The Multiplication Outline
Why Multiplication?
As groups grow two core values come into tension. On the one hand cells are about Radical Inclusion. This is our commitment as followers of Jesus that anyone who wants to pursue the spiritual journey is welcome to join us. On the other hand, cells are small groups built around the concept of Committed Intimacy. Our commitment to be vulnerable with each other is the catalyst for personal authenticity and spiritual growth. However, we can only experience Committed Intimacy with a small number of people. As the group grows, this will diminish. At some critical point, the group will be too large to effectively minister to the members and the group will naturally begin to shift toward large group dynamics.
The changes will be apparent to anyone watching for them. Excitement about the new people and a sense of critical mass will build, but there will be less and less time for people to share. People’s willingness to go deeply into personal things will diminish. The more reserved group members will become less vocal and recede into spectators. As this begins to occur, the leaders of the group need to initiate the multiplication process.
Now this can be a difficult, even scary thing to consider. In most cases the cell group has been a very good experience and any discussion of changing things leads to uncertainty. For that reason, we’ve gathered the best learning from our own groups and the groups from other cell churches here in order to facilitate a God-honoring, community-building multiplication process.
1. Leaders pray about the need.
As this need appears, C2 leaders increase personal prayer specifically about the situation and the potential need for multiplication. Ask for God’s guidance on timing. Ask for God to give the group a sense of peace and unity on the matter. Pray specifically for people likely to be afraid or concerned by the idea of multiplication. If there is no intern at this point in the process it is absolutely vital that the leader (and the group) begin praying for God to raise up an intern. The group cannot multiply until there is a qualified intern in place.
2. Leaders draw attention to the issue.
During the Witness time, the C2 leader begins to draw attention to the issue, noting the increased group size, the excitement of drawing in new people, and the tension with having less intimacy and sense of safety. The leader can also begin to acknowledge fears about the process by noting that “multiplication can be sad in a way since our group will not be exactly the same as it is now, but that it is also exciting because it gives God the freedom to connect us to more people who long for real community.” Use this kind of language over the course of 3-4 weeks.
3. Group discusses the concept of multiplication.
The C2 leader plans an extended Witness time for a discussion of the upcoming multiplication, asking the questions, “What is scary about multiplication?” and “What are the best things about multiplication?” This allows the group to publicly voice their concerns, and have the basic ideas of the cell process reinforced for them.
4. Group prays for God’s will regarding the future of the cell group.
If members begin to worry about who is going with which group, the C2 leader gently reminds them that this is not something we need to worry about. There is no plan in place and no one will be made to go anywhere they don’t choose to go. The only plan that will work is the one God leads the cell into. The leader asks the group to enter into the process of praying for God’s will regarding the details of the multiplication over the next period of weeks.
5. Leaders pray for God’s access to group members.
At this point the C2 leader and interns need to be actively praying for God to have access to the cell and its members, that doubt, fear and insecurity would be cast down, and that God’s agenda would be accomplished in the lives of the group members.
6. Group prays for God’s deadline for multiplication.
When the time that seems right the C2 leader gives a special assignment to the group during the Witness time. The assignment is for each person to spend special time in prayer during the week asking God to tell us when the group will be ready to multiply. The group will discuss the results of this assignment the following week.
7. Group discusses multiplication deadline.
At the next group during the Witness time, begin with a prayer for God’s will, wisdom and unity. Then the leader asks the group for their feedback on their prayer assignment. So far our experience and the experience of other churches is that often the group reaches a quick consensus that the deadline is only a few weeks away. This is quite often very similar to the leader’s own idea.
8. Intern takes over all leadership responsibilities.
Once this date has been set, the Intern leader takes over all leadership responsibilities with the leader moving into a coaching role. This begins to accustom the group members to the idea of the intern as a leader in the new cell group
9. Leader & Intern have one-on-one conversations with all group members.
During the next weeks the Leader and Intern have one-on-one conversations with each group member to process the multiplication and to get a sense of what people are thinking about where they might end up in the two groups that will shortly exist. This is very important pastoral care, so please don’t skimp on this step. During these conversations people will share their personal feelings, perhaps revealing fears or uncertainty about what the new group organization will be like. This is a vital opportunity to be able to process with them and help them along with the process. It is also a very natural time to encourage people to be in prayer and to be open to whatever God leads them to. As people start thinking about which branch of the multiplication they want to go with, it’s very natural for them to be thinking about what they like or prefer. It’s important that people not discount that, but at the same time remain open to what will be best spiritually for them and their family. Often God will prompt multiplication sorting that doesn’t immediately seem obvious at first glance.
10. Group comes to unity (or not) on the details of multiplication.
In the course of the next couple of weeks the group, the members and the leaders should come to unity on the details for the multiplication (the locations, days and times for each group, as well as who will be joining which group.) If unity is not achieved, then the time for prayer should be extended, asking God to bring the group into unity. It can be helpful during this period for the group, if it is especially large, to meet together for Welcome and Worship, and then to separate into break-out groups for the Word and Witness conversations. This can begin to help people think through what group they ought to be a part of, and also begins to help people remember the benefits of having a smaller group for the more intimate parts of the discussions.
Note: If the group continues to not come to unity on the multiplication, that means that people are still wrestling with fear, uncertainty and perhaps even a lack of vision or understanding about the purpose of the cell group. If this is the case, then it becomes the responsibility of the leaders to help the group process these things, continuing in prayer about them. As they are dealt with, the group will be able to come into unity about the next steps of the process.
11. Group begins to “Break Out” during cell gathering.
Once the group has come to unity on the multiplication and the date has been set, the group should start breaking out (as described in #10) during the Word and Witness time, with the new leaders and group configurations. This helps the multiplication to come with a sense of transition, rather than as an abrupt change in the group dynamics. It gives people an opportunity to strengthen their ties to their new cell leader and group members, without the cold-turkey sense of an abrupt change in groups.
The final cell gathering of the original group is a party. The purpose of this is to mark the transition of the life of the group, to celebrate to good things that have happened as well as the growth that God has brought. This is a great event to invite people from the groups oikos. The party should celebrate the relationships and what God has done through the groups time together. It’s meant to be a blast. Have your best party planners responsible. If there are oikos people present, then at some point in the evening the leader can give a very brief explanation of why the party is happening, what cell life is like, and invite anyone interested to check out either of the new cells, that will begin meeting the following week.
13. A New Birth.
The next week, the two new cells meet in their new location as the cell cycle begins again.
This material is drawn heavily from the Freedom Road Church Multiplication Model, with a few changes based on our experience and culture. Thanks to Greg Birchell for the guidance and permission to use their material.
First presented at CLI Meeting 12/8/06
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