Starting next week, cell group meetings will go on break. The cell leader meetings will also be on break starting this week and cell meetings will resume on September 8. While this is a common practice in other churches, it feels somewhat awkward in our church. Some people are already worried about what will happen if the meetings don’t resume as before after a break of over a month. There are also some cell groups that enjoy their meetings so much that they plan to continue meeting even during the break, although participation will not be mandatory as before.
The decision to take a cell group break came about from a suggestion made by a couple who led the adult cell group and returned to Korea earlier this year. They served diligently for a year and made sure to attend Sunday services even if they had to travel during the week. Before returning to Korea, during a meal together, they shared their gratitude for their time in our church and suggested the idea of taking a cell group break.
Although this suggestion had been made before, we hesitated due to concerns about the aftermath of the break. However, after talking with that couple, we felt the need for such a break. The couple’s previous church in Korea, which was also very passionate with dedicated small group leaders, took an annual small group break. This break allowed the leaders to relax from the weekly meetings and start fresh with a renewed spirit when they resumed.
In any church, small group leaders are usually involved in many other church activities and have their own responsibilities. The break allows them to catch up on unfinished or delayed tasks. It also gives them the opportunity to focus on individuals they may have neglected while managing the group as a whole.
Since this is our first time taking a cell group break, we are still figuring out the best approach. Even if some groups decide to meet as usual, it would be good if someone else could lead the meetings so that the cell leader can rest. Alternatively, since this is an official break, we could encourage cell leaders to rest well and instead, have informal gatherings for fellowship after services.
However, we need to consider that our church welcomes new members every week. During the break, if new members are assigned to a cell group, the cell leader should warmly welcome them and help them adjust to the church.
According to the Bible, God’s creation started at night and ended in the morning. God began His work while we were resting. True rest comes from trusting in the God who works. We need to learn how to rest properly in order to work effectively.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
