What is a Cell Church?

The biological cell is a basic building block of life. Healthy cells multiply themselves millions of times in the course of a lifetime. Each new cell looks identical to the original cell because the DNA branded nucleus multiplies itself before the cell reproduces. In this way, the new cell is as healthy and productive as the original cell in it's given role. The cells work together as organs, muscles, bone and skin to make the body function as a true miracle from God.

A spiritual cell group, called "Life Groups" at Hope Community Church, is very similar to a biological cell. Followers of Jesus Christ edify one another and increase the kingdom by sharing their lives with unbelievers. New leaders are raised up from within the group (with support and training by the pastoral staff) to grow and expand the ministry to a hurting world. When the group multiplies, the process repeats itself.

"Oh, this is just like . . ."
Life Groups aren't simply another name for a Bible study, fellowship group or Sunday School class. They are a group of believers who have banded together for a season in life to reach the lost, minister to the hurting and each other, and discover their leadership potential. Sure, Life Groups study the Word, but they do so in order to live out what they read and use it effectively to penetrate a dark world with the light of Jesus Christ . . . which is quite different from studying a passage each week for general knowledge. Life Groups also have lots of fun together . . . but this fellowship is specialized in that it usually exposes unbelievers to a group of fun, Jesus-loving people. In other words, Life Groups even use fellowship as an evangelistic tool! And last, it wouldn't be right to call a Sunday morning classroom experience a Life Group. A Life Group should meet in a place and time that is comfortable for both the believers and unbelievers visiting, and provide enough time to share deep concerns and pray for one another. Rarely can either of these things be done within one hour at a church building, early on a Sunday morning.   A Life Group is called a Life Group  because it is the place where members share their lives together, where the real "life" of the church is found.

Some pastors think that Life Groups will march to the beat of their own drum, operating independently and dividing the church. Not so! Life Groups help to live out what the pastor preaches on Sunday. Life Group leaders are faithful under-shepherds for the pastor and the Lord, serving in a unique capacity to serve and love. Life Groups are not house churches or autonomous. Life Groups extend ministry and evangelism to every person in a local church body.

"Where do Life Group members gather?"
Life Group members meet weekly in homes, factory break rooms or the back area of a local restaurant. The meeting place is not as important as convenience, time and space issues. Group members find the best place to minister to one another and make evangelistic plans to touch the lost. This is where cell members and unbelievers experience "the Christ within and in the midst" with other believers, or an immanent expression of Christ.

Life Groups also come together with other cells as a local church body at our Sunday Worship Celebration Service each week. There is corporate worship, solid teaching from God's Word, and a time for pastoral ministry. This is where Life Group members and unbelievers experience the transcendent expression of Christ.

Both gatherings are vital for success! The Life Group meets to experience Christ's love through others in a warm setting. The celebration service (the gathering of groups) is to experience God in worship and to receive teaching from His Word. One without the other would not fulfill all God has for His people.

"Just two meetings a week?"
While believers meet together each week to share their lives and pray as a Life Group, the productive work of the group members is done in the days and hours between meetings. The meeting itself is seen as a discovery time for a week of ministry to each other and the lost.

God desires for us to live in community and commanded us to work out our salvation together (Phil. 2:12). We were never instructed to live the Christian life outside of a caring community. Iron sharpens iron, which means a cell group is an ideal place to grow. A believer might be challenged from a message heard on Sunday, but he will certainly need other believers with whom he can interact and build trust to live it out fully and then give it away to others.

The power to reach this lost world is ours!

As born again believers in Jesus Christ, we have been commanded to fulfill the Great Commission found in Matt. 28:18-20. This can easily be accomplished if churches around the world will launch these kind of groups to harness the power of basic Christian community to reach friends, family, coworkers and neighbors for Jesus. You see, Life Groups employ "net fishing" and successfully reach the lost through relational evangelism. Fewer converts fall away with this approach, because new believers are adopted into a spiritual family and a new church home. It's also easier to reach people for Jesus as a team... not to mention it's so much fun.

We are living in the last days. God has called us to storm the gates of Hell, set the captives free and fulfill the Great Commission. We believe that it can easily be accomplished through our Life Groups. Life Groups are built for storming!

Click here to listen to Pastor Dave Wiener's message on Community, from June 10, 2007, as he shares his heart on why Life Group participation is so vital to every believer's Christian life.