The DNA of the Cell Group – Christ in the Midst
At the heart of authentic biblical community is one thing: the presence of Jesus. In discussing a cell’s characteristics, we must begin with Christ. His presence is the key to the cell. Jesus is the beginning and ending of Christian community.
What Happens When We Gather In Our Cell Groups?
The cell group time is more than a meeting. It’s an encounter! Every time we come together, we expect to encounter Christ in three special ways:
- Encounter His Living Presence – When we gather, Jesus is present just as He promised! “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.”
- Encounter His Edifying Power – The Christ in me ministers to you even as the Christ in you ministers to me. He sets the agenda.
- Encounter His Ministering Purpose – What does He want to do through us this week to minister to others?
“What He Indwells and Empowers, He Uses.”
What Makes Cell Groups Work?
“The determining factor of whether or not a cell group will actually work is whether or not members of the group experience authentic biblical community.” (M. Scott Boren from Cell Group Resources, a Division of Touch Outreach Ministries)
Authentic Biblical Community is understood in two acts.
Act #1 The Cell Group Meeting – In cell group meetings, people experience the love of God together, and they find freedom to be real.
Act #2 Life Outside the Meeting – Jesus’ love expressed to the disciples was not limited to official meetings or spiritual times. Love crosses over the borders of official meetings and invades life, even the parts of life that seem unspiritual.
“Cell group meetings and interactive life between meetings work together to create authentic biblical community, and when this happens, cell groups work.” (M. Scott Boren from Cell Group Resources, a Division of Touch Outreach Ministries)
The Four Dimensions of Cell Ministry
Upward - by relating to God. Upward is a hunger to know God with all your heart, soul, and mind. It is a passion and love for God in the midst of the group.
Inward – by loving one another. Inward is “loving your neighbor as yourself.” It means living in fellowship both inside and outside of the group. It means making sacrifices of time and energy for the benefit of others.
Outward – by ministering to a lost and dying world. Outward is reaching out in friendship to touch the world around with God’s love. It means inviting people to share the love and life God has given you.
Forward – by making disciples. Forward challenges a group to mentor and equip it’s members. It spurs them to develop new leaders and new groups that will be able to carry God’s Great Commission into the world. Forward means building the church by the raising up of effective new leaders.
Cell Group Meeting Pattern
The 5 W’s
Remember, as a cell group gathers it’s still about Christ in the midst directing the cell as He desires by the Holy Spirit. With this in mind, there is still a meeting pattern that is used by cell groups called the 5 W’s. These elements are not to be seen as a legalistic form but as the underlying process characterized by a change in focus as the group goes through an evening together. There are many different ways the 5 W’s can be approached within the context of a cell, but the ultimate purpose of each remains the same.
- Welcome – We usually begin the gathering through informal conversation and questions designed to bring us together.
- Worship – Since the primary purpose of our gathering is to provide an atmosphere for the transforming power of Christ to flow, we sing, pray and focus on Christ in our midst.
- Witness – In response to Christ’s Great Commission we pray for those without Christ and plan ways to serve and reach out to them.
- Word – After we have listened to one another and turned our focus to God, we listen to what God wants to say to us through the Bible. The focus is application not information.
- Works – In response to Christ’s Great Commandment to love our neighbor, we seek ways to put His love into action by praying for and ministering to each other.
