CHRISTIAN GROWTH CYCLE: 3

MATURING

Tim Britton

INTRODUCTION

We have reached the final stage of the Christian Growth Cycle - Christian Maturity.  Christian Maturity is achievable!  Paul reckoned that a number of the Philippian Christians were mature (Philippians 3:15); he told the Ephesians that the different ministries in the church were so that they might all become mature, 'attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ' (Ephesians 4:13).  His friend Epaphras was wrestling in prayer for the Colossians, that they might 'stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured' (Colossians 4:12).  He told the Corinthians that his message was recognised by the mature as being full of wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:6).  
The writer to the Hebrews tells his readers that they should by now be teachers, mature enough to understand the 'solid food' of more advanced teaching and he defines mature Christians as those who through practice can distinguish between good and evil (Hebrews 5:11-14).  James tells his readers that suffering develops perseverance, which 'must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing' (James 1:4).

Do not be content with anything less than Christian maturity, in your own life and in the lives of those following after.

Reading this booklet will not make you mature.  It will give you pointers so that you will know what you are aiming at, and what to encourage others to aim at.  Hebrews 5:11-14 assumes that mature Christians are teaching others (see also 2 Timothy 2;2); we will see how we can multiply and fulfil Christ's command to make disciples.  Do not listen to any voices saying that this is not for you; this is a natural part of the Christian life, as natural as bearing fruit is for a vine (see John 15:5).  If we are born again into Christ's new life and the Holy Spirit is within us, growth and fruit will come.  Many of those who have qualms about being Christian examples for others had no such qualms about starting a family!  Ideally, as you go through this booklet you will meet up with one or two others who can encourage you, and to whom you will make yourself accountable.  At the same time, you will seek one or two others with whom you can share the things you have learn earlier in the Growth Cycle.  This phase builds on the earlier phases, and it will be good for you to revise them in company of others who are going through them for the first time.

Let's bear fruit for Christ!

We will follow the same structure as the second phase of the Christian Growth Cycle.  We will look first at mature spirituality, then at mature love for our neighbours, at maturity in the Christian community, and at how we can make disciples who will learn all that we have been learning.

CHAPTER ONE:	MATURING LOVE FOR GOD

A)  PRAYER

In the second phase of the Christian Growth Cycle we looked at when to pray (different patterns of prayer), how to pray, and what to pray.  By now you should be happy with your own pattern of prayer, familiar with several ways of praying, and spending time regularly in adoration, praise, thanksgiving, confession, affirmation and intercession, with perhaps questioning thrown in as well on occasions.  In this third phase we seek to grow towards Christian maturity in our relationship with God.  Maturing our prayer life involves broadening it and deepening it.  

1) BROADEN YOUR PRAYER LIFE.

We give breadth to our prayer life by learning to use and appreciate patterns and ways of praying which are not our natural choice.  The purpose of this is twofold: first, it helps us to appreciate other people's spirituality, and second, it enables us to ring the changes in our own prayer life to enable us to cope with those times when we feel in a rut or in need of another approach.
We also broaden our prayer life by extending the content of our prayers, whether they be praise and thanksgiving or intercession.

Ways to broaden our prayer life:
•	Review the patterns and methods of prayer introduced in Christian Growth Cycle 2: Serving God, and spend a few weeks following a different pattern from your usual one, and using other methods of prayer.
•	Visit other churches with different styles of worship, and seek to appreciate why the worshippers value their own styles.
•	Go on a prayer retreat led by someone with a different worship style from the one you are used to.
•	Look for an increasing variety of 'excuses' to praise or thank God.  The old adage says 'Count your blessings'.  Try to notice more of the good things God is doing, and comment on them to him.
•	Pray about an increasing variety of situations, ranging from the international arena to the small details that do not really matter.  Don't forget people and situations that are a large part of your daily life.

ACTION: Decide now what you are going to do and when you are going to start.

2) DEEPEN YOUR PRAYER LIFE.

We give depth to our prayer life by deepening the different aspect of it such as praise or intercession, so that instead of being rushed or shallow, our relationship with God is deepening, we are being more open and honest, we are increasingly aware of our union with Christ, and we allow the Holy Spirit to express himself more fully so that our prayer life is more in tune with God.   (What follows builds on what was taught in Christian Growth Cycle 2; review it now if you have not already done so.)

