Cell Group - Who decides what to teach?

[phydaux]

For those of you who lead Cell Groups that are part of a larger local church organisation, I have a question for you.

How often do you meet, and who decides what gets taught in your home group?

I have been part of some congregations, and the pastors only wanted home groups to meet once a month. The leaders all met with the pastors two weeks before hand, and told the group leaders "This month you're teaching on gratitude, and here are the four verses you will use, and here are the twelve points you are going to make..."

I've been in other congregations and the groups met weekly. Group leaders were more or less free to teach on what ever they wanted, although the expectation was they would go through books of the Bible chapter by chapter.

How are things in your group run?

 

[ezeric]

Dear Phydaux

I think (just to make it clear here), that there is a difference between
an institutional church (with building/pastor etc) have a cell group meet in a house
for example; and the "house church" that leaves all christian religion behind, (pastor, elders, tithing, doctrines, traditions) and puts JESUS in the middle and meets together.

They are both in houses and can be called 'house church' but are HUGELY different.

-eric

 

[parsley]

Weekly meetings are less confusing.

Most people operate on a weekly schedule (Work M-F, church Sundays, kids' soccer Monday nights, etc.). So fitting in an additional commitment is easiest to keep track of by weekday. Otherwise people will need to scramble-- "Is this the first Thursday? Were there 31 days in June?" Too much work to keep it straight.

If some members can only come once per month, then still welcome them when partially committed.

When topics are decided by the church, a group often feels they are not self-governed and this can be a problem. It is thoughtful for a pastor to offer a starting point and structure... and some like themes to carry through all groups and age brackets, but that can feel like an unnecessary gimmick.

If you want the Lord to work, then you need to listen to Him. The more you can train the people to listen for the Lord's voice, the more you will hear from Him. Training takes opportunities for decisions, and deciding on topics can be one of those decisions. What people gain from yielding to God can be more important than any topic you cover.

 

[phydaux]

Dear Phydaux

I think (just to make it clear here), that there is a difference between
an institutional church (with building/pastor etc) have a cell group meet in a house
for example; and the "house church" that leaves all christian religion behind, (pastor, elders, tithing, doctrines, traditions) and puts JESUS in the middle and meets together.

They are both in houses and can be called 'house church' but are HUGELY different.

-eric

I agree with you entirely, which is why I stipulated in my OP "Cell Groups that are part of a larger local church organisation."

Many large churches operate a network of small home fellowships where the work of teaching, discipleship, and general pastoral care is done by appointed elders. The whole corporate body meets together on weekends for worship, but the real work of the senior pastors is in building up the elders for the work of the ministry.

 

[phydaux]

Weekly meetings are less confusing.

Most people operate on a weekly schedule (Work M-F, church Sundays, kids' soccer Monday nights, etc.). So fitting in an additional commitment is easiest to keep track of by weekday. Otherwise people will need to scramble-- "Is this the first Thursday? Were there 31 days in June?" Too much work to keep it straight.

If some members can only come once per month, then still welcome them when partially committed.

When topics are decided by the church, a group often feels they are not self-governed and this can be a problem. It is thoughtful for a pastor to offer a starting point and structure... and some like themes to carry through all groups and age brackets, but that can feel like an unnecessary gimmick.

If you want the Lord to work, then you need to listen to Him. The more you can train the people to listen for the Lord's voice, the more you will hear from Him. Training takes opportunities for decisions, and deciding on topics can be one of those decisions. What people gain from yielding to God can be more important than any topic you cover.

I've been in churches where the leadership didn't want the home fellowships meeting more than once a month, and only wanted the "leaders" teaching the "approved" topic from the "approved" outline.

I've been in others where the teaching elders were appointed by the pastors, and more or less left on their own.

It always struck me that the first group had a problem trusting God with His own people.

 

[ezeric]

It always struck me that the first group had a problem trusting God with His own people.

Agreed!

And something the LORD showed me years ago, was this:

"Sheep don't own sheep"

Blessings brother,

-eric

 

[phydaux]

"Sheep don't own sheep"

But sheep don't care for themselves. Pastors care for them.

