Allow me to divert a little from the theme of DIVINE APPOINTMENTS (covered on Monday) to the topic of the word CELL.
Do you like the word CELL? Do you use it in your church? Do you use CELL CHURCH to describe what your church does? 
Let me say from the outset, I’m not married to the word CELL. I am committed, however, to the DEFINITION of a cell/small group/life group, etc.
By now, you know my conviction that a cell/small group/life group is a group of 3-15 that meets weekly outside the church building for the purpose of evangelism, community, spiritual growth with the goal of multiplication. Some have made adjustments to this definition, while keeping the core of the meaning–and I applaud this!
But what about the name/word CELL? Someone recently told me that the phrase HOLISTIC SMALL GROUP is far better and doesn’t turn people off because of the negative publicity of terror cells, etc. Others love the term LIFE GROUPS. I know that Rob Campbell, part of the JCG team, uses HEART GROUPS at Cypress Creek Community Church.
As I travel worldwide, however, it’s hard to escape the influence of David Cho, the modern day founder of the cell church movement. He coined the term cell to describe his groups back in the 70s and the worldwide cell church movement still uses this title.
What do you think? What is your opinion?
Joel
We are missionaries in Mexico. There is a lot of negative sentiment toward the name CELL group because of the G12 movement. Churches have split, pastors have become control freeks and membership in a CELL is mandatory for ALL members. Therefore we decided on the word GROWTH GROUP [grupo de crecimiento].
I was in a church in Australia that had LIFE groups – our Young Adults cell group leaders contrasted that with the type of groups they did not want to be – DEATH groups (ones that close down eventually). So they were getting something out of the LIFE group name!
I have names my church cell groups as follows:
“Group of advancement”