Talk:Cell group

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Various
Please site a source for the statement "The term cell group is derived from biology:" Daveswiki 15:09, 18 December 2006 (UTC)

Why is the discussion limited to churches that use this structure? Many kinds of groups are organized into cells.

(And the term "cell" in biology is derived from the organization of monasteries--the first guy to look at a plant under a microscope noted the similarity to the floorplan of a monastery, and the layout of the monks' cells (rooms).) 128.194.22.23 18:55, 5 February 2007 (UTC)


 * That is because that is what "cell group" most often refers to. And perhaps he didn't make it clear, but please cite the source. Ariedartin JECJY Talk 13:28, 7 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Since a large portion of documentation about cell groups isn't online, probably reason for issue locating a source. One place I was able to find and have updated article appropriately. There is a growing difference with cell groups within the Catholic church, as the entire program may get Vactican approval before the end of the year. Aafm 05:27, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Might I also add that "cell" was also the word used to designate an outlying monastic institution in Mediaeval Europe, connected with a major monastery, but serving a small place some distance from it. The root is the Latin word cella. This, by the way, gave rise to the many placenames in German-speaking Europe (especially in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland) ending in —zell. Kelisi (talk) 09:09, 11 December 2008 (UTC)

On the idea of the Connect Group article being merged into this article I suggest it doesn't but still maintains links. Connect Groups are different in their focus, flavour and style to Cell Groups. Connect Groups are strongly evangelistic and relationship oriented where Cell Groups generally focus more on the study and prayer areas. Also, Connect Groups are geared to be a mix of believers and unbelievers where Cell Groups are filled with believers due to their orientation. Of course each Cell is different and each church's idea of Cells is different too. I'm speaking more of generalities here. Darren (talk) 06:42, 10 March 2008 (UTC)

The role of Korean churches in cell church history needs to be discussed here, particularly Yoido Full Gospel Church - founded by David Yonggi Cho. This is presently the largest congregation in the world. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 155.247.115.26 (talk) 16:20, 14 January 2020 (UTC)

Cell group vs small group
Ideally, we should have an article at some variation of the title small group describing the current movement in the western churches.

This meaning of small group is arguably even the primary topic, but that's probably not a winnable proposal. Despite the (often justified) claims that we Christians push our POV from time to time, in Wikipedia it is, in my experience, more likely to be the atheist/agnostic faction that pushes theirs. There are faults on both sides I know, but it's a bit ironical, in that Christians are at least called to evangelise, while the most common atheist/agnostic dogma is a relativism that seems to forbid it, and that irony is compounded when the Christian faction is then accused of hypocrisy (of which we are also from time to time guilty). Anyway, not winnable IMO, so WP:SNOW.

More to the point, small group is what Bill Hybels and Rick Warren both call it, and it includes a wide variety of groups. It's thirty years or more since I heard this more general type of group called a cell group, and during all that time the small group has been the hottest hot topic whenever the future of the church was discussed, and still is.

Wikipedia coverage of this topic, and the related literature and personalities, is pitiable! I've made a small start at The Taste of New Wine, which when I first read it was seen to be a definitive work on cell groups, but I don't think it actually uses the term. Even if it does, it was written in the 60s, and I read it in the 70s.

It's not the correct term today IMO. Andrewa (talk) 19:34, 31 July 2011 (UTC)

See also Talk:Small group. Andrewa (talk) 20:27, 31 July 2011 (UTC)

Cell church is another interesting article, with relevant material but inadequate citations, and it also fails to come to grips with the topic IMO. Andrewa (talk) 21:36, 1 August 2011 (UTC)

I have posted a heads-up at the cell church talk page. Note also that cell church easily survived an AfD, and I'm a little surprised at that. I know of many house churches, but the cell church article lists three examples of cell churches, and only one of them, Substance Church, is described in its own article as being a cell church. Andrewa (talk) 00:50, 2 August 2011 (UTC)

I have started work at User:Andrewa/Small group (Christianity). It still needs work, particularly references, and may be quite a long-term project. Andrewa (talk) 07:07, 6 August 2011 (UTC)