To equip cross-cultural cell church planters from Cantonese speaking Cell Churches, to evaluate their suitability, and to build them into effective church-planting teams.
Ben Wong (SCGC), Neville Chamberlain (SCGC), Yau Chi Leung (Kwun Tong Swatow Life Church), Wong Seui Kwan (Kowloon City Bethany Church)
1. SIS is not simply a school for teaching missions subjects to individuals.
2. Rather, it is a part of the preparation process for HK Cell Church workers sent by their churches to be part of C ross-C ultural C ell C hurch P lanting T eams to unreached cities.
3. This means sending churches will be encouraged to see those undertaking SIS training not as "students" but as cross-cultural workers already "on the way". They are "prospective missionaries" needing to be fully supported just as any other church worker.
4. At the same time the 5 month course should be seen as a time of probation during which the trainee's suitability for cross-cultural ministry will be evaluated. i.e. Acceptance for SIS training does not necessarily mean automatic commissioning as a CCN missionary at the end of the training.
5. Each trainee will be supervised personally.
6. The course will be full-time. Where conflict occurs in scheduling between SIS activities and ministry in the trainee's local church, SIS activities will take priority.
1. Training will be integrated with CCN's short term missions
programme in the country to which the trainees are ultimately
heading. This is for two reasons: (a) to begin the bonding process to
the destination country, and (b) to further enhance the trainees'
appreciation for the role of short term support in church planting.
2. Trainees will be helped to develop effective team-work by sharing their lives and ministering together both in HK and abroad before being finally sent out.
3. Supervision and training of the trainee workers will not cease upon graduation, but will continue once they are on the field, as part of CCN's overall missions strategy.
1. Clear and unconditional recommendation and support of own Cell Church leadership.
2. Sense of call to help complete the Great Commission by working in a cell church planting team.
3. Minimum commitment of 3 years (including SIS training)
4. Potential Team Leaders:
a) Know how to function as Zone Pastor, able to train others in ministry
b) Completed MTC or equivalent
c) Have a clear grasp of Cell Church principles and how a Cell Church functions in practice.
5. Potential Team Members:
a) Have a proven ministry in own church, knowing how to lead a Cell Group, and having led at least one person to Christ and seen that person(s) successfully integrated into the life of the church.
b) Have completed, or be willing to complete, certain basic MTC subjects (Christian Living, Cell Church principles) before going to the Field..
c) Be willing to complete other MTC subjects during first 2_ years on the field.
d) Be a learner, willing to listen to others, etc.
By the end of the course each worker should be better equipped in 3 areas:
1. Godly Character
a) Exercising positive faith in the face of difficulties, disappointments and opposition.
b) Bringing attitudes, values and reactions into line with God's Word.
c) Working effectively in team-work by better understanding him/herself and others.
1. Relevant Missions Knowledge
a) Biblical basis of missions
b) World Christian Movement: Church and Missions History
c) Philosophy of ministry for Cell Church missions.
d) Cross-cultural factors in church-planting
e) Apologetics: foundations of Christianity (historicity of Bible, uniqueness of Christ, etc), creation/evolution, salvation history (chronological approach), etc
f) Other major religions: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Communism
g) Overview of major unreached countries, cities and people groups. Overview of strategies for reaching cities.
h) More detailed understanding of target country/city.
2. Practical Skills
a) Growing ability in team work and conflict resolution.
b) Able to discern God's voice, minister in the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit, heal the sick and cast out demons, intercede for others and engage in spiritual warfare.
c) Relevant communication skills.
d) Able to start a new Cell Group from zero
e) Know how to learn a new language and understand a new culture.
To achieve the above objectives SIS will consist of 4 major components:
1. Lectures: 4 hours/day, Tuesday - Friday for 14 weeks, divided into two semesters.
2. Personal reading, research and assignments . Reading matter assigned by lecturers; major project on destination country/city.
3. Practical ministry experience in HK (or nearby) working as a team to start cell groups from zero among people of similar but different culture to that of the trainees. Such ministry will be in association with local cell churches, so that the ministry can be continued after trainees leave HK. e.g. Starting cells among new immigrants in HK; cell church planting in Macao, etc
4. Practical experience in destination country. This will involve 3 segments:
a) 2 weeks working as a team during Short Term Missions midway through the SIS course.
b) The following 2 weeks practicing language and culture learning.
c) After graduation and commissioning, each trainee worker will spend 2 weeks leading a small Short Term Missions team in the destination city under the overall leadership of the team leader. This will constitute the first assignment as a new missionary, and will be followed by the first phase of intensive language learning.
Estimated costs incurred in sending one worker to the field with 5 months of SIS training (not including HK living expenses), for the first course, 1997, are as follows:
14 weeks of lectures $1,700
4 weeks field trip $7,300
2 week final short term mission $4,500 (including one way ticket!)
TOTAL COST $13,500
Those interested in applying for SIS training should discuss this
with their Cell Church leadership before completing the attached form
and mailing it to the School of International Studies, P.O. Box
62263, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong.
Applications are being received now for the January, 1997 intake. The first team to be trained will be sent to North India in May, 1997. Does God want you to be a pioneer in this new missionary movement by being part of the first Cell Church planting team to be trained and sent out from Hong Kong?!