CELL NOTES - w/c 18th May 2008

How to Avoid Divorce
Matthew 5:31-32; 19: 3-12

Things to be aware of in advance…
• Leading the Worship? Have paper and a pen for each person. It might be helpful to have some quiet music to play while people write things down and pray.

Message to everyone who is “doing” a W. Please pray about “your W” in advance (remember you are not just doing a bit of the cell meeting but leading your cell into the presence of Jesus) and rewrite it on a small piece of paper in your bible or notebook – these cell notes should not be seen in the cell meeting.

[Notes in square brackets are pointers for those who are preparing and then leading through the particular W - don’t read it out]


WELCOME
What was the name of your best friend growing up?
What was the best quality about your friendship?
Do you have this quality in a friendship now?


WORSHIP
Read out Jeremiah 24:3-7.

God desires a relationship with His people. His offer is open to all of us. The challenge is whether we keep our side of the bargain – to return to him with all of our heart.

Write down a list of some of the key things that are on your heart just now, (other than God). It’s not wrong to have concerns, but we are called to trust God with them, to hand them to him and allow him to work in those areas.

[It might be helpful to have some quiet music playing during this time]

When you’ve written down your list, spend a few moments in silent prayer. Read through your list one by one, handing them over to God. For each one, ask God to help you and tell him that you’re trusting him with them.

Read out verses 6-7 again and ask people to say a short prayer of thanks to God for his promises to us.


WORD SUMMARY
Over the years many people have been hurt by divorce and sometimes the church has exacerbated that hurt, rather than ministering God’s grace, forgiveness and healing.

Our starting point is that we’re all sinners, (remember the previous teachings about murder and adultery?), and in our fallen world we’re constantly faced by a barrage of spiritual attacks from the evil one. Into this environment stepped Jesus, the light of the world. God doesn’t take us out of the world, but pours from his own Spirit into our spirit so that we can live in the world but not of it.

Marriage is God’s idea and in a perfect world it would build up community through trust, security and commitment to its ideals. But this is not a perfect world, and we know from Matthew 19 that even in the days of Moses, divorce was an issue for people, (and that was a long time ago!), so how can we avoid it?

If you’re divorced - giving and receiving forgiveness is key. God did not send his Son to die so that we would go on living with guilt and shame. God wants us to live differently. Some may need to repent for our part in the breakdown of our relationship. Doing this allows us to receive forgiveness and healing from Christ.

If you are married - we are to invest in marriage. We’ve heard how thinking lustful or angry thoughts lead to adulterous or murderous actions, so watch what you focus your mind on. Look for the positives in your spouse – and you’ll see them. Examine where you’re spending your time, energy, money and devotion. Spending time with God makes us more attractive on the inside, more patient, forgiving and loving…an ideal spouse!

If you are single - see this not as a curse, but as a blessing – an opportunity to invest your life and accomplish things in life that would otherwise be difficult to do.

Everyone in the body of Christ - we have a responsibility to uphold the idea of marriage and support those who are married as well as those who are single in every way possible; to turn the focus from divorce back onto marriage.


WORD QUESTIONS
Read through the summary above and then select 3 or 4 questions below to explore with your cell group, allowing time for prayer with the last question.

1. What do you think are some of the common reasons for divorce?
2. What are some of the merits of God’s ideal of marriage?
3. How committed are you to God’s idea of marriage? What things could you do to demonstrate your support of marriage?
4. What practical steps can people take to avoid divorce? How might some of these apply to you?
5. Giving and receiving forgiveness is the key to developing any relationship, but especially when there has been a breakdown. What relationship comes to mind where you might need to ask for forgiveness or give forgiveness? In 2s or 3s pray about these relationships and encourage each other to give and receive forgiveness, (this could be very practical help, eg offering to go with someone to say sorry, or checking that someone has made that phone call or sent that letter).


