A Correct Concept At The Start

CELL MINISTRY VERSUS CELL MEETING

A correct understanding of what we are doing is very important. We are organizing for a cell ministry, not just for cell meetings.

 Cell ministry is more than having a weekly meeting. It is organizing the whole body of believers belonging to a local congregation into small groups (cells). The cell is designed to be the primary place for maturing believers, for evangelism, for expressions of gifts and for mobilization for service. The pastor focuses his efforts in equipping believers for ministry.

We Call it – C.A.R.E. Groups

Churches using the cell-system have called the cell in different ways: house group, koinonia group, small group, basic group, small group, etc. We will call  it CARE group.

WHY WE HAVE CHOSEN TO BECOME A CARE GROUP CHURCH

        In many ways, the Philippines is a nation in crisis. Often, even in the church, they have to face them alone because there is no one there to help shoulder the burden. This is one reason we have chosen to become a Care Group Church.

       Structuring for Growth – In living organisms, growth happens by multiplication of cells. The small group structure naturally goes with growth. Our promotion line is:

GROWTH BY GROUPS!

SOME SPECIFICS OF OUR CARE GROUP MINISTRY:

1. Every covenant member becomes a member of a care group.
1. Each care group: minimum of 8 members or 3 families
2. Leaders identified, enlisted, trained and mobilized to handle these care groups.
3. The care groups become the center of all activities relevant to the discipling and maturing of members:
1. Teaching/Discipling center
2. Prayer center
3. Information Dissemination/Promotion Center for church affairs
4. Center/arm for service and expression of gifts: counseling, follow-up,
5. feeding the poor and needy among the brethren
6. Recruitment and mobilization center: for SOS volunteers, volunteer workers, etc.
4. The care groups become the primary arm for influencing the unsaved with the Gospel
1. Evangelism activities - community evangelism SOS style, children's outreach
2. Feeding the hungry and needy projects

Nature And Objective Of Care Groups

Based on the Biblical example, our care groups have the following 5 objectives. (Acts 2: 42-47)
To accomplish the five objectives, a care group can shift to and function in any one of the following group forms at appropriate time of its life as a group.( See Diagram)

Foundational Truths About The Cell

THE CELL AS A BASIC UNIT OF LIFE

The cell is the basic unit of life. In living organisms, the cell is the basic unit of life. Thus, the cell is the basic unit of church life. It is a small, intentional, face-to-face `family-type’ gathering ( 3 - 15 people) where the participants meet together regularly to build up and encourage one another in Christ. Together, they study the Word of God and apply its teachings to their lives, and experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit as they love and care for each other. The following are principles of life in a cell:

1. The cell is able to carry out all functions necessary for life.
2. The cell has capacity to grow.
3. New cells are formed by the process of growth and multiplication.
4. Cell multiplication must first involve growth of the cell and multiplication of its nucleus. Church cells grow by reaching more people and the leader duplicating himself in an intern.

TWO ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF A CELL

In living organisms. The cell has two basic components, the cell membrane and the nucleus. The membrane holds together all the other components of the cell. It also controls the passage of other substances into and out of the cell. The nucleus contains chromosomes that carry the genetic material  (DNA) of the cell. The DNA determines what kind of cell life is produced.

1. Relationships – serves as the cell membrane in a church cell. It is that which will keep the members together.   Unless relationship among cell members is established, it could not have a true cell life. Members must get acquainted with each other and begin to be  involved in  each other’s lives.

2. Cell leaders – the cell leader corresponds to the nucleus of the cell. The kind of leader  he is determines the kind of cell that will be formed. It is therefore important that cell leaders are people to whom the core values, ministry orientation and vision of the church leaders have been transferred.

Why Build Relationships First

Building relationships is non-optional ingredient of Care Groups.

1. God is relational – an important part of understanding the person of God is to see Him as a relational being – one who is in relationship with someone. He revealed Himself as Father. A Father cannot be defined alone. To be a father means to be in relationship with someone – a son. Father implies relationship.

• John 17: 24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
2. The Believers are in fellowship with the Father and the Son

   If the Father and Son are in fellowship with one another, and we are in fellowship with the Father and Son, we believers therefore cannot be God’s children without being in fellowship with one another.

   • I Jn 1:3 --- We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

   We see here three levels of fellowship.

   • The eternal fellowship of the Father and the Son
   • The fellowship of the believer with the Father and the Son upon conversion

   • The fellowship among believers that they must work out.

3. Trusting relationship with God and one another is God’s provision for our sense of security.    When a man is insecure, he tends to act in a soulish  manner. He is constantly in pursuit of acceptance, and this motivation is not primarily form the Spirit of God. It is only when we are secure as a product of our relationships will our actions be born of faith, love and of the leading of the Holy Spirit. An insecure man is like one who has no roots. Paul said in Ephesians 3:17 that we must be rooted and grounded in love.
4. Building relationship is the best effective and efficient form of spreading the gospel. Jesus said the world will know us by our love. Having good relationships makes us more effective in our ministries.

Care Group Essentials

EVERY MEMBER A MINISTER

An important key for successful cell ministry is the Biblical principle that every member is a minister. Church leaders such as pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets and apostles are not supposed to do all the ministering. They should function like coaches. Read Carefully: Eph 4:11-13 ---- 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

1. The Role of Leaders -is to prepare, make ready, train, equip the people to minister to the needs of others (V.11, 12).

2. The Role of the People – they minister to one another (v.12). They are not dependent on the leaders and as they serve one another, they are built up and become mature.

In cell life, therefore, even the young believers can participate in building up others. We do not wait for believers to be `mature’ in traditional standards. It is as they participate in edifying one another that they mature To Edify – is to build up and promote spiritual growth. Every believer needs regular edification. The Scriptures teach that it is the responsibility of believers to edify one another.

• 1Thes 5:11 therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
• Eph 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

SEVEN KEYS TO CELL MINISTRY

1. Vision – a Spirit-inspired vision that embraces both discipleship and outreach goals. It gives the group motivation and direction towards God’s plan and purposes.
2. A Leader – who is responsibly leading the group and facilitating the discipleship process, recruitment of leaders.
3. An intern – who prepares himself to lead the new group when the original cell multiplies.
4. Multiplication – life produces life. While cells are designed to meet the needs of members, God wants also His Kingdom to expand to reach others.
5. Ministry – care that members give to one another in a high degree of love and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

6. Mission – gives variety and excitement to the life of the group, something the group can do together that is not self-serving.
7. Leadership Training – on-going training is needed for the health and growth of the cell ministry. A reserve of qualified leaders must be maintained.

GOVERNING CORE VALUES

Jesus is the Head of the Church. If we are to operate as the Body of Christ, we must identify the values that characterize the heart of God. We must ask the question: `What does God value most?’ The Scriptures reveal these values:

Matt 22:36-39 --- 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

From this passage we see three essential core values that must be central to the whole church and the care group:No matter what else we do in the church and in the care group, if we miss these, we have missed it!

1. To love God with total devotion.
2. To love one another the same way the Jesus loves us
3. To love the lost world.