best price from … www.missionbooks.org
Nexus: The World House Church Movement Reader As the editor of this volume, Rad Zdero has compiled the writings of almost 40 house church leaders and scholars from 20 countries in over 60 provocative articles. Get trained to start your own network of missional house churches no matter where you live! (paperback, 528 pages)
Best price from … www.missionbooks.org
Entopia: Revolution of the Ants An allegorical tale written in the tradition of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia chronicles and George Orwell’s Ani-mal Farm. An adventure of grassroots revolution in the hierarchical and or-dered world of an anthill. The system must change! Although just a fable, it has challenges for the church to grapple with. Fun for kids of all ages! (paperback, illustrated, 132 pages) Best price from … www.capstonefiction.com www.amazon.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Let the Revolution Begin !
1
MODULE 1
The Great Work
Top 10 Reasons for Planting House Churches
6
7
11
MODULE 2
House Church Model
House Church Styles and Formats
12
13
16
MODULE 3
The Two-Winged Church
Role of a House Church Leader
18
19
21
MODULE 4
Strategic Growth Circles
Leading Group Discussions
22
23
24
MODULE 5
The Hand: 5 Features of a House Church
Network
House Church Evangelism
25
26
27
MODULE 6
Multiplying House Churches
Personal Evangelism: Telling Stories
32
33
34
MODULE 7
New Wineskins for Today
One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring
37
38
39
Recommended Resources 44 Appendix 1 – Relational Strategy for Planting a HC Network 46 Appendix 2 – Cold Contact Strategy for Planting a HC Network 47 Appendix 3 – So, You Wanna be a House Church Leader?! 49
- 1 -
LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN ! Dear reader, welcome to the Save the World…Plant a House Church builder‘s guide. This
manual was written for those in the process of planting a house church network and those
wanting to grow in their abilities as HC leaders. Although there are some differences
between small (or cell) groups and house churches, this handbook aims to provide some tools
for those involved in building either. This introductory section introduces the vision,
strategies, and biblical foundations for such a spiritual revolution. Put simply, the goal of this
manual is to:
Train Leaders
to Multiply House Churches
that Reach the Nations for Christ
THE VISION: MULTIPLYING HOUSE CHURCHES
Let‘s first take a look at the broader vision of what we strongly believe God is calling us to
do. Picture if you will, spread out all over the city, mostly in homes, but also in offices,
coffee shops, meeting rooms on the local college or university campus, small group huddles
of 5 - 15 people (e.g. house churches, cell groups, etc.) committed to getting to know each
other and God. They gather weekly to ask questions and explore issues of faith, family, the
media, culture, suffering, relationships, career, and social action. They may be working on
tasks and projects, or looking at the Bible, praying, crying and playing. They have discovered
that the secret of life is to love God and others and to connect with and become more like
Christ. So powerful has their experience of relationship with each other and Jesus been, that
many neighbours, co-workers, family members, and friends, who may not even believe in
God and may be suspicious of ‗church‘, are chomping at the bit to get in on the action. These
groups are continually growing and becoming so big that they are forced to multiply
themselves.
These house churches are not led or hosted by traditional clergy but by average folks
who have a deepening love for Christ and other people. The few identifiable clergy and other
high profile leaders involved do not seek to exercise control or power over these groups, but
rather wish to empower them with training, resources and prayers, emphasizing a few
essentials rather than a long list of requirements. To network together, these house church
groups meet house-to-house, organize dynamic large group events for teaching and worship,
and/or have a select group of mobile teachers that travel from group to group regularly.
These folks simply want to rediscover the power and person of Jesus in community, as his
early followers did (Acts 2:42-47; 5:42; 20:20).
This local network of house churches, however, thinks big and beyond its own town. It
is intent on planting new communities of faith, hope and compassion in neighbouring cities.
As leaders emerge out of their midst who feel called by God to go and begin the process all
over again, their community offers financial, material, emotional and prayer support for them
on this new venture. As people are released to follow their calling to plant home-based
churches, without even knowing it, they are swept up into a movement, their movement,
God‘s movement, which will touch many generations to come. This is part of the emerging
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second reformation in our generation, an underground revolution of faith that will transform
their city and blaze across their region, their nation and the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts
1:8). God is asking us to be a part of his restoration work, his divine revolution, in the world
today. Are you up for it?
THE MISSION: JESUS’ WORLD STRATEGY
Now that we have an idea, a picture in mind, of what a house church network looks like, let‘s
briefly explore how this small group strategy of focusing on a few was the primary method
employed by Jesus himself when he was on earth. Christ came to kick start the kingdom of
God and ignited a spiritual fire that has blazed across the globe for the past 2000 years. His
worldwide mandate came from his Father, who promised to make Jesus a light to all nations,
so that all might come to encounter and experience God‘s salvation, emotionally, physically
and spiritually (Isaiah 49:6; 61:1-4). Yet, even with his status as the God-Man (John 1:14),
Jesus knew he could not accomplish this monumental task alone. And so, his strategy was
simple: he invested and poured himself into the training of a select few followers who would
be able to carry on the work effectively after he was gone. His method for training his twelve
disciples has been aptly summarized:
The time which Jesus invested in these few disciples was so much more by comparison
to that given to others that it can only be regarded as a deliberate strategy. He actually
spent more time with his disciples than with everybody else in the world put together. He
ate with them, slept with them, and talked with them for the most part of his entire active
ministry. They walked together along the lonely roads; they visited together in the
crowded cities; they sailed and fished together on the Sea of Galilee; they prayed
together in the deserts and in the mountains; and they worshiped together in the
synagogues and in the Temple. 1
This approach of quantity and quality time spent with a small band of devotees, was based on
the fact that ―the great founder of the faith desired not only to have disciples, but to have
about him men whom he might train to make disciples of others.‖ 2 In effect, Jesus was
apprenticing his disciples (i.e. learners) to one day become apostles (i.e. sent ones), qualified
to carry on his work. In the words of scripture (Mark 3:13), the Lord chose twelve people
that they might first be ―with him‖ (i.e. trained) with the deliberate intention that Jesus would
later ―send them out‖(i.e. carry on his work). Not only was this Jesus‘ primary strategy but,
in fact, it was his only strategy; there was no backup plan in case things didn‘t work out. But,
fortunately, work out they did, so much so that it can be said that ―but for the twelve, the
doctrine, the works, and the image of Jesus might have perished from human remembrance,
nothing remaining but a vague mythical tradition, of no historical value, and of little practical
influence.‖ 3
The mission that we are entrusted with today is the same given by Christ to his first
followers: ―Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded
you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.‖ (Matthew 28:19-20).
Having the desire to follow Christ‘s directive and follow the New Testament pattern in
1 Robert Coleman (1994), The Master Plan of Evangelism, Revell, p.45.
2 AB Bruce (1988), The Training of the Twelve, Kregel, p.13.
3 AB Bruce (1988), p.13.
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making disciples, we will gather people into home groups of 10-30 people for the purposes of
prayer, evangelism and discipleship (Acts 2:42-47; 5:42; 20:20). It is in the context of these
huddles and the relational networks of which they are a part, that people will come to know
Christ (WIN them), be encouraged to grow in their relationship with God, with others and
undergo healing and transformation in their own lives (BUILD them), and be trained as
ambassadors and workers for the kingdom (SEND them).
THE TASK: GROWING SPIRITUAL REDWOODS
California Redwoods are the world's tallest known trees, not only because their roots run
deep, but also because each Redwood's roots intermingle with those of neighbouring trees.
Each tree does not grow independently but, rather, as part of a network. They work together
closely. Young trees sprout from their parent's roots, making the most of the already
established root system. Similarly, as disciples of Christ we need to mature not only in our
one-on-one relationship with God, but also as part of a community. In a cell church or house
church network, the emphasis is on nurturing growth in such a "family" context. The key
people strategically are those who give leadership and shepherding to home groups. They are
the spiritual Redwoods. Thus, as they led the home groups, they need to be part of a deep
spiritual root system. This can be encouraged by gathering together as a team regularly to
sharpen their vision for what they are doing, to pray for and hear from each other on how
things are going, and to grow in some specific skill areas that will help them effectively lead.
Just two quick points here on leadership. First, it is urged that each active house church
have at least two leaders. These two may be equally sharing the role of caring and planning
for their group, or it may be that one person is a seasoned veteran in leading a home group
while the other is being trained in the process. Either way, it is important to have this in place
to avoid burnout, for the sake of accountability and encouragement, and for the leaders to be
thinking in terms of multiplying themselves by training an apprentice co-leader. In this way,
the multiplication of home groups won‘t stagnate due to a lack of leaders being trained on-
the-job.
Second, if it hasn‘t become apparent already in the core group, which is comprised of
your house church leaders, there will usually emerge quite naturally one or two primary
vision carriers, or coaches, who will lead the core team and be responsible for their care and
training. This ‗leader of the leaders‘ is not to function in a dictatorial fashion or feel they
need to take on other people‘s duties. Their role, rather, is to empower the others, continually
recast the vision, and give some concrete direction to the work; this is both a biblical pattern
and a practical necessity.
