03/04/19 FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED

03/04/19  FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED
 
Church Life Groups.
Cell (2-19): small groups.
Congregation (20-75): homogeneous groups.
Celebration (75+): church wide groups.


The numbers (xx) are my own arbitrary numbers and they are approximations. A small local body of believers may overlap or integrate these three groups into one or two groups, but the ideas are valid and helpful in growing a church.

I first heard the idea of the Cell, Congregation, Celebration Model articulated 40+ years ago, when Church Growth studies were being developed.

Please note, "Church Growth" is good, not bad. The problem is when "Church Growth" is a numbers or marketing or fleshly endeavor rather than the result of Christ adding to His Church. The idea was based on long standing principles, but the terminology was new. I was already following those principles and find the terminology to be helpful.

I will give 1. a brief explanation of each level of church life and then I will give 2. examples of those group levels.

1. Explanation
A. CELL is the idea of (very) small groups that meets together regularly. The size is very small, including only 2-19 people (with 12 people being a good size). It is intimate, homogeneous (like minded) and gives opportunity for the leader to develop individuals with Christian beliefs and behavior.

NOTE, a church should have several CELL groups, giving focused attention to all members of the larger body.

B. CONGREGATION is the idea of larger numbers of people gathering because of a mutually shared interest. The focus is not as internal or personal as a Cell Group, but rather on a larger group of people working together on a shared vision.

C. CELEBRATION is the idea that all Cells and Congregations gather together for praise, worship, edification, education, fellowship.

2. Examples
A. Cell Group can be a closely knit group who meet for prayer, study, sharing, ministry, missions. As in all groups, there should be a leader, who exemplifies spiritual maturity and mentors others in their growth.

B. Congregation Groups are larger groups of people who meet together regularly to focus on a particular activity, such as worship, study, youth (or other age specific ministries), music, sports, family or singles, mercy ministries, ethnic or language groups.

C. Celebration Groups are gatherings, which include all cells and congregations in a church. (In smaller churches, the Congregation group and the Celebration group will be the same when they meet together for worship). If there are other congregations who use the same worship facility (based on language, ethnic or national heritage, such as Hispanic or Sudanese or Chinese immigrants), they may gather occasionally in joint worship and praise celebration.

I don't offer this as a law to be imposed on a church. I have found it useful in my own pastoral ministry and wanted to share it with others.

Here is a chart taken from a larger report, produced by Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research. This info is consistent with other studies.