A 12 Overview

A12’s are groups based on organic relationships (friendships) committed to community and life transformation through Bible reading, accountability of scripture application, and prayer.

A12’s are:
 Based on the One Year Bible reading schedule
 Both gender and non-gender based
 Focused on Community (sharing life together), Prayer, Bible Reading, and Accountability.
 Attended by 12 to 18 people. (If more than 18 look to funnel some into offshoot groups)
 Open to anyone age mature 13 and up.
 Missional by focusing on multiplication and monthly group kindness outreach service projects.
 Run by a facilitator, not instructor. The purpose of the facilitator is to generate and guide discussion concerning the truth and activities of God in the lives of the cell members and to encourage accountability and prayer for issues.

8 Expected Outcomes in life of member:
1. Grow in knowledge of Gods Word.
2. Grow in understanding of application of God’s Word.
3. Grow in Christlikeness and the fruit of the Spirit.
4. Grow in Community.
5. Leadership Development.
6. Develop lifestyle of witness and participate in group events for witness.
7. Regularly attend corporate worship.
8. Regularly give… time, money, etc.

Expectations:
 That each member of an A12 will faithfully attend their Mother Group.
 That each member of an A12 will start an A12.
 That each group will aspire to produce 12 offspring groups.
 That each group will conduct a monthly kindness outreach according to their means.
 That each group will serve in Corporate Outreach Events held by Open Arms.
 That each group will encourage community through shared events and online interaction in the Open Arms Forum.

Tithes are brought to Open Arms Community Church… offerings are given to Open Arms as you feel led… use offerings to meet outreach needs of cell group.

Qualifications of A12 leaders:
- Must be born again
- Must be baptized
- Must Attend cell group minimum3.5mo or longer
- Must regularly Attend corporate worship.
- Must be of marital age
- Must be tested comparing with 1Timothy 3 deacon standards looking for growth.
1Timothy 3:8-13 8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

There will be lessons (written, audio, and video) on the Open Arms website available for those who would like deeper study.

There will be Internet forums related to the A12’s:
A12 Open Forum where people will share daily insights from their Bible reading and testimonies how God is at work in their life, Private A12 forms that are for a specific A12 group and closed to everyone else, Answer’s to Questions Forum where Questions will be submitted and answers given by panel of Spiritual Elders, and A12 Leader Forum for tips on effective group leadership and answers to group problems.

The facilitators questions:
1. What is the Lord saying to you or showing you in the last week or two?
2. How are you doing in your Bible reading?
3. How are we doing at applying ____________?
4. Is there anything (possession or behavior) in my life that displeases the Lord and would compromise my witness or leadership?

The goal is to have a person in a mother cell group one week to attend and be accountable and to lead a cell group in the off week being the facilitator. This leads to a once a week cell commitment that rotates attend, lead, attend, lead…

New Cell Members are encouraged to attend their mother cell and a cell in the off week that is an offshoot cell being run by a fellow cell member.

Groups may have a pastoral visit from time to time, especially in the case of irresolvable issues.

It is encouraged to Hold group in a home that is NOT the facilitators or to rotate the meeting place (like a new converts home). This will help in keeping the meeting to a specified length of time and the burden of hosting off of the facilitators shoulders.

When a Cell Leader leaves/relocates the cell members will identify a cell member to lead the group and that person will become the Cell Leader, will attend the mother group of leaving leader, and if new leader has a cell group that cell group will be assimilated in to other cell.


Our Method of Evaluation: The fruit / evidence of effectiveness of these groups are:
1. Salvation experiences and baptisms (Matthew 28:18-20)
2. Increase in the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)
3. Increase in the Gifts of the Spirit (1Cor. 12:7-11,31)
4. Increase in Knowledge of God (John 17:3)
5. Increase in service (Ephesians 4:12-16)
6. Increase in witness (Matthew 28:18-20; John 15:8)

Covenant: I commit to be honest and real with the members of my team, to walk in love, to not gossip [I will not talk about anything without permission] about anyone in my team (even in the name of a prayer request), to not be critical, to listen, to faithfully pray, to seek to fulfill the great commission and great commandment, and thus to build Christ-centered relationships with those on my team and in my sphere of contact.