Dear Pastor/Director of Small Group Ministries,

We would like to invite you to join us in a small group training opportunity coming here to the Huntsville/Madison area. Hope Church, an Evangelical Free church in Madison , will be hosting a small groups conference designed for those currently involved in, developing, or interested in establishing a small/cell group ministry. The conference, entitled “How to Be a Great Cell Leader”, will be held December 3-4 at Hope Church. The speaker/facilitator will be Randall Neighbour, President of Touch Outreach Ministries (The Cell Group People). You may be familiar with Randall’s father, Ralph Neighbour, the founder of Touch and author of the book, “Where Do We Go From Here.”

Randall will lead us through a two-part series. Friday night will be a special session oriented toward casting a vision for biblical community through small/cell groups in your church. Saturday will be dedicated to equipping small group leaders, apprentices, and potential leaders for facilitating a small group meeting and group life outside the meeting. In addition to the teaching, attendees will participate in small group activities and role-playing. Attached is an excerpt from the Touch website (www.touchusa.org) explaining the details for the Saturday session.

We encourage all pastors; church leadership; lay ministry leaders; small group leaders, coaches, and apprentices; men’s and women’s ministry leaders; and other individuals to attend!

The schedule for the conference is Friday night from 7:00 - 9:00pm and Saturday from 8:30am - 4:30pm . The registration fee for the conference is $35 per person. We also have a group rate that allows your church to bring an unlimited number of attendees for a flat fee of $250. Costs include the conference, workbook, and lunch on Saturday.

For more information or to register, please contact me at 650-6101 (home), 430-6391 (work). You also can register directly through Hope Church by calling 830-5544.

Thanks for your ministry to the body of Christ, and please come share this special time with us!

In His Abundant Grace and Love,
Jeff Mikatarian, Small Groups Ministry Team Leader
Hope Church

Cell Group Leader Training

Cell leadership is so much more than leading a weekly meeting! While knowing how to facilitate is important, it’s just the beginning of successful cell leadership.

The weekly cell group meeting is a catalyst. It stimulates an environment that allows body life to bubble up and spill over. A well-trained, effective cell group leader understands how to facilitate an effective meeting and how to take advantage of the catalytic effect of the meeting to facilitate life between the members.

How to be a GREAT Cell Leader will help your leadership-potential members and cell leaders understand both the cell meeting and body life outside the meeting.

Your cell group leaders will be introduced to an uncommon definition of “cell.” They will learn:
• The heart and soul of a cell is not a meeting, not a structure, but an experience.
• The essence of the cell is “Jesus in the midst.”
• The importance of prayer.
• The power of community.
• The purpose of the cell is to reach out.
• Every member is a potential leader.

Your leaders will also gain a new understanding of the natural life-cycle of a cell group. They will learn how to facilitate the cell through that life-cycle and not get stuck in any one stage. Then, your leaders will discover solutions to many of the frustrating difficulties they currently face in cell leadership.

How to be a GREAT Cell Leader also addresses the perplexing issue of personal evangelism from a new and refreshing perspective. Your cell leaders will learn how to lead their cell and become effective in body-life evangelism. This tool alone will revitalize your cell groups and change eternity for those they reach for Jesus!