Ways to deepen our prayer life:
•	Take time to get to know God better.  It does not have to be time spent doing nothing else; time when we are doing something which does not need much thought, can be spent thinking about God, especially about a passage from Scripture or a thought from a sermon or a book.  Objects and incidents in every day life, in secular songs or films or TV programmes, can also remind us about God - so let them spark your thinking.   Keep meditating until adoration and praise naturally arise.
•	Choose to praise God and to thank him during those times when you least feel like doing so.  Remember that God has not changed; he is as loving now as he was when Jesus was walking on earth.  Look for things to praise and thank him for in your work as well as your leisure.  Aim to give thanks 'in all circumstances' (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and even 'for everything' (Ephesians 5:20).  This does not mean that we thank God for evil events such as terrorist attacks or child abuse; it does mean that we learn to trust the promise of Romans 8:28 and the teaching of Romans 8:31-39, and that we learn to imitate Paul's attitude seen in 2 Corinthians 11:18-30 and 12:5-10.
•	Be willing to be open about your faults, and willing to confess your sins to one another - not going into unhelpful detail, but living fully in the light with one another and willing to be accountable to one another (see 1 John 1:3-10). 
•	Aim to be able to pray confidently 'in the name of Jesus' (John 14:12-14, 15:16).  This means:
•	as we pray, we are confident of our union with Christ and of our position as God's beloved children, with Christ's righteousness and his authority.
•	as we pray, we are confident that we are praying for the things God wants to give us.  We may not have this confidence at first; we need to keep on praying and seeking God's will until we are sure we know we know what he wants us to be praying for.
•	as we pray we are open to what God may be saying to us; he may have different things on his agenda from those on ours.
•	Learn to pray in public - put into practice the suggestions made in Phase 2 of the Christian Growth Cycle.  You will in due course be helping others to pray, so the sooner you can pray in public the better.  The only way to learn is to take the plunge and do it, as often as opportunities arise.
•	Pray in depth for a person or situation.  Try to enter imaginatively into that situation, and think about how people are feeling, what possible problems and blessings might be involved, what God might be doing.  Let your imagination feed your prayer.
•	Accept prayer burdens.   A prayer burden is a sense that you have to pray for someone or some situation, and feel 'weighed down' by that sense.  It is not a sharp, 'accusing', feeling as if you are being goaded into prayer and will be condemned if you don't; that comes from the devil.  You feel more that God has given you prayer work to do, and until it is done and the request has been granted, that feeling won't go away.  Sometimes you know exactly what you ought to be praying for; other times you don't know, but still feel the need to pray.  Many a missionary has been through danger at exactly the time someone far away felt an urge to pray for them.  Sometimes the 'burden' feels like an urgent need; at other times it is more long term.   Whatever it is keep praying until you sense that you have finished, and the need for you to pray for that person or situation has gone for the time being.
•	Be prepared to wrestle in prayer.  Wrestling in prayer is like Jacob wrestling with God until God blessed him (Genesis 32:24-30).  It involves persistent asking (with confession, praise and thanksgiving, probably also fasting) until we know deep down that God has granted our request.  It is possible to wrestle in prayer for something that we really should not have, and eventually God may give it to us - not because it is good, but to teach us to be more sensitive to his will.   We need therefore to wrestle with an open mind, as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane when he wrestled in prayer for God to take away the need for the cross while saying, 'Your will be done, not mine'.  
•	Be prepared for prayer warfare - a prolonged campaign of prayer for a particular person or group or area or situation.  As in any warfare, it helps to know what our objectives are, and it may be necessary to do some research to find out what we are up against.   We need also to find people with gifts of discernment and prophecy and knowledge and wisdom, to help us know how to pray.  Different methods may be used at different times in the campaign; there may be prayer walks, times of united prayer, times of fasting and prayer, nights of prayer, chains of prayer involving lots of different people, 'walls of prayer' when someone is praying  every moment of the day.  The keys to a successful outcome are listening, faith in God, and perseverance: we keep praying until the war is won, and we don't give up because of setbacks.

