I'll never forget Mrs. Kim. Soon after she become a cell leader in Dr. Cho's church in Seoul, Korea, she personally led 50 people to the Lord in one year. Within three years she had birthed eight ladies' groups.

"I am a full-time homemaker," the kindly Mrs. Kim explained. "I meet all the women in my neighborhood, and visit each one at least once a week. I find out each woman's concerns, offer to pray with her, and try to show God's love in practical ways. I am diligent to pray fervently, give them relevant Christian books or our church newspaper. Because of prayer, God's mercy, and persistent acts of caring, I have been able to lead many of the women in my neighborhood to the Lord. Many become members of our church and even lead their own cell group."

"Sometimes a woman tells me she is not interested in Jesus and does not want to become a Christian." Mrs. Kim shook her head. "So I go to her home when I know she will be there. Because we have developed a relationship, she will ask me in. I sit in her living room, bow my head, and start to cry. I cry genuine tears of grief. Then the woman asks, 'Why are you crying? Is anything wrong?' "

Mrs. Kim paused, tears brimming her eyes as she continued. "I respond by telling her that I am crying because Jesus loves her so much, and wants to forgive her sins. Jesus not only wants to spend eternity with her, but He also has a great plan for her life now. I tell her I am crying because she is rejecting Jesus and all the good and wonderful things He wants to do for her."

Around the world, I have met hundreds of cell leaders like Mrs. Kim, who have effectively led their groups in evangelism.

Jesus clearly told us Christians to go into all the world and preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15). Yet many cell groups - unlike Mrs. Kim's - have not led even one person to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Why? What makes the difference? In most evangelistic cells, there are seven guiding principles.

1. Make winning the lost your passionate priority. Many cell leaders assume that evangelism will be a natural by-product of building Christian community. Mrs. Kim believes the reverse: as a group reaches the lost together, Christian community will be a by-product.

Evangelistic cell leaders have a passionate priority of bringing the lost to Jesus, a priority that permeates both their prayer life and their actions; everything else is secondary. I have met many cell leaders who even schedule specific weekly time with the lost in their regular calendars. Is evangelism your priority?

2. Get at least one "sparkplug." A sparkplug is a person excited about bringing his unbeliever-filled oikos to the Lord and to cell life. Andrew was the sparkplug who brought Peter to Jesus (John 1:41-42). As an active sparkplug ignites an engine, so the evangelistic cell must have at least one sparkplug. Ideally, this person is the leader, such as in Mrs. Kim's case. There are limited cases when the sparkplug is a new convert the leader has helped "ignite." Once this human sparkplug ignites, most in that cell move out of their comfort zones into the harvest field. Do you have a sparkplug in your group?

3. Pray with fervor. Evangelistic leaders like Mrs. Kim pray fervently for target lost people. Many even fast once a week for the salvation of those in their group's oikos. They lead their group members in praying for lost people and hold members accountable to do the same. Are you praying and fasting?

4. Develop relationships, expressing practical love. Some evangelistic groups have special meetings and events just for members to bring lost friends and relatives; others do not, and regularly include lost people in typical group meetings. Some do things they mutually enjoy with oikos members, allowing the Holy Spirit to give natural opportunities to share their faith in Jesus. But all evangelistic cell groups focus on one basic approach: develop personal relationships with target unbelievers, minister Christ's love in practical ways, and invite them to participate in cell life.

Can you make time with unbelievers a priority in your weekly schedule?

5. Sow God's Word. Whether in casual or intentional conversation, the believer is to sow God's Word. Mrs. Kim and many cell leaders use a "tool" to sow God's Word, such as relevant Christian literature or an interesting Christian book. Leaders at Bethany World Prayer Center use an adapted version of the Southern Baptist tool of the "F-A-I-T-H" acrostic. What can you find or use?

6. Plan for the future. Once a lost person comes to the Lord, then what? Evangelistic groups have a plan for the new convert, whether that includes an equipping track, a "baseball diamond" of classes or material to study. Evangelistic groups also provide involvement for potential interns. Do you have a workable plan of action?

7. Persist! Evangelistic cells persist in reaching the lost. I met one leader who made brief visits to a couple each week for two years before they decided to receive the Lord. Church growth expert Elmer Towns reports that strong Christians rejected the Gospel at least three times before repenting of their sins and embracing an enduring faith in Jesus. Do you give up easily, or are you tenacious for God?

Ignited by at least one human sparkplug, evangelistic cells pray and persist in passionate priority in winning the lost. They focus on developing caring and prayerful relationships with target unbelievers, with a plan for their future growth. They proclaim with the psalmist and with Mrs. Kim, "Those [cell groups] who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He [the cell group member] who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:5-6, NIV).

CellGroup Journal, Volume 9, #2
1-800-735-5865