What I Have Learnt about Cell Leading So Far

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I thank God for opening my eyes to learning about cell leadership and even though it has been a tough time, God has provided when He calls...

I have learned and am convinced:

• Serving God - Cell leadership is much about serving God than anything else, helping to grow people spiritually and help them in their walk with God, to mobilize God's people for His will
  
  
• The Great Commandment and The Great Commission - A cell leader works towards multiplication rather than building a closed group where people become too comfortable with each other and stop growing. The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-4) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) has been given. This involves having a heart of desire to not only bring salvation but also to spur members to bring salvations to others.
  
  2 Peter 3:9
  9. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
  
  
• Facilitator - A cell leader is not a bible scholar or a bible teacher, that is the job of the pastor. The cell leaders facilitates understanding of biblical principles and lessons documented for us in the bible and help their members to come to realisation of how they can live it out in their lives
  
  
• True Worship - Cell leaders lead its members to cultivate a heart of thanksgiving, to discover how God is in their lives and to truly worship God in everything that they do
  
  John 4:23
  3. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
  
  
• Working Along, Not Alone - A cell leader does not have to work alone but works along with the Holy Spirit; not working alone or letting the Holy Spirit work alone but working along... Fear comes when one relies on one's own might but not when we hold on to the promise of God and trusting that God will provide. He/she also works by delegation of work to fellow members, which helps them to develop accountability and also grows with the ownership.
  
  1 Corinthians 3: 6-9
  

  6. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
  

• Shepherd - A cell leader is a shepherd for God and takes care of his/her members.
  
  
• Developer - A cell leader develops people by engaging them in discovering and using their gifting.
  
  1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-30
  
  4. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9. to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10. to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
  
  27. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30. Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire[e] the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
  
  
• In the Potters' Hand - God calls all kinds of people, cell leaders are not perfect and not strong to begin with; they usually have the potential of growth from feedback from members and also through the moulding by God
  
  2 Corinthians 12:9
  9. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
  
  Consider this, will we still rely on God when we are high and mighty? Chances are we will forsake God because we are self-sufficient.
  
  Jeremiah 1:4-7; 19
  5. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew [a] you,
  before you were born I set you apart;
  I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
  
  6. "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."
  
  7. But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
  
  19. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
  
  
  
  
• Administrator - Here's something that some leaders do not like and it is administration... which includes taking attendance, linking the church to members and vice versa, passing messages and announcements down and upwards, coordinating for events etc.
  
  
• Prayer - Encouraging members to acknowledge the power of God in their lives and how they can commit their struggles and troubles to God...
  
  Matthew 11:28:
  28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
  

This is done through the 4Ws: Welcome, Worship, Word and Works
Facilitation is done through OIA (observation, interpretation and application questions) or DUA (discovery, understanding and application questions).

Ideas:

• Encourage accountability - account for attendance at the beginning of every cell meeting
• Growing Together - Start a blog for members to share testimonies, thanksgiving and new revelations
• Focus on application & works - Cell should not be a time of worthless discussion without putting into action what has been learnt or discovered
• Help members discover their walk with God - Use activities e.g. a spiritual walk timeline to identify defining moments, blessings, trials etc or an activity to help members contemplate their priorities in their lives
• Pre-Cell Prayer / Fellowship - Gather people together to pray for cell; this also ensures people come on time
• Encourage thanksgiving - One can only see God in their lives when their eyes are open to how God has worked in their lives...
  
• Prayer - A cell that prays together, go through life's struggles together is better than going through it alone...
• Accountability Partner - have members paired up to build bonds and help each other be accountable in their walk
• Cell Planning Committee - Have a committee and invite potential leaders to come on board to help plan cell activities; helps to increase ownership and helps develops leaders
• Cultivate a welcoming culture to make everyone feel comfortable
• Praise & Worship - Start with praise songs and then worship songs; helps to set the tone for word discussion.
• Anchor - Anchor the week and the discussion with an anchor verse. Help people to easily understand the discussion using imageries.