VIRTUOUS LIVING - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

loses its dynamic and renewing force. It simply becomes part of secular institutionsand their struggle to survive in a competitive environment (cf Stott 1984:10-14). Assuch the institutionalised church is now part of the moral dilemma rather thanepitomising the solution to moral depravity.Small Christian communities or church cells seem to exhibit the presence and work ofthe Spirit with regard to moral virtue transformation and development. Here emphasisis on individuals with a view to creating good, virtuous people for the community.The emphasis is on people, while rules/codes of conduct and law are reserved in thebackground but not thrown away.The phenomenon of cell groups as communities for moral transformation anddevelopment needs to be investigated further, since the re-introduction of cellchurches is relatively recent. 110 It is the structure of cell churches that I will now turnto, as cell groups are distinct from the larger church institution. Their pattern is similarbut not the same as the Greek polis; no different from the Jewish communities indiaspora; and African homesteads as centres of moral transformation anddevelopment. Cell groups are characterised by closeness where the individuals aremorally accountable one to another in the community. It is this moral community thatI would like to advance within the broader concept of ecclesiology. Christ is the headof the church and his Spirit guides and guards this very Church.3.3.1.5.4 EcclesiologyBroadly considered by E.P Clowney (1988), the doctrine of the Church is calledecclesiology. At the centre of a worshipping community – the Church - is a moralGod, holy and virtuous. As people gather around to hear his wisdom, in fellowshipwith each other, the moral question is not only assumed, but is enacted in imitation ofChrist as the embodiment of the wise community.110 The cell church is very similar to house churches of the first century Christian communities. Theirnature made Christianity effective and aided in its expansion. Where cell churches have beenintroduced, similar successes of both spiritual and numerical growth have been reported.289