WITNESS
Talk about the following: as the body of Christ what are some practical ways that we can reinforce the idea of marriage in our dealings with our friends and loved ones? [eg we can always talk positively about the idea of marriage; be real about our relationship struggles; not hold others to the standards that God has given to us…]

Write some of these down and agree to work on them as a cell group.

Remember that to avoid hypocrisy, it must be the case that these ideas are ones that we practice ourselves first, (wherever appropriate!)

You could perhaps start by praying for you’re friends and their relationships just now.

CELL NOTES w/c 11th May

Acts 2:1-21 ~ Pentecost

You will need in advance>
• Leading the welcome? Be prepared for God’s Spirit to really speak to people and possibly take them by surprise. Allow time for Him to do what he wants to do and be ready to ask others to pray as you ask your questions.

• Leading the worship? Read through the instructions and have in mind some areas people can go to. You might want to write down the phrase: "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening" to give to everyone.

• Message to everyone who is “doing” a W. Please pray about “your W” in advance (remember you are not just doing a bit of the cell meeting but leading your cell into the presence of Jesus) and rewrite it on a small piece of paper in your bible or notebook – these cell notes should not be seen in the cell meeting.

[Notes in square brackets are pointers for those who are preparing and then leading through the particular W - don’t read it out!]


WELCOME
If you could ask the Holy Spirit to do 1 thing for you and you knew he would do it – what would you ask?

[When everyone has had chance to answer this, you might want to go a little deeper with this next question:]

As God, the All-powerful, All-knowing God of the Universe, listens in right now to our responses, some funny, some serious, what might he want to say to you about your request?

[Be sensitive to what God might want to say to people at this point and allow time to pray for each other if you feel it’s appropriate]


WORSHIP
If we're honest, then sometimes when we gather together in the Name of Jesus, we don’t expect to meet him. But Jesus promises that when two or more are gathered together in His Name, He will join us…so He is with us now.

Look around the group and recognise that Jesus is with you. As you look, remember also that the Holy Spirit is alive within each person who has invited Him to.

You may have already felt or heard God talking to you through the opening question(s), perhaps sensed God’s presence with you. But whether you feel God’s presence now or at some other time – God is with us.

Invite everyone to pray this simple prayer: Speak Lord, for your servant is listening, and then in the next few minutes listen to what God wants to say to you.

Give people permission to stand up, kneel, sit down, move around, step outside, whatever will help them to hear what God wants to say to them.

[Allow about 5 minutes of quietness for this and let people know that you will call them back together again at the end. It might be helpful to give everyone some paper and pen to jot down thoughts or pictures that come to them.]

Ask if anyone would like to say what they experienced, then close in prayer on behalf of the group, thanking God for His presence with you.


WORD SUMMARY
KEY VERSE : v14 ‘ In the Last days I will pour out my Spirit on all People’

This was a new Era (the Last Days) when the Counsellor (the Holy Spirit) promised by Jesus, would come. The receiving of the Holy Spirit is so vital that Jesus said the disciples must not leave Jerusalem without Him. They wait, and the Holy Spirit comes, God manifests Himself through ‘the strong violent wind’ and the ‘tongues of fire’ and they are all filled with the Holy Spirit.

1) God had promised that He would ‘pour out of His Spirit into ours’. We need to open ourselves up to receive Him, and go on receiving Him. We need to be people who listen to the voice of Jesus Christ in us.

2) His Spirit is given for ‘all kinds of people’, not just for special people, special times, special places. (We are the new prophets; the ones who receive God’s big pictures for our world; God shares his dreams with the pensioners!!) God fills ordinary people with His life and gets us engaged in extraordinary things!!

3) God accredited (vouched for) Jesus to the world through miracles (outward demonstrations of God’s powerful presence), wonders (the approach of some event that has special importance) and signs (those things that point to God’s presence). God accredits Jesus to the world through Christ in us…His love in us, His mercy in us…His grace through us…His visions and dreams through us…

‘What will we do with the life God has blessed?’