3D Training
It is strongly encouraged that at least once or twice monthly for 1.5 - 2 hours, house church
leaders meet together as a team for what may be called Dream-Drill-Discuss (3D) gatherings
for the purpose of leadership development. It is suggested that the actual order and duration
for each component be Dream (20 minute teaching + 10 minutes of questions/comments) +
Drill (20 minute teaching + 10 minutes of questions/comments) + Discuss (30 minutes) = 90
minutes. Discussion at the end is the most effective because people have had time to absorb
the material presented and are now ready to spend as much time together as needed to ask
questions, raise concerns, and pray. The 3D components may be described as follows:
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Dream: What was true in Solomon‘s day is just as true today, ―Where there is no
vision, the people perish‖ (Proverbs 29:18). Leaders in a house church network
can become disheartened and lose sight of what they‘re doing and where they‘re
going, especially in times of crisis, indecision, or when other ‗good‘ ministry
distractions come their way. So, it‘s important to continually revisit the larger
vision or dream so that they keep on track and motivated.
Drill: A leader continually needs to grow in their capacity and ability to
effectively care for the people God has given them. Caring and leading involve a
number of things. Time will be spent on ‗drills‘, or workshops, to develop
specific practical skills necessary to be an effective leader (e.g. one-on-one
mentoring, home group evangelism, etc.) This will keep the core team sharp,
capable and growing, so that they can help people move forward in their journey
with Christ.
Discuss: To grow as a team, house church leaders will need to hear from each
other about what‘s going on in each of their groups. This is a time to celebrate
successes, encourage and problem solve on the challenges, and spend time
relating with and praying for each other.
3D Modules
The starter modules contained in this manual will be beneficial during initial training of the
startup core group that is committed to the house church network plant. Materials are
included for both the Dream and Drill portions of the 3D training times. After the entire
manual has been completed by the core group (3 - 6 months), there are other tools listed in
the ‗Recommended Resources‘ section below that can be used for ongoing training,
including books, websites and on-line internet self-study courses. Also, it may be helpful to
include upcoming conferences and seminars, visits to successful cell group-based churches or
house church networks, or even practical homework assignments. However, as your core
group continues to grow in number, it may be beneficial to revisit all or some of the basic
lessons in this handbook for a season for the benefit of the rookies. The starter modules in
this manual are:
Module 1. The Great Work / Top 10 Reasons for Planting House Churches (Dream)
Module 2. House Church Model (Dream) House Church Styles and Formats (Drill)
Module 3. The Two-Winged Church (Dream) Role of a House Church Leader (Drill)
Module 4. Strategic Growth Circles (Dream) Leading Group Discussions (Drill)
Module 5. The Hand (Dream) House Church Evangelism (Drill)
Module 6. Multiplying House Churches (Dream) Personal Evangelism (Drill)
Module 7. New Wineskins for Today (Dream) One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring (Drill)
CONCLUSIONS
If you‘ve read this far and haven‘t run off, that‘s great ! It is hoped that you will not only find
the following pages interesting and stimulating, but that you will be challenged to grow in
your vision of what God can do through you to help change the world !
COPYRIGHTS AND CONTACT
The material contained in this manuscript may be reproduced or photocopied at will, in
whole or in part, without the permission of either Jason Johnston or Rad Zdero, provided
- 5 -
proper citation and credit is given. If you have questions about this manual, would like to
obtain an on-line version of it, or would simply like to dialogue further about the House
Church approach, feel free to contact Rad Zdero at [email protected] or browse our website
www.housechurch.ca for many other free resources.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jason Johnston, MDiv, earned his theological degree at Asbury Theological
Seminary (Kentucky), earned an undergraduate degree in music from Robert
Wesleyan College in Rochester (New York), has been on the pastoral staff at two
traditional local churches, working particularly in the areas of worship and cell
group ministry, and has been involved in planting several house churches. Jason
enjoys writing and recording music and has released two solo music CDs entitled
‗Open Wide‘ and ‗Willows Motel‘. www.JasonPaulJohnston.com
Rad Zdero, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in
bio-mechanics and bio-materials. He is currently the director of a hospital-based
research group in Toronto. Rad has been involved in the house church and small
group movement since 1985. He is the author of The Global House Church Movement
(2004) and the allegorical novel Entopia: Revolution of the Ants (2008). He is also the
editor of Nexus: The World House Church Movement Reader (2007) and The Starfish
Files house church magazine. He lives in downtown Toronto, Canada. He can be
reached at [email protected] and www.housechurch.ca
- 6 -
Module 1 The Great Work (Dream)
Top 10 Reasons for
Planting House Churches (Dream)
Module 1 – The Great Work Rad Zdero
- 7 -
THE GREAT WORK
―Go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son
and Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I
have taught you. And I will be with you always.‖ (Matthew 28:19-20)
Growing Disciples
Go Make Baptize Teach
Growing Trees
Till Plant Fertilize Water Prune
Module 1 – The Great Work Rad Zdero
- 8 -
JESUS’ STRATEGY
FOR THE GREAT WORK
―[Jesus] ate with [his 12 disciples], slept with them,
and talked with them for the most part of his entire
active ministry. They walked together along the lonely
roads; they visited together in the crowded cities; they
sailed and fished together on the Sea of Galilee; they
prayed together in the deserts and in the mountains;
and they worshiped together in the synagogues
and in the Temple.‖
(Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism, 1999)
Module 1 – The Great Work Rad Zdero
- 9 -
HOUSE CHURCH STRATEGY
What ? plant a House Church Network based on New Testament
pattern (Acts 2:46, 5:42, 20:20)
How ? HC Groups - connect people in small group huddles of
5-15 people, preferably but not exclusively in homes
HC Leaders - train HC leaders to effectively lead and
care for people in their group
HC Network - networking House Churches together
through Large Group events, traveling 5-Fold Ministers
and/or house-to-house meeting patterns
Why ? Intimacy and Accountability (Relationships)
Healing and Transformation (Inner Life)
Growth (Discipleship)
Outreach (Evangelism)
Expanding circle of Jesus‘ followers (Growth)
Module 1 – The Great Work Rad Zdero
- 10 -
HOUSE CHURCH NETWORK
Network
HC
LeadersGroup
Birth
HC
HC
HC
New HC
HC
HC
Module 1 – Top Ten Reasons for Planting House Churches Jason Johnston
- 11 -
TOP TEN Reasons for Planting House Churches
1. BIBLICAL - New Testament pattern (Acts 2:46, 5:42, 20:20)
2. EXPONENTIAL - to reach a growing world, we need to
multiply, not just add
3. EFFECTIVE - world‘s 10 largest churches use small group
model
4. NATURAL - community and relationship connections
5. PEOPLE-FOCUSED - relationships, not programs or projects
6. EFFICIENT - mobile, flexible, adaptable
7. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY - all have opportunity to exercise gifts
8. UNBOUNDED - not limited by church building
9. INEXPENSIVE - less expensive than traditional church
10. IMMEDIATE - can start now
see Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 for strategies for planting HC Networks
- 12 -
Module 2 House Church Model (Dream)
House Church Styles and Formats (Drill)
Module 2 – House Church Model Rad Zdero
- 13 -
Traditional Church
In a Traditional church
basic unit is a program / project
small/cell groups are only one
among many programs
if cell groups don‘t happen, no big loss
FRUIT SALAD
Cell
Groups
Sunday
School
BoardCounseling
Sunday Service
(main event)
Youth
Group
Worship
Team
Outreach
Committee
Missions
Committee
Cell
Groups
Sunday
School
BoardCounseling
Sunday Service
(main event)
Youth
Group
Worship
Team
Outreach
Committee
Missions
Committee
Module 2 – House Church Model Rad Zdero
- 14 -
House Church Network
In a House Church Network basic unit or ‗mini community‘ is
the small home group
home groups are central
number of programs & projects kept to
bare minimum - they must directly feed
HC network, otherwise they
are discarded CLUSTER OF GRAPES
HC Groups - intimacy, accountability, mentoring, outreach
HC Leaders - 3D (Dream, Drill, Discuss) Training, prayer, encouragement
HC Network - network HCs for teaching, worship, resourcing, synergy
Network
HC
LeadersGroup
Birth
HC
HC
HC
New HC
HC
HC
Module 2 – House Church Model Rad Zdero
- 15 -
Ways of Networking
House Churches Types of HCs Single-Cell HCS
HC only has 1 Cell of 5-15 people
Format: Large Group = Small Group (1½ hrs)
Independent or Networked with other HCs
Multi-Cell HCs HC has several Cells
Format
o Large Group time - all Cells together (½ hr)
o Small Group time - break out into Cells in
various rooms in the house (1½ hrs)
Independent or Networked with other HCs
HC NETWORKS Hub Network (a.k.a. Cell Church)
Small Group - HCs meet weekly (at least) on their own
Large Group - frequent and regular gathering of all HCs in one place for teaching,
worship, etc.
Chain Network
Each HC relates closely only with its immediate HC neighbours in the chain, visiting from
house-to-house. Only occasional Large Group city-wide gathering of all HCs in one place.
5-Fold Network
HCs connected by traveling 5-fold ministers (apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, pastor)
and others that visit from house-to-house, like blood circulating through veins.
=
Module 2 – House Church Styles and Formats Jason Johnston
- 16 -
House Church Styles and Formats J ason Johns ton © 2001
TAKE HOME VALUE: That you, as leaders, will realize the flexibility allowed in forming your
own house church, understand how the ingredients will determine your results and use a practical
exercise to plan your meeting times.
IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN: You may end up forming a house church or cell group you don‘t
enjoy, trying to reach out to the wrong target group with either few results or results that you
didn‘t want or expect.