I've really enjoyed home fellowships that were part of a network affiliated with a local congregation. It always seemed to be to be the best of both worlds. You had the large "church" with the resources to have dynamic ministries, seminars, guest speakers, missionaries, etc. And the home groups is where the actual fellowship, accountability, discipleship, and "pastoral care" take place.

So the teaching elders who lead the home fellowships have a lot of opportunity to "grow in grace and knowledge."

This is probably the wrong place to post this, but many of the (few) standalone home churches I've been exposed to seem to hold mainline churches in vitriolic judgmental disdain, as bad as or worse than anything I've seen from God's judgmental & self-righteous "frozen chosen" among the denominational churches I've been to.

Also, a few of them were hotbeds of funny ideas regarding the nature of Christ & salvation.

If you read Paul's epistles, he never held back from rebuking & correcting the elders in the churches he started for the bad practices they allowed to carry on & the false teachers they tolerated. I am naturally suspect (and I think rightly so) of any teaching elder who leads a home fellowship that does not have a group of bishops he is accountable to.

 

[ezeric]

"Sheep don't own sheep"

But sheep don't care for themselves. Pastors care for them.

Sorry can't agree on this one.

Pastors are the "hired hand" that JESUS talked about in John 10

There is ONLY ONE "PASTOR" - SHEPHERD and that is JESUS.
The ONE that gives HIS life for HIS sheep.

One Flock
One Shepherd

-eric

 

[ezeric]

If you read Paul's epistles, he never held back from rebuking & correcting the elders in the churches he started for the bad practices they allowed to carry on & the false teachers they tolerated. I am naturally suspect (and I think rightly so) of any teaching elder who leads a home fellowship that does not have a group of bishops he is accountable to.

JESUS went after the religious too.
In fact HE was angry and hot after them - and still is.

Any time the leaders :
- take centre stage
- take money
- act like its 'theirs'
- make all the calls/decisions
- love the spot light
- their name is mentioned everywhere
- they love the praise of man and not the praise of GOD

We don't need bishops (they are even in the Bible) we need to be
accountable to each other, and serve one another and build up one another.
And then everyone has a chance to talk and share, and points (although some are hard to understand or learn) are mulled over, chewed on, sometimes for weeks/months as truth is understood and taken out of it…or rejected.

Let every truth be established by …..bishops? pastors? ha
its 2 or 3 witnesses.

People that have 'witnessed' or experienced JESUS and hear HIS voice
in the matter.

My Sheep Hear My Voice and Follow.

-eric

 

[phydaux]

Not gonna dive into this. Jesus loves you, bro, and so do I.


Do need to ask one question, though - Is this sub-forum only for Home Churches, or are discussions regarding running home fellowships/home bible studies/cell groups that are affiliated with larger corporate body also done here?

'Cause I'm thinking I may have had a small misunderstanding that lead to a big mistake, and I mean to offence to anyone.

 

[Stefos]

Sorry can't agree on this one.

Pastors are the "hired hand" that JESUS talked about in John 10

There is ONLY ONE "PASTOR" - SHEPHERD and that is JESUS.
The ONE that gives HIS life for HIS sheep.

One Flock
One Shepherd

-eric

Hi Ezeric,

I will have to disagree with you here bro.

Keep scripture in context.....First rule of interpretation

When Jesus spoke this there were no such callings as "Pastors" yet.

Jesus was referring to those Jewish people who were in positions like Nicodemus whom Jesus said "You are Israel's teacher" but only had a godly veneer.

I believe that that is the proper interpretation.

It can be used in other contexts, of which I don't want to needle to death, however it's interpretation is one, not 12 different things.

Stefos

 

[ezeric]

Hi Ezeric,

I will have to disagree with you here bro.

Keep scripture in context.....First rule of interpretation

When Jesus spoke this there were no such callings as "Pastors" yet.

Jesus was referring to those Jewish people who were in positions like Nicodemus whom Jesus said "You are Israel's teacher" but only had a godly veneer.

I believe that that is the proper interpretation.

It can be used in other contexts, of which I don't want to needle to death, however it's interpretation is one, not 12 different things.

Stefos

Hey brother Stefos,

The problem with 'house church' is folks often (not always) but most of the
time, start a house church, and its run just like an institutional church, but at home.

This is HOGWASH.

GRACE is the message!

