by Steve Cordle
Cell church leaders love to see groups multiply. Very often, members do not.
When a group is filled with life and God is at work in building community and changing lives, the members don’t want anything to change. Of course, if nothing changes, then the qualities they love about the group will slowly fade.
Here are a few suggestions on how to help minimize the push back:
- Speak about multiplication from the beginning. As the group forms, let everyone know that multiplication is to be expected, not just because the church leadership wants to see it, but because a group that is growing spiritually and numerically will need to birth a new one at some point.
- Do not tie multiplication to numerical growth (as in, “when we reach 12 people we will birth”). The only thing that does it de-motivate members from inviting others, and makes it harder to get to the point of multiplication.
- Admit that multiplication is a mixed blessing. Just like a physical birth, there is some pain involved, but the blessing outweighs it.
- Point to the fact that in order for them to be enjoying their group right now, another group had to first multiply.
What other ideas do you have?
