Back in the 1980s, ‘Church Growth’ thinking helpfully distinguished between three ways of being church.

(a) The Cell

• based on weekly (often weeknight) meetings, membership of around 12
• will have relatively close association with one of the congregations (e.g. members will typically attend, and contribute ministry to, the same congregation)
• purposes: pastoral, praise, prayer, outreach, study, social
• oversight by cell-group leaders, under Associate Pastor, under incumbent

(b) The Congregation

• based on weekly meetings, attendance of around 30-100
• meetings will typically be held on a Sunday, on church premises. However, some might meet ‘off-site’, as a church extension or plant, or at atypical times
• purposes: praise, prayer, preaching
• oversight by accredited minister (clergy or lay) under the senior pastor. Any leader (especially service leader or preacher) who is not formally accredited would be approved by the church and its incumbent, and would function under the direct supervision of an accredited leader.
• would ‘grow’ its ministries from within its own membership

(c) The Celebration

• based on occasional meetings (say once every 1-3 months), Saturday or Sunday evening
• could be linked to major festivals, and sometimes also to an all-day or week-end conference
• attendance of up to 600 (or more)
• purposes: celebration(!), inspiration, access to national speakers, evangelism
• would draw on the most gifted ministries available within the various congregations