Allen was frustrated: "I've been leading this group in my home now for more than a year. I was very excited to begin with, but now we're in a rut. We have 14 adults who come regularly, and I know we need to split, or multiply out,' as some call it, but I don't know how. What suggestions could you give to help?"

Allen's situation is repeated in many churches that have cell groups or small groups that meet in homes. Some groups have a difficult time growing. Other groups, like Allen's, grow but then plateau. Four basic principles can help a group like Allen's get out of the "plateau rut."

PRINCIPLE #1: UNDERSTAND THE GROWTH PROCESS IN A GROUP.

Groups usually begin with a good deal of excitement, with positive anticipation of what lies ahead. As the group grows in the study of God's Word and in Christ-centered fellowship, beneficial spiritual growth does occur in the lives of those who participate. Some groups also reach out to unbelievers, and their evangelistic outreach results in even more growth.

Most groups peak at a time when ministry is most productive. This peak is often characterized by many reports of answered prayer. I remember one group that met near Miami and kept careful record of each prayer request given. They would keep praying for each request until they received clear feedback; they later discovered that 90% of the things that they prayed for were answered.

But every group--no matter how gifted the leader, and no matter how wonderful the meetings--will eventually hit a rut and start a downturn. One sign of this negative turn is the appearance of nostalgia, when members reflect on past days and past meetings as the good old days. Nostalgia soon gives way to pessimism, and members start to drop out.

The only way to keep this from occurring is to multiply or branch the group at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way. Those who leave start anew, excited at what lies ahead; those who remain also have a fresh start.

PRINCIPLE #2: FREQUENTLY SHARE THE VISION FOR MULTIPLYING.

Allen was right in sensing that he needed to multiply his group. For some time, though, he had been hesitant to do that, for he remembers, "It felt like we would be splitting up."

One of the best group leaders I know is Pablo Fuentes. Pablo shares his vision at the beginning of every group meeting: "The purpose of our group is to do three things: To grow in relationship with God through Jesus Christ and His Word; to grow in relationship with each other; and when we reach eight regularly attending members, to grow another group."

Pablo is clear about his vision for multiplying the group, starting from their first meeting. People in Pablo's group have a positive view of the multiplication process and see multiplying as a sign of success. I worked with one church in Shreveport. Louisiana, that had a cake and party for a group at the meeting before they multiplied; they understood that multiplying was a sign that their group had been effective, and event worth celebrating.

PRINCIPLE #3: PREPARE A POTENTIAL LEADER.

No group can multiply if there is not a new leader prepared to take the multiplied or branched portion of the group. In Dr. Cho's church in Seoul. Korea, each leader is encouraged to find an assistant, and to train that person to be a potential leader of the multiplied portion of the group.

I once interviewed a Section Leader in Dr. Cho's church who oversaw six groups. "I had just recently been born again and had attended this cell group about three times when the leader asked me to pray," she began. "I was scared the first time I led in prayer, but that leader encouraged me and told me she saw potential in me. She was so encouraging that I later became her assistant. It wasn't too many months that I became a group leader of the multiplied portion of that group. I did many of the same things I had seen my leader do, and my own group started growing. It wasn't too long before I raised up an assistant and multiplied out my group. I am now a Section Leader over six groups; four of those groups are ones I multiplied out of my group. I found that it is important for the leader to actively encourage potential leaders."

Most churches would be wise to establish standards for the leaders in selecting a potential assistant. Some frequent standards involve church membership, a growing spiritual walk with Jesus an His Word, evidence of relational skills, faithfulness, and a sense of being called to a group ministry. Other group skills can be taught.

Pablo Fuentes takes one hour each week, after the weekly group meeting, to be with his assistant. During this time they pray together, discuss and evaluate the previous group meeting, make plans for the future, and assign responsibilities.

Wise leaders assign the assistant to make caring phone calls to the same people who will probably be in the multiplied portion of the group he will one day lead. When the multiplication takes place, it is then natural that those people be with their new leader, for he was the one who gave them a touch of pastoral care before the group was multiplied.

While most churches suggest that each group have one assistant, others have found even more to be an advantage. I was recently with one church in South Africa that suggested that a leader appoint two or three assistants. They had found that some who are assistants never want to be the main leader of a group; the appointment of two or three not only increased a group's leadership base, but it also insured that at least one would be a potential leader.

PRINCIPLE #4: CHOOSE THE RIGHT WAY TO MULTIPLY.

Most leaders assume that there is just one way to multiply a group. There are in fact, at least three ways. No one way is right every time. I often suggest to a group leader, like Allen, that he multiply his group once a year; he can choose from three options the way he wants to multiply the group, but multiplication is a must.
 

THE FRUIT OF MULTIPLICATION..

Christ stated, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:8, NIV). The fruitful group leader raises up other leadership and grows his group so that it multiplies. When Allen clearly understood this, and focused on selecting and raising up an assistant, it wasn't long before he multiplied his group. "I love to multiply groups," Allen now asserts. "Since I understand how the process works, I have multiplied my group three times. The Lord is pleased when we are fruitful in expanding His Kingdom."
 

The Cell Concept

One way to multiply a group is the "cell concept." Certain cells in the human body grow until they split in half, each half then becoming a separate cell. In the cell concept, the existing leader takes half the people in the group and starts to grow the group again. The assistant takes the other half and becomes the leader of that group. In many situations the cell concept is a good way to multiply a group.
 
 

The Missionary Group Plant

The second way to multiply a group is what I term the "missionary group plant." (A missionary is "one who is sent.") In this approach, the mother group sends out the assistant to be the leader and planter of a new group. The assistant takes one other person from the mother group, and that person functions as the new assistant with the new leader. But the members of the new missionary group plant, and often even the host/ess, will come from sources other that the mother group. Each time the mother group meets, they pray for their missionary group plant, each knowing that in the future he may be part of a missionary group plant.
 
 

The Group Planter Method

I term the third approach the "group planter model." In this approach, the leader of the mother group is the one who leaves to plant a new group. His assistant becomes the leader of the mother group; some like this approach because the assistant starts by leading a familiar group. In the group planter model, the leader who leaves has the heart and gifting to start new groups. He might take just one other person from the mother group to act as his new assistant. I know one man in Texas who followed the group planter model. In five years he planted 42 groups; it is noteworthy that he worked as a car salesman, a reflection of his personality and gifting.

"Strategies For Today's Leader", Vol. 32, No. 4, Oct/Nov/Dec. 1995,Pages 11-13
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