BREAKING FREE: The biblical word for ―church‖ (ekklesia) literally means ―the called out
ones.‖ It‘s not a building. It‘s not one person by themselves. It‘s a gathering of people ―called
out‖ to form a spiritual community. The Bible does not prescribe what exactly to ―do‖ together,
but focuses on who we must ―be‖ to one another and the rest of the world. Let‘s break free of
models of what the church must ―do‖ together and learn how to ―be‖ the church to one another.
MAIN SUBSTANCE OF THE CHURCH MUST BE: Relationship
MAIN CATEGORIES OF CHURCH LIFE:
SUPPORT
~ Love ~
DISCIPLESHIP
~ Learn ~
OUTREACH
~ Evangelize ~
MINISTRY ~ Serve ~
MAIN INGREDIENTS:
Open Sharing
Teaching
Creative Sharing
Evangelism
Social Service
Communion
Listening to Music
Prayer
Group Discussion
Worship
Hanging Out
Children‘s Activities
Vision Casting
Playing Games
Bible Study
Exercising Spiritual Gifts
Confessing Sins
Group Counseling
Food
Personal Testimonies
Watching a Movie
HOW TO PLAN:
Do what you want, but….
1. Think about your CONTEXT
Who Are You? Who Will Be Involved? What are the needs around you?
2. Have an ASSISTANT LEADER
3. BE OPEN to grow and multiply
Module 2 – House Church Styles and Formats Jason Johnston
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THE DO-IT-YOURSELF PAGE MAKE YOUR OWN HOUSE CHURCH IN 8 EASY STEPS
1. My Name:
2. My Strongest Gifts/Abilities:
3. Who I might have in my house church (types of people, or names):
4. Who I might have as an assistant leader:
5. The house church ingredient that I like best is:
6. The house church ingredient that I like least is:
7. How I would plan a house church meeting:
Ingredient Approx. Time
example: Ice Breaker 10 minutes
Prayer 15 minutes
Group Discussion around a Topic 20 minutes
Food/Fellowship 15 minutes
Ingredient Approx. Time
8. How I would rate the meeting I just created:
TEMPERATURE: - | | | 0 | | | +
Closed to Outsiders: very closed very open
Emotional Healing Factor: not so healing very healing
Relational Building Factor: not so building really building
Spiritual Depth Factor: shallow oceanic
Non-Christian Creep Factor: creepy not creepy
Evangelistic Effectiveness: not effective very effective
Overall Fun Factor: yawn oh boy! yeah!
Just don’t forget the main substance:
Relationship to each other, the people around you, and God.
- 18 -
Module 3 The Two-Winged Church (Dream)
Role of a House Church Leader (Drill)
Module 3 – The Two-Winged Church J. Johnston and R. Zdero
- 19 -
The Two-Winged Church
MICRO Ministry
Examples House Churches
Task groups
One-on-one mentoring
Projects / programs for
individual development
Personal / HC evangelism
MACRO Ministry
Examples
large groups events
(e.g. celebration service,
outreach events...)
select projects / programs for
masses that directly feed into
HC Network
Advantages personalized development
intimacy & accountability
drop-out reduction
highly relational
Advantages being part of something big
worship, teaching & action
connecting & networking
Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house,
they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that
Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:42
Module 3 – The Two-Winged Church Jason Johnston
- 20 -
The Two-Winged Church
The following story was adapted and modified by Jason Johnston based on material from
W.A. Beckham (1997), The Second Reformation, Touch Publications, pp.25-26.
The Creator once created a church with two wings: one wing was for large group gatherings and the
other for small group community. It was the perfect design. Well balanced, aerodynamic. With both
wings the church could fly into the heavens, entering into the Creator's presence and doing His will
all over the world.
After a few hundred years of flying all over the earth, the church began to question its design. It
began to wonder why it needed this "small group" wing. The large group wing was so much more
spectacular and impressive and, well, large. The jealous, wicked serpent, who had no wings,
applauded this idea: "Yeah, who needs TWO wings?...hisss". Over the years, the small group wing
got smaller and smaller from lack of attention until it basically was non-existent. The two-winged
church that had flown high into the heavens was now, for all practical purposes, one-winged and
grounded.
The Creator was very sad. It was painful watching the one-winged church try to lift off the ground.
Even if it was able to after much energy and effort, it was prone to fly in circles, lose direction or
crash and burn. Spending more and more time in the safety and comfort of its hangar, it grew
contented with an earth-bound existence.
From time to time, the church dreamed of flying into the presence of the Creator and doing His work
all over the earth. The pilots would check their own manuals and see how the church, in theory, could
do incredible maneuvers. Their imaginations were filled. The passengers would sometimes peer out
the windows into the sky and wonder if they could ever see God. But then the reality of the one large
wing would set in, and the dreams would go no further.
In compassion, the Creator finally stretched out His hands and began to reshape the church once
again. He sent his mechanics / prophets to instruct and guide. "You got to have two wings. That wing
is way too big. And ya gotta fix this small wing or else you can't fly!" The Creator gathered the
people and pilots to learn once again from the manual, for in order to complete His plans in the
world the Creator needed a church with two wings, a church that was able to soar into His presence
and do all His will all over the earth.
The End.
The strength and power of God's first church is being revived today. In the first century "day after
day, in the Temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the
good news that Jesus is the Messiah" (Acts 5:42). And, after hundreds of years, the church is
returning to the house and learning to move from house to house. You are part of a worldwide
movement returning the church to its original form and power. This vision is the seed of what has
been called the Second Reformation, which will change our city and world, one house at a time.
Module 3 – Role of a House Church Leader Rad Zdero
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ROLE OF A HOUSE CHURCH LEADER
Shepherd (nurture, protect, “heart”)
set tone, boundaries, safety
stimulate relationships
resolve conflicts
pray for people
be aware of special needs
Strategist (vision, direction, “head”)
conduct, lead, and organize your HC
mentoring or peer mentoring with HC co-leader
one-on-one mentoring
identify emerging leaders
―open chair‖ – new people, evangelism
when to multiply your HC, plant a new HC, or end your HC
see commitment agreement for HC leaders in Appendix 3 – So, You Wanna be a House Church Leader?!
- 22 -
Module 4 Strategic Growth Circles (Dream)
Leading Group Discussions (Drill)
Module 4 – Strategic Growth Circles Rad Zdero
- 23 -
(see Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 for strategies for planting a HC Network)
Jesus
Peter, John, James(Luke 9:28)
12 Disciples(Luke 6:12-15)
70 Associates(Luke 10:1-3)
120 in “Upper Room”(Acts 1:14-15)
3000+ Believers Added(Acts 2:41-47)
Initiator / Innovator
Implementers
Core Group
CoreCommunity
Critical Mass
Exponential Growth& self-perpetuating
Multiplication
Coach
Inner LeadershipCircle
HC Prototype
(10-15 People)
HC Network Prototype
(5-10 HCs)
(10-15 HCs)
(15 or more HCs)
Strategic Growth Circles
Jesus’ World Strategy House Church Network Strategy
HC Network 1st Multiplication
HC Network 2nd Multiplication
Module 4 – Leading Group Discussions Rad Zdero
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LEADING GROUP DISCUSSIONS
An important and frequent occurrence in House Churches or Cell groups is a time of
group conversation or discussion. As group leaders, one of our responsibilities is to
help facilitate this time in order to ensure that it is healthy and beneficial for all. The
following are some tips to keep in mind as we do this.
1. Start the Conversation
2. Create a Welcoming Tone
3. Be Vulnerable and Honest
4. Actively Listen
5. The Art of Asking Questions
6. Keep the Focus
7. Welcome Silence, Take Breaks
8. Recognize & Deal with Conflict, Anger, Boredom
9. Encourage Participation from all Members
10. Encourage Interaction between all Members
- 25 -
Module 5 The Hand: 5 Features of a
House Church Network (Dream)
House Church Evangelism (Drill)
Module 5 – The Hand Rad Zdero
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Th e Hand
5 Features of a House Church Netw ork
P re -Chr is t ian s
• relational networks
among not-yet-Christians
• broad base of ministry
N ew C hr is tians
• decision as part of
the process
• encountering God
• assurance of
salvation
G ro w ing C hr is tians
• walk with God & people
• prayer, Bible, evangelism
and faith community
• discovering gifts
L ab o urers
• mature believers stepping into
the ‗gap‘ for others
• using spiritual gifts
• spiritual parents (e.g. 1-to-1 mentor,
counsellor, house church leader)
L ead ers
• labourers with wider
scope of responsibility
(e.g. house church
planter, 5-fold minister)
Module 5 – House Church Evangelism Rad Zdero
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HOUSE CHURCH EVANGELISM Rad Zdero © March 2000
INTRODUCTION
The Christian community today recognizes and
utilizes the power of small groups—in the form
of cell groups and house churches—as vehicles
for spiritual nurture, accountability, intimacy,
and growth in a particular area of knowledge. In
many churches and faith communities there are a
number of such groups to plug into – prayer
groups, bible study groups, book study groups,
affinity groups, accountability groups, home
groups, and the list goes on. Often, however,
these huddles are geared toward the development
of the Christian (i.e. discipleship) as a very
specific outcome.
Let me state that I am not saying here that
evangelism should only be done one way or that
there is necessarily a best way – this is dictated
by context usually. What is given in this article,
however, is an examination of evangelism
specifically in the context of house churches and
cell groups.