QUESTIONS
When you have read through the above summary and Acts 2: 1-21, carefully select 3 or 4 questions from the following, which will best suite your group:

1. Imagine that as you sit together in your cell waiting to hear from God that all of a sudden you heard a sound like the blowing of a violent wind from heaven and it filled the whole house where you were sitting. Then imagine that you all saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of you. All of you were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled you. What would go through your mind?
2. After reading this account and imagining your reaction to it, how do you feel right now about asking God to pour out of His Spirit into yours? Why?
3. When the Holy Spirit is alive in the life of ordinary believers he does amazing things in and through them. What’s one thing that the Spirit of God has done in your life so far?
4. What practical tips would you give to someone who asked you: how can I receive the Holy Spirit?
5. Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us his love, mercy, grace, dreams and visions. As we pass on these blessings to others, they begin to get to know God for themselves. Quietly think about this question: If every Christian were the same as me – how would God come across in our world? What then, if anything, needs to change in my life?
6. Recognising that God pours out from His Spirit to all who ask Him, what will you do with the life God has given you and blessed you with?
7. In 2 groups, spend some moments just now in prayer and, if you have the courage to, ask God to pour out of His Spirit into your life as you wait on Him. Perhaps it would help to pray for each other, one person at a time – if everyone is willing(!) This could be to receive the Holy Spirit for the first time or to be re-filled.


WITNESS
Mother Teresa said: We can do no great things, only small things with great love.

If God is displayed through the actions of his followers on earth, what small thing can we alter and do with great love that will show those we meet this week that God is an awesome God?

Think for a moment about this and then gather some of the thoughts people have had. See if there’s one thing your cell could agree to do over the coming week…do it…and then notice how people respond to the manifestation of God before their very eyes!

Spend a few moments in prayer just now, asking for God to be seen through the lives of his ordinary saints this week (ie you and me).

Allow time to feedback next week.

Information in advance of Sunday 11th May

This Sunday evening is re:imagine when we examine “the shape of things to come”.
Re:imagine is an opportunity to push the boundaries of our “normal” way of thinking the church operates and to explore new ways and alternative.

This month we will re:imagine
“What if we were a church that obeyed the command to “go” rather than issuing a command to “come?”
This is how it will work:
We will meet from 6pm until 8pm on Sunday evening.

After a brief introduction, prayer and some instructions we will “go” out from the church building to engage with the community around us in lots of different ways in small groups.

Small groups will be despatched to:
· Bulwell - to prayer walk up to 3 of the “forgotten 5%” areas in the town and the proposed site for our “new” outreach building.
· Hyson Green – to prayer walk the area to which Martyn and Susan will be moving in July
· The Red Light District in Forest Fields to distribute food and drinks to the women and men in the sex-industry.
· Arnold – visiting door to door to ask people if there is anything that we could pray for – for them
· Arnold park – to distribute food and drinks to the predominantly young people who hang out there
· Homeless people - to distribute food and drinks to those who are sleeping out

We will then re-gather back in Arnold for a cup of tea and some feedback and reflection.

Important!
If wearing uniform please wear polo shirt/fleece rather than shirt and tie (too easily mistaken for police I’m afraid)

Those engaged in homeless group and red light area will be supplied with yellow hi-viz jackets as in those particular areas hi-visibility is an important safeguard.

If you are a car driver we would appreciate your willingness to give folk a lift to the area although we are hoping to have a minibus too.


Although a little daunting there is nothing to be afraid of.

Looking forward to a challenging and interesting evening together.

David R
08/05/2008

Cell Notes w/c 4th May 2008

Hope for God’s People
Isaiah 40

[Notes in square brackets are pointers for those who are preparing and then leading through the particular W- don’t read it out]

WELCOME
When was the last time you grew something? What was it?

WORSHIP
Explain about the television programme Ground Force, where a garden area is totally transformed by professionals! The key is trust – how much do the people asking for change trust the professionals? Here are the keys to my garden…go for it!

