J-CELL

A midweek cell group for 8-11s

Our church is situated in a suburban area close to Birmingham University. The area is mainly populated with students with very few families. J-CELL started in April 2008 and is held at the house of one of our families. Numbers vary from 8 to 10.

The nature of our church is quite transient due to the fact that many people are studying (including parents). This can make organising activities quite difficult as more often than not, children and their families may not attend every week for all sorts of reasons. One of the main reasons of late has been Sunday football leagues. As a result, whole families were no longer coming to church regularly due to football matches and it was difficult to maintain the ongoing relationships that had previously been established.

Earlier in 2008, I attended the Children’s Ministry Conference session on cell groups for children and then a lecture at Birmingham Christian College on the same theme. It really struck a chord with me and so I felt led to give it a go and set up a cell group for 8-11s.

The format is different to Sundays at church and because it is held at a home it is more informal. We have explored world mission, what it means to pray for the nations, the plight of Christians in other parts of the world. We also sponsor a child in Haiti and it is incredible how outward looking the children are and there is a lot that I have learned from them in that regard. They have invited their friends who lived in the area, so the group had an evangelistic focus at times and at the end of the summer term, we played games in the streets and children from the neighbouring houses just came out to join us!

This term, we have looked at prayer and hearing from God, which we will revisit next year, another week we had a birthday party for a girl who didn’t have a party at home. Next term, the children have come up with fundraising activities to raise money for Compassion, the charity supporting the child we sponsor. In a few weeks, J-CELL is going to Birmingham City Mission to help wrap Christmas presents for children who are less fortunate than themselves.

The group is teaching me to be more flexible, less rigid and as a result, the fellowship between the children (many of whom have known each other for years) is deepening and their faith is growing.

In the past, our Christmas plays at church have consisted of an adult narrator and the children all dressed up without speaking parts due to the fact that we could never be quite sure of which children would be present on the day. This year, J-CELL has taken ownership of a play with speaking parts and putting their ideas across about how it should be done. Not only that, but some of the boys are now coming to church before their football matches with renewed enthusiasm.

The reason why I believe that J-CELL is successful is that it has met the children where they are and as a result of that, they are feeling more part of our time together and the church as a whole. Furthermore, the focus of the group has been very outward looking and this is what I believe is making it a kids cell group with a difference. The group is creating a smoother transition for children who are moving up into the youth programme within the church, helping them to grow in confidence. J-CELL is also having a positive influence on relationships that we as leaders have with parents as during the informal chat time afterwards, it is an opportunity to explain to parents the importance of what we have looked at.

It is still early days and this may only be for a season, but my hope is that God will continue to use J-CELL and He will use these children to impact many people around them.

Nikki, Selly Oak Elim Church Centre