Cell Group FAQ's

Do I need to be a "Bible Expert" to become a cell group leader?

Definitely not! The most important things that you need are a desire to serve the members of your group and to grow in your own personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When you take this step of faith, through prayer, the Holy Spirit will give you what you need to be an effective leader. ICA has many video curriculum available that provide expert teaching to your cell group. Your responsibility is to facilitate the discussion around that teaching using provided resources. ICA also provide sermon lesson from Sunday messages where each member can take turn to facilitate. Special training is also provided for you to equip you in this area.

What are the requirements to lead a cell group at ICA?

A leader must be a member of ICA or commit to becoming a member.

How many groups or ministries should I be involved in?

The answer to this question is contained in your answer to how much time you have to do ministry effectively? We have found that people do one primary and one secondary group or ministry the best. Life stage and family responsibilities will help to determine how many ministries you can do, i.e. an empty nester will have more time to devote to a ministry than a young family with multiple children. We encourage cell group leaders to be sure they are involved in a cell group or ministry where THEY are being fed spiritually. It is only out of the overflow of what God is doing in your life that you will have the stamina and heart to serve others. At ICA we want you to do well and have a balance life in all 3 areas: family life, work life and church life.

What if I am involved in another ministry?

Cell group membership is how ICA members and attendees connect and grow in community. In order to serve in ministry, each of us needs to be growing in our spiritual walk and serving out of the overflow of what God is doing in our lives. Cell groups give us a forum where we can support each other in building the five biblical purposes (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism) into our lives. Ministry is important and it is where we can express our shape for ministry to the body of Christ. Life can be very full and many are needed to serve the church in significant ways. Yet we know the spiritual power that is needed for service to the church will be gained in people's lives as they study in cell groups together the things that are most important to God. Sometimes it is just a matter of priorities. We need to be connected and growing before we can be effective in the ministry God has for us. It may require you to set priorities for investment of your time and focus.

I'd like to be a host, but should I wait until I have more experience?

If you are a member of ICA or committed to becoming a member and you have a willing heart, a VCR/DVD player, and a few open seats in your living room, you are ready to be a host. ICA's cell group material and recordings are "plug and play" so that any one with any level of experience can host a successful group. If you will take our basic cell group training course, our pastors and instructors can help equip you to successfully host a cell group.

How can I form a group with people who are similar to me?

If you would like to form a group as a certain affinity (like Couples, Singles, Women, Men, Seniors etc.), let us know by emailing us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . However, in most cases your geographic community will provide a "proximate" life stage or lifestyle affinity. Be sure to invite your own friends that you enjoy hanging out with.

Can I invite people who don't attend our church?

Absolutely! Inform your friends, neighbors, family members, coworkers and casual acquaintances about your cell group study. Most of ICA's study materials are appropriate for both believers and seekers. Pray for God's guidance as you can make an eternal difference in the lives of others. While it is not our desire to attract people away from other Bible believing churches, ICA's desire is to both connect "unconnected" people at our church and take our next step to reach our "unchurched" community for Jesus Christ through our cell groups.

When should my group meet?

Groups meet at the time, place, and day of the week that best ministers to the needs of the groups. If you are starting a new group, you should choose the time and place that is convenient to you the leader, then people who can meet your schedule will be attracted to your group.

CELL GROUPS IN GENERAL:

What is the definition of a cell group?

A cell group is a subset of the church body that meets on Sunday. Cell groups meet in non-church locations such as homes, restaurants, coffee shops, businesses or any location that is convenient for the attendees. They meet morning, noon or night, any day of the week. This follows the pattern of the early church in Acts 5:42 "Day after day, in the temple courts (weekend celebration) and from house to house (cell group fellowships), they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. [NIV]. At ICA, we ask cell groups to do more than study the Bible. We ask them to accomplish all five of the purposes that Jesus gave us in the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:37-38): Love God (Worship) and love our neighbor (Ministry) and in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) Go and Make Disciples (Evangelism), Baptize them (Fellowship) and Teach them (Discipleship). We believe that as we balance the purposes we grow a healthy church, healthy cell groups, and healthy followers of Christ.