JESUS said:
"You are ALL brothers…"
and "nobody has 'rule' over you, like the pagans do" (but GOD implied).

We set up house church and then control it like its ours - or set a pastor over it!! Stupid, because you could have MORE.

The house church is ONLY the conduit, GRACE is the Kingdom Message.

Pastors in the original is only 'shepherds' and it is only recorded ONCE in the bible as "shepherds".
The Scripture is CLEAR that JESUS and HIM alone is our SHEPHERD (pastor if you will) and you need not 'man to teach you'.

To take the word "shepherd" and change it to "pastor" and then create (man made) this entire world around "pastor" with seminaries, and special clothes (suits), special office they hold, and titles and pulpits etc… is GARBAGE.

Where is this in house church and the scriptures.

I wil agree with you on this point though:

"Jesus was referring to those Jewish people who were in positions like Nicodemus whom Jesus said "You are Israel's teacher" but only had a godly veneer."

Because that is what most 'pastors' are like today.

Now, did JESUS destroy Nicodemus?
Was Nicodemus beyond help, or ignored by JESUS?

NO

But HE didn't know HIS JESUS.

-eric

 

[Stefos]

Hi Eric,

I agree with you.

Apostles, Prophets, Pastors (Greek is Poimen meaning Shepherds), Evangelists, Teachers and all the other gifts mentioned in Romans & I Corinthians must be operating in order for the body to grow.

No where do we see a single person called "Pastor" doing what is now happening in modern America!

There was always plurality in God's word.

Elders/Overseers (Same thing, Elders means "Old men" in Greek while Overseers means "Viewing from a vantage point of seeing over or perceiving what's occurring with") are also in the plural as are deacons.

Take care,
Stefos

 

[ezeric]

Elders/Overseers (Same thing, Elders means "Old men" in Greek while Overseers means "Viewing from a vantage point of seeing over or perceiving what's occurring with") are also in the plural as are deacons.

Take care,
Stefos

Yep, agree! And your quote of the overseer is simply put, I like that!

This stuff is not hard to comprehend, we just have to take our religious glasses off.

Keep on teaching Grace - cuz it is AMAZING!

-eric

 

[phydaux]

Not gonna dive into this. Jesus loves you, bro, and so do I.


Do need to ask one question, though - Is this sub-forum only for Home Churches, or are discussions regarding running home fellowships/home bible studies/cell groups that are affiliated with larger corporate body also done here?

'Cause I'm thinking I may have had a small misunderstanding that lead to a big mistake, and I mean to offence to anyone.

While re-reading the Home Church & Cell Group Statement of Faith I came across this:

3. A Cell group is part of a larger church organization that focuses on accountability, bonding and discipleship. As a cell group grows, it will split to form two groups. Cell group members may attend a larger church for communion.

So I'm going to continue to post in this sub-forum, and continue to make threads on the running of Cell Groups that are affiliated with larger corporate bodies, and continue to reply to threads that are clearly on the topic of running Cell Groups.

I will take care on those occasions when I happen to post a comment in a Home Church thread, and when I do so I will endeavor to post in the spirit of God's agape love.

I am sure that Home Church proponents will do the same when they post on threads that are clearly about Cell Groups.

phy

 

[Stefos]

While re-reading the Home Church & Cell Group Statement of Faith I came across this

So I'm going to continue to post in this sub-forum, and continue to make threads on the running of Cell Groups that are affiliated with larger corporate bodies, and continue to reply to threads that are clearly on the topic of running Cell Groups.

phy

Hi Phydaux,

I am not a proponent nor have I ever been of "cell groups" because they don't follow the biblical pattern!

Dividing into 2 does not proper government make!
No such beast as a cell group existed in the New Testament.
No such beast as the main Pastor or Head Pastor existed either.
These are inventions of men.

What happened?
Believers gathered honoring Jesus over them and Jesus in each of them, hence the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are for believers not the world.
Each believer functioned in their gift(s) as the Lord let.

After some time, when the people met the standards, Elders were appointed and the diaconate functioned (both the male & female diaconate). There actually is biblical and extra-biblical evidence which points to female deacons!

Also, the various callings were understood and noticed:
Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Pastors and Evangelists

So the entire body of believers, not the cell group, grew.

