I was both interested and blessed to come across this information about your work and witness (especially having been a police officer on Merseyside, now retired, and Merseyside Branch Secretary of the Christian Police Association for 13 years).
David Watson’s 3-fold view of the Church; Cell, Congregation & Celebration, has remained with me for many years, since I heard him speak on that.
I have also been challenged and inspired by Wolfgang Simson’s 15 theses, as listed at the start of his book, “Houses that change the world”.
I was therefore keen to view the slides from your presentation on Cell Church at the 2009 Vital Church Planting Conference and found it very interesting.
However, one slide in particular jumped out at me, probably because of something that I had just read earlier in David Pawson’s autobiography, “Not as bad as the truth”, and, as I don’t believe this was a “co-incidence”, but rather God “causing all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose”, I felt I should write and commment.
Slide 10, The Healthy Cell Meeting
Welcome Welcome (gathering)
Worship Worship (glorifying)
Word Word (growing)
Witness Witness (going)
I believe that David Pawson discovered an important truth, which I have also come to recognise, that the order of those 4 elements should be altered slightly to:
Welcome Welcome (gathering)
Word Word (growing)
Worship Worship (glorifying)
Witness Witness (going)
Although the alteration is “slight”, a change of one position, I believe it is crucial… for the reasons David cites in his book, and for the results I have seen when this is done. This also applies to ‘Church’ services as much as ‘Cell’ meetings, of course.
I leave it with you for your prayerful consideration.
2 Comments
Mark Russell
November 23, 2010Dear Phil
I was both interested and blessed to come across this information about your work and witness (especially having been a police officer on Merseyside, now retired, and Merseyside Branch Secretary of the Christian Police Association for 13 years).
David Watson’s 3-fold view of the Church; Cell, Congregation & Celebration, has remained with me for many years, since I heard him speak on that.
I have also been challenged and inspired by Wolfgang Simson’s 15 theses, as listed at the start of his book, “Houses that change the world”.
I was therefore keen to view the slides from your presentation on Cell Church at the 2009 Vital Church Planting Conference and found it very interesting.
However, one slide in particular jumped out at me, probably because of something that I had just read earlier in David Pawson’s autobiography, “Not as bad as the truth”, and, as I don’t believe this was a “co-incidence”, but rather God “causing all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose”, I felt I should write and commment.
Slide 10, The Healthy Cell Meeting
Welcome Welcome (gathering)
Worship Worship (glorifying)
Word Word (growing)
Witness Witness (going)
I believe that David Pawson discovered an important truth, which I have also come to recognise, that the order of those 4 elements should be altered slightly to:
Welcome Welcome (gathering)
Word Word (growing)
Worship Worship (glorifying)
Witness Witness (going)
Although the alteration is “slight”, a change of one position, I believe it is crucial… for the reasons David cites in his book, and for the results I have seen when this is done. This also applies to ‘Church’ services as much as ‘Cell’ meetings, of course.
I leave it with you for your prayerful consideration.
Every blessing in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Mark
CarolineP
August 12, 2011hello!
that’s quite a lot of wwww’s. V. interesting.
Was just wondering if you were the West Kirby Mark Russell, and if so how you are? Big hug to Anne ! How are the boys?
Are you in Canada?
Love
Caroline
(was at wood street…)
would love to hear from you