B) BIBLE KNOWLEDGE

Bible knowledge is an essential part of Christian maturity, and there is no short cut to it.  As in prayer, such Bible knowledge needs to be broad and deep.

1) BROADEN YOUR BIBLE KNOWLEDGE.

There is no alternative but to read (or listen to) the whole Bible.  You will not understand what every verse says, let alone what it means, but the more you read the more you will learn.  Do not give up because some of it is boring.  Do not try to do more than you can cope with at one time.  Do not think that reading the bible through once will bring you to maturity.

ACTION: Decide now how you will do this.

2) DEEPEN YOUR BIBLE KNOWLEDGE.

Our Bible knowledge deepens the more we understand what God is saying to us.  This involves growing in our understanding of what the author of a particular book is trying to say, and seeing how that fits in with what God is revealing in other parts of the Bible, and how it helps us to live in God's way today.  We saw how to read the Bible in phase two of the Christian Growth Cycle.  (Revise it now if you've forgotten what it says!)

Ways to deepen your Bible knowledge:
•	Study some Bible books in depth.  Start with a gospel, then go on to one of Paul's letters, then go to the Old Testament and study Genesis/Exodus and then one of the prophets.  Aim to have one book 'on the go' as it were, alongside your more general Bible reading.  How you do this is up to you: it could be through a sermon series, or reading a commentary, or an internet search, or a small group meeting to study the Bible.  (But don't let that supplant your cell group.)  All the time ask, 'What is God saying to me?'
•	Get to know the teachings of Christianity, and how they come from the Bible.  You need to know what the Bible teaches about God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), creation, human nature, sin and salvation, Christian behaviour and growth, the church and its practices, mission and spiritual warfare, the end of the world, heaven and hell, what about suffering, what about other religions.  There are several books in Wesley Owen that could help; if there is someone in the cell with a gift of teaching, get them to explain things to you or to the cell (a little at a time!).   This needs research, discussion and planning.  What are you going to do?

C) WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Neil T Anderson in 'Victory over the Darkness' (1990 Regal Books, chapter 13) points out that growth and maturity needs to take place in every aspect of our personality: in our spirits, minds, emotions, wills, and relationships:
•	Spirit: we need to learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, recognising his 'voice' in our spirits, and able to discern between good and evil.  This takes place at the deepest level of our personality, where conscience and intuition are at work.
•	Mind:  we have seen how we need to become mature in the knowledge of the Bible; however, we only truly grow in our knowledge of God's truth if at the same time we are letting that truth transform our lives (Romans 12:1,2), and are also growing in humility (Philippians 2:3,5).  There is more: we are to 'set our minds on things above' (Colossians 3:1); and we are to think about those things that are good (Philippians 4:8).
•	Emotions: we are to learn to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11); and to be encouragers (Hebrews 10:25).
•	Will: God is working in us to will and to do his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13); we need therefore to exercise our wills in choosing his way.  This involves learning self-control, resolving our inner conflicts (we looked at this in the Encounter weekend), and choosing to depend on Christ to meet all our needs. I involves being fully committed to God.
•	Relationships: mature Christians live for others rather than for self; they are willing to learn from others, especially of other cultures, even if the others are not yet mature Christians.

CHAPTER 2		MATURING LOVE FOR NEIGHBOUR

A) MATURING LOVE FOR SELF

Mature Christians have a right attitude towards themselves.  We looked at this in Phase 1 (Belonging), Chapter 2 (Who am I?).  Review this chapter now!   True love for self is a matter of 'spirit and truth': we see ourselves from a spiritual point of view, as people who are in Christ; and we see ourselves truly - not through rose-tinted spectacles nor through the dark glasses of negativity.  In particular, we do not waste emotional energy comparing ourselves with others, either to boost ourselves or to humiliate ourselves; we count others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), but that is an act of grace rather than of calculation.  Indeed, we do not judge or weigh either ourselves (1 Corinthians 4:3) or others (Matthew 7:1).  We value ourselves and other Christians as God's children, and we value all other people as God's creation, made to be in his image.  All this is more will than emotion; these are attitudes we choose, based on the facts.

Check that these are your attitudes; if not, choose them.  If you find yourself  in difficulties over this, talk it over with your mentor.  It may be good for you both to review the Encounter material.

B) MATURING PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Intimate Life Ministries (based at St Mark's Church, Leamington Spa) has insights about love which apply not only to marriage but to all personal relationships.  They point out at the ingredients of love are:

Affectionate Caring 
Mutual Giving
Vulnerable Communication
Joint Achievement.

They also point out that loving a person is a matter of seeking to meet their emotional needs as well as their physical and spiritual needs.  Everyone has emotional needs - that's the way God created us.  Love seeks to meet the other's needs, while trusting God to meet one's own needs.  Mature Christians are people of grace: we have joyfully received God's grace, and we joyfully give grace to others.  That means we do not insist upon mutuality: we are prepared to meet another's needs, even if ours are left unmet.  (We live by Matthew 6:33).  There comes a time if we are not careful when we have nothing left to give, and our own emotional cup needs replenishing; mature Christians recognise this and will look after themselves so that they can then overflow with grace - this means taking time out on occasions to be with God, and to be with those who love us and who recharge our batteries.  Then we can meet others' needs.  

The top emotional needs are for:
Acceptance		Affection		Appreciation
Approval		Attention		Encouragement
Respect			Security
In addition, we seek to meet other needs as opportunities arise, without imposing ourselves on them, or using their need for help as an excuse to meet our own need for significance.  Physical needs may be a need for help with mowing the lawn or baby-sitting.  Spiritual needs are their need for Jesus; we think more about this as we think about making disciples.

Aim to develop the ingredients of love in your personal relationships
Aim to meet the needs of others - even if they are your 'enemy'.
Trust the Holy Spirit to let the love of Christ flow from your hearts.

C) MATURING WORKING LIFE

All of us have a working life, even if we are retired!  There are still chores to do; and if nothing else, we can work hard at praying and praising!  What is a mature Christian attitude towards our working life?

1) WE SEE ALL OUR WORK AS BEING FOR CHRIST  (Colossians 3:23)

This means:
•	we believe that we are here on earth for a purpose.  Christ has a mission to save the world, and we who are members of his body are part of that mission.  Each of us has a 'life mission', a purpose to fulfil, and a mature Christian knows what it is.  It may be directly evangelistic; or it may be supporting that mission somehow.  Ask the Lord what you are here for.  The answer may differ at different times of your life; at one point it may be the bringing up of your children, at another it may be showing the creativity of God in designing cars.
•	we believe our work has a purpose.  God values the work we are doing, and will use it to accomplish his plans.  Ask the Lord what the purpose of your particular work is.  There may be many purposes - to bring in an income, to give pleasure to customers, to provide a social service; but there may well be an over-riding purpose that gives point to all that you are doing.
•	we keep to our Christian principles of morality within the workplace.  We do not lie or cheat or steal, we value and respect workmates, customers, bosses, subordinates and competitors alike.
•	we work for Christ's glory.
•	we expect that Christ will reward us for working for him.

2) WE SEE ALL OUR WORK AS BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST

This means:
•	we can seek his help and encouragement at all times.  He knows far more about our work than we ever will!
•	we can include prayer and praise and thanksgiving within our work.
•	we can enjoy his love even as we concentrate on the tasks in hand.

3) WE DEVELOP POSITIVE ATTITUDES

These include:
•	enthusiasm - looking for the best possible outcome and focusing energies on that.
•	sincerity - being transparent and honest.
•	initiative - seeing opportunities and responding to them.
•	flexibility - making the most of every change.
•	a positive outlook - dwelling on the good, not the negative; a 'can do' attitude.
•	concern for others - task -orientated people must remember to respond to others' hurts and needs.
•	teachability - a willingness to learn, even from subordinates.
•	willingness to make sacrifices.

Wrong attitudes include:
•	harbouring resentment.  You may feel unappreciated; remember that you are serving God, not people.
•	giving in to discouragement.  Focus on God's will, and let him see to the results.
•	allowing self-pity.  Keep in touch with Christ!
•	engaging in self-rejection.  If you feel everyone is against you, look again; see Jesus, expect both attack from the enemy and growing approval from those who recognise the good (Luke 2:52).

