Here is the first in a new series on how to run a cell group. Steve Heinz, the world famous cell leader, has got together a group of people to show them how it ought to be done. I went to the first of these model meetings earlier tonight, and can now share with you what I learned.

You need to first appreciate the core values that every cell should espouse:
1. Warmer – through meeting only in houses with central heating and double glazing
2. Broader – through cream cake eating
3. Further – through cell group cruises to the Caribbean

To make sure these values are met, he introduced us to the famous 4 H’s meeting plan:

1. Hello
Make everyone feel welcome and involved by asking a question. Heinz offered this suggestion for a first meeting: “Who in this room, apart from your spouse, would you most like to kiss?”. Obviously, as the group get to know each other more, you can ask questions of a more personal nature.

2. Hallelujah
Steve demonstrated that the time of worship does not need to mean singing songs. Prophetic break-dancing and yodelling in tongues are two practical examples of ways you can bring freshness to this part of the meeting.

3. Homiletics
In this postmodern day and age, we can’t expect people to all find the same truth in a given Bible passage. Steve suggested that everyone shut their eyes, write a word on a post-it note, and then collected them in to see if they could be arranged into a sentence that meant something. Our words didn’t quite make a sentence, but everyone felt good that their contribution had been included.

4. Heralding
Cells are supposed to grow numerically, and for that you need new people. Having babies is unfortunately not quick enough as you are supposed to split into two new groups every two years. Simon Ditto told us about his “hug a stranger a day” plan, which will hopefully lead to him making some new friends.