Dominic Beasant
As you marvel at all that you read on these pages you’re able to fast-forward through the journey we have taken at Maadi Community Church in Cairo, Egypt. We’re able to look back too and praise God for fruitfulness beyond our wildest dreams. To God be the glory! We, at our best, are just faithful servants who long to follow the Lord where He would lead us. Over the last eight years that has been an amazing journey. We’ve made many mistakes along the way but even these have taught us so much.
Through hundreds of cells we’ve been able to see at first hand the reality of cells and not just the theory. We have seen both healthy and unhealthy cells and through it all have continually desired to know what makes the difference. Some of the keys we have learnt are based on our individuality as a particular church, in a particular country, but as God began to spread the Small Groups Church Plan to other countries, out of Egypt, we discovered the essentials worked everywhere.
It’s out of this that our training has flowed. Our Small Groups Development manual has been used, adapted and refined at every stage along the way. As you read through the training material so much of it will seem simple and familiar. We so often try to intellectualize and complicate things, instead of actually living out what we are called to do. The greatest growth has come from being faithful – faithful in prayer, faithful in unity of vision and faithful in stepping out.
Ours is a story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, of a church being mobilised through the congregation. The church pastors have been able to return to equipping the many to be active in the church and the community. It’s a simple equation – the more people who are empowered, truly involved, the greater the fruitfulness. We so easily revert back to choosing comfort over growth but cells have helped us to lift one another up and consciously choose life. We continue to remember that leadership is serving and that as soon as we stop reaching outwards we begin to stagnate and die.
Where our cells are healthy they multiply life, they raise up new leaders, they help all members to discover and develop their gifts, they are a safe place for those that God is drawing to Himself, they are a catalyst to discipleship and the security of accountability.
I’m so grateful to God for being allowed to be a part of the story here in Egypt. I have been spoiled for the ordinary. I pray that our story will encourage you.
Dominic Beasant
(Previous members of MCC, now living in UK)