Matthew 13:1-9 & 18-23 is the Parable of the Sower – it asks us to imagine our heart as a garden into which God sows the seed of His Word…Although God is the gardener, whether the seeds take root and grow depends on what else occupies our hearts.

Consider the garden of your heart just now, and reflect on the answer to these questions:

Which parts of your garden are growing? And which parts are decaying?

What has God been sowing into your life recently – have you allowed these seeds to take root?

What big rocks are there, that would be better off taken out?

If there’s an area in the garden of your heart where you feel that you need to trust God more, invite Him right now to there over these next few moments – as you do, listen out for what He wants to say to you, to work out in your life, to prune back and to flourish. Trust Him as the master Gardener.

[Allow a few moments for people to make this prayer themselves, then close in prayer thanking God for his tender care and love of our hearts and lives].

WORD SUMMARY
Isaiah speaks to an exiled Israel with the words of hope: comfort, comfort my people. Chapter 40 is God’s response to his questioning, doubting nation, showing us that it’s OK to ask Him questions and be honest about our concerns.

Verses 12-14 ask a series of rhetorical questions intended to bring the listener to the point of saying: Yahweh is the sole creator! (John N Oswalt). It’s a hope building exercise.

The world is not exactly as God created it to be – the fall means we live with the consequences of sin, decay and sickness (nothing minor!). But the fact that God created this world in hope is important because we are to join with him and work for hope for a better world – a new world.

As the hands and feet of Jesus, we are an essential part of restoring this world. Our God is such that we can afford to dream big and expect big things from a big God in our church, our communities, our family, our friends. The question is: do we dream big enough?

Perhaps, with Israel, we begin to wonder if God will do what He’s promised to? Has He forgotten me? Does He really love me? All the time God wants to bless our lives, to bring about His purposes even through the pain, discouragements and hurt: comfort, comfort my people.

Like the seed that fell on the good soil in the parable we read earlier, receive the word of God into your life – believe Him, have faith that what God says He will accomplish and have hope in a big God!

WORD QUESTIONS
Read through the summary and Isaiah 40, carefully select 3 or 4 questions from the following which will best suite where your group are:

1. How would you describe what the word HOPE means?
2. What things can we be HOPEful in God about? [things like God loves us, is always with us, has a plan for us, will return to earth one day]
3. What does it feel like to be HOPEful in God?
4. How can we join God in being hope-bringers wherever we find ourselves, as the hands and feet of Christ?
5. God wants to work with us to bring hope into our world today. But first we have to trust him enough to let him work in our lives. Think for a moment about one of the needs of hope that you have. [You might want to ask people to write these down on some paper to help as we pray].
6. In smaller groups, pray about the hopes you’ve identified – ask God to comfort, comfort His people. As you pray for each other remember that, as the hands and feet of Christ, our role is to be part of the answer!

WITNESS
Susan challenged us to dream big when it comes to God’s plans for his creation! Talk about some of the God-sized hopes that you have for your friends, your family members, communities or church.

As you listen to each other, ask God to speak to you and perhaps suggest one thing you can do to work with God to turn these hopes into realities.

Cell Group Meeting Notes for w/c 27th April 08

How to Avoid Sexual Sin
Matthew 5:27-30

You will need in advance>
• Leading the worship? You will need a song with the word “LOVE” in it, and some way of playing it in cell. You will also need enough pens and paper for each cell member
• Leading the Witness section? It will be helpful if you can look up information on the website about Human Trafficking
• Message to everyone who is “doing” a W. Please pray about “your W” in advance (remember you are not just doing a bit of the cell meeting but leading your cell into the presence of Jesus) and rewrite it on a small piece of paper in your bible or notebook – theses cell notes should not be seen in the cell meeting.

[Notes in square brackets are pointers for those who are preparing and then leading through the particular W- don’t read it out]

Welcome
Complete this sentence: One thing that people might be surprised to know about me is…

When everyone has had opportunity to do this, you might like to ask another question: What was it like to tell your surprising thing to the group?


