THE CELL CHURCH MOVEMENT WITHIN AUSTRALIA
Australia is so vast and its church streams so diverse, that
to speak authoritatively about 'the cell church movement in Australia' is problematic.
Nevertheless, here is what I know about what is going on and I invite others
who know more to contact me, so as I can update this report.
Ian Freestone
Ruach Neighbourhood Churches, October
30, 2000.
In the 1970s an ex-Anglican academic and sociologist, Dr
Robert Banks, was promoting the development of 'home churches'. With strong
affiliates in the nation's capital Canberra, as well as in Melbourne, the home
church movement gained favour among those who were dissatisfied with the
traditional church. These early models of church in the home were not
'cell-church' in that they did not have a congregational identity, common
oversight or active interest in evangelism, nevertheless, they provided a
strong prophetic voice to the traditional church in the call to rediscover
biblical community. Some mainline denominations, particularly Baptist and
Uniting churches picked up on the 'home church' concept and began to use it as
a model of renewal for their own congregations or as a church planting strategy
in new areas.
Small groups within denominational churches gained momentum
as a movement in the 70s under the banner of 'Bible studies', or 'fellowship
groups'. Then later through Yonggi Cho's influence, the 'home cell' became part
of the fabric of many churches. These small groups have been a cause for
renewal, and continue to be for some, but for many churches became just another
program to be maintained.
Prophetic Aussie voices such as John Mallison, Les
Scarborough, Bessie Pereira, Spencer Colliver, Stuart Gramenz and Baden Wynn
continued to call the church to a vital community life together with cutting
edge outreach and effective discipling by pointing to a more radical form of
church life with the small group as its core.
But as the model of the entrepreneurial mega-church pastor
began to take root from the mid eighties to mid nineties, the place of small
groups within the church, particularly within the larger charismatic churches,
began to be viewed with much less interest and it has not been until recently
that people have been looking afresh at what 'cells' are all about.
From around 1994 some pastors within Australia began going
to Singapore to look at Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC); a cell church
pastored by Lawrence Khong, with Dr Ralph Neighbour on staff. In 1994, Ruach
Ministries (pastored by Ian Freestone) began in Sydney as a cell church
movement and through links formed with Ralph Neighbour hosted cell seminars
within Australia between 1995 and 1997. Throughout this time the vision for
'cell church' was given large exposure within Australia and many churches of
various denominations began to catch the vision of a cell-celebration church.
Most of those who got fired up about cell church attempted to transition their
church to a cell-base church, whilst others decided to use the cell model as a
church planting strategy. Of these early adopters only some have continued on
to become strong healthy cell churches. For most of this time the larger
charismatic churches remained sceptical about what was taking place.
THE PRESENT
Since 1998 until now, the credibility of the 'cell church'
movement has grown and gained momentum. It's no longer viewed as a radical thing
off to the side, as reflected in early pioneering groups such as Ruach, (or
others such as Christian Neighbourhood Network in Queensland and Church of the
Good Shepherd in Ryde), but as a legitimate expression of what God is doing
across the Body of Christ. Together with high profile churches in various
cities throughout Australia who have adopted the cell model, and the impact of
Larry Stockstill's ministry (Bethany, Louisiana) many are now taking interest
in the cell model. People have been awed by the success of Caesar Castellanos's
church in Bogota and the 'G12' principle that is promoted by both him and
Stockstill to reap the harvest. Scepticsm of the 'cell-church model' is giving
way to a growing confidence that the Holy Spirit is trying to get our
attention. A recent seminar with Larry Stockstill was well attended at Waverley
Christian Fellowship in Melbourne (a church of 3600 in transition to being a
cell based church, pastored by Mark Connor). Hillsong Sydney (formerly Hills
CLC) have announced to their newly merged 10 000 member church that they are
launching a cutting edge cell model over the month of September, 2000 where
they will see all leaders, starting with our Senior Pastors Brian and Bobbie
Houston through to the congregation, in cell groups. Larry Stockstill has also
been invited by Brian Houston to speak at the National AOG conference in May,
2001.
It is in this environment of growing interest and value
change that the three-module Advanced Cell Training (ACT) Seminar (developed by
Ralph Neighbour and TOUCH USA) is providing a critical link in the chain. Bill
Beckham has introduced the seminar into Australia and modules will be taught in
Adelaide, Sydney and North Queensland next year. Many pastors are willing to
plunge headlong into 'cell church' (whatever that is!) but are not equipped for
the process required to become a cell-based church instead of a church with
cells. ACT helps them work through the process and regional networks provide
the ongoing encouragement needed. Key facilitators in different regions are
drawing together networks of pastors who are committed to working through what
it means to be a vital and healthy cell church. These inter-denominational
regional networks are being used to fan the growing cell church movement within
Australia into flame. Michael Mackerell from Caboolture AOG in South East
Queensland facilitates a regional network of 25 churches. Mark Baker and Chris
Peterson from World Harvest Christian Centre in South Australia facilitate a
regional network of 40-50 pastors. And in Sydney, Mark Bridgewater (Eastcoast
City Church) and Daniel Iannuzzelli (Hornsby Shire Christian Church) are
seeking to initiate a city wide network. Nationally, Ruach Ministries will host
the first Australian Cell Leaders Summit in February 2001 where it is hoped
many of those in regional networks can attend. Ruach also host a web site (www.rnc.org.au), for the purposes of
promoting the cell church movement within Australia.
Other cell churches or churches in transition that are
impacting a number of other churches include:
- Church of the Good Shepherd in Ryde, Sydney, pastored by
Robyn Peebles. They have strong links with FCBC and will be hosting their
second South Pacific Introductory Cell Conference in Sydney next year.
-Victory Church in Toowoomba, Qld pastored by Rod Plummer.
They transitioned their church to the cell model from Easter 1999 and have now
grown from 400 to 900. They have planted two satellite cell congregations in
other centres, with two more on the way and have a big vision to plant 1000
churches in Asia by 2007! They are sending out their home grown cell resources
to over 90 churches.
-Peace International in Rockhampton, Qld, senior minister,
John Alley. Assisted by Pastor David Hood, Peace distributes an Australian Cell
Church Newsletter, assists churches in transition and supplies TOUCH cell
resources through their website at www.peace.org.au
-Waverley Christian Fellowship in Melbourne, pastored by
Mark Connor. They hosted Larry Stockstill and Joel Comisky this year and will
have Lawrence Khong at their Leadership Conference in March next year. They
have grown to over 3600 and now have 160 cells operating.
-Bethesda Christian Outreach, pastored by Peter Vacca. They
have embraced the cell church model as a movement and are impacting many other
churches in South Australia and beyond.
I suppose you could say that the isolated scrub fires that
have been burning in pockets throughout Australia in the early to mid nineties
are now merging to become a growing bushfire. It's not at the stage of
'critical mass' just yet but you get the feeling it could be close, especially
within particular denominational streams such as AOG. The degree to which these
churches adopt the full impact of cell church thinking and practice, or whether
they adopt more of a hybrid model remains to be seen, but there's no doubt that
'cell' is alive and happening and here to stay in Australia.
Ian Freestone
Ruach Neighbourhood Churches
This report was first prepared for the Global Cell Church Missions Summit in Jakarta, Nov 7-10, 2000. All information provided was obtained either first hand from interviews with the senior pastors involved or from the websites of the churches named. Any additions or corrections are welcomed by the author. Please email ian@rnc.org.au
Updated 20.11.2000