A question worth asking

[ByTheSpirit]

Trying to figure out how to phrase this:

Can a church be a cell group church, yet meet in a traditional manner on Sundays or whatever day. Traditional meaning what we normally associate with church in today's age. Like, say out of a church of 100, you have 10 different cell groups that meet throughout the week and then on Sunday you all meet together for fellowship, or should the gathering stay split in small groups for good?

The Ralph Neighbour book I have "Where do we go from here" sort of agrees with the small groups mostly but meet at least once a month as a whole for fellowship.

 

[Shema Yisrael]

When I spent about a year in the Vineyard we had just that. Local small groups that met once to twice a week and then we all met coporately on sundays for some GOOD Music praise and worship! lol I think this small group model works well.

 

[Krummholz]

We lead such busy lives and we're increasingly separated in our various communities/neighborhoods such that a congregation that meets on Sunday's can easily have members that live many miles away from one another, making getting together in the fashion we see in the New Testament very difficult - making the sort of daily encouragement, daily fellowship, etc. next to impossible. Simply put, we're just too spread apart.

 

[Stefos]

We lead such busy lives and we're increasingly separated in our various communities/neighborhoods such that a congregation that meets on Sunday's can easily have members that live many miles away from one another, making getting together in the fashion we see in the New Testament very difficult - making the sort of daily encouragement, daily fellowship, etc. next to impossible. Simply put, we're just too spread apart.

Hi,

If you can't get together daily...it's understandable.

If you can get together weekly, you should.

Also, Each believer you know, including yourself, can be in prayer & the word to know what ministry each one of you have.

So, when you do get together, you can all contribute with your respective ministries and plainly as people who love Jesus...Now that's simple right? Right.

Carry on & Tally Ho!
Stefos

 

[Krummholz]

Hi,

If you can't get together daily...it's understandable.

If you can get together weekly, you should.

Also, Each believer you know, including yourself, can be in prayer & the word to know what ministry each one of you have.

So, when you do get together, you can all contribute with your respective ministries and plainly as people who love Jesus...Now that's simple right? Right.

Carry on & Tally Ho!
Stefos

Amen!

We DO get together weekly, but it's not the same as having that daily, local fellowship - ideally with Christians who are neighbors. Fortunately, we've a number in our neighborhood who are Christian - unfortunately, we all attend different churches so our "fellowship" is more generic. But still, it's nice to have them around.

 

[ob77]

The church is the many membered body of Christ. If two or more are gathered in His name, that is church, no matter where or when. Church is not denomination, nor is it brick and mortar. Christ held sermons everywhere, He never gathered people into temples, He gathered them where and when they were found, whether it be a hillside or field.
He was the ultimate example of what we should do

 

[Krummholz]

The church is the many membered body of Christ. If two or more are gathered in His name, that is church, no matter where or when. Church is not denomination, nor is it brick and mortar. Christ held sermons everywhere, He never gathered people into temples, He gathered them where and when they were found, whether it be a hillside or field.
He was the ultimate example of what we should do

I know that, but denominationalism *has* had its effect on our fellowship, regardless. It's unfortunate; I don't like it; I try to overcome it by being "just a Christian;" but not everyone does.

 

[Norah63]

Traveling such a long distance to attend a house meeting is difficult at times.
Daily community would be the ideal. Yet so many are reluctant to start an evening in their own homes
Even if only a few can come by for fellowship and prayer. Too busy a life is the enemy.

 

[dayhiker]

I've like home meetings for decades. The last one I was attending ended a year ago and I've not found another one yet. So they work for me whether they are independent or associated with a denomination. I'm still attending a men's home meeting that meets a couple of times a month.

Meeting daily isn't that important to me.

 

[Stefos]

Traveling such a long distance to attend a house meeting is difficult at times.
Daily community would be the ideal. Yet so many are reluctant to start an evening in their own homes
Even if only a few can come by for fellowship and prayer. Too busy a life is the enemy.

Norah,

The issue is if people want to come once a week to a house meeting they can make it.

It's only 1ce a week......Not be here every day.

Mountains out of molehills.....Be mindful of what people say, sometimes it's an excuse.

God bless you,
Stefos

 

[dayhiker]

I think if a Christian wanted to be with other Christians daily then the thing to do is find others that want the same things and rent a house together. When I was in my 20s, 15 Christian guys all got together and rented a house. I lived there for 2 years. There was Christian fellowship every day and often we had meetings where others joined us. There was a lot of turn over. I was treasurer and in just over 2 years there was 54 guys that lived there, including one guy who was court ordered to live with us for 2 months.

So I say pray and seek and lead what you want in your life to happen.

 

[parsley]

To the OP question, I don't think there's one right way of doing it. Your schedule and personal needs will help determine what you can do.

As for daily fellowship, I have seen that get dangerous, so make sure you don't get caught up in More-Is-More and exclude Jesus' calling to go outward into the world. A lunchtime prayer of support is nice, but whole days together can lead toward stagnancy and infighting. Keep it fresh, and let the brackish water move around.