Worship
Put on a song that features the word “love” in it (there are one or two songs out there that have to do with love). While you are listening, write down 5 short sentences that describe God. You can’t sum Him up, of course, but what things do you think speak clearly of His revealed identity?

Once the song is done, and everyone is finished, read out these sentences in an attitude of prayer, telling God who you know Him or believe Him to be.

What is the main thing that came out in all these sentences? Was there anything obviously missing?


Word
SUMMARY
Some teachings of Jesus can be more popular than others – this is one area that some don’t like. Jesus said that he didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfil it. God isn’t out to spoil our fun, but rather to protect us from disaster.

In an age when television often dictates culture, our world objects to pain, or being told “No!” Jesus says in these verses that sexual sin warrants cutting off one’s hand or gouging out one’s eye – not literally - but sexual sin has series consequences.

The Bible talks very favourably about marriage (although this is not for all people). Genesis 2:24 speaks of 2 becoming 1 flesh and sex has a large part to play in this. Sex is God’s creation and marriage is the context for sex.

Our media often encourages sexual fun as long as no-one gets hurt - unless you’re in a place of authority, then it will publicly judge you! The focus is on sexual fulfilment, not on commitment.

Biblical standards are for Christians to live up to, with God’s help. The sad reality is that many Christians are not living differently. “I’ve prayed about this and I feel my situation is different” is just a bad prayer! We need to pray for strength to resist temptation!

If we truly dare to be different then we need to make tough decisions and do all we can to stay close to God.

Sex is very powerful – and some people are more susceptible than others. Be careful what you watch, read, look at, where you go. Be careful.

If you have committed adultery a long time ago and have asked God to forgive you or perhaps have been a victim yourself – there is no guilt, no condemnation. Avoiding sexual sin is very relevant today – no excuses or justifications. We are to repent (ie turn away from our sin). Receive God’s forgiveness and get back on track, with the Holy Spirit helping us.

QUESTIONS
This can be a sensitive topic, so when you have read through the summary and Matthew 5:27-30, carefully select 3 or 4 questions from the following, which will best suite where your group are:
1. What are some of the consequences of adultery that we see in society today? (Adultery is defined as sex with a person who you are not married to).
2. Can you think of a time when you felt powerless, but God helped you through something? What happened?
3. The command of Jesus to not commit adultery by lusting in your thoughts is a tough one to obey. What might be some alternatives to lustful thoughts?
4. Imagine someone has asked your group for some advice on how to avoid sexual sin? What could you say to them?
5. How can we encourage one another to avoid sexual sin and to live life differently?
6. In 2s or 3s only share as much detail as you feel comfortable with for prayer. Then pray for strength for each other in the area of sexual sin.


WITNESS
How can we show love and respect to those people who are not shown love in our society?

It might be helpful to look at the following link for information about Human Trafficking.

http://www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/html/alovearchive/engage_humantraffic_about.htm

Spend a few moments talking about trafficking in the UK, (here are some pointers):

Trafficking is a global issue and an estimated 700,000 to 2,000,000 people are trafficked annually across international borders. It affects men, women and children, but around 50% of all victims are children.

Women and girls from Moldova, Romania, Albania, Thailand, Nigeria and Sierra Leone are known to be trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation. The Metropolitan Police estimate that trafficked women are forced to see 30 to 40 clients per day.

If sexual sin was avoided many of these people, especially the children, would not be in demand and so would not be bought or sold.

Pray about this situation in your cell and think about how you can make this message known more.

Cell Group Meeting Notes for w/c 20th April 08

WELCOME
When you get angry or mad, what kind of things calm you down?

WORSHIP
Ask three people to read the following verses: Psalm 13:1-6, Psalm 35:17-18 and Psalm 42:9-11. These three readings give us examples of how King David related to God. He had questions and frustrations and he took them to God, but he always ended his words with praise for God, or hope in God.

