About Cell Church
St John's, is aiming to become a growing Christian community based on the Biblical pattern of the early church: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42) And so, back in September 2005 we decided to develop as a 'Cell Church'. This means that we don't only value our Sunday morning worship in St John's building, but we equally value the importance of small groups of people (cell groups) meeting in people's homes through the week. The hope is that as many as possible of the church membership here will also belong to one of these smaller groups which will be a source of fellowship, worship, learning, witness and growth - a place of safety where our relationship with God and with one another can develop. Our Cell Groups are just as much church as our Sunday morning service.
1. KEY VALUES
There are 5 key values which mark out a healthy church. The Cell Meeting is run in a way that keeps these values central to our cell church life, both in our small groups and at our Sunday service.
The values are:
a) ALL INVOLVED
b) BECOMING DISCIPLES
c) CREATING COMMUNITY
d) DOING EVANGELISM
e) ENCOUNTERING GOD
2. THE CELL MEETING
There are 4 parts to a Cell Meeting, each beginning with the letter 'W' to aid our memory! Each cell meeting should include each one of these elements. Remember that they exist to help us keep the 5 key values as the basis of our church life. The Cell leader will allow different members to lead each of these different sections each week. . These sections of the meeting may vary in length week by week but they should be approximately in the proportion of the list below (example for a 2-hour meeting) :
a) WELCOME 15 MINS
b) WORSHIP 30 MINS
c) WORD 45 MINS
d) WITNESS 30 MINS
3. CELL MEETING RESOURCES
Each week there will be suggestions provided for each of the Cell Meeting sections. If, however, you wish to change any section - for example you may have a better 'Welcome' question or an alternative 'Worship' idea (see Appendix 2, p.163 in "The Challenge of Cell Church" by Phil Potter) - then you can do that, but please keep the 'Word' section largely as it is given. The 'Word' section is based on the previous Sunday's teaching in church.
4. CELL SOCIAL/OUTREACH EVENTS
(see Appendices 3 & 4 p.166-172 in "The Challenge of Cell Church" by Phil Potter)
Every 4th Cell Meeting should either be a social event to which the members invite friends, etc., or a prayer evening which focuses on the Group's Mission Focuses (see 6. below) and the next cell social event.
Any social event should be preceded 4 weeks before by a prayer evening.
5. CELL GROUPS & SUNDAY MORNINGS
Each Cell Group will have responsibilities for Sunday Morning Services every 5 or 6 weeks. These will be to:
a) Ensure the church is dusted and hoovered a few days prior to the Sunday for which you are responsible.
b) Provide a Bible Reader
c) Provide an Intercessor
d) Provide two 'Welcomers' to greet people as they arrive
e) Provide two or more people to make and serve coffee after the service N.B. Those who are Welcoming and making coffee need to be at church by 10am
6. MISSION FOCUS
(see p.96-97 in "The Challenge of Cell Church" by Phil Potter)
Each Cell should have a mission focus.
This focus should be both local and worldwide.
LOCAL
Each group should have a clear idea of their local mission. This may be to reach a number of personal friends each with the gospel, or it may be to reach a certain type of person (for example a Cell Group of men may see their mission to reach other men, and maybe assist the whole church in this mission); A cell group in a particular location may seek to reach their neighbours, etc.
WORLDWIDE
Each group should have a Christian mission organisation which it seeks to support and pray for. This may be a particular organisation, or perhaps one or more individuals or families who are involved in mission with different organisations.
7. CONFIDENTIALITY
The Cell meeting should become a place where members feel at ease to share issues and problems with other members so that they can be prayed for and helped as any needs arrive. This means that every member needs to be aware of the need for confidentiality within the group, and therefore nothing shared within the group should be communicated outside of the group unless it is clear that the person who shared about the issue is happy for that to happen.
8. CELL PASTORS & SUPPORT NETWORK
Each Cell Group will have a Cell Pastor who will visit them regularly. Their purpose will be to provide encouragement and support for the Cell Leader and to act as a link between the Vicar and the Cell Groups.
Each Cell Pastor will have approximately 3 Cell Groups to oversee.
The Cell Pastors will meet with each Cell Leader individually 2 or 3 times per year.
The Cell Pastors will meet with the Vicar monthly
About 3 times per year there will be a feedback and training meeting for all Cell Leaders and Pastors.
