The Cell-Based Church and the Six Spiritual Needs of Disillusioned Americans Written & Produced by Rick Diefenderfer Copyright 2005

“It is astonishing to discover that 70 percent of Americans are now disillusioned with the traditional church!” George H. Gallup Jr. “1992 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches” Abingdon Press

“Seventy percent of Americans believe most churches are not effective in helping people find meaning in life.” George H. Gallup Jr. “1992 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches” Abingdon Press

Gallup’s Survey Identified Six Spiritual Needs 1.To believe life is meaningful and has a purpose. 2.To have sense of community and deeper relationships. 3.To be appreciated and be respected. 4.To be listened to and be heard. 5.To feel that one is growing in the faith. 6.To have practical help in developing a mature faith. George H. Gallup Jr. “1992 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches” Abingdon Press

“The concept of the Cell Church meets every one of the items found lacking in the traditional church.” Dr. Ralph W. Neighbour, Jr. “THE U.S.A. IS READY FOR CELL CHURCHES!” CELLCHURCH MAGAZINE; Volume One

Spiritual Need # 1 To believe life is meaningful and has a purpose

Life is meaningful & has purpose Our mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with God and with one another, through Jesus Christ, into basic Christian communities.

Spiritual Need # 2 To have a sense of community and to have deeper relationships

Community & Deeper Relationships It is difficult to form relationships and come into community when people sit quietly in classrooms listening to the “Bible Answer Man”. It is even more difficult to connect with one another while sitting in pews looking at the back of heads.

Community & Deeper Relationships Living in basic Christian communities requires an intentional commitment to meet with one another in home-groups scattered across the city for the two-fold purpose of genuine fellowship & expressions of our faith through edifying the saints & evangelizing the skeptics.

Community & Relationships Everything in life revolves around relationships -- every thing -- The most important relationship is a personal relationship with our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ -- a vertical relationship -- Horizontal relationships bring balance in this life. The best horizontal relationships are covenant commitments to become connected with saints and skeptics in Christian community.

Spiritual Need # 3 To be appreciated and be respected

Appreciated & Respected Cell-groups permit the church to once again become a community where a person can: Love and be loved, Know and be known, Serve and be served, Celebrate and be celebrated.

Appreciated & Respected Our eyes will get off ourselves and unto the Lord. Our own petty differences are minimized, which deepens the unity of the relationship. And all this, when kept in balance, creates such a magnetism! And then? Well, then we start becoming what the church was originally designed to be -- irresistible! The Bride -- Renewing Our Passion For The Church, Charles Swindoll

Spiritual Need # 4 To be listened to and be heard

Listened to & Heard Genuine fellowship means that we care about and therefore we care for one another. In our expression of our faith in Jesus Christ, edification of the saints and evangelism of the skeptics naturally occur.

Spiritual Need # 5 To feel that one is growing in the faith

In Acts 2: the early Christians: (1) believed in Jesus Christ, (2) were baptized, (3) were added to the group, (4) spent their time in learning, (5) took part in the fellowship, (6) shared their possessions, (7) prayed together, (8) met regularly as a group to worship, and (9) regularly added new believers to the group.

Growing in the Faith These nine basic activities identify the four-fold purpose in a simple Cell-Based Church: Spontaneous Worship Substantial Instruction Genuine Fellowship Compassionate Expressions

Growing in the Faith Acts 20:20 -- the Apostle Paul’s strategy was: “to teach the message in public” (large-group worship = celebration) & “to teach the message from house to house” (small-group fellowship = cells)

Growing in the Faith Large-Group Worship / Celebration Large enough to celebrate! & Small-Group Fellowship / Cell Small enough to care!

Spiritual Need #6 To have practical help in developing a mature faith

Developing a Mature Faith The gathered large-group becomes scattered small groups as people meet in the homes throughout the city one evening each week. Here, there is discussion and application of the previous week's message as we fellowship with one another and express our faith in Jesus Christ through edification and lifestyle evangelism.

Developing a Mature Faith Worship and biblical Instruction is the two-fold purpose of the Sunday morning celebration service. The experience of large-group celebration service helps to fulfill the first of the Great Commandment… “You should love the Lord, your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37)

Developing a Mature Faith Fellowship and expressions of our faith in Jesus Christ is the two-fold purpose of the cell-group meeting. The experience of the cell-group helps to fulfill the second part of the Great Commandment… “You should love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:39)

Are you interested in learning more? Contact Info: Copyright © Rick Diefenderfer CreatingChristianCommunities.com™ PO Box 741, Godley, TX 76044