Simple Church Seminar Held In Kansas City

By Eva Wilson

September 2008

The early church used a simple structure, and that is a key reason to start simple churches today.

That is what Joel Comiskey, a church-planting expert, said during a seminar on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Parkway Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kan. Sponsors were KNCSB, Kansas City, Kan., Baptist Association and Kaw Valley Baptist Association.

Comiskey was saved at age 17. His first ministry was leading a cell group that was actually a house church. As the leader, “I grew more than anyone,” he recalled.

Then from 1983-1989, he started a church in the inner city of Long Beach, Calif. After that he went to Quito, Ecuador, as a church planter with the Christian Missionary Alliance.

Comiskey is now back in California, where he is planting Wellspring, a cell-driven church in Moreno Valley.

Cell churches and house churches “are cousins,” Comiskey said. In order to clarify terminology, he gave these definitions:

Cell church
A cell church begins with the goal of multiplying. It is a group of three- to 15 adults who meet weekly for the purpose of:

  • Evangelism
  • Community
  • Discipleship

House church
House churches are “fully functioning churches in themselves.” They lack a hierarchal structure. Such churches are not required to cooperate with a larger group, but many choose to do so.

The most growth is seen in house churches in persecuted areas. However, Comiskey believes the model is valid for North America.

Comiskey began the seminar by discussing reasons for planting simple churches:

  • The early church demonstrated a simple structure. “The Bible promotes the simple church,” Comiskey said.
  • “Life transformation takes place in the cell group, or whatever you want to call it.”
  • “The potential of multiplying new churches.” Comiskey said, “The goal is to create a DNA of expansion that the Holy Spirit controls.”
  • Leadership development

Resources:

Joel Comiskey’s Web sites:

  • http://comiskey.org/resources.html
  • http://www.joelcomiskeygroup.com/
  • http://wellspringcellchurch.org/

Books by Comiskey:

  • “Planting Churches that Reproduce: Starting a Network of Simple Churches”—to be released on Oct. 1.
  • “The Church that Multiplies: Growing a Healthy Cell Church in North America”
  • “How to Lead a Great Cell Group Meeting ... So People Want to Come Back”

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