9. VISION FOR GROWTH
Each new Cell Group formed will have a vision for growth and multiplication from inception. The aim of each group will be to grow to a stage when it will form new group. If a new Cell Group starts without a co-leader the Cell leader, in consultation with the Cell Pastor, should appoint a co-leader within a few months
CELL VALUES
1. KEY VALUES
There are 5 key values which mark out a healthy church. The Cell Meeting is run in a way that keeps these values central to our cell church life, both in our small groups and at our Sunday service.
The values are:
a) ALL INVOLVED
b) BECOMING DISCIPLES
c) CREATING COMMUNITY
d) DOING EVANGELISM
e) ENCOUNTERING GOD
2. THE CELL MEETING
There are 4 parts to a Cell Meeting, each beginning with the letter 'W' to aid our memory! Each cell meeting should include each one of these elements. Remember that they exist to help us keep the 5 key values as the basis of our church life. The Cell leader will allow different members to lead each of these different sections each week. . These sections of the meeting may vary in length week by week but they should be approximately in the proportion of the list below (example for a 2-hour meeting) :
a) WELCOME 15 MINS
b) WORSHIP 30 MINS
c) WORD 45 MINS
d) WITNESS 30 MINS
3. CELL MEETING RESOURCES
Each week there will be suggestions provided for each of the Cell Meeting sections. If, however, you wish to change any section - for example you may have a better 'Welcome' question or an alternative 'Worship' idea (see Appendix 2, p.163 in "The Challenge of Cell Church" by Phil Potter) - then you can do that, but please keep the 'Word' section largely as it is given. The 'Word' section is based on the previous Sunday's teaching in church.
4. CELL SOCIAL/OUTREACH EVENTS
(see Appendices 3 & 4 p.166-172 in "The Challenge of Cell Church" by Phil Potter)
Every 4th Cell Meeting should either be a social event to which the members invite friends, etc., or a prayer evening which focuses on the Group's Mission Focuses (see 6. below) and the next cell social event.
Any social event should be preceded 4 weeks before by a prayer evening.
5. CELL GROUPS & SUNDAY MORNINGS
Each Cell Group will have responsibilities for Sunday Morning Services every 5 or 6 weeks. These will be to:
a) Ensure the church is dusted and hoovered a few days prior to the Sunday for which you are responsible.
b) Provide a Bible Reader
c) Provide an Intercessor
d) Provide two 'Welcomers' to greet people as they arrive
e) Provide two or more people to make and serve coffee after the service N.B. Those who are Welcoming and making coffee need to be at church by 10am
6. MISSION FOCUS
(see p.96-97 in "The Challenge of Cell Church" by Phil Potter)
Each Cell should have a mission focus.
This focus should be both local and worldwide.
LOCAL
Each group should have a clear idea of their local mission. This may be to reach a number of personal friends each with the gospel, or it may be to reach a certain type of person (for example a Cell Group of men may see their mission to reach other men, and maybe assist the whole church in this mission); A cell group in a particular location may seek to reach their neighbours, etc.
WORLDWIDE
Each group should have a Christian mission organisation which it seeks to support and pray for. This may be a particular organisation, or perhaps one or more individuals or families who are involved in mission with different organisations.
7. CONFIDENTIALITY
The Cell meeting should become a place where members feel at ease to share issues and problems with other members so that they can be prayed for and helped as any needs arrive. This means that every member needs to be aware of the need for confidentiality within the group, and therefore nothing shared within the group should be communicated outside of the group unless it is clear that the person who shared about the issue is happy for that to happen.
8. CELL PASTORS & SUPPORT NETWORK
Each Cell Group will have a Cell Pastor who will visit them regularly. Their purpose will be to provide encouragement and support for the Cell Leader and to act as a link between the Vicar and the Cell Groups.
Each Cell Pastor will have approximately 3 Cell Groups to oversee.
The Cell Pastors will meet with each Cell Leader individually 2 or 3 times per year.
The Cell Pastors will meet with the Vicar monthly
About 3 times per year there will be a feedback and training meeting for all Cell Leaders and Pastors.
9. VISION FOR GROWTH
Each new Cell Group formed will have a vision for growth and multiplication from inception. The aim of each group will be to grow to a stage when it will form new group. If a new Cell Group starts without a co-leader the Cell leader, in consultation with the Cell Pastor, should appoint a co-leader within a few months
CELL VALUES
-
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
- Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)
- But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13)
- And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.(Hebrews 10:24)
- Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
- Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.(Romans 15:7)
- Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
- Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)
- You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)
Copyright 2008 St Johns Leyland