What is a Cell Church / Church of Groups
In 1996, God called our Senior Pastor, Dr. William Warren, to lead Allen Memorial to become a cell church / church of groups. A cell church / church of groups is “a church that has placed small groups at the core of it’s ministry.” Putting small groups at the core of the church’s ministry means that the leaders and structures of the church are focused on launching, equipping, multiplying, and nurturing healthy small group. In a cell church / church of groups there is equal emphasis on the large gathering (worship service) and the small groups (Life Groups). Worship and Life Groups are the two wings of the cell church / church of groups. They are both equally necessary if the church is going to soar. Life Groups are not just another program of the church; they are the basic unit and expression of the church.
Definition of a Life Group
A group of 4-15 people who meet in biblical community for the purpose of Christ-centered worship, edification, relational evangelism and discipleship with the goal of multiplication.
A Closer Look at Our Definition of a Life Group (Cell)
- Small Size (4-15 people) Life Groups should remain small enough so that each person can participate and friendships can be formed
- Regularity (meet weekly) Life Groups meeting weekly are is norm.
- Penetration (outside the church building) Life Groups, for the most part, meet outside the church building to penetrate the community.
- Upward (Christ-centered worship) Life Groups help people experience the presence of God.
- Inward (biblical community) Life Groups provide the optimum environment for friendships to be developed. People are created for community.
- Outward (for the purpose of evangelism) Life Groups pray for and reach out to those needing Christ.
- Forward (discipleship and equipping) Life Groups offer pastoral care and a process for spiritual growth designed to help all become Spirit-filled servants of Christ.
- Expansion (goal of multiplication) Life Groups focus raising new leaders so new groups can be started and more people reached, developed and cared for.
Life Groups include four basic elements during their gathering time.
- Us to Each Other (Sharing Lives) – Anything that gets people to be involved in each other’s lives and interacting with each other. This includes items like Ice Breaker, sharing burdens, praying and ministering to each other.
- Us to God (Sharing Worship) – This includes anything that focuses attention and gets people interacting with God. This includes things like praise and thanksgiving, worship through song, reading of Scripture, Lord’s Supper.
- God to Us (Sharing the Word) – This is the time of interacting with God’s Word and making application to our lives. This should not simply be a teaching time but a time for all to interact with God’s Word for life change.
- Us to the World (Sharing Christ) – This is a focus on local and world mission emphasis as well as a time when we share about our personal evangelism efforts and praying for those who need Christ. We are asking each of our Life Groups to adopt one of our nations with whom we work closely: India, China, and Pakistan. We are praying about adding a nation in our hemisphere. Each Life Group would adopt a nation for prayer and financial blessing.
Here are a few stories…
“I tend to be a solitary person and participating in a Life Group helps me to be more outward focused. It is a “shot in the arm” in the middle of the week and helps keep me focused on God. I love the comaraderie and fellowship with other believers and no matter how my week has been I always come away feeling refreshed, fulfilled and encouraged.” Cary
“Participation in a Life Group has benefited me in many ways. The time of worship with a small group of brothers and sisters helps me feel closer to God and to these friends. The time of study in the Bible fills a need of growing in my knowledge of God’s Word. The time of praying with my brothers in Christ keeps me honest and connected with them. Life Groups provide great balance to Sunday’s time of worship as well as a means of connecting on a personal level with other Christians that isn’t possible in Sunday worship.” Steve