Apostles and Evangelists went out preaching the Gospel and establishing churches & new believers respectively (Apostles are wise master builders who lay the foundation...Evangelists means "Bearers of Good news" but they are equipping gifts along with the Prophets, Teachers and Pastors.

So my friend, that is biblical Christianity....what I believe and know to be true.

God bless you as you put him first!!!
Amen

Stefos

 

[phydaux]

No such beast as a cell group existed in the New Testament.

That's great and all, Stef, but can we agree that they do exist now, and that around the world tens of thousands, perhaps even millions, of brothers & sisters meet weekly in homes for fellowship, prayer, teaching, accountability, and discipleship, and are deeply blessed by God through the participation?

And can we also agree that the sub-forum statement of faith allows people who participate in cell groups to post in this sub-forum about them?

Jesus love you, bro, and so do I. I don't feel like I'm asking for a lot in the way of accommodation here.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

The issue you are running into here phydaux is that a lot of us disagree with how cell groups are ran. They are ran just like an institutional church. The Pastor dictates how it operates and what is taught, as you described in your OP. For the church in any form to have power as it should, Pastors have to let go of their power hold on the church. They don't run anything, Jesus runs His church and those who get in His way are liable to be fighting against Him and not working with.

Now to your question: I do believe that a cell group can have a purpose within the larger body of Christ. If, and I do mean IF, an institutional church is to be any sort of effective in preaching in the power of the Spirit, each cell group that falls under that larger assembly must be autonomous to itself. It should have it's own ministry team. What you find when the Pastor wants to micromanage even the smallest portions of the church, that it is no longer the Spirit that runs things, but a man. Such an environment is toxic to the true believer.

So to finally answer your question, a cell group should have a group of people that decide what will be taught. Then once it is decided, they should share the responsibility of teaching. This process should be completely free from Pastoral influence. If such a person wants to know what is being taught, then sure they can be informed, but the second the Pastor starts dictating the lessons, the cell group has lost it's power.

Now I do not agree with the traditional, institutional church. Nor do I adhere that every body should have a group it is accountable to. We are all accountable to Jesus and He runs His church as is fit. You'll find when you have man being accountable to man that it then becomes man's church. Sure, there are levels of leadership, but there should never be one "leader" that makes all the decisions which is what you find in most churches. The Pastor dictates this or that and those who don't follow along are austracized and chided.

 

[Stefos]

That's great and all, Stef, but can we agree that they do exist now, and that around the world tens of thousands, perhaps even millions, of brothers & sisters meet weekly in homes for fellowship, prayer, teaching, accountability, and discipleship, and are deeply blessed by God through the participation?

And can we also agree that the sub-forum statement of faith allows people who participate in cell groups to post in this sub-forum about them?

Jesus love you, bro, and so do I. I don't feel like I'm asking for a lot in the way of accommodation here.

Hi Phy,

Brother, I would never condemn you.

My beef is with institutionalized churches & house churches who don' follow the biblical, and hence ONLY, pattern.

Why would we push another way? Or concede to another way?

You see talking about this stuff is easy...when you decide to live it,
THERE my man, it gets rough and tough.

People want what excites them.
The O.T. says "Eat the entire Passover lamb and that which remains, if any, is to be burned with fire."
Interpretation: Jesus is our lamb...We eat all of him: the blessings as well as the sufferings of Christ
I don't know about the "burned with fire" aspect of this but I'll ask the Lord.

God bless you (and he does daily) I love you in Lord.
Follow Jesus please....my request....not a denomination/non denomination or a house church that doesn't follow the biblical model.

Stefos

 

[phydaux]

"My beef is with institutionalized churches & house churches who don' follow the biblical, and hence ONLY, pattern."

Yeah, I've run into a lot of House Church people with that "beef." For a lot of them it was a full on chip on their shoulder. Like I said before, I've run in to plenty of judgmental "righteous condemnation" from House Church people that was as bad or worse as anything I've seen from the "Frozen Chosen" of the denominational churches.

Yes, I've been in congregations that tried to micromanage their Cell Groups. I have also, bless God, been in fellowships that allowed the Holy Spirit to minster through the people. I've since moved away, but I hope to reconnect with a new group soon.