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Strategy for Equipping the Laity in the Cell Group Korean Church

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Strategy for Equipping the Laity in the Cell Group Korean Church LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY STRATEGY FOR EQUIPPING THE LAITY IN THE CELL GROUP KOREAN CHURCH A Thesis Project Submitted to Liberty Theological Seminary in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF MINISTRY By Tae Young Kim Lynchburg, Virginia May, 2006 LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY STRATEGY FOR EQUIPPING THE LAITY IN THE CELL GROUP KOREAN CHURCH A Thesis Project Submitted to Liberty Theological Seminary in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF MINISTRY By Tae Young Kim Lynchburg, Virginia May, 2006 LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY DOCTOR OF MINISTRY THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET GRADE MENTOR 11 ABSTRACT STRATEGY FOR EQUIPPING THE LAITY IN THE CELL GROUP KOREAN CHURCH Tae Young Kim Liberty Theological Seminary, 2006 Mentor: Dr. Frank Schmitt The purpose of this proj ect is to prepare a strategy for equipping the laity of GaSan Baptist Church as a cell group church in Korea. This project examines four Korean churches as cell models. These churches are analyzed in eight parts on the basis of Mallory & Smith's equipping system. Gasan Baptist Church is also examined by the natural church development. The principles obtained from four model churches are applied for equipping the laity of Gasan Baptist Church through the results ofNCD's research. This project develops a strategy for equipping ministry in the Gasan Baptist Church in Korea. Abstract length: 99 words 111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writer would like to make several thanks. I am truly grateful to my loving wife, Eunjong, and my children, Howon, Siwon, Chaewon for their patience and great encouragement during writing this paper. Their cheerfulness and graceful understanding made this rewarding task even more gratifying. I deeply appreciate my mentor, Dr. Frank J. Schmitt. During the processing of my dissertation he always helps me with kindness and faithfulness. I wish to thank my reader, Dr. H. David Chung. His comments and encouragement were very helpful for me to get many insights on the evangelical preaching. My friend, Pastor, Ronald H. Webb, is acknowledged and deeply appreciated. He gave me good advice and proofread my thesis with sincerity. In conclusion I appreciate my church member of Gasan Baptist Church. They have supported me with prayer and love. Specially thanks for waiting for me for a long time. Sincere thanks must also be given to my families in South Korea. They always have supported me with everything even in their difficult situations. I trust that the Lord might be pleased to use the concepts, principles and strategies discussed throughout this dissertation for the advancement of His work in Korea. "Unto Him be glory in the church by Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end" (Eph. 3:21) T. Y. K. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTFlJ\CT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii i\CICNO~El)(JE~NTS ----------------------------------------------------------------------iv TABLE OF C()NTENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- v LIS T ()F CHART S -------------------------------------------------------------------------------vii CII}\]lTEFl ()NE: INTFl()l)lJCTION ----------------------------------------------------------- 1 Statement of the Problem ------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 The Statement of Limitations -------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Biblical Theological Basis ----------------------------------------------------------------- 8 The Statement of Methodology ---------------------------------------------------------- 15 The Fleview of Literature ----------------------------------------------------------------- 15 CII}\]lTEFl TW(): BIBLICJ\L AND mST()FlICJ\L F()UNDi\TI()NS F()Fl LMTY AND P i\STOFl----------------------------------------------------------------- 21 The Flole of the Laity ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 The Flole of Pastor in the B ible----------------------------------------------------------- 39 CII}\]lTEFl TIIFlEE: CELL (JFlOlJP CIIlJFlCII i\S i\ BIBLICJ\L M()l)EL -------------48 The Basic Ideas of Cell (Jroup Church -------------------------------------------------- 48 Christian Leadership as Servant and Shepherd ----------------------------------------- 60 The Equipping Ministry in Cell (Jroup Church----------------------------------------- 74 CfIj\]lTEFl F()lJR EXAMINi\TI()N MOl)EL CIIlJFlCII ()F EQlJIPPIN(J Li\Y LEJ\!)EFl------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 86 v Brief Introduction of the Four Churches ------------------------------------------------ 86 Observation of Equipping Model Churches -------------------------------------------- 97 The Principles Learned From the Cell Model Churches ---------------------------- 115 CHAPTER FIVE: STRATEGY FOR EQUIPPING LASITY IN CELL GROUP CHURCH ----------------------------------------------------------------- 117 Preparation strategy for changing ------------------------------------------------------ 118 Developing Gifts ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 130 Preparing Training System-------------------------------------------------------------- 143 Equipping Strategies through Cell Group --------------------------------------------- 150 Build Equipping Ministry Team ------------------------------------------------------- 156 CHAPTHER SIX: CONCLUSION ----------------------------------------------------------- 168 APPENDI)(-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 171 BIBLIOGRAPHY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 174 '1ITAE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 183 Vi LIST OF CHARTS 1. The Percentage of Participate Ministry ---------------------------------------------------- 6 2. Greg Ogden's Equipping Model----------------------------------------------------------- 76 3. The Result of Question 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 99 4. The Result of Question 19 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 100 5. The Result of Question 12 -------------------------------------------------- 101 6. The Result of Question 14 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 102 7. The Result of Question 13 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 102 8. The Result of Question 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 103 9. The Result of Question 9 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 104 10. The Result of Question 5 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 105 11. The Result of Question 11 -------------------------------------------------------------- 107 12. The Result of Question 22 -------------------------------------------------------------- 108 13. The Result of Question 21 -------------------------------------------------------------- 110 14. The Result of Question 7 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 111 15. The Result of Question 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 111 16. The Result of Question 10 -------------------------------------------------------------- 112 17. The Result of Question 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 113 18. The Result of Question 15 -------------------------------------------------------------- 113 19. The Result of Question 4 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 114 20. The Result of Question 20 -------------------------------------------------------------- 114 Vll 21. Empower Leadership Current Profile of Gasan Baptist Church -------------------- 120 22. Current Lowest ten of Gasan Baptist Church ----------------------------------------- 121 23. Quality Characteristic Current Profile of Gsan Baptist Church--------------------- 122 V1l1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION The importance of laity has been mentioned by scholars of church growth and church education. Most people recognize their importance in church. Nevertheless, still most tasks that laity did in the early Church are done by pastors today. The laity has become the passive helper or assistant of the pastor in this day. However, the Bible says that the laity are not just the property of the church, rather they are the church themselves when they accept Christ as Savior (1 Cor. 3: 16; Eph. 2:21). All the laity is members of the church as the body of Christ and also is called to be ministers (1 Pet. 2:9). Therefore it is very important for the pastor to establish the identity of the laity as ministers and to train them to do their mission. J. M. Price insists on the importance of the laity by saying that the fate of Christianity depends on the laity, not the pastors. 1 In fact, to the pastors, the importance oflaity is deeply related to church growth. So Price states that when a church to train, encourage and support volunteers to do a variety of jobs, the church will grow. But when a congregation does not give sufficient support to their ministry, the church soon begins to dec1ine. 2 But it is very dangerous to consider the importance of the laity only in the 1 James H. Chapman, J. M. Price, et a1, A Survey ofReligious Education (New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1959),215. 2 Douglas W. Johnson, The Care and Feeding of Volunteers (Nashville:
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