UNDERSTANDING THE G12 VISION (Part 4)

"And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 'And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry. "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. "So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'

"But he was angry and would not go in "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. "So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 'But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 'It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'" (Luke 15:21-32 NKJV)

SEVEN G12 CORE PRINCIPLES

Core Principle # 1: The G-12 Model Focuses on Cell Multiplication The G-12 model is primarily a multiplication model. It’s a call to rapid and continuous multiplication of cell groups. Discipleship at ICM is not static, ingrown activity.

Cesar Castellanos implemented this model as a way to multiply his cell groups more rapidly. Since implementing this model, the church (ICM) has grown from 70 cell groups to the present 40,000 cells.

The G-12 model is concerned about numerical growth as well as spiritual growth. This model as practiced at ICM is more of a multiplication model than a discipleship model. It’s a call to rapid and continuous multiplication of cell groups.

Core Principles #2: A Cell Group Opens when a Leader is Trained In the G-12 model, you can multiply your cell at any number: four, five, ten. The new leader does not depend upon the number attending the cell. Instead the new leader is sent off as a missionary from the parent cell to plant a new cell group.

Core Principle # 3: Everyone Who Enters the Church is a Potential Leader The declared goal of ICM is to transform every new believer into a dynamic cell leader. Perhaps this is the chief reason why ICM has experienced such amazing success. Pastor Castellanos counsels his cell leaders to envision each member of the cell as a future cell leader. No matter how set aside or broken down because of sin, Castellanos believes that God is all- powerful and able to make something beautiful of each person.

Core Principle #4: Everyone is Expected to Enter the Leadership Training Principle # 3 (everyone a cell leader) and principle # 4 (everyone entering an equipping track) are inseparable. When a church concludes that every cell member is a potential cell leader, the logical step is to train each person to eventually lead a cell group.

Castellanos often declares that he wants to prepare every member to lead and bear fruit, not just sit watching others do the ministry. He says, “Our goal is not to recruit cell members but to train leaders.” As soon as a new convert starts attending ICM, he is placed on the training path that ends in cell leadership.

LADDER OF SUCCESS Pre- Encounter (4 Lessons/ 4 Weeks ) Preparing the heart for the Encounter Encounter Weekend ( 3 days) Revelation of the Cross (Salvation, Inner Healing, Deliverance, Baptism of the Spirit and Vision) Post- Encounter (10 Lessons/ 10 Weeks) How to Keep the Fire Burning

School of Leaders 3 (10 Weeks/ 3 Hours per Meeting) - Lecture: Foundation - Seminar: Family School of Leaders 2 (10 weeks/ 3 Hours per Meeting) - Lecture: Vision - Seminar: Intercession Re- Encounter (3 days) School of Leaders 3 (10 Weeks/ 3 Hours per Meeting) - Lecture: Leadership - Seminar: Consolidation

Core Principle # 5: Every Leader is a Potential Supervisor In this system, every person is a potential leader and every leader is a potential supervisor. Everyone from the senior pastor to the kitchen worker is commissioned to find 12 disciples. It’s amazing how many common people in ICM are actually supervising others.

Examples Willie, a driver, had 45 cell groups under his care. A young girl, who cleaned the floor, supervised 4 cell groups. The phone operator for ICM had 80 cell groups under her care. A security guard had already formed his G12 group and was now seeking to form his group of 144.

“In order to become a part-time minister in our church, a person must have 250 cells. In order to become full-time in the church, a person must have 500 cells.” Cesar Castellanos

STAGES OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT Pre-believer (Not yet save) Sunday Goer (Saved) Cell Member (Cell Attendee) Cell Leader (Leader of people) G12 Leader (Leader of leaders)

Core Principle # 6: A Person Becomes a Disciple When He Opens a Cell Just what is a disciple? The most basic New Testament definition of a disciple is a cell leader and a cell leader is a disciple. If you want to be a disciple and form part of the 12 of someone, you must also lead a cell group.

Every cell leader needs to help the members of the group through the training process, but in the end, a disciple is one of your 12 only when he has opened a cell group. You might be a “disciple in process” while you are taking the training to become a cell leader. You’re not however part of the 12 of someone until you are actually leading a cell group.

Core Principle # 7: Everyone Must be Ministered to in Order to Minister Often, people fall into the error of defining the G12 system by a number of meetings. Such thinking fails to look beyond G12 methodology to G12 principles. The methodology is the number of meetings. The principle is that everyone must be ministered to in order to minister.

PRACTICAL THINGS YOU NEED TO DO: Caught by the Vision (You are a Leader of Leaders) You need to prepare yourself for that calling (Go through the Equipping Track) Submit to a mentoring or discipleship process Plant a cell group Bring and help your cell members go through the Equipping Track (Ladder of Success) Father and mentor the emerging leaders Ask them to plant their own cell groups