TWO APPROACHES TO EVANGELISM
Now let‘s suppose that our spheres of influence
as Christians – such as the city we live in, our
immediate neighbourhood, our workplace, our
circle of friends, or maybe our school - is like a
flowing river (see diagram). The river represents
the various contexts that we have in which we
relate, in the daily ebb and flow of life, with the
lost.
Our non-Christian friends are like fish in the
river, some are big, some small, some are easier
to get along with than others. Some are very
open to engaging on faith issues, whereas others
are either indifferent or hostile. So, we see this
huge opportunity to ‗be Jesus‘ and ‗see Jesus‘
and to engage those around us with the good
news. So, now what do we do? There are two
choices as I see it, namely bridge fishing and
small boat fishing.
Bridge Fishing
Belonging to a tight knit group that has a
somewhat definable goal is, unfortunately, not
only a foreign experience to many followers of
Jesus, but also to much of larger society. And so,
when it comes to evangelism, the Christian
approach is often similar to someone who gets
their fishing pole, worms it, and positions
themselves at the most strategic spot they know
of on the bridge. This tactic ensures that we
never get wet or dirty or in any kind of real close
contact with dirty and smelly fish, until we catch
one and pull it up to where we are.
In actuality, this might mean that we invite a
friend to an ‗outreach‘ event that‘s coming to
town, or perhaps we invite someone to church or
a church related event, or we take part in a
missions week that our church or campus group
is sponsoring by going door-to-door in our
neighborhood handing out videos on Jesus, etc.
The advantages of this method are that it‘s
safer, cleaner, and less risky for the person doing
the evangelizing. There‘s not much of a chance
that we‘ll have to go to places and be with
people that may challenge our moral or
theological views. The main disadvantage,
though, is that we‘ll never truly be challenged
and forced to grow in what we believe by
thoughtful non-Christians. And we may never
really get to know any non-kingdom friends up
close and personally until they become
Christians.
So, bridge fishing is more of a ‗suck in‘ rather
than a ‗reach out‘, periodically going out on
evangelism raids rather than becoming an insider
in our non-Christian circles. I‗m not suggesting
that this strategy has no place at all, because that
is in fact how I became a Christian, by someone
handing out Bibles. But, I think there is a
complementary approach that may be ideally
suited for today's Christians, namely small boat
fishing.
Module 5 – House Church Evangelism Rad Zdero
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The Context
Bridge FishingPros
lotsa space for fish
risk-free fishing
you will not get
wet, dirty, or smelly
Cons
far away from water &
the fish you want to catch
least mobile
Small Boat
Fishing FleetPros
a fleet of small boats
working together for
direction and support
very mobile
quieter and so can
get closer to more fish
Cons - risky since
close to water
Isolated
Small BoatsPros - most mobile
Cons - may eventually
sink due to lack of
support, direction and
space
Big & Loud BoatsPros - lots of room
Cons - may scare fish away, hard
to steer and make quick changes
EVANGELISM as FISHING
The Context
Bridge FishingPros
lotsa space for fish
risk-free fishing
you will not get
wet, dirty, or smelly
Cons
far away from water &
the fish you want to catch
least mobile
Small Boat
Fishing FleetPros
a fleet of small boats
working together for
direction and support
very mobile
quieter and so can
get closer to more fish
Cons - risky since
close to water
Isolated
Small BoatsPros - most mobile
Cons - may eventually
sink due to lack of
support, direction and
space
Big & Loud BoatsPros - lots of room
Cons - may scare fish away, hard
to steer and make quick changes
EVANGELISM as FISHING
Module 5 – House Church Evangelism Rad Zdero
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Small Boat Fishing
Imagine a Small Boat that‘s part of a larger fleet
of similar boats whose main purpose is to catch
fish (see diagram). The crew of each small boat
eats together, hangs out, strategizes, encourages
every member of the team, and casts out the
fishing nets together. They are a unit. They do
everything together: move, stop, slow down,
speed up, change direction, pull up the nets, put
down the nets. They make decisions quickly in a
non-bureaucratic manner regarding issues like
when they need to buy new nets, fix the side of
the boat, and change directions. They also have
the accountability, support and direction that
comes from being part of a larger fleet of such
boats.
This method may look something like a small
group of five or six friends who have decided
that they want to intentionally reach out to their
friends together as a team. Their main thrust and
contribution to evangelism is in the context of
what this small team does. They meet together
once a week, pray for each other and their non-
Christian friends, learn from each other‘s
attempts at evangelism, brainstorm on
overcoming obstacles, invite their seeker friends
to social occasions or events, and get into each
other‘s social spheres. They are mobile, flexible,
non-bureaucratic, quick to implement decisions
and changes, and have support from each other
as part of a team. There is also the accountability
and intimacy that naturally evolves in being part
of a close knit team.
The main caution here is that, unless this small
boat is part of a larger network of small boats
doing the same thing, an independent and
Isolated Small Boat (see diagram) can potentially
sink or get shipwrecked due to questionable
doctrine, unhealthy practices, lack of direction
and not much space. The other danger is that
using an overly large group, i.e. Big and Loud
Boat, as an evangelistic tool that meets, say, in
someone‘s home, may possibly scare some
people away because it is large, loud and may
seem strange to some people who expect
religious meetings to meet in a church building.
We need to be aware of the potential obstacles
with any approach we take, however, making
sure to capitalize on the strengths of each as
well.
EXAMPLES OF SMALL BOAT FISHING
From my personal experience, the advantages of
small boat fishing far outweigh the potential
dangers involved. As such, this section explores
6 possible scenarios, based on personal
experience, of how this approach to evangelism
could work within the context of one small
fishing boat. One thing to keep in mind here is
the importance of being an ‗insider‘ and full
participant in our non-Christian networks.
Without such insider status, small boat fishing
can easily degenerate into ‗suck in‘ evangelism
rather than ‗reach out‘ evangelism.
Discussion Dinners
A discussion dinner is basically an event hosted
periodically (maybe monthly) by the
evangelistically oriented house church, in which
members invite a few non-Christian friends to an
evening meal. This is followed by people
gathering in the living room for a short 10-20
minute presentation that addresses some
important questions of life (e.g. does God exist?,
why so much suffering?, who is Jesus?, etc) to
launch the discussion. The material used to start
the evening‘s discussion is usually a
contemporary and mainstream music video,
movie, poem, song, newspaper article, painting,
etc. The key here is to make sure that all
opinions are valued and allowed to be fully
expressed and explored. A good discussion
facilitator is required. The non-Christian friend
should not feel pounced on or cornered or that
their opinion is somehow wrong. Remember, the
purpose for these dinners is to create discussion
and open up the doors for further dialogue down
the line. They are not meant to be high pressure
situations. Casual, comfortable and creative are
the main ingredients for a good discussion
dinner.
Evangelists Anonymous
This type of small group is sort of an evangelism
support group that meets together to pray for,
Module 5 – House Church Evangelism Rad Zdero
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encourage, brainstorm, and keep each member
accountable in their personal one-on-one
evangelism efforts in their respective spheres of
influence, whether that be at the workplace, in
the school, or in the neighbourhood. As members
help and encourage each other in this endeavour,
all will become more motivated and skilled in
their own efforts. Suggestions for increasing
skills and growing in vision may be for the group
to be reading through some helpful books on
‗lifestyle‘ and ‗friendship‘ evangelism (Green,
1995; Petersen, 1989; Pippert, 1979), going
through a video learning series (Petersen, 1989),
studying biblical patterns of mission, going to
related seminars, reading through a book that
links prayer and evangelism, expanding our
knowledge of the world‘s religions (Smith,
1991), apologetics (Boyd & Boyd, 1994; Little,
1988), etc. If at all possible, opportunities to
enter into each other‘s social circles should be
encouraged.
The Partiers
This team of five or six folks focuses on giving
each other opportunities to connect with and
engage each other‘s friends with the good news
by merging their social circles together. These
people like to party and socialize. They‘re
always having dinners, movie nights, going out
bowling, playing hockey, and going away to the
cottage on weekends. Or perhaps this small team
loves to cook, play scrabble, watch movies, or
perhaps play cards. They are always including
their non-Christian friends so that their
friendship networks begin to overlap. In other
words, the focus here is on social cross-
pollination.
The potential here lies in the synergistic and
overlapping efforts and talents of each team
member with each other‘s non-kingdom friends.
The breakthrough that I‘ve been working on with
a friend may not come until they connect with
another member of the team who perhaps
understands them more and is able to connect at
a deeper level. What we have here really is the
emergence of a community made up of
overlapping social circles, with Christians and
non-Christians alike, that creates opportunities to
dialogue on life, faith, family, work, sports,
suffering, and Jesus.
Service Oriented Groups
This small team starts off, say, as a run-of-the-
mill Bible study meeting once a week on
Wednesday nights. But then one of them notices
that there is something wrong in town –
homeless people in the streets, food banks
running low on donations, soup kitchens needing
volunteers. This guy then rallies a few friends
from the Bible study, and they decide they
needed to make a difference, somehow.
They start praying, thinking, and doing some
research. They come up with the idea of opening
up an emergency last resort overnight shelter for
homeless people when all other existing shelters
and agencies are full up. They garner support and
advice from existing shelters in town, organize a
homeless walk to raise money for their shelter,
within a few months are up and running
successfully, and are supported greatly by their
home church and other agencies with supplies
and money. They are able to initially recruit
about two dozen volunteers, mostly from their
home church but also from the community at
large, some of whom are non-Christians.