Take some moments to reflect on something that may be bothering or annoying you. Then, in the quietness, turn these thoughts into a prayer. Speak them out to God and then, if you're able to, tell God that you trust Him and thank Him for the things He's going to do in your situation.

[As you lead this section through, allow time for people to think and pray. You may want to play some music quietly in the background while this happens. Then close this time as you pray for all of the unspoken prayers].

WORD
Read the following SUMMARY and then Matthew 5:21-26

Anger management specialist Leonard Ingram says that: Anger is a natural human emotion…the problem is not anger, the problem is the mismanagement of anger. In these verses Jesus says there’s a secret place in the human heart where even our angry thoughts can lead us to murder.

There is such a thing as righteous anger and we know that this can help us. Adrenalin flows, hunger disappears, we have a clearer more focused vision, glucose is released from our livers, and all this can be channelled in a positive way. The challenge and danger is recorded by St Paul in a letter to the Ephesians when he said: in your anger do not sin.

There are two words used for ANGER in the Greek: here Jesus uses the one for long-lived anger – an anger that’s nursed, that festers and broods and refuses to be pacified.

When we get angry, there’s a gap between that anger rising within us and what we spit out of our mouths! To lengthen the gap between our feelings of anger and how we express them, perhaps the following might work:
- Step back (physically if you’re able to), or at least take a step back mentally, so that it’s not so intense
- Count to 10, or take a couple of deep breaths
- Get a really clear picture of Jesus, or the empty cross and take a good look at that in your mind’s eye
- Choose a response that God would smile at!

But what happens when we’re too late…we’ve already vented our anger? Jesus says: Settle it quickly! Just do it…but do it quickly! If it’s a dispute with another Christian, Jesus says settle it out of church. If you’re heading for court, do all you can to avert it! Settle out of court, but be swift in resolving conflict.

Someone once said that staying angry is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

When Jesus was arrested and wrongfully accused, when he was tortured, mistreated and beaten, and when he died on the cross, he cried out “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing!” What better way to teach us his ideals about love and about anger.

Anger destroys us but forgiveness releases us. Anger creates blockages in our lives between me and my brothers and sisters but also between me and God. It’s so serious that Jesus says we are to stop worshipping, leave our gift at the altar and go and be reconciled.

WORD QUESTIONS

1. Think back to the last time you were angry. Were you right or wrong? How do you know?
2. How would you answer someone who said that getting angry is ALWAYS wrong?
3. In practical ways, how can we avoid nursing feelings of anger inside of us and so prevent them from escalating?
4. What advice does Jesus give us about handling our anger? How could this apply to situations in your life?
5. If it's appropriate, decide on some positive action you can take this week, to put things right with someone. In 2s or 3s pray for each other.

WITNESS
Everyone think of one situation that you know of where anger is clearly involved. It might help to write down that situation on a sheet in the centre of the group. Then pray for those situations, that the peace and love of God will shine into them. Where possible determine to show God's forgiveness in that situation.

Cell Group Meeting Notes for w/c 13th April 08

You will need in advance>

• Leading the worship? You will need enough pens and paper for each cell member (please check the pens before the cell meeting)
• Leading the Word? You will need 4 post it notes or small pieces of paper with the verses written on.
• Leading the Witness section? You will need some newspaper cuttings and a few copies of the Lord’s prayer !!
• Cell Servant – you need to prepare to read the prayer at the end of the Cell Meeting (see below)
• Message to everyone who is “doing” a W. Please pray about “your W” in advance (remember you are not just doing a bit of the cell meeting but leading your cell into the presence of Jesus) and rewrite it on a small piece of paper in your bible or notebook – theses cell notes should not be seen in the cell meeting.
  