What is the format for cell groups?

People connect in new cell groups consisting of 6 to 16 people who provide love, support, friendship, connection and spiritual strength. The format is an informal and comfortable 1½-2 hour gathering at the home. Participants are comprised of people from our church, as well as friends, neighbors, relatives and coworkers who are invited to join in the adventure. Most groups are guided through the study series using DVD programs and study guides or Sunday sermon lessons. Suggested format:

1. Sandwich: 
   Starts with light refreshments as people arrive - especially something to drink.  These 15 minutes before the meeting are often some of the most important minutes of the meeting - not in terms of content but in terms of setting the tone for what happens next.
    
2. Share:
   15 minutes of updating one another on what has been going on in their lives.  As the group jells, this part tends to expand and to a much deeper level.  For new groups, a person or two can be assigned to share a short testimony.
    
3. Study:
   Decided to the study and discussion of the previous weekend's sermon.  It's designed to last around 30-45 minutes.  Every set of weekly study questions would have the following 3 kinds of questions.
   a.    Connection - Getting to know me
   b.    Investigation - Into the Bible
   c.    Application - Into daily living
    
4. Support:
   Enter into a time of prayer for each other.  This might take about 20 minutes.  Most groups split up the men and women for prayer. And once they break into their smaller groups, they usually share some more requests before praying. After prayer, they gather for some dessert and some fellowship before everyone heads home.
    
5. Service:
   Ends with an encouragement to serve in the various ministry of the church.  This is also a good time to announce church-wide events and get the members connected with the larger ICA family.

Do we use husband and wife leadership teams?

Yes, we do. We find it very beneficial to have both the husband and wife lead in cell groups. Each one brings different gifts to the leadership position. They each fill in and compliment the other.

Do you have women leading groups with men in them?

Yes, we do.

Do you have women leading groups with men in them?

Yes, we do. The singles are effective and has positive energy and freshness in leading. They can encourage other singles to serve as well.

THE MEETING:

How long should the average cell group meeting last?

A typical cell group meeting is one and a half to two hours. However, it is unique for each group, depending on the type of group.

How should time be divided in the group?

This is up to the group host and why the host is so important. The leader is able to determine where the group is in the five purposes and what they need to be doing. We suggest that the leader take a snapshot about every two to three months to see that health and balance is brought into the group over time. Suggested format:

1. Sandwich: 
   Starts with light refreshments as people arrive - especially something to drink.  These 15 minutes before the meeting are often some of the most important minutes of the meeting - not in terms of content but in terms of setting the tone for what happens next.
    
2. Share:
   15 minutes of updating one another on what has been going on in their lives.  As the group jells, this part tends to expand and to a much deeper level.  For new groups, a person or two can be assigned to share a short testimony.
    
3. Study:
   Decided to the study and discussion of the previous weekend's sermon.  It's designed to last around 30-45 minutes.  Every set of weekly study questions would have the following 3 kinds of questions.
   a.    Connection - Getting to know me
   b.    Investigation - Into the Bible
   c.    Application - Into daily living
    
4. Support:
   Enter into a time of prayer for each other.  This might take about 20 minutes.  Most groups split up the men and women for prayer. And once they break into their smaller groups, they usually share some more requests before praying. After prayer, they gather for some dessert and some fellowship before everyone heads home.
    
5. Service:
   Ends with an encouragement to serve in the various ministry of the church.  This is also a good time to announce church-wide events and get the members connected with the larger ICA family.

On which day of the week does the study take place?

One of the great things about the cell group is that it fits with every person's schedule. Pick the day and time that works best for you then select the group nearest to you that works. A business and professional group may choose to meet for breakfast or lunch. A busy career couple might choose to meet on Saturday mornings while a mom with kids in school might prefer a group that meets on a weekday morning.

Do you suggest Cell Groups meet once per week?