4) WE LEARN TO MAKE BEST USE OF OUR TIME.

•	Get a right attitude about time management.  Part of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:23).
•	Set goals which you believe the Lord wants you to achieve, and trust him to help you.  The goals need to be SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timed.  Your goals will be in line with your mission for life, which is part of Christ's mission to the world
•	Arrange your priorities - make the main thing the main thing.
•	Plan for success - plan the steps you need to take to achieve the goals.
•	Deal with time wasters: 
	procrastination  - break down the task into manageable units and start now.
	interruptions - keep them short, and keep a good attitude about them.
	clutter - put things where you can find them
	failure to delegate - learn what and when to delegate, and give the person the 
		authority and resources to do the task.
	lateness - develop the habit of being on time.
	indecisiveness - made decisions when you need to.
	lack of preparation - do your homework ahead of time, and come to meetings
		ready to work and participate.

D) MATURING CONCERN FOR THE WORLD

Love for neighbour has a world-wide dimension; mature Christians share Christ's concern for his world.  We cannot be interested in everything, but we can and should have a variety of  interests outside our immediate horizons.  I would expect every Christian to have some concern for:
 	the environment, because it is God's creation and we are stewards of it.
	the poor and oppressed, because that is Christ's concern (see Isaiah 1:17, 
		Matthew 25:31-46.
	reconciliation, because peacemakers are children of God (Matthew 5:9).
	just government, because God is concerned for justice, and tells us to pray for 
		our leaders (1 Timothy 2:2).

Be prepared to give time for these issues, eg in political action as well as prayer.
Choose one of the above issues to study in depth, and plan how to do it.

CHAPTER 3		MATURING LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER
	
In Phase 2 of the Christian Growth Cycle we looked at serving one another through the gifts God has given us, and how each of us is shaped for the ministry God has for us.

Mature Christian love for one another has the same principles as love for our neighbour - the same ingredients for love, and the same meeting of our emotional, physical and spiritual needs.  In this section we will think more about the meeting of spiritual needs; but that must not be at the expense of meeting other kinds of need.  Always the aim is to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ.

A) BE PREPARED TO SERVE THROUGH LEADERSHIP

Don't just be a follower.  Christ calls you to grow to maturity, and to lead others to maturity in their turn.  Just as in nature each generation is responsible for bringing the next generation into being, so it is with the church, and spiritual child-rearing is not something that can be left only to the 'experts'.  Each of us has a part to play, and can set an example to be followed.  Indeed, whether we like it or not, if we are known as Christians there will be those who follow our example, for good or ill.  Recognise this, and choose to be a good example, and to help others to follow you as you follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).  So:
•	Lead through service - Mark 10:45, John 13:3-4.
•	Let your goals determine your priorities.
•	Practise what you preach (even if your preaching is just in ordinary conversation - don't be a hypocrite!)
•	Spend time with those following you, so that they can get to know you personally and see the grace of God in your life.
•	Set an example in taking time for recreation.
•	Call for great commitment - don't sugar-coat the cross.
•	Be willing to tackle difficult issues.  If you don't know how, ask advice.  But don't avoid the issues simply because they are difficult.
•	Look for people's potential.  The Holy Spirit can give his gifts to whoever he chooses; don't be afraid to take risks in developing people's gifts.
•	Be part of a team - don't be a loner.  If you find yourself with a group of people growing around you, aim to make it a team for Christ's mission.
•	Learn to delegate.  People will not learn from you unless you help them to do the things you have been doing.

B) LEARN TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

Whether leading the Word section of a cell group, or speaking in ordinary conversation, learn to communicate as well as you can.  The following may help:
•	Speak from the heart - believe what you are saying.
•	Make sure your life matches what you are saying.
•	Be transparent and open, honest about your own life.
•	Use stories to illustrate a point you want to make.
•	Be sensitive to the Spirit's leading about when to speak and when to be silent.
•	Aim to encourage.
•	Be kind and gentle in your speech - avoid harsh criticism.
•	Be good humoured - let joy and laughter soften what you have to say.
•	Care about the people you are sharing with.
•	Talk about practice as well as theory.
•	Listen, listen, listen.