Although the main goal of the project is to help
the homeless, the project not only strengthens the
bonds between the Christians involved but also
creates opportunities to share in word and deed
the good news of Jesus to those around them.
This, by the way, is a true story and only one
example of the possibilities for house churches.
Social Issues Discussion Groups
Many in our society are deeply concerned about
social issues and are willing to engage and
explore societal problems in conversation. A
house church may host a discussion group that
attempts to address and explore various societal
problems can be a way of building bridges
between Christians and non-Christians. Typical
meetings may simply involve discussing a book,
magazine article or newspaper clipping on a
certain topic. This provides an opportunity for
the believer to learn about issues the church does
not address frequently, to formulate and
Module 5 – House Church Evangelism Rad Zdero
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articulate their perspective, and to learn from
non-Christians their views on the environment,
AIDS, crime, international relations, abortion,
euthanasia, genetic engineering, the media,
poverty, homelessness, as well as a host of local
concerns. It may be surprising to both believers
and non-believers that they share many
overlapping perspectives, something that can
create friendships and a springboard for dialogue
on faith issues.
Investigative Bible Studies
This basically involves a house church
organizing a weekly Bible study group geared
towards non-Christian friends. Out of some
friendships may emerge a few seeker friends
who are interested in a more thorough look at the
Bible and this guy named Jesus. It‘s just a matter
of inviting them.
A great approach is certainly one of the
gospels, in which we all agree to systematically
look through the life of Christ, one chapter at a
time on a weekly basis. Other possibilities may
be a topical or thematic introductory look at
questions like: Who was Jesus? What about
science and faith? Why suffering and evil? Is the
Bible Reliable? Does God Really Care? Helpful
books such as Know Why You Believe (Little,
1988) address a variety of questions that people
often ask. As well, introductory courses to the
Christian faith such as the ever-popular Alpha
Course (Gumbel, 1993), offer a practical and
refreshing look at some foundational issues. The
Alpha Course is oriented around a meal and
lively video presentation, followed by group
discussion on the issues addressed.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This article has attempted to touch on issues
related to house church and small group
evangelism and offer some practical tips. Be
creative, intentional, sensitive and, above all,
trust God to do something through you to touch
the lives of people around you.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The diagram ‗Evangelism as Fishing‘ was
adapted and modified based on material from my
friend Jeremy Horne who is the director of The
Navigators of Canada (Campus Mission).
REFERENCES & FURTHER READING
ARNOLD, J (1992), The Big Book on Small Groups,
InterVarsity Press.
BOYD G.A. and E.K. BOYD (1994), Letters from a
Skeptic, Chariot Victor Publishing.
BRUCE, F.F. (1992), The New Testament Documents:
Are They Reliable?, InterVarsity Press.
COLEMAN, Robert (1963), The Master Plan of
Evangelism, Spire Books / Revell.
GREEN, M., and A. MCGRATH (1995), How Shall We
Reach Them? Thomas Nelson Pub.
GREEN, Michael (1995), One to One, Random House.
GUMBEL, Nicky (1993), Questions of Life, Alpha
Course, Cook Ministry Resources.
LITTLE, Paul (1988), Know Why You Believe,
InterVarsity Press.
MARTIN, Walter (1992), The Kingdom of the Cults,
Bethany House Publishers.
MCDOWELL, Josh (1977), More Than a Carpenter,
Living Books, Tyndale House Publishers.
MCDOWELL, Josh (1988), Evidence That Demands a
Verdict (Volume 1) - Historical Evidences for the
Christian Faith, Here's Life Publishers.
PETERSEN, Jim (1989), Living Proof - Sharing the
Gospel Naturally, NavPress, Colorado Springs, USA.
A video series is available based on the book.
PETERSEN, Jim (1992), Church without Walls,
NavPress.
PIPPERT, R.M. (1979), Out of the Salt Shaker and Into
the World, InterVarsity Press.
SCHUMACHER, E.F. (1973), Small is Beautiful:
Economics as if People Mattered, Harper & Row.
SHORROSH, Anis A. (1988), Islam Revealed - A
Christian Arab's View of Islam, Thomas Nelson
Publishers.
SMITH, Huston (1991), The World's Religions, Harper
SanFrancisco.
- 32 -
Module 6 Multiplying House Churches (Dream)
Personal Evangelism (Drill)
Module 6 – Multiplying House Churches Jason Johnston
- 33 -
MULTIPLYING HOUSE CHURCHES Jason Johnston © 2000
Human Population Grows by Multiplication
Human
Population
Years
Required
Year
First Billion 10,000 Plus 1830
Second Billion 100 1930
Third Billion 30 1960
Fourth Billion 15 1975
Fifth Billion 12 1987
Sixth Billion 12 1999
Plants Grow by Multiplication In ideal growing conditions you may get two fully matured ears of corn, not five or six as
sometimes is thought. Normally one fully matured ear is harvested and a second ear can be
seen, but is not well developed.
Each kernel of corn, when planted, will produce 300-1,000, or more, kernels. An ear of
corn when matured will normally have 10-18 rows of kernels with up to 50 kernels per row.
Good growing conditions in Ontario will mean ears with 600-800 kernels of corn. Average
yield in Ontario for corn is around 75%.
Corn Multiplication 1
ST Generation = 1 Plant
2ND
Generation = 525 new plants
3RD
Generation = 275,625 new plants
4TH
Generation = 75,969,140,625 new plants
Anything living grows by multiplication.
God Intends His Church to Grow by Automatic Multiplication In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus was saying ―The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon
the ground; and goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts up and grows --
how, he himself does not know. The earth produces crops by itself (automate); first the blade,
then the head, and then the mature grain in the head. But when the crop permits, he
immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.‖
Population Sources Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (Ron Sider) and The Second Reformation (William A. Beckham)
World Population: www.popin.org/pop1998/4.htm - see article entitled "World Population Growth
from year 0 to 2050"
Corn sources: www.ontariocorn.org and Government Canada at www.gov.on.ca/omafra
Jesus sources: the Bible
12
34
56
1825 1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025
Year
Hu
man
Po
pu
latio
n
(B
illi
on
s)
Module 6 – Personal Evangelism: Telling Stories Rad Zdero
- 34 -
PERSONAL EVANGELISM: TELLING STORIES Rad Zdero © 2000
One element of effectively being Christ‘s body on earth is to be able to engage friends,
family, coworkers, and neighbours, with the good news that Jesus can bring forgiveness,
hope and healing into our lives (John 3:1-21; John 4:1-42; Acts 8:26-40). The apostle Peter
encourages us to ―always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the
reason for the hope that you have; but do this with gentleness and respect‖ (1 Peter 3:15).
As limited and somewhat artificial as they are, the two exercises below may help us find
our own voice in talking about our faith story with others. Although just being ‗present‘ and
expressing love through practical deeds are important, words and conversation also have
their place and are a powerful tool in seeing people connect with each other and Christ.
Lastly, seven tips for personal evangelism are included for our consideration.
1. Exercise - 30 Second Faith Story (or “30 Seconds to Glory”) 1. Break off into pairs. Using the space below, take 5 minutes to prepare a 30 second
version of your faith journey which you will then share with your partner verbally. In
preparing it, you may want to consider the influence of the Bible in your faith, your
process to Christ, the difference Christ has made in your life, where you are now
spiritually, challenges you‘ve faced, why your friend may want to consider Christ, etc. If
your faith story was made into a movie or book, what would its title be?
2. Take turns sharing your 30 second story with your partner.
3. Did you learn anything? Was this exercise helpful? Why or why not?
Module 6 – Personal Evangelism: Telling Stories Rad Zdero
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2. Exercise - Coffee Shop Connection 1. In the same pairs, you now enter the world of role playing. Consider if you will, a coffee
shop. Two friends sit across from each other; a Christian and a non-Christian.
The Christian: One of you will just be yourself as a Christian. Your goal may be to just
listen, ask questions to draw your friend out, and/or you may wish to be able to share a bit
of your faith story with your friend.
The non-Christian: One of you will take on the role of a non-Christian friend. Perhaps
you may just want to be yourself as you were before coming to Christ (if this applies), or
you may want to take on one of the following stereotypical roles:
The Intellectual - a thinker; needs proof and data; suspicious of ‗faith‘; questions the
Bible‘s reliability; not necessarily impressed with subjective experiences.
The Pragmatist - practical; wants to know if faith is useful; thinks it doesn‘t matter
what you believe as long as it ‗works‘ for you.
The Pluralist - very open to all faiths; believes all religions are same; Christ is just
one among many great teachers; advocates ‗tolerance‘ and ‗acceptance‘ and ‗love‘.
The Victim - bad experience of church; guilt complex; emotional baggage around
God; church people are hypocrites; fearful of being ―converted‖.
The „Religious‟ Christian – no relationship with Christ is evident or desired;
considers themselves a Christian since born into the church; into church activities;
being good and faithful to the church is important; they are more religious and duty
oriented rather than relational when it comes to God.
The Devout Muslim – Jesus is only a prophet and not Son of God; Koran is Word of
God; the Bible has errors; there is only one God and Muhammad is his prophet; Islam
is a lifestyle and not just a set of beliefs; you try to share your faith with your
Christian friend.
