"This particular model operates on cell groups (or growth or care groups) meetings during the week and a combined meeting on Sundays. The mid-week cell group meets for fellowship, worship, prayer, sharing, Bible study, celebration of Holy Communion, fun nights, learning and doing combined ministry and outreach projects. The cell will usually consist of about ten adults plus children. In meeting together, they may share a meal and do some of the things elaborated above. There may also be special events for the children who are regarded as integral to the group.

"The cell leadership operates on a rotation co-ordination basis for a period of two or three months. The group's internal program is decided by the group. The co-ordinator has the task to make sure that the agreed activities happen. Moreover, the group also decides the outreach ministry priorities in which it will engage.

"Not only do most of the things that normally happen in church take place in the cell group, but the group functions to empower people. People learn the processes of community building. They learn how to facilitate a group. They learn how to do Bible study. And they learn how to be involved in various forms of ministry to the wider community. Hence, there is a need for special resource persons such as the theologically trained, but also those trained in the social sciences who have group building and group enabling skills.

"The real life together takes place in the cell. But the cells are to be open, not exclusive. They will invite guests and particularly 'seekers' who are those who are interested in the Christian life, but have made no firm commitment. Moreover, to overcome the possible problems of exclusivity, it is envisaged that within two years all members will rotate.

"Where one has a plurality of such cells (and I am thinking of about seven to ten cells), then each week a particular cell has the overall co-ordinating responsibility for what takes place at the Sunday combined meeting.

"While there may be a consistency of some elements such as worship, teaching, supper together either before or after the meeting and a special program for the children, the Sunday meeting will vary depending on the contribution that the members of the cell together with others will bring to the meeting. Issues that affect the cells as a whole or things that affect the Sunday combined meeting may arise from a particular cell by discussion by all the cells for a final decision. But the focus is to keep general issues down to a minimum.

"What is potentially constructive about this model is that the reality of life together as the people of God happens in the cell. The purpose of the combined meeting is to promote the value of the input of others. Moreover, it fits with my major thesis - that people empowerment must be the key to what it means to be the church, lest we fall back to models and structures that create dependence or the split-level church consisting of those who do the work and those who are largely spectators."