C) DEVELOP YOUR OWN MINISTRY

Whatever your 'shape' (see Phase 2), aim to develop the ministry God is giving you.  You are aware of some of the gifts God has given you; ask God to show you the particular areas of life in which he wants you to serve.  Don't look only within the cell or church set-up; your ministry is most likely to be in the wider world.

Is there a course in the city or Diocese that might help you?

There are four 'principles of ministry’ that are important for any ministry:
•	Productivity.  God created and redeemed us to be fruitful, so aim to be a productive Christian!  What your fruit will be depends on the ministry God has given you; if it is hospitality, your productivity will not be the same as a person with a ministry of healing, though both will be for the glory of God.  
•	Partnership.  Look for a partner to help you, to pray with you, to share responsibilities, burdens and encouragements.  If you can find a trainee to whom God seems to be giving the same ministry, then let them learn from you - be a disciple-maker.
•	Prayer.  Any ministry is only as effective as the prayer supporting it.
•	Penetration.   Your ministry is useless if hidden; ministry is serving, so go where the people are who need your help.

D) DEEPEN YOUR CELL LIFE

Love for one another includes making the best of the cell you are in.  Aim to develop a mature understanding of the principles of cell life.  You should know about:
	a) Principles of leadership (see above).  Even if you are not the leader, it is
	 helpful to know what is going on.
	b) Biblical foundations & philosophy of cells
	c) Cell growth and life-cycle
	d) Welcome and Worship
	e) Word and World
	f) Prayer and cells
	g) Evangelism and cells
	h) Growing spiritual gifts
	i) Handling conflicts
	j) Training others

If you don't know enough about any of these, read Ralph Neighbour's 'Cell Leader Intern Guidebook' (available from Cell UK), or go on a course about cells - ask your mentor what is available.

CHAPTER 4		MATURING MISSION

How does a Christian become mature in making disciples?   Two things may help.

A)  DEEPEN YOUR EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY

1) KNOW YOUR EVANGELISTIC STYLE

There are different styles of evangelism, and it is helpful to know which style suits you, and which ones do not!
•	Confrontational.  People are confronted with the truth - tactfully, of course!
•	Intellectual.  Questions are answered, and the gospel message is explained.
•	Testimonial.  The message is given through one's own story, which is related to the other person's life.  This means that listening comes first!
•	Interpersonal.  This is friendship evangelism, with the good news being given just in the course of conversation between friends.
•	Invitational.  People are persuaded to 'come and see'.   However, it does not excuse one from sharing the gospel if opportunities arise.
•	Serving.  Actions speak louder than words - but words are needed at some point.

2) LEARN TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIONS

There are many books written about this; Nicky Gumbel has written 'Searching Issues' to help with the most common questions people have.

3)  BE AWARE OF DIFFERENT EVANGELISTIC STRATEGIES.

There are many evangelistic tools, such as Alpha, but they need to be used as part of an overall evangelistic strategy.  Each cell should have its own strategy, as it seeks to grow and multiply.  (Cell UK magazine often gives helpful advice)  There are strategies which aim to reach whole cities and nations, such as in Ed Silvoso's 'To Reach a Nation'.

4)  GET EXPERIENCE 

Take opportunities to join evangelistic teams and missions.

B) MULTIPLY YOURSELF

1) BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES

Jesus taught us to make disciples of all nations.  Such disciple-making is a form of multiplication of Christians: if each Christian obeyed that command and made only two disciples , and those two made  two disciples each, the church would be doubling in size each generation.  However, the principle of multiplication applies to more than that.  We are called to be fruitful, and fruit is a tree's way of multiplying.  Our fruit will be new Christians; but it will also be new ministries, new cells, new understanding of God.  The parable of the sower teaches us to expect multiplication on a large scale, wherever God's word is sown in good ground.