2. When you are both ready, spend 5 minutes just talking and connecting in your respective roles.
3. How did the conversation go? What did you learn about - your own way of communicating? other
people‘s perspectives?
4. Read through John 4:1-42, which relates how Jesus connected with a Samaritan woman about
faith. What things impress you about Jesus‘ way of communicating? What lesson can you apply
to your own life?
Module 6 – Personal Evangelism: Telling Stories Rad Zdero
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3. Seven Tips for Personal Evangelism One of the key factors in establishing and sustaining ministry is to develop relational
networks among non-Christian friends. This provides the broad base of our ministry, from
which will emerge new and growing followers of Christ and, in time, labourers and leaders
for the kingdom. A key factor in this endeavour is our own personal evangelism efforts.
Consider the following ideas as you embark on this daring adventure.
1. Identify your Main Sphere of Influence
In what arena are most of my contacts with non-Christian friends?
Become an ―insider‖ at school, work, neighbourhood, club, etc.
2. Ask Yourself Key Questions
Do I have any non-Christian friends? If not, why not?
Who should I hang around? Be specific and focus.
What is God doing already in this person‘s life?
What are the barriers keeping them from Christ?
(emotional, intellectual, personal history…)
What is ‗good news‘ to this person?
How can I effectively share my story with my friends?
3. Be Proactive
Don‘t just wait for opportunities, rather create them…take initiative with people
Be creative, practice hospitality, be practical, keep an eye out for useful resources
4. Quantity Time and Quality Time
Both of these are keys to friendship building and connecting
5. Communication is a 2-Way Street
Listen to people, the art of asking questions, draw people out, create a safe space
Learn about the other person, don‘t just use the friendship to ―tell‖ people stuff
6. Christian Community
The power of community - connecting your friend into your Christian network
Large group, small group, special events, social gatherings, informal settings, etc
Don‘t leave non-Christian friends stranded with you as their sole connection
7. Exploring the Bible
At some point your friends may be interested in looking at the scriptures (e.g. one-on-
one with you, keep an eye open for a house church or investigative Bible study and
go with them, or better yet start one with your friend, etc)
Recommended Reading
Green, M (1995), One to One: How to Share your faith with a Friend, Random House.
Green, M and A McGrath (1995), How Shall We Reach Them?, Thomas Nelson.
Petersen, J (1989), Living Proof: Sharing the Gospel Naturally, NavPress.
Pippert, RM (1979), Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World, InterVarsity Press.
- 37 -
Module 7 New Wineskins for Today (Dream)
One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring (Drill)
Module 7 – New Wineskins for Today Jason Johnston
- 38 -
New Wineskins for Today Jason Johnston © 2000
Jesus said, ―And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst
the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into
new wineskins.‖ Mark 2:22 NIV
Three Pharisee criticisms of Jesus 1. Eating with sinners (2:13-17)
2. Not ―religious‖ enough through fasting (2:18-22)
3. Not observing the Sabbath (2:23-3:6)
Old and New Wine Old Wine (Old Covenant) New Wine (New Covenant)
Sacrifice Individuals to give up animals to
sacrifice for their sins
Jesus became the complete, perfect and
final sacrifice when he died on the cross
(Heb 10:10)
Priesthood A certain few come before God
for the masses
Believers are given direct access to God
through Jesus (Heb 4:16) and are each
expected to use their gifts to build up the
church (1 Cor 12-14, esp. 1 Cor 14:12)
Tabernacle or
Temple
Worship is centralized into one
building where God manifests
his presence
The temple is destroyed and is no longer
necessary (Mark 14:58) and the church as
people becomes the dwelling place of
God (Eph 2:22)
Old and New Wineskins The problem is not ―old‖ and ―new‖ – ―new is better‖ is not a Jesus motto – the problem is
that the Gospel is ALWAYS new; it cannot be contained in the inflexible.
House Church comes with a New Wineskin flexibility for Today Puts due importance on Jesus and our relationships
Encourages every person as potential leader
Gives room for God-given gifts to be used
Takes the focus from the church as building or program to the church as people
The church was born in a house (Acts 2:2) and rapidly spread from house to house (Acts
5:42, Acts 8:3, Acts 10:22, Acts 20:20, Rom. 16:5, 1 Cor. 16:19, Col. 4:15) and we believe
this is one, but not the only, new wineskin God will use to bring renewal to His church today.
“Every age tastes the temptation to forget that the gospel is ever new. We try to contain the new wine
of the gospel in old wineskins – outmoded traditions, obsolete philosophies, creaking institutions, old
habits. But with time the old wineskins begin to bind the gospel. Then they must burst, and the power
of the gospel pours fourth once more.” (Howard A. Snyder, Radical Renewal)
Module 7 – One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring Rad Zdero
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One-to-One Mentoring Worksheet
Definition intentionally connecting with one person
for the purpose of spiritual growth
Descriptors mentoring
coaching
“Marketplace” Mentoring Scenarios athlete that has a personal trainer
Biblical Examples Elijah Elisha
People Needing a Mentor on threshold of commitment to Christ
Ask Yourself
Is there one person I would like to
mentor ?
Is there one person I would like to
have mentor me ?
My Spiritual Family Tree
Module 7 – One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring Rad Zdero
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THE FAMILY TREE: Thoughts on One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring
Rad Zdero © November 2000
THE NEED FOR SPIRITUAL MENTORS
As we look around us and absorb the entire
spiritual landscape of this crazy planet, we‘ll
notice that Jesus is on the move through his
people. The church is growing numerically in
leaps and bounds worldwide. There is some
good stuff going on and much to be thankful
for.
If we take a closer look, however, there is
something missing, something
that there is a lack of and yet a
desperate need for; there is a
cry in the body of Christ for
spiritual mothers and fathers,
also called mentors or
coaches, who take deliberate
personal interest in individuals
and help them grow.
If we turn to the world of
sports, many accomplished
athletes have personal trainers, whether they
compete in individual or team sports. In the
academic realm, those pursuing Master‘s or
Doctoral degrees each have their own
supervisor who encourages and guides them in
their research. Even families of one or two
parents give personal attention and care to their
few children, until these kids grow to adulthood
and are then able to become parents themselves.
Yet, in the Christian community, we have
somehow contented ourselves to huddle in large
groups, perhaps even in small groups, but have
lost the power of one-on-one, feeling perhaps
that it‘s unnecessary at worst or necessary but
impractical at best.
BIBLICAL EXAMPLES
How did we get here? I think the answer is that
we‘ve forgotten the basic Biblical examples of
those who went before us. There are numerous
examples from scripture of personalized
spiritual training, but let's briefly look at two,
that of Paul and Peter.
For instance, Paul the
great travelling apostle
founded numerous
Christian communities
in the Mediterranean
world of the first
century, and his
personal letters to
churches comprise
about half the New
Testament. But, he
didn't start off to be a spiritual "superstar". In
the early days after his awakening to Christ, he
was befriended and mentored by Barnabas, a
fellow who had been around the block a few
times spiritually (Acts 9:22-27 and 11:22-26).
Paul was quick to catch on, though, and soon
was investing in the lives of other individuals
like Timothy, Titus and Silas, in the context of
the daily ebb and flow of life and ministry (1
Cor 4:14-17; 1 Thes 1:1; Titus 1:4). Notice that
Paul was always thinking two or three
generations down the line, well aware of the
impact he could make not only on Timothy, but
Module 7 – One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring Rad Zdero
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on those whom Timothy had a chance to
apprentice (2 Tim 2:2).
Similarly Peter, the big fisherman from
Galilee with a loud mouth and bad temper, was
coached by Jesus himself. They fished and
prayed together, walked the desert roads side by
side, worshiped in the Temple, ate and drank,
and slept and talked, together. After several
years of investment by Jesus, Peter would be
ready to take on the mantle of leadership for the
fledgling Christian community (John 21:15-17),
which would soon burst out of Jerusalem under
the power of God‘s lead.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
―Well‖, you might be thinking, ―that was then,
this is now. That‘s all about that ancient stuff.
Sounds good though, but what does this have to
do with me? Does that kind of stuff actually go
on today?‖ As far as I've got the exact story
straight, back in the 1940s Dawson Trotman,
founder of the Christian organization called The
Navigators, discipled Waldron Scott, who in
turn did the same for Leroy Eims, who then
mentored a businessman named Bob. Bob then
spiritually coached Tom, who mentored Don,
the Navigator staff at the university I attended.
Dawson Trotman, however, also used to get
together on Saturdays with Bill Bright, the
founder of the well-known Campus Crusade for
Christ (CCC), in order to pass onto him the
basics of how to disciple someone.
Now, this is where the rubber hits the road for
me personally because a fellow named Dave,
whom I met in the first week of my first year of
university, was staff with CCC. From that point
on for the next 2 years, he and I would get
together regularly and frequently to pray, talk,
play video games, eat lunch, and study the Bible
in the context of campus life and my
involvement with the CCC student group.
Then after CCC pulled off the campus, Dave
encouraged me to throw in my lot with the
Navigator student group. Well, I did. And for
the next 4 years, the Nav staff there named Don
(mentioned earlier) took a personal interest in
me the same way Dave had earlier. Eventually, I
came on as associate campus staff with the Navs
and had the opportunity and privilege to
spiritually coach a few students one-on-one
myself. One of these students in particular is
carrying on the process by mentoring some
highschool kids one-on-one and seeing change
take place in their lives.
