To begin with it is very important to understand that there are three basic cell models:

The Jethro Model:

This is a model that is currently being used around the world for structuring the Cell Church. Its name is derived from the advice given to Moses by his father in law, Jethro. When the load became too heavy for Moses to carry on his own Jethro suggested that he should restructure Israel into groups of tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands.

" In the same manner the Cell Leader focuses on a group of ten,
" The Zone Supervisor focuses on supervising five cells (fifties),
" The Zone Pastor focuses on the "hundreds"

This model was introduced by Past. David Yonggi Cho in Seoul, Korea.

The "G12" Model:

This model recently emerged in Bogota, Colombia where Pastor César Castellanos and his leadership developed it. (This is also know as the Group of Twelve Model.) After reaching a membership of 3,000 using the "Jethro Model" , the church plateaued and Pastor Castellanos sought for a way to break through this barrier. He studied the life of Jesus and was inspired by the way in which Jesus worked with a Group of Twelve and mobilised them into becoming leaders.

The Jethro 12 Model (J12)

In this model you find a combination of both the Jethro and G12 models.

Pastor Larry Stockstill from Bethany World Prayer Centre in the United States has successfully implemented both the Jethro- and "G12" Models seeing them as two effective components making up one powerful care and evangelism model.

The following table is a S.W.O.T. analysis of the Jethro and G12 cell model types. This analysis was performed by Pastor Harold F. Weitsz and the Pastors from Little Falls Christian Centre.

JETHRO G-12
STRENGTHS

" Better chance of Cell survival
" Good control & easier management
" More time for discipleship training
" Simple structure to understand (Clear)
" Good Pastoral (care) structure and communication
" Not time taxing
" Non leaders are not threatened
" Quality leadership
" Promotion path is clear
" Interest & target groups can be effective
" Territorial, Focused & Defined
" Planned leadership promotion " Evangelism focused
" Weekly Leadership meetings (more personal contact)
" Emphasis on new leadership
" Cell planting concept
" Faster growth potential
" M.W.D. (lasting relationships)
" Could be paperless
" Focus on homogenous groups
" Non-geographical

WEAKNESSES
" Weak members can hide forever
" Working relationships severed at multiplication
" Geographical boundary emphasis
" Multiple levels create distance between Pastors and Cell leaders and members
" Primarily not evangelism focussed (may run out of 'Type A' contacts)
" Need more full time Pastors
" Slower leadership development
" Some homogenous groups are overlooked
" Quality of leadership could diminish
" Quality of meetings could diminish
" Monitoring/Care process weakens
" Cell growth/Planting without active Church membership
" Enforced relationships (sometimes unwanted fixed relationships)
" Time pressures
" Weak leaders in powerful positions
" A sense of loss of control
" Potentially weak Cells

OPPORTUNITIES

" Stable Church structure
" Clear Ministry opportunities
" Evangelism (Target groups)

THREATS

" People can become stagnant
" Over reliance on lower levels of leadership
" Create 'maintenance' culture for top level leadership
" 'Care' instead of 'Leadership' focused
" Subjective leadership selection " Rapid church growth
" Cell planting (Homogenous)
" Leadership development
" Evangelism (Target groups)
" Easier to transition from P.B.D.

THREATS

" Proselytising (Between groups & Churches)
" Wrong motives used for promotion ('D' profile)
" Malign neglect of non performing members
" Possible compromise on leadership appointments
" Imbalance between outward journey and inward care of the group
" Burnout (Less personal freedom)
" Family relationships may suffer

PRINCIPLES OF THE G12

Each cell is launched with the goal of forming a daughter cell

Each cell member is equipped to form a new cell by penetrating his/her oikos (friendship and family circle).

All cells theoretically turn into leadership cells called G12's

The goal of each Christian is to become a disciple and save at least 12 people during their lifetime. These 12 become a G12 cell and each of them in turn is trained to start their own G12 cells.

All believers belong to a G12 community and in turn develop their own G12 cell.

Note the involvement of time: Each member attends their weekly 'mother' cell and in turn runs their own G12 daughter cell. There are no lay - persons in a G12 cell church - only ministers.

Establishing Kingdom priorities will mean that we tithe our money as well as our time. A tithe of a week is about 17.5 hours, spread over the week averaging 2.4 hours a day. This should include travel time as well as meeting time.