The short answer is yes, we recommend once a week as the ideal frequency for a cell group to meet. But, we also acknowledge that groups that meet every other week or monthly can still be effective as long as they use other mediums to provide ongoing care, nurturing and leadership development of the group.

INVITING PEOPLE/GROWING YOUR GROUP:

How can I get more people for our group?

You and the members of your group should invite unconnected people you meet at church, your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family to join the group. This is the best way to get new members in your group. Pray before you invite someone new. Ask God to soften his or her heart and then step out in faith and make the invitation. Also work with the newcomer ministry where they can introduce newcomer on Sunday to you. You can also be involved in the Alpha program in church.

What are effective ways to get cell groups involved in bringing seekers on a continual basis?

We would suggest, that if a person is asking that question that they may want to lead a seekers group that would be targeted for people that may want to know more about Christ or are open to asking questions or to express doubts, so that there can be a positive open forum. But one of the most effective ways we have found is for someone to champion Missions and Evangelism in the cell groups. This would help give a voice to that very need of honoring the open chair and bringing seekers to your group. Also we found that although a group may be doing a study, a seeker can also gain benefit just from the relationships and being around other believers in a group.

Should I invite people only from ICA or can I invite seeker friends?

That is totally up to you and to the group. The point is to seek God prayerfully about who to invite. Hundreds of lives have been changed because groups have welcomed their unbelieving neighbors, coworkers, friends and family into their groups. Your group can too!

How do I raise up leaders?

This is a process where your group members can help and do small tasks and functions of your cell group. Based on their giftedness, rotate leadership and have members lead a sub group. They can host when you are out of town and then they can be released to do their own group should they choose. Encourage your cell group members to attend Cell Group Training so they can more effectively developed.

How do I?

Every cell group leader is assigned to a Zone Pastor or Ministry Head who is your point of contact to ICA and is the source of help, information and resources to help you.

How do we prevent cell groups from breaking up family unity?

No ministry should take priority over the family. If it does, then they are out of sync with God's will. We need to help people see the value of the family.

How do people move from one group to another, or do they?

Yes, we have found over time that people do move from one group to another. It is important that you let people have the ability and the flexibility to move to another group. It's important that the leaders understand that meeting the members' needs is the primary concern, even if it means they find another group. We encourage leaders to remember that not all people grow at the same rate, or have the same needs over time. It is healthy for people to seek a group that meets their needs at the time.

My group is dying, what do I do?

This is where connecting with your Zone Pastor or Ministry Head is important. Your Zone pastor or Ministry Head will be able to help you diagnose what is happening and recommend changes or training that could help you as a leader, and help your members as well. A common vision and mission and agreement on how your cell group is to function is required for success as a continuing cell group. If different people in your cell group have different needs, or ideas, than what your cell group is doing, it may be time for them to move on and find a group that will meet their needs. There also may be value in you taking a break from the group or go to other groups. Again, it is through relationship with your Zone pastor or Ministry Head that you can be coached into seeing what is right for your group.

WHAT DO WE STUDY:

Are all of the groups required to study the same material?

Two or three times a year we ask all groups to study the same material associated with church current sermon message series like "A Church That Cares". Otherwise, we ask each group to select what they want to study based on the interest of its members and their spiritual maturity.

What do we do when we finish a study?

Have a party and celebrate the time you have shared together as a cell group. Affirm those that leave and assure them of your prayers. Invite them to return to the group at any time. Schedule your next meeting with those that will be continuing, decide on the study that you will do next, and move on ahead.

How can my group invite ICA pastors to visit us?

The pastors are happy to visit you and know you in a personal way. You can send your invitation to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

What is the role of my Zone Pastor / Ministry Head?

They are there to support and help you. They are committed to care for you and your family, empower you to serve your group and lead you to fulfill God's purpose for ICA.

TRAINING:

I'm an experience cell group leader, why do I need to go to Cell Group Leader Training?

We want every cell group leader to understand the distinctive principles of ICA cell groups. This will also fasten the spirit of togetherness as a team is we serve together.

Do you have a Cell Group Question not answered here?

Please e-mail us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .