What Is A Care Group

What
is
a
 Cell?


At Mosaic we are fully committed to the ministry of small groups. We call them Care Groups and base them on the New Testament model. The
New
Testament
model
 The NT church is built on a cell, celebration model. The believers met both in the home (cells) and in the temple (celebrations). These two types of gatherings are essential for a strong, healthy church. The Biblical church life therefore involves not just gathering all the believers for a corporate celebration but at the same time organising the whole body into small growing groups. Both Acts and Ephesians tell us that all who accepted the message were not added to an The church organisation or a building but to the body consists of of believers. This tells us the NT concept people in of the church is a people not a place, a relationship body not a building. A body with many with God parts, each part is functional and all parts relate to one another The bible when describing the church as a body makes it clear that the church consists of people in relationship with God and one another. This helps us understand the need for believers to meet in a small group setting where they are able to build one another up in love. The small group setting is the most practical place where Christianity can be put into practice and believers can grow as true disciples. The
cell
and
its
components
as
a
 basic
unit
of
life
 In living organisms, the cell is the basic unit of life; likewise we feel that the cell is the basic unit of church life. It is a small, face-to-face ‘family-type’ gathering (3 to 12 people) where the participants meet together regularly to build up and encourage one another in Christ. Together, they study the Word of God, apply its teachings to their lives, and

experience the ministry of the Holy Spirit as they love and care for each other and the community at large. The following are principles of life in a cell: 

The cell is able to carry out all functions necessary for life.



The cell has capacity to grow.



The process of growth and multiplication forms new cells.



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 themselves through an intern.

In living organisms, a 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. Relationships serve as the membrane in a church cell. It keeps everyone together. Unless relationships among cell members are established, it cannot have a true cell life. Everyone gets acquainted with one another and begin to be involved in each other’s lives.

God’s provision for our sense of security

The cell leader corresponds to the nucleus of the cell. The kind of leader determines the kind of cell that will be formed. Therefore it is important that cell leaders are people who fully agree with the vision, mission, beliefs and values of Mosaic.

Building
relationships
is
a
 non-optional
ingredient
of
cells
 God is relational and has revealed Himself as Father. A Father cannot be defined alone. To be a father means to be in

relationship with someone. Father implies relationship. A trusting relationship with God and one another is God’s provision for our sense of security. When we are insecure, we tend to act in a selfish manner, we are constantly in pursuit of acceptance, and this acceptance is not primarily sought from God. It is only when we are secure in our relationship with God that our actions will be born of faith, love and the leading of the Holy Spirit. An insecure person is like one who has no roots. Paul said in Ephesians 3:17 that we must be rooted and grounded in love. Building relationships is the best and effective way of spreading the gospel. Jesus said the world would know us by our love. Having good relationships is what ministry is all about. Every
believer
a
minister
 Another important key for successful cell ministry is the biblical principle that every believer is a minister. Church New leaders such as shepherds, teachers, believers evangelists, prophets and apostles are growing in not supposed to do all the ministering. faith and When we look at Eph 4:11-13 we maturity discover that the role of leaders is to prepare, make ready, train and equip the people to minister to the needs of others (v 11-12). The role of the people is to minister to one another (v.12). The people are not dependent on the leaders to minister and as they serve one another they are edified (built up) and become spiritually mature. In cell life, therefore, even young believers can participate in building up others. We do not wait for believers to be mature by traditional standards as even young believers can participate in edifying (building up) others. This in turn, results in the new believers growing in faith and maturity.

Stages
of
growth
of
a
cell
group
 Flock level - the forming stage: A new group of people gather together at an agreed time and place to get to know one another and form a cell. Activities involve gathering, contacting, congregating. The group focus is for everyone to make time and effort to gather together. They make meeting together their priority. Friends level - the relational stage: New relationships are forged and enjoyment is gained through the company and fellowship of each other on a regular basis, the cell group develops a sense of community and spiritual togetherness. Activities involve connecting, communicating, caring. The group focus is for everyone to build a bond and unity with each other. Faithful level - the maturing stage: Members of the cell are able to identify a) where they are spiritually, b) where they need to go and c) how to continue the journey. The group focus is on the edification of one another towards achieving spiritual freedom, maturity and Christ likeness. At the same time the cell leaders are identifying new leaders for future cells. Foster level - the reproducing stage: The cell group increases its number, and prepares itself to multiply and be part of the birth of a new cell. The group focus is duplication, by fostering a new cell. New cell members are gathered in at all levels.

They are a vital part of corporate life

We hope that this explanation helps to put into context the place of care groups. They are a vital part of corporate life as they combine pastoral care, the development of spiritual maturity, and the growth of Mosaic.

The Place for Love Hope and New Life

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