Notes from a Cell Leader, Part 1

Reading "Cashflow Quadrant" and once again realise I'm in a terrfic job because almost everything that I do can be applied to life. And I know that even though I'm just beginning to forge out new paths on my own, the insights that I gain will help me to be successful one day.

And also almost every business book can be applied to life, and ministry - And vice versa. I hope to be published, this year. Writing a book, the words seem to flow seamlessly even though I'm terribly lost in finding a topic for it. Just going to spend at least an hour daily, writing.

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Big Boss used to say to us, always ask those people who are successful why they are successful.
If they say "I don't know", it means they are not successful yet. For every truly successful people knows why they are successful.

Franchises and carecells. What do they have in common? I find that the concept of a franchise (actually even network marketing) flows with the idea of carecells. Perhaps this idea is stolen since Biblical times. All carecells have to have a certain number of people to function well, about 5- 10 at most, similar to franchises. When franchises get too big or generate enough profit, they expand into another one in another vicinity. Like the way carecells multiply. Also similar to network marketing, the purpose of carecells is to nurture newbies into committed members and spiritual parents and even groom a few to be potential leaders that one day, start their own 'downlines' - grooming even more leaders in what they have learnt. They have to be purposeful though, if not, 80% of newbies drop out within a year or two. That is the going rate for network marketing, I hope it isn't the rate for my cell! I don't know yet. It's been a year, and so far the rate has been good.

And how to lead a successful cell? Well, like franchisees, we have to follow the cell-plan-pattern that has been mapped out for us. In order to succeed we have advantageous tools and opportunities to nurture our people. In fact, almost everything is provided for us from step one to even a special course on how to branch out on our own with virtually no one else. Prayer helps here, plus the special course. In our church, it's called Alpha Track and worth every bit of the $300 you pay. For three months, attendants are grilled with theory and practical on how to start one of your own. Few do, after the course - there is a lack of opportunity. But for those who do, few fail. But first, you have to get a license to startup on your own. This is called CCLT. Only costs $10 and the licensing rules used to be more stringent, but now there is an open concept that I believe, is worthwhile to be adopted. My advice to those who want to start their own - that it is possible.

Apart from being prayerful and available, faithful, etc when starting your own carecell.franchise, you have to follow the footsteps of your franchisor. That is in the copyright agreement. The logo has to be the same, the style and methods of 'cooking' or making the business product, same. It is possible for almost anyone to succeed in this venture, apart from small variables coming from outside factors. The economy here is a factor too, but it works both ways. See, when the economy does well, people have more spare time to invest in your carecell and basically bringing people to bridging events, etc. So more people gets saved, adding to your numbers. Profitable for you. When there is a downturn in the economy, it is even better. People losing jobs, getting worried, searching for something more meaningful - they will turn to God and start renewing their faith again. So it is benefitting in both ways.

Then, you might ask, how is it that some cells do not grow? When you know that the leaders are following every rule of the book and every copyright agreement. But the franchise does not seem to work?

For me, my investment in the cell is TIME. My most important(and only!) asset because I have plenty of it. I believe that without an initial investment of time, in prayer - hours and hours of seeking God, time invested in people - knowing your 'target market', knowing the right things to say to motivate them; all these are essential ingredients to make it work. It is true that I see potential in everyone, in every situation I try to make the best use of the opportunity to create platforms for lives to be changed.

Also, the reason why some people do not succeed is because they are not successful in recognising leaders. They themselves are people who are in the "Employed and Self Employed Sector." There is nothing wrong to be in this sector, in fact 90% of the people in Singapore, including myself, belong to this world. But but but. The people they choose to be potential leaders are based on factors like - how long they have been in this church; whether they attend services weekly, tithe montly, come early, etc. This is nothing wrong in itself either. But for the cell to grow, they have to identify people who are in the "B" and "I" mentality of doing things. These people have a hunger and drive to succeed. People with initiative, with influence, who are not afraid of people telling them "It's impossible", who want to impact others so much. It's true that you know you are a leader when you see whether there are people following you. I cannot explain the importance of influence enough, it's something that is developed over time. When people know that you are willing to love them and help them along, and when they see your lifestyle, they want to follow you. People know when you are influential, and some leaders are even fearful that I have a greater influence over their members in the choices they presume these members should listen to them because of the appointed authority. But they do not realise who are the real leaders, those who choose to show the way, to walk the talk. Some delinquents I have handled before only listen to me and choose to share only to me. Why? It is because they are labelled delinquents by everyone else, including their leaders. But because I do not label them internally, they are okay with me, and I have never had any problems with them on authority issues.

The people who knows how to develop these qualities are the ones that leaders should choose to manage the cell. Because these are the ones who will know how to effectively multiply. Sometimes, you cannot really choose the people you want! But you can help them to change, if they are teachable enough. Kie was really "E" when I met him. Now he is thinking bigger. He himself, is dissatisfied with being an "E", which is my sentiment as well. Time to groom more "E"s to change their mindsets!

Location is inevitable as a huge factor in opening a franchise. To prevent market saturation, clever business people with similar products open retail outlets in different shopping centres. In food centres however, we see that stalls with similar products open next to each other. Laksa (curry noodles) stalls, four in a row. Fruit juice stalls next to fruit juice stalls. Is it their aim to confuse people or to provide a range of selection, I really do not know. But for my cell, I think that one of the reasons why we multiply so fast is because of location. Being in this Serangoon/Hougang area is good for our 'business' because there is just no cell here.

In fact, that is the reason why we 'opened' our cell in the first place. Because me and Kie had no other place to go to, and the nearest one was quite a distance away. Also, because I was quite well-known in my circles in church (due to my previous leadership roles in the campus and worship ministry), many people knew that there is a new cell planted in Serangoon/Hougang that was open for young adults. In fact, it was purely by word-of-mouth that some people came to be with us. Being small, we were initially vigilant in helping every soul that came into our hands. (Now it is getting difficult as there are too many to handle: less time spent with them = less influence) And when one came in October, we managed to finish the first core material in a month and got him to attend the first class in December, all in the span of 3 months. He was not pressurised to grow then, because it was not the length of time spent, rather, it was the quantity, and purpose in handling the time. Having a successful cell is not based on how many people who come in the first place, rather, it's how many who stay, week after week.

We do not have many new ones, but most of the new ones who come, stay. Like loyal network marketing customers who buy the product, year after year, because they fell in love with it.

Practically, most people would not choose to go to a stall far away every week, even if they are in love with the food there. More often, they would go to the nearest coffee shop even if the food there is bad. (The food at my coffee shop is really bad. But it has not closed down nor changed hands!) For network marketing companies, they know how to move from country to country, after the 'bubble has burst' in that area. In this concern, I believe that though the location is 'not so good', ie in far flung areas, the cell still can grow. Because in tiny Singapore, there are people everywhere. Just bringing people who live in the same block is enough! The bubble has not burst for evangelism.

So that's just my two cents' worth on applying business models to cell and ministry. I have said before that I run my cell like a small-medium enterprise because I believe in being purposeful to involve everyone, but that's another story for another day.