Don't depend on a contract, financial systems, or democratic process to bind groups of new disciples together. Instead, focus on building a common commitment to truth, common familial relationships, and a common sense of mission. Seek to spread an epidemic of faith by praying for expansion, looking for pockets of spiritual sensitivity and joining God in His work there, giving new believers the confidence that Christ's power goes with them wherever they go. Work through people of peace (people who are receptive to the Gospel, have important relationships already established in your community, and possess a reputation in that community), and frequently reminding yourself of your mission of making new disciples.
Ask God to give you genuine compassion for lost people by being able to view them as He does. Understand that, beneath their tough exteriors, people have hearts that have been wounded by sin. Know that sin has imprisoned them, and God wants to use you to help set them free. Stop judging people and start loving them enough to reach out to them despite their sins.
Understand that events alone rarely bring people to faith in Christ. Don't waste resources trying to plan impressive events when what people really need is to connect with others through meaningful relationships. Know that each new person is a doorway through which Christ's kingdom can enter. Urge those in your new churches to invest the time necessary to build close relationships with others, and be available when people need them.
Encourage them to practice hospitality, listen genuinely to others, and be generous. Realize that when people see how Christ has transformed the lives of those in your new fellowships, they will want to know how they can experience that same power in their own lives.
Adapted from Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens, copyright 2005 by Neil Cole. Published by Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Imprint, San Francisco, Ca., www.josseybass.com.
Neil Cole is a church starter and pastor, and founder and executive director of Church Multiplication Associates (CMA), which has helped start more than 700 churches in 32 states and 23 nations in six years. He is an international speaker and the author of Cultivating a Life for God.