I didn‘t know Dawson Trotman and he didn‘t
know me, but because of his willingness 50
years ago to be available to God and to invest
his energy into a few individuals, my life has
been significantly touched by my personal
spiritual mentors, Dave and Don. To them and
to the God who worked through them, I‘m very
grateful.
SOME PRACTICAL TIPS
As we proceed in discipling someone or being
discipled by someone a bit further along, there
are a couple of helpful tools or tips to keep
handy.
First off, choosing who we should invest in is an
important decision. Spiritual coaches are needed
for:
those on the threshold of faith who need
help working through final barriers, whether
they be intellectual or emotional
new Christians who need to be grounded in
the basics of prayer, scripture, lifestyle
choices and trusting God
Module 7 – One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring Rad Zdero
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growing Christians to be matured and
challenged to discover their gifts and start
applying them to help the body of Christ
believers who are actively trying to share
their faith or are in the process of mentoring
a younger believer
those in pain or crisis who need support,
whether that means just being there to
listen, pray, comfort, etc.
emerging leaders to develop in their ability,
confidence, and vision to lead
Second, the goals and expectations of the
process will vary depending
on the people involved and
the understanding set out by
the mentor and mentoree. It
may just be about growth in
one area, such as Bible study
or a ministry skill. For
instance, a friend and I used to
meet weekly over a period of
a year and a half. We focused
specifically on keeping each other accountable
for evangelism among our friends. We would
pray for specific people and talk about how it
was going with these friends one week. On
alternate weeks we would be reading through
some helpful articles and looking at related
scriptures. In most cases, though, the friendship
may naturally develop a more holistic tone in
which marriage, finances, family, sexuality,
culture, career, academics, etc, are addressed.
We should not be afraid to share our own
struggles and victories in these areas. This will
keep it real.
Third, how often and for how long you get
together needs to be clear so that the two
extremes of burnout and losing touch be
avoided. I like to make a weekly time with
someone one-on-one for at least an hour or two.
In a previous coaching role, I got together with
a friend, who was a new believer, every Friday
night for dinner, a movie, talk time, and some
prayer, over a 9 month period. This usually was
an entire evening out. It was both relaxing and
invigorating for both of us.
Fourth, know that we will reproduce after our
own kind, whether we like it or not. It is
important to model things as much as it is to
teach because, as someone once said, "more is
caught than is formally
taught". This is about life-
on-life ministry. If we are
weak in prayer, then it
may not come as a
surprise that the person
we're helping along will
develop the same habits.
If we are strong in one
area, such as evangelism,
then it's likely they will
develop the same spiritual muscles. I am not
implying here that the person we are coaching
has no mind or personality of their own and that
they will simply mimic what they see in us. This
may not be the case for growing or mature
believers, but it is likely with new Christians.
Fifth, the duration of the mentoring
relationship is not necessarily meant to be a
lifetime commitment. It may be intense with
frequent contact only for a season, such as a
school year or two in connecting with students
in a campus setting. Because the purpose of this
process is to nurture and release the person into
ministry and life, rather than control and keep,
circumstances such as graduation or a
geographic move mean that contact will become
Module 7 – One-to-One Spiritual Mentoring Rad Zdero
- 43 -
occasional. Recognize that the relationship
needs to change as circumstances do. This is
normal and healthy. It may be appropriate at
times that the spiritual "coach" and "athlete"
discuss the boundaries and expectations of the
relationship to ensure it stays healthy.
Lastly, only same-gender mentoring is
recommended, unless unusual circumstances
exist or there are extremely clear boundaries and
safeguards, because of the potential danger of a
mentoring bond developing into an
inappropriate romantic one.
THE CHALLENGE
This all sounds pretty intimidating to be sure.
Where do we start if we want to get involved in
this kind of process? Don‘t we need
qualifications or training or experience? Don‘t
we all need mentors ourselves before we can
even presume to help someone else along? Yes,
all these things are good and helpful, no doubt,
and should be strongly encouraged. But, it
doesn‘t take a spiritual guru to touch the life of
just one person. If we know how to be a good
friend, then that‘s a great starting point. It only
takes regular folk like you and me to grow in
our passion for Christ and make ourselves
available to God and one other person.
This isn‘t to be a mechanical or technocratic
exercise. People are not projects. Rather, let us
take the apostle Paul‘s example who said to his
spiritual children: ―We were gentle among you,
like a mother caring for her little children. We
loved you so much that we delighted to share
with you not only the gospel of God but our
lives as well, because you had become so dear
to us.‖ (I Thes 2:7-8).
In the end, if we take to heart the Biblical
mandate for spiritual mentoring, the example of
those who went before us, and what Dawson
Trotman once asked, ―Where is your man?
Where is your woman?‖, then let‘s be prepared
to watch our spiritual offspring grow into a
family tree beyond our wildest dreams.
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Coleman, Robert, et al. (1994). Disciple
Making: Training Leaders to Make Disciples,
online self-study course at
www.wheaton.edu/bgc/ioe/fud/fudtitle.html.
Eims, Leroy (1978). The Lost Art of
Disciplemaking, Zondervan,.
Gumbel, Nicky (1993). Questions of Life: A
Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith,
Cook Ministry Resources.
Henrichsen, W. (1988). Disciples are Made-Not
Born, Chariot Victor Books.
Hull, B. (1984). Jesus Christ Disciple-Maker,
NavPress.
Kreider, Larry (2000). The Cry for Spiritual
Fathers and Mothers, House to House
Publications.
Petersen, Jim (1993). Lifestyle Discipleship,
NavPress.
Sanny, Lorne. Making the Investment of Your
Life, (4 audio cassettes), NavPress.
Stanley PD and JR Clinton. (1992). Connecting:
The Mentoring Relationships You Need to
Succeed, NavPress.
- 44 -
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Christian Leadership & Spirituality
Bridges J. The Practice of Godliness, NavPress, 1983.
Covey S, et al. First Things First, Simon and Schuster, 1994.
Crabb, Larry. Connecting: Healing for Ourselves and Our Relationships, Word Books, 1997.
DeWitt, D, The Mature Man: Becoming a Man of Impact, Vision House, 1994.
Nouwen H. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, Crossroad, 1989.
Nouwen H. Reaching Out: The three Movements of the Spiritual Life, Doubleday, 1975.
Sanders O. Spiritual Leadership, Moody Press, 1967, 1989.
Skinner BL. Daws: A Man who trusted God, NavPress, 1994.
Taylor and Taylor. Spiritual Secret of Hudson Taylor, Whitaker House, 1996.
Wellman S. Billy Graham: The Great Evangelist, Barbour, 1996.
Wellman S. John Wesley: The Horseback Preacher, Barbour, 2000.
Whitney DS. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, NavPress, 1991.
Willard D. The Spirit of the Disciplines, Harper and Row, 1988.
Wilkes CG. Jesus on Leadership, Tyndale House, 1998.
Mentoring & Training Others
Albom M. Tuesdays with Morrie, Doubleday, 1997.
Bruce AB. The Training of the Twelve, Kregel Publications, 1871, 1988.
Coleman R. The Master Plan of Evangelism, Spire, 1963, 1993.
Coleman R, et al. Disciple Making: Training Leaders to Make Disciples, online self-study course at
www.wheaton.edu/bgc/ioe/fud/fudtitle.html, 1994.
Donahue B (ed.). Coaches Handbook, Willow Creek Community Church, 1995.
Eims L. The Lost Art of Disciplemaking, Zondervan, 1978.
Gumbel N. Questions of Life: A Practical Introduction to the Christian Faith, Cook Ministry
Resources, 1993.
Henrichsen W. Disciples are Made-Not Born, Chariot Victor Books, 1988.
Hull B. Jesus Christ Disciple-Maker, NavPress, 1984.
Kreider L. The Cry for Spiritual Fathers and Mothers, House to House Publications, 2000.
Petersen J. Lifestyle Discipleship, NavPress, 1993.
Sanny L. Making the Investment of Your Life, (4 audio cassettes), NavPress.
Stanley PD & JR Clinton. Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed, NavPress,
1992.
Evangelism & Apologetics
Barnett PB. Is the New Testament Reliable? InterVarsity Press, 1986.
Bruce FF. The New Testament Documents: Are they Reliable? InterVarsity Press, 1992.
Green M, and A McGrath. How Shall We Reach Them? Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.
Green M. One to One: How to Share your faith with a Friend, Moorings, 1995.
Hunter GG. The Celtic Way of Evangelism. Abingdon Press, 2000.
- 45 -
Jacks B, et al. Your Home a Lighthouse: Hosting an Evangelistic Bible Study, NavPress, 1987.
Little P. Know Why You Believe, InterVarsity Press, 1989.
Petersen J. Living Proof: Sharing the Gospel Naturally, NavPress, 1989.
Pippert RM. Out of the Saltshaker and into the World, InterVarsity Press, 1979, 1999.
Sjogren S. The Conspiracy of Kindness: A Refreshing New Approach of Sharing the Love of Jesus
with Others, Vine Books, 1993.
Strobel L. The Case for Christ, Zondervan, 1998.
Strobel L. The Case for Faith, Zondervan, 2000.
House Churches and Cell Groups
Arnold J. The Big Book on Small Groups, InterVarsity Press, 1992.
Ascough R. What are they saying about the formation of Pauline Churches? Paulist Press, 1998.
Beckham WA. The Second Reformation, Touch Publications, 1997.
