Welcome to the Cell Church

A cell church comprises three basic components: cell, congregation and celebration. The most important of the three is the cell. For those who are conditioned to think of the congregation as the focal point of church life, this will require a radical re-orientation.

CELLS

• Cells are the basic building blocks of all life forms.
• The cell is also the basic life form of the church.
• Participation in these cell churches takes place by joining the cell.
• The cell is where people are nurtured, equipped to serve, and where members build up (edify) one another.
• It forms a community where believers are called to be accountable to each other, and where they can be totally transparent with one another.
• The primary activity if the cell is edification; building up one another.
• While each cell may begin its sessions with a brief time of praise and worship, that is not its primary purpose.
• While it will use the Bible freely as a guide for its lifestyle, it is not a place for Bible study.
• These needs are fulfilled at a different level in the life of the church. Thus it is not necessary for the cell leader to be a great Bible teacher, or even a strong communicator.
• Instead, the cell leader must have a love for the flock and a desire to minister to their needs.
• He or she serves on a pastoral level, caring for the needs of the sheep.
• This pastoral ministry is directed by the Holy Spirit and is built upon Scriptural teaching already received in a congregation or celebration assembly.
• While activities can be exciting and laughter can be good medicine for the soul, intimate friendship or the pouring out of one's heart does not and cannot happen in a large group.
• The cell meets this need.
• The key word here is kinship.

CONGREGATION/ZONE

• A cell church member needs a circle of friends around him or her for fellowship.
• This is where congregational activities for groups of between 50 and 100 are organised.
• Large group interaction, mass teaching or information transfer takes place quite 7
• The congregation may set aside a half-night for prayer, or sometimes several days of prayer.
• The congregation meetings or district meetings are examples of activities done throughout the year.
• Here the shepherds are equals with cell members, but loved and respected for their spiritual maturity as they provide direction for the less mature believers.
• The congregational pastor is usually the person who is assigned a congregation of cells and ministers among them.
• He is gifted in counselling, administration and evangelism, but not in preaching.
• In no sense of the word does he become the senior pastor of the area cells and the congregation served.
• His/her ministry is people-oriented, not pulpit-oriented.

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

• The celebration is a mass gathering of every cell member of the church, to demonstrate his or her life together in the worship of God.
• This citywide gathering is used for praise and worship, solid Bible teaching, and evangelism.
• It is a vital part of the public witness of the people of God.
• There is no limit to the effective size. In fact, the slogan here is probably, "The more, the merrier!"
• Music focuses upon worship of the Godhead.
• There is much singing.
• The room is usually charged with joy.
• A full hour of praise time is not unusual.
• Most cell churches must expand to two, four or even seven celebration services to accommodate all the people.