David Robert Lambert

From my seminary training at Wesley and association with Alpha (Holy Trinity Brompton, London) and Saddleback Church, there are three “types” of gatherings, all of which are valid, not to the exclusion of the others.

1. Cell – what might be called a house church, or a small group, an ongoing Bible study group or what John Wesley called a Class Meeting.  Willow Creek intentionally formed neighborhood Table Groups. The group is small enough that people know each other and if somebody is missing, it is immediately noticed.  People are comfortable and intimate so they are comfortable with disclosing “private” information not to be shared outside the group.  In general, once formed and meeting for a while, a cell is not too open to new members. Usually 6-8, maybe a dozen people at most.
2. Congregation – a set of people who worship or study or serve together where they are there for a common purpose but do not necessarily know each other well.  If somebody is missing, that may or may not go unnoticed.  This might be the people who attend one service at a traditional church.  For example, the 9:15 service or the 11:00 service.  One form of a congregation might be what Nicky Gumbel calls a “Pastorate” where several small groups get together from time-to-time for an activity.  Wesley called this a Band.  Somebody new would not feel uncomfortable if brought by a regular member of the group. Usually a couple dozen, up to 50 or a hundred people.
3. Celebration – a large gathering where multiple congregations come together.  In proportion to the size of the group, most people do not know many others that are attending.  Usually hundreds of people from multiple congregations be they from different services of the same church or members of different churches.  Wesley called this a Society.  Think of a picnic for all church members regardless of which service they attend, or a Luis Palau or Billy Graham festival, or the Multi-Church Prayer and Praise gatherings held twice a year in the DC area.  Usually hundreds, possibly thousands of people.

As I indicated above, all three are quite necessary because they serve different purposes.

Do you participate in all three types of gatherings?  If not, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and try the others!