Cho P-Y. Successful Home Cell Groups, Logos International, 1981.
Comiskey J. Groups of Twelve, Touch Publications, 1999.
Comiskey J. Home Cell Group Explosion, Touch Publications, 1999.
Comiskey J. Reap the Harvest: How a Small Group System can Grow your Church, Touch Pub.,
1999.
Donahue B. Leading Life-Changing Small Groups, Zondervan, 1996.
Easum W. Dancing with Dinosaurs, Abingdon, 1993.
George CF. Prepare your Church for the Future, Revell Publishing, 1992.
Henderson DM. John Wesley‟s Class Meeting: A Model for Making Disciples. Evangel Publishing
House, 1997.
Kreider L. House to House, House to House Publications, 1995.
Neighbour R. Where do we go from here? Touch Publications, 1990.
Petersen J. Church without Walls, NavPress, 1992.
Sauder B, Kreider L. Helping you build Cell Churches, House to House Publications, 1998.
Simson W. Houses that Change the World. Paternoster Publishing, 2001.
Snyder H. The Radical Wesley and Patterns for Church Renewal. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1996.
Stockstill L. The Cell Church, Regal Books, 1998.
Viola F. Rethinking the Wineskin: The Practice of the New Testament Church, Present Testimony
Ministry, 1998.
Zdero R, The Global House Church Movement, 2004, 155 pages, www.missionbooks.org
Zdero R, Nexus: The World House Church Movement Reader, 2007, 528 pages,
www.missionbooks.org
Websites
Save the World...Plant a House Church Training Manual, www.housechurch.ca
Dove Christian Fellowship International, www.dcfi.org
Touch Publications, www.touchusa.org
World Team Resources, www.world-team.org
- 46 -
APPENDIX 1 – RELATIONAL STRATEGY
FOR PLANTING A HOUSE CHURCH NETWORK Rad Zdero © March 2001, www.housechurch.ca
Phase 1. “Gather the 12" (House Church Prototype)
―Inner Circle‖ (Primary Vision Carriers) and Core group go over planting strategy
'body life'; no specific training yet, just learning to develop community
―Inner Circle‖ must model and encourage the common life
[4 months]
Phase 2. “Go to the Synagogues” (Advertise and Network)
go to Christian media, radio, etc. for Christians looking for something different
invite to Recruitment / Info night (like Paul going to the synagogues)
commitment of Core Group to network and invite Christian friends to Phase 3
approx. 1 month of advertising prior to Phase 3; networking started in Phase 1
Phase 3. “Call Many” (Recruitment Night)
for potential house church leaders and those interested in house church
give Power Point presentation, video, brochures on house church
see how many bite and invite to Training Boot Camp/Retreat Weekend
this is Filter #1 – some will drop out, others will commit
Phase 4. “Choose a Few” (Training Boot Camp)
soon after Phase 3, hold a weekend retreat
use materials that forge a vision for house church networks and/or cell churches
this is Filter #2 – some more will drop out after this, others will commit even more
Phase 5. “Gather the 70" (Enlarged House Church Prototype)
this is expanded and solidified Core Group + Others = Enlarged HC Prototype
organize into several HCs if there are enough people; no fewer than 8 per HC
HC ‗common‘ life continues and house-to-house pattern begins
start HC Leadership training (2/month)
some may drop out, some new ones will be added by word of mouth
[4 months]
Phase 6. “Send the 70” (Initial Evangelistic Thrust)
each HC is largely made up of committed Christians at this point
HCs begin using Alpha or similar material; we each invite friends; advertise Alpha in various media
some will become Christians, others won‘t but will stick around, others will leave after Alpha is
done, more may be added by word of mouth
HC leaders will clearly emerge; Alpha will help potential HC leaders learn group
discussions/dynamics
[4 months]
Phase 7. “120 in Upper Room” (HC Network Prototype)
real body life begins – apostles teachings, prayers, common life; ongoing HC Leadership Training
some HC may want to do Alpha again with newer friends; this is a tool but no longer becomes the
focus; personal outreach encouraged and modeled; advertise; strategize evangelism fishing pools
this is a House Church Network waiting to multiply automatically and explode all over “Jerusalem”
[This will take about 12 months]
- 47 -
APPENDIX 2 - COLD CONTACT STRATEGY
FOR PLANTING A HOUSE CHURCH NETWORK
Rad Zdero © July 2001, www.housechurch.ca
THE VISION It is desired to plant a viable House Church among not-yet-Christians in various Zones of a city that will be
linked together in a network. We want to start from scratch and reach out to those who don‘t yet know
Christ. This can be done through a group of family or friends who want to reach out to their immediate
community and friends (Appendix 1) or through the cold contact strategy proposed here.
THE PLAN
1. Zone out 8 weeks before your House Church starts
divide your city or town into geographic, demographic, or postal/zip code Zones
pray for each of these Zones individually based on what you know about them
2. Zoom in 8 weeks before your House Church starts
choose a Zone to focus on
go to that Zone for a prayer walk several times and pray for the people
greet and meet some people if possible and engage in chit-chat
3. Door-to-Door Visits 6 weeks before your House Church starts
choose one neighbourhood in the chosen Zone to go door-to-door with:
Spiritual Survey/Questionnaire – e.g. Who is Jesus? What do you think about the
Church? What are the most important things in your life? (see next page)
Gift: The Jesus video produced by Campus Crusade for Christ
Gift: New Testament or Bible
identify ―man or woman of peace‖ that is interested in a home Bible study or Alpha
group or perhaps would be even willing to host a small group for an 8 or 10 week period
in their neighbourhood
the more people on your team willing to do this the better—it is recommended that 100
homes are contacted in total since a 5 % response is likely which will make up a 5
person small group + at least 2 team members = 7-9 people
4. Mail and Advertize 3 weeks before your House Church starts
send out a mailing to those people who were interested in the home Bible study or Alpha
course, and put up posters in that neighbourhood
5. Phone Calls 1 week before your House Church starts
make a reminder phone call to those who said they would be interested
6. House Church begins run your 8-10 week Alpha course or Christianity 101 course
expect some people to drop out and others to stay and bring others along
this is the start of a House Church in that Zone; plant in a second Zone
- 48 -
SPIRITUAL SURVEY (Instructions - Circle Only One Answer)
The Most Important Thing in My Life is:
A) Family and Friends
B) Work and Financial Stability
C) Religion, Spirituality, and God
D) Making a Positive Contribution to the World
E) Other_______________
I can get to Heaven by:
A) being a Good Person
B) believing in God
C) having a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ
D) going to Church, Synagogue, Mosque, Temple, etc.
E) Other_______________
The Christian Church is:
A) Boring
B) Dangerous
C) Useless
D) Confusing
E) Other_______________
Jesus Christ is:
A) a Prophet
B) a Myth
C) just a Good Man
D) the Son of God
E) Other_______________
Would you be interested in a Home Bible Study?
Name: _________________________
Phone: _________________________
Email: _________________________
Address: _________________________
SPIRITUAL SURVEY (Instructions - Circle Only One Answer)
The Most Important Thing in My Life is:
A) Family and Friends
B) Work and Financial Stability
C) Religion, Spirituality, and God
D) Making a Positive Contribution to the World
E) Other_______________
I can get to Heaven by:
A) being a Good Person
B) believing in God
C) having a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ
D) going to Church, Synagogue, Mosque, Temple, etc.
E) Other_______________
The Christian Church is:
A) Boring
B) Dangerous
C) Useless
D) Confusing
E) Other_______________
Jesus Christ is:
A) a Prophet
B) a Myth
C) just a Good Man
D) the Son of God
E) Other_______________
Would you be interested in a Home Bible Study?
Name: _________________________
Phone: _________________________
Email: _________________________
Address: _________________________
- 49 -
APPENDIX 3 – SO, YOU WANNA BE A
HOUSE CHURCH LEADER?!
When gardeners head out to plant, they know that it‘s gonna take time to till the ground, bury or scatter
seed, add nutrients to the soil, prune the fledgling plant, and make sure it has enough sunlight and rain
to reach its full potential as a plant. It takes time, commitment, and energy from the gardener. So it is
when a house church planting team begins the process of building a healthy, thriving, and vibrant
Christ-community based on the house church or cell church model. The same kind of sweat is needed.
Because you‘re reading this, you‘ve probably been scouted as a potential HC leader and are
wondering what‘s involved or you want to be one and are ready to sign on the dotted line. You‘re a
key person in this whole thing. The proverbial bar is being raised, and you‘re being asked to rise to the
challenge and commit yourself to this crazy God-commissioned tree-planting thing called house
church. If you‘re up for it, then we‘re in business. Here‘s an offer you can‘t refuse -
Time
A minimum commitment of 1 year to lead your house church, be part of the HC
leaders team, and help build Jesus‘ kingdom through the spiritual virus of
multiplying house churches.
HC Groups
Lead and care for people in your house church as a strategist and shepherd as
outlined in Module 3 – The Role of a House Church Leader.
HC Leaders
Be a key part of the HC leadership team by responding to 3D Training, 1-on-1
coaching, other training gigs (e.g. seminars, retreats, homework), and by helping
out and praying for other team players. Secret handshakes will be an important
part…or so our Great Leader tells us.
HC Network
Commit to your local HC network with your $$$ (small bills only), prayers, and
getting up-close-and-personal with people, whether you like ‘em or not.