The early church grew rapidly through small group meetings in homes. With thousands of new believers, it was not practical for the 12 apostles to pastor all people alone. Following the biblical model of cell groups, small group meetings provided fellowship, teaching, meals, and prayer support. Implementing cell groups in modern churches can foster relationships, provide pastoral care, develop leaders, and promote church growth through evangelism.

1. RACTICAL
RINCIPLES OF
ASTORING
CELL GROUPS: The Biblical
Model for Church Growth
Instructor
Dr. Arnold Lastinger

2. EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN THE
EARLY CHURCH
• 3,000 Families on Day of Pentecost
• 2,000 More Families in Acts 4:4
• New Converts added daily in Acts 2:47
• Multitudes more saved in Acts 5:14
• Including women and children the
church could have easily numbered
40-50 thousand within the first few
months of its existence.

3. THE SIMPLE TRUTH
• There was no place large enough for
the booming church to meet in a single
meeting!
• 12 apostles could not possibly pastor
50,000 people!
• Practical considerations demanded
that they find another way to meet
together to worship and pastor the
people
• Logic dictated that small groups would
be the best solution, hence…
• Cell groups!!!!

4. Acts 2:46-3:1
“Every day they continued to
meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in
their homes and ate together
with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the
favor of all the people. And the
Lord added to their number
daily those who were being
saved.”

5. Acts 5:42
“Day after day, in the temple
courts and from house to
house, they never stopped
teaching and proclaiming the
good news that Jesus is the
Christ.”

6. Acts 10:22
“The next day Peter started out
with them, and some of the
brothers from Joppa went along.
The following day he arrived in
Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting
them and had called together his
relatives and close friends. As Peter
entered the house, Cornelius met
him and fell at his feet in
reverence. But Peter made him get
up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only
a man myself." Talking with him,
Peter went inside and found a large
gathering of people.”

7. Acts 12:11
“When this had dawned on him,
he went to the house of Mary
the mother of John, also called
Mark, where many people had
gathered and were praying.”

8. Acts 16:40
“After Paul and Silas came out
of the prison, they went to
Lydia's house, where they met
with the brothers and
encouraged them. Then they
left.”

9. Acts 18:7
“But when the Jews opposed Paul and
became abusive, he shook out his
clothes in protest and said to them,
"Your blood be on your own heads! I
am clear of my responsibility. From
now on I will go to the Gentiles."
Then Paul left the synagogue and
went next door to the house of Titius
Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus,
the synagogue ruler, and his entire
household believed in the Lord; and
many of the Corinthians who heard
him believed and were baptized.”

10. Acts 20:20
“You know that I have not
hesitated to preach anything
that would be helpful to you
but have taught you publicly
and from house to house.”

11. Romans 16:3-5
“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my
fellow workers in Christ Jesus.
They risked their lives for me.
Not only I but all the churches
of the Gentiles are grateful to
them. Greet also the church
that meets at their house.”

12. I Corinthians 16:19
“The churches in the province
of Asia send you greetings.
Aquila and Priscilla greet you
warmly in the Lord, and so does
the church that meets at their
house.”

13. Colossians 4:15
“Give my greetings to the
brothers at Laodicea, and to
Nympha and the church in her
house.”

14. QUESTION?
• If home groups were the norm
in the New Testament church,
and worked for them…
• Why wouldn’t they be the norm
and work for us in today’s
culture?
ANSWER…
• They WOULD!!!

15. BENEFITS OF CELLS
1. Promotes relationship building
2. Provides a support base
3. Better participation
4. Promotes accountability
5. Provides outlet for lay ministry
6. Less intimidation to visitors
7. First line of pastoral ministry
8. Relieves pastoral staff to do their
jobs
9. Every ministry of the church can
be done in cell groups

16. 7 PURPOSES OF
CELL GROUPS
• Fellowship with God
• Fellowship with one another
• Mutual Ministry
• Discipleship training
• Front-line pastoral care
• Leadership development
• Evangelism and growth

17. 4 COMPONENTS OF
CELL GROUPS
Acts 2:42
“They devoted themselves to the apostles'
teaching (Bible study) and to the
fellowship (Relationship building), to
the breaking of bread (Social meal)
and to prayer (Mutual ministry.)”
1.Bible Study
2.Relationship building
3.Social meal
4.Mutual ministry

18. 6 PITFALLS TO AVOID
WITH CELL GROUPS
1. Dysfunctionals gravitate to
the same group
2. Elitism among the members
3. Plateau in growth and turn
inward
4. Failure to divide & multiply
5. Doctrinal aberrations
6. Seed for a church split

19. HOW TO IMPLEMENT CELL
GROUPS IN YOUR CHURCH
1. Familiarize yourself with the models
that have succeeded elsewhere
2. Choose or Develop a model that will
fit your situation
3. Educate your people and sell the
concept to them
4. Choose your leaders wisely
5. Train and empower your leaders to
do the work of ministry
6. Decide upfront that the goal is
multiplication
7. Continue to give it high visibility