  [Notes in square brackets are pointers for those who are preparing and then leading through the particular W- don’t read it out]

welcome
[If you have new people in your cell this week please give special attention to the welcome and make sure that everyone has opportunity to contribute]
[Some people are tempted not to use ‘Ice-breaker’ questions, thinking they are childish. However, they do help even the best of friends to get to know each other better, and thus help to build community. They also can help shy people to break their silence in a non threatening way. Encourage everyone to answer at least the first part of the welcome question]

What did you want to be when you grew up?[second/additional welcome - to take it a bit further] How do you feel about that now? If you haven’t become what you wanted how do you feel about that? If you did, how does that feel?

WORSHIP
[Remember: The aim in worship is to focus on God, through Jesus Christ - he is at the centre of the group, his Spirit is helping us to please God.]
[Give to each person a piece of paper and ask them to write or draw something that represents a gift they would like to give to Jesus. After a time, when not all have finished, ask the members to explain what they have been doing. Then as an act of giving to God place them, unfinished as they are, on a table. Explain that nothing we offer God is perfect, yet through Christ it is accepted. Give time to look, and to absorb. Then have a time of thanksgiving for God's gifts to us.]

WORD
[The aim in the Word section is to build one another up spiritually, so that we all grow more like Jesus. The best source of spiritual truth is the Bible; but it needs to be put into practice - God reveals his truth to us so that we may do it (Deuteronomy 29:29).]
On Sunday morning (13th April) we listened as David outlined how our cell group is designed to help us reach our spiritual destiny as Christians in three particular areas: God has called us to be (i) a living Community of Jesus (ii) growing disciples (iii) Radical followers of the Radical Jesus. This morning/evening we will reflect on these ideas, explore scripture and then ask God by His Spirit to empower us.

1. Christianity was born in community. Our relationship with God and our relationships with each other are important to the living out of our Christianity. Turn to 1 Corinthians 12 v12- 27 and read the passage. In what ways does this scripture emphasise how important community is to our faith? In what ways does the life of a cell (your cell) reflect the example of Christian community we read of in Acts 2 v42-47?

2. It’s evident from scripture that not every Christian is a growing Christian.. [ask people in pairs to look at one of these verses and then feedback to the group] Look at each of these short passages and try and work out how they illustrate either maturity in faith or immaturity in faith.[have these on post it notes before the meeting 1 Peter 2v1-2 , Ephesians 4v11 to 16, Hebrews 5v11-14, James 1 v2-5]
[Receive the feedback and then ask] In your experience how has being in a small group cell helped us to grow in your faith – maturity?

3. On Sunday David claimed that “Small group cells give us the opportunity to reflect on the Word and apply it in a radical rebirth of the Christian faith”. James (1v 22 ) Challenges us to put the Word into action.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it
says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”

In what ways could your cell be like the mirror that reflects back to us truth from the word to put into action?
How could your cell be more effective (be practical here) in holding each other accountable for applying biblical truth to your life?

Spend a few minutes now asking God to bless your cell in the areas we have been considering this evening; that He would help you to grow together and out as a true community; that you each will grow as disciples and that even more powerfully His word might be applied in your individual lives.


WITNESS
[The aim in the Witness section is to focus on the world around, in which we are called to make disciples.Jesus taught that the world would recognise his disciples by their love for one another (John 13:35).]
[Distribute a few copies of newspapers from this past week and the Lord’s prayer. Ask people to choose one story from the paper that raises an issue for prayer – don’t let the group go off at a tangent talking about everything they can see !! – but keep focused – quickly identify a prayer need and firstly – pray silently for the issue you have each chosen – then invite people to pray out loud the words of the Lords prayer.. PLEASE – do not assume that everyone will know the words of the Lord’s prayer.]

Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.Thy Kingdom come, thy will be
done, on earth as it is in heavenGive us this day our daily bread.And forgive us
our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and
the glory. for ever and ever. Amen

Cell Servant – [Conclude the meeting by reading/praying Ephesians 3 over your group [ask them to stand and pray for them by reading this passage of scripture]

16I pray that out of his glorious riches God may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.