Cell Groups Can Help Your Church Grow

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement to Village Church Planters.

A church is a group of people that works to obey all that Jesus commanded. Churches carry out the nine activities of a church described in Acts 2:37-47. Churches pray and apply God’s word, churches have fellowship and give. Churches practice evangelism and baptize new believers. Churches serve the Lord’s Supper and worship God. Churches train their members for ministry.

So, if a church is a group of people that works to obey all that Jesus commanded, what is a cell group?  A cell group is group of people who are members of church. As a cell group they obey some of the commands of Jesus, but not all.

For example it is common for members of a cell group to pray, worship, study God’s word, have fellowship together, and practice evangelism as a cell group.  But many cell groups will always, or almost always give their tithes and offerings, baptize and participate in the Lord’s Supper with the entire church body, including members of other cell groups.

A church is a group of people that works to obey all that Jesus commanded. A cell group is a small group that is a part of church. Cell groups obey some of the commands of Jesus together, but not all.

So why have cell groups? Cell groups provide some wonderful opportunities that are often not available in a church.  Cell groups are usually small groups of 5 to 20 members.  Cell groups often meet in homes. Cell groups do not have elaborate meetings.  The meeting of a cell group is simple, easy to organize, relaxed, and very friendly. Small groups like this make it easy for the leader to make everyone feel welcome, loved, and appreciated.  Small, friendly cell groups provide a great atmosphere for dialogue, asking and answering questions, and good conversation. 

And here is another characteristic of cell groups that wise church leaders find very helpful. Cell groups are great places for new believers to take responsibility to lead other in obedience to Christ.  By leading a cell group, church members grow in their ability to make disciples of Jesus.

And because cell groups are easy to start, they can be started in homes or businesses close to where the whole church meets together, or far from where the whole church meets together.

All over the world and all across Africa, God is using cell groups that are located far from the mother church to start second generation churches. He can do the same in the villages that you serve. 

So start cell groups near and far.  Cell groups that start near the meeting place of your church will probably not grow and develop to become churches. But cell groups started in villages that are more than a one hour walk from your first-generation church meeting place can become churches in their own right. They start out with fellowship, prayer and study of God’s word, then they begin to include worship, training of leaders, evangelism, the Lord’s Supper, baptism and giving to their group life.

In a very natural way, what started as a cell group becomes a church that obeys all the commands of Christ and carries out all of the activities of the church in Jerusalem described in Acts 2:37-47.

Cell groups can help you church grow by inviting new people to cell groups meetings. Cell groups can help your church grow by developing new, young leaders for the church. Cell groups started far from your church meeting place can help your church grow by developing into new churches. The wise church planter gives attention to starting and developing cell groups.

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

#CellGroups #AWordofEncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #Acts2