Groups of Twelve
 
A group of twelve is a group that has 12 leaders.  In other words, each member of the group has a cell group and is leading others in a weekly lesson.  Many people have chosen 12 people to be in a group and, therefore, think they have their twelve.  THIS IS NOT SO!  All this means is that they have a cell group with the potential of becoming a group of twelve.

The group of twelve must be selected with tremendous care.  Pastors and leaders have encountered many difficult situations by trying to rush to complete their twelves.  As a result, they find themselves dissatisfied continually with their twelves, and they may become discouraged in the vision.  The vision, however, works!  Do not become discouraged in the vision and throw out the baby with the bath water. 

As you enter the Principle of 12 vision, you may feel pressure to complete your twelve and be on your way to developing the next level.  It is better to get started in the vision by allowing for fruitfulness, a sign of wholeness, to emerge in your leadership and then selecting your twelve.

Your twelve may not be those you have on staff.  God is the one who gives fruit, and though you may not know it, you may have individuals that are not spiritually whole on your staff.  They are important, but if you have them in your twelve before they are healed and delivered, the vision will not flourish. 

It sometimes will take a couple of years to see a person come out of discouragement, depression, or recovery from a divorce, so you must proceed with the individuals the Lord is raising up at the moment.  You cannot put an unhealthy person into battle on the front lines.  He will rapidly become discouraged and burn out, and this can spread throughout the church.