Multiplication, whether of Christians or of their gifts, ministries or understanding, needs to be: 
•	for the glory of God - that is our motive and our aim.
•	as led by the Spirit.  We need to be flexible, open to the Sprit's leading and pace.  Beware of rigid structures.   Be prayerful, seeking his guidance always.
•	in partnership with others.  Each disciple is different from each disciple-maker; we impart our own strengths where they are required, and if other strengths are needed, those with them should impart them.
•	in all four dimensions - so that love for God, our neighbours and each other, and disciple-making grow together. 
•	to build up the whole church - not just our own denomination; where others may benefit, let them do so.
•	in succeeding generations.  Aim to pass on to others what you have learnt, in such a way that they can pass it on to others in their turn.  (2 Timothy 2:2.)

2) ONE TO ONE DISCIPLESHIP

You may be asked by a cell leader to disciple a new member, or you may find yourself relating to a new Christian naturally.  How do you disciple that person?
a) Disciple by example.  Let your friend get to know you well, and develop the habit of being open about your own experience, struggles and victories through Christ.
b) Meet together.  Arrange times to talk about your spiritual experiences - over a cup of coffee or a beer, for example.
c) Develop responsibility and accountability.  Be accountable to someone yourself - your mentor or spiritual director, and let this be known to your friend.  Ask your friend the things that need to be asked: 'You said you would do this, last time; how have you got on?'
d) Use the Christian Growth Cycle to help your friend grow in Christ.  Find out whether they prefer to listen to tapes or to read the booklets.  Encourage them to write down comments and questions, and talk about them when you next meet.  If they don't get on with the Christian Growth Cycle, get hold of other resources (see the Cell UK resources catalogue, which your cell leader should have) and encourage thme to try those.
e) Develop the relationship – listen, pray, share the truth in love, show the way to develop other friendships.  As your friendship grows, learn to listen to feelings, discern problems, confront sin/unhelpful behaviour, explore options and resources, encourage new values, share in ministry.

3) MULTIPLY MISSION

We are members of Christ's body, and Christ is on a mission.  That means that we too are involved in his mission.  Unfortunately, many Christians are not aware of this, and so this missionary attitude is one that needs to be developed and multiplied.   

Do you know God's purpose for you - what your mission is (John 20:21)?  Help others to see their purpose, and to encourage yet more Christians to be mission-minded.

4) MULTIPLY YOUR MINISTRY

Your mission is most likely to be fulfilled through your ministry, which may be to the church (as teacher, pastor, musician or whatever) or more likely to the world (as evangelist, starter of cells, healer, parent, wealth creator, school teacher, mechanic - or any of the ways we can serve God  through serving society in the world). How do you multiply your mission?  There are two possible ways; you could find yourself doing either or both.
a) Be a mentor to someone with the same ministry.  Meet together to pray, to share problems and frustrations and encouragements, and to see what the Bible has to say to you both.  Keep in touch as needed between meetings, eg by email or phone.
b) If there is no-one with whom you can develop a mentoring relationship, look for those with the same ministry as you, and try to meet them on an ad hoc basis for mutual sharing and encouragement.   If you can't meet them physically, try to meet them in cyberspace via email or chat rooms. However, keep looking and praying for someone to disciple, who can continue the ministry after you.

5) MULTIPLY YOUR CELL

Cells are designed to multiply.  Keep this in mind, and talk about it within the group from the earliest days of the cell.  If your cell doesn't have a strategy which is deliberately aimed at multiplication,  keep praying and persuading until it finds one.  Then keep that strategy to the forefront of the cell's consciousness!  Make sure that new people are being added to the cell - and if they are not, seek the Lord to find out why not.

One strategy for multiplying:
When the cell has grown to feel it has as many members as it can cope with, the leaders set a target date for multiplication, two to three months away.  They get the cell to pray about that multiplication, and to pray about which daughter cell they could belong to.  At the same time, they aim to add at least one more person, to take the cell over the comfort level!  A couple of weeks before the due date, the cell leaders meet with their zone pastor to pray, and then each writes a list of who should be in what daughter cell.  They then compare notes and discuss until they come to an agreement.  They then ring around the cell members, tell them their suggestions, and ask them to pray and decide whether they agree.  Then they ring around to see whether each member agrees; if they do not, they are put in the cell of their choice.  The next time they meet, the new cells have been decided, and they can start as separate cells the following time.  It is a good idea to have a celebration of the multiplication, and to give each new cell a birth certificate!