KEY INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE IT WORK

In a G12 cell we do not speak of "cell members" any longer, but of trainees to become cell leaders.

Every new convert that joins the G12 cell goes through a special discipleship training track to equip him to become a new cell leader.

You may refer to the first cell leader as the leader disciple of the Alpha cell who teaches the disciples of the Alpha cell to form Beta cells. Once they have formed their own Beta cell (personal cell), they become leader disciples for their personal cell and encourage their members to form their own personal cells. This is a continuous process.

Every new potential leader can attend the training track, consisting of 4 weekends spread over a term. After that has been completed, the new leader has to attend the quarterly general leadership training weekend. For those wishing to acquire further knowledge of the Word, LFCC training academy offers a full study course.

All are called to discipleship and therefore all can become leader-disciples.

An important factor to note with the G12 is that a couple is counted as 1 and therefore the group can consist of 24 people. (This only applies to married couples, singles are counted as one i.e. either 12 singles or 12 married couples).

A new G12 cell may also begin with 2 or 3 people instead of 5 to 7 as in the Jethro model.

ADDITIONAL CONCEPTS

When a new cell forms, the Lead Disciple of the new cell (Beta \ personal cell) will be responsible to attend an Alpha Cell. The creation of new cells will occur in a variety of ways. Some possible ways are:

" MULTIPLICATION: This occurs when a cell divides into two distinct groups. The lead disciple of the new cell (Beta) will continue to attend the original cell (Alpha). The other members who leave the original cell will only attend the newly formed group.

" PLANTING: This occurs when a member of an Alpha Cell creates a new Beta cell with a person or persons he or she has been discipling outside the cell. This lead disciple will continue to attend the original cell (Alpha) while discipling the newly formed cell (Beta)

" PARACHUTING: This occurs when a cell already in existence decides to join our cell ministry by integrating into our structure. The new cell will be responsible to place itself under the authority of an Alpha cell, and it is understood that the lead disciple of the new cell will attend the Alpha cell.

" SPONTANEOUS GENERATION: This term applies to any cell that emerges in a way we cannot predict at this time. The new cell will be responsible to place itself under the authority of an Alpha Cell. It is understood that the lead disciple of the new cell will attend the Alpha cell.

" HOMOGENEOUS CELL: This occurs when people with similar interests such as work groups, sport interests etc. meet together and form cell groups.

If a cell forms around a person (not a member of that Church) and they are attending that Churches cell, that person will be required to become a member of the Church in order to facilitate his own cell. (It must also be noted that it is not our policy to proselytise another churches members, but if that person has direct leading by the Holy Spirit to join us obviously we cannot object on condition they leave their former fellowship with the Pastor's blessing)

If a cell forms around a member of our cells, that person is deemed to be the cell's lead disciple and will be required to complete the equipping track.

Cell accountability is served through a strong network of links between cells. This ensures that there is constant accountability within a Basic Christian Community.

A G12 network is an interconnecting system of households (oikoses) of God. It is an ever expanding system as new households (oikoses) grow out of existing ones, spanning the city, the nation, the world and spreading God's Word.

G12's could cluster to form geographic, demographic or homogeneous "congregations".

The actual cell format of a G12 may be similar or simpler than the Jethro-type cells.

MWD in the G12 stands for Multiplication Without Division as in the Jethro model.

RNA in the G12 stands for R esponsibility, Networking and Accountability. The RNA is the tensile strength of the G12 network. The RNA system will monitor and enable spiritual growth of the cell groups. It will be a chain of caring and sharing activities. Every member of the cell will be spiritually responsible and accountable to someone.

Target G12's are created when a homogeneous characteristic is selected as basis for a new G12 cell.

Friendship encounter teams (FET teams or subgroups) consists of Christians in the group who are already committed leaders, ready to launch their own cells. They are trained, having completed the equipping track and have the capability to influence unchurched people by establishing contacts outside of their oikos. They meet with unchurched people at their own schedule and gradually induct them into a new cell. This team will work together until one totally new cell of 12 people is formed under a new G12 leader. The new group will go through the discipling process before these new members form new cells.

The G12 equipping track is very necessary in terms of laying a solid foundation. People are not machines and the better the foundation, the higher the building will stand. To put a novice into office can be very dangerous. We take 18 years to raise a child to maturity and we also have to take some quality time to raise our new converts to become leader disciples.