Cell Church Introduction
The life of the church is found in the Cells. At Lifespring we value Cell Groups as being the most effective way of ‘making disciples’ of Jesus Christ and in fulfilling our Purpose, Mission and Vision. (Acts 2:42-47). Lifespring is not a church with Cells but a Cell church.

Cell Groups were the model that the early church used resulting in the expansion of the church. Many people responded to the testimony of the apostles and were taken into fellowship as they met in one another’s homes (Acts 2:42; 46-47).

When it is understood that every Christian is a minister, there is a major shift in how and where the power of God will be evidenced. His power will be experienced constantly as ministry is extended through Cell Groups (and Share Groups) to a broken people who are captives of Satan’s deception.

Lifespring is a Cell “church that practices both evangelism and social ministry, balances nurture and outreach; knows and loves its community; clearly communicates its theology and specific vision for holistic mission; integrates the holistic vision into the internal life of the church; builds its ministry on a base of spiritual maturity and healthy, loving relationships; and calls and equips its members to action”1.

Church Core Value

Prayer
We depend on our Lord and Saviour for all that we are and do.

Teaching and Discipling
We desire to enlist, establish, equip and empower believers based on the Word of God.

Evangelism
We want to share the love of Christ and His saving work by meeting people where they are at in a holistic fashion.

Worship and Creativity
We respond to the divine initiative and are free to express ourselves without contradicting Scripture.

Serving the City (e.g. Public Relations)
We believe that God has strategically located us here to serve our community. We are to make ourselves known for who we are, what we believe and what we do.

Serving the church (e.g. Diaconate)
We are who we are not in what we say but in what we do as we serve one another.

Serving the World (e.g. Missions)
We become who we should be as we reach out in service to our world.

Cells
We value the ministry of Cells and in believing in the exponential factor of multiplication through Cells.

A Cell
In Lifespring the Cell is the Basic Christian Community. The Cell is the basic building block of the church. In other words, if there were only one Cell, there would be Church. However unlike house churches, a single Cell does not stand alone. It is always connected to other Cells to make up a regional Congregation (e.g the six Cell Groups under a Coach)

• to share with one another their lives;
• for the purpose of spiritual edification;
• for worship;
• to grow disciple-makers;
• to serve others in and through the ministry of Cells;
• for evangelistic outreach (with the goal of multiplication) and
• who are committed to participate in the functions of the local church.

The Cell is also the basic life form of the church. Participation in the Cell church takes place by joining the Cell. It is in the Cell where people are nurtured, equipped to serve, and where members build up (edify) one another and reach out to the lost. The Cell forms a community where believers are called to be accountable and totally transparent with one another. Every additional structure of the church exists solely to service life in the Cells! Nothing is allowed to compete with the Cell. All bible study, prayer, equipping fellowship, and ministry flows from the Cells or is provided for them.

While activities can be exciting and laughter can be good medicine for the soul, intimate friendships or the pouring out of one’s heart does not and cannot happen in a large group. The Cell meets this need.

Cell Values
On top of the 8 Core Values of the Church, Cells centre on having:

• Jesus at the centre (Matthew 18:20)
• Communities of love (Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 22:37-39)
• Everyone maturing (Ephesians 4:15)
• Everyone using their gifts (Romans 12:6-8)
• Everyone making God known (Luke 19:10)
• All Cell groups multiplying (Matthew 28:18-20)

Key Cell Dynamics
There are three key dynamics for Cells:

Two Primary Roles of Cells

Evangelism
Meeting people where they are at holistically and speaking into their lives with the good news of Jesus Christ because it is God’s desire that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). This will occur mainly through the ministry of Share Groups and the overall ministry of Cells. Cells have the primary role of reaching out to the unchurched where they are at in a holistic manner.

Edification
To grow disciples through group apprenticeship because it is God’s desire that all who are saved might grow to spiritual maturity in Christ(Colossians 2:6-7). To equip labourers because it is God’s desire that every disciple might serve Him through serving others (Ephesians 4:12; Matthew 9:36-38). This happens through building them up in the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 22:29), through encouragement, affirmation and speaking into one another's lives (Hebrews 10:25; Titus 2:15). To enlist disciplers because it is God’s desire that every labourer might reproduce and multiply (2 Timothy 2:2; Matthew 28:28-20) themselves in others. To release and empower believers to ministry and to spur one another on in love and towards excellence (Hebrews 10:24) through the multiplication ministry of Cells.

Through edification and evangelism the natural outcome would be the multiplication into new Cells and the process continues …

Lifespring Cell Model
Lifespring uses the following Cell Church model:

The Cell Strategy
Each Cell is unique and a healthy Cell should look something like the one illustrated below which is now ripe for multiplication:

Lifespring Cell Church Model