Advent 09- Cell

Next on my list of Good Things is one that's related to yesterday, the small groups and cells that I have been in.  This might need a bit of explanation- cells what many churches call small groups of people who meet together, usually each week, to worship God together, to study the Bible together and to pray for each other and encourage each other in living as a witness for Christ.  Small groups are the same, more or less.  When a group works well, it can be a great example of what the church should be like- a supportive, encouraging, open community.

Of course, this isn't always the way it works (see here for some of the problems I've had with cell in the past) but  it's still good to have that support of a group of people you can turn to when you need.  My first leadership role in the Christian Union was as  a small group leader, planning and leading Bible studies for a group of students in Langwith College that grew over the year from four or five on average to twelve or more.  When I left uni I joined a group from my church where most of the people were older and enjoyed getting a different point of view on things.  That group 'multiplied' to form two smaller groups after about six months, and now ours is having to stop meeting because several people have left, for one reason or another.  I hope to find another cell soon, hopefully with some people closer to my own age and experience.

Although each cell has a leader and assistant, the preparation and leading of each part of the meeting is split between the cell members, so everyone who wants to has a chance to develop their gifts, whether that's in leading an act of worship or a Bible study, or coordinating sharing prayers or planning a social.  That's one thing I like about these small groups- unlike so often in a big church setting, everyone has a chance to do something and to develop their skills.  That, as well as the support from other people and what you can learn from each other studying the Bible, makes small groups and cells a Good Thing, and I'm glad I've been involved in several.