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from Jon Reid (fr. a Vineyard church) :
Here's a chart outlining some of the differences between cell group
churches and traditional, building-based, program-based churches: (This
is, of course, a generalization. The object here is not to condemn any
churches, but to illustrate through contrasts. If it speaks to you, run
with it; if not, don't get uptight.)
CELL GROUP CHURCH TRADITIONAL CHURCH
----------------- -----------------
Location
Meets in houses and buildings Meets mainly in church buildings
Size Of Groups
Small, intimate groups Large, impersonal groups
Activities
Daily fellowship Weekly worship services
Support System
Building up one another Problem? See the pastor
Relationships
Intimate; Helping one another Remote; Little transparency
Discipling
Groups of 2-3; Classes, notebooks;
Modeling; Little modeling;
Personal values shaped Values not shaped
Primary Tasks Of Leaders
Equipping every believer to Directing the traditional
do the work of the ministry building-based church
Prayer Life
Daily; Together, purposeful Limited, directionless;
Individual choice
Pastor's Duty
Model the life of a believer Preach good sermons
Expectations Of Members
Ministering to others; Total Attendance; Tithing;
servanthood and stewardship Work in the "programs"
Perspective
Small Groups the focal point Congregation the focal point
Key Words
"Go and make disciples" "Come and grow with us"
Teachings
Apply the Scripture to needs Subscribe to the distinctive
and relationships beliefs of this church
Spiritual Gifts
Regularly exercised by all Either downplayed or often used as
believers to build up others a "crowd-pleaser" in public
in the Small Group gatherings services
Commitment
To increase the Kingdom; To enlarge the institution;
Unity, Body life Uniformity
Evaluation Test
"How you serve" "What you know"
Source For Securing Staff
Servant workers developed Trained, professional clergy
within; Tested before they
are set apart for ministry
Chart Taken from *Where Do We Go From Here?* by Ralph Neighbour (Touch
Publications / 1-800-735-5865
===================================================================
=================================
Part 2 : A response to the previous note's comparison chart.
===============================================
From the late Ron Zess (Apostolic Lutheran):
Jon: Your chart outlining some of the differences between cell group
churches and traditional is based on the Neighbor's data from his
magazine. There is still a little of the Edward's approach in the
Neighbor's contrast between the CELL and the TRADITIONAL. Coming from a
TRADITIONAL I resent some of this destruction of the old to reach the new.
I'm not opposed to CELL concepts at all, in fact I'm facilitating one at
this point. This concept is not new, it comes from the Pietist Lutherans
of the 1600s and was originally called the "collegia pietatis" - and is
concepted on a small chruch within a large church. Historically whenever
the form of life becomes brutal, unrefined and uneducated (as it is doing
now) there are groups which form to gather individual Christians who will
accept the burden and the liberation of Christian life. Like the pietists,
the main idea here is sanctification and the questioning of ethical
adiaphora. Like pietism before it the CELL movement denies the very concept
of adiaphora and calls it "the love of the world."
The reason why I would change your chart a bit is to point out that it is
possible for one who loves the established church to concept a growing
relationship with God and an accountability to others in the Cell movement.
This is not the abandonment of orthodox denominations, or the creation of a
new denomination, but the transending of denominationalism into a new
concept called
Oikoumene Koinonia (Ecumenical Fellowship)
For this purpose I would edit your chart (borrowed from Neighbors) as
follows :
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The New Testament Vs. Today's Church in Contrast
Location Moved from House to House Church Buildings
Group Size Small, intimate (under 12) Large, impersonal groups
Activities Daily fellowship Weekly worship services
Agape Love Feasts Infrequent Midweek efforts
Worship & Celebration Teaching Children
Support Building up each other Problem? See the pastor
Relationships Intimate; helping Remote; committee work
Discipling Mouth to ear modeling Self help classes
Kingdom lifestyle goals Values not challenged
Leadership Pastors, equipped every Pastors direct the program
Roles believer to do the work while elders/deacons work
of individual ministry; deacons on stewardship problems
handle physical needs
Prayer Life Hours daily; Individual choice limited;
emphsis on disciplines some private prayer
Pastor's Role model Kingdom lifestyle Preach good sermons,
Role discipleship training administer the building
Means of Evangelistic outreach Numbers: new members,
Measurement Lifestyle modeling donations,church attendance
Expectations Ministering to others Attendance, tithing, work
of members Total servant stewardship within established programs
Perspective Spiritual growth Congregational life
Key words Go, make disciples Come grow with us
Teachings Apply the Bible to meet Defend distinctive beliefs
today's needs/relationships and historic traditions
Spiritual Regularly exercised by all Either down played as
Gifts believers to build up groups history, or treated as human
of believers in meetings talents only
Commitment To increase the Kingdom To enlarge the institution,
to ministry in unity, to insure uniformity in
as "body life" outreach members beliefs or issues
Membership
Test "How you serve" "What you know, or do"
Source for Servanthood developed Professionally trained
Securing tested, then "set apart" and paid "lovers of people"
trained staff to meet specific needs are seen as "experts."
Result Priesthood of believers is Priesthood of believers is
enhanced; real christianity not valued; clergy/laity
advanced by serving each other in tension, zero growth or
kingdom advances. serious reduction in numbers
-------------
Pax tecum, Ron.
=============================================
Message 124
THE.REIDS [Jon]
-- D.C. --
>John Wimber, as I understand him, advocates the return to the
>pre-modern worldview ...
>but I don't agree that we should retreat to primitive concepts
"Primitive concepts" -- as in a supernatural worldview? The supernatural
is an integral part of every successful cell church that I know of, because
as everyone uses their spiritual gifts to minister to each other,
- people are saved from sin
- people are delivered from demons
- people are healed of diseases and injuries
The kingdom of God is here! Not in its totality (not everyone is saved,
etc.), but it is here nonetheless.
>From your quotes above, it could be assumed that the cell churches
>are simply another form of Alcoholics Anonymous (which many are)
It could be that many small groups are like AA groups; but do not confuse
small groups, or churches with small groups, with cell churches. Cell
churches have two important elements which AA lacks: the Scriptures and the
power of God. (cf. Matthew 22:29)
>It is the critical thinking ability of the average Christian which
>needs to be addressed and can be done most effectively in the cell
>church.
If there is a problem with incorrect teaching being accepted, it would seem
to me that what is lacking is not necessarily critical thinking, but a
knowledge of the Scriptures.
Jon
===============================================================
Message 127 Sat Sep 04, 1993
D.VANDEKROL [D.C.]
Jon,