This plan is designed to have a Nurturer guide the study, feel free to have other cell members support any of the sections as part of nurturing. All instructions are identified for Nurturer. A separate document (cell content) is meant to be shared.
This cell plan is based on the sermon shared on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
Prepare Ahead
- Read Cell Vision Statement
- Meditate on Psalm 10. For greater context read and reflect on Psalm 9-10.
- For this cell plan, a portion of the night should be lotted toward Bible study (20-30 mins.), while the remaining time be given to reflection and sharing.
- There are two sets of questions. The first set is to be used for Bible study and the next set is to be used during reflection. Feel free to skip or speed through questions if time does not permit.
- Link to sharable version for members: Cell Content
Opening
Nurturer: If there are new members today joining for the first time. Ask everyone to share their name, hobby, goals for the year. Feel free to change up the question here to dive into different areas of people’s lives (work, family, hobbies, etc.)
- Has it been a while since your cell has reviewed the cell vision statement? Review it together at: Cell Based Ministry
Icebreaker question: Share a time you were inspired by someone or something (show/movie, story, etc.) overcoming adversity.
Worship
Go into musical worship if someone is scheduled. Continue to ask if members of the cell are willing to in the future.
Please pray for the group to begin the study.
Nurture: For those who would like to lot this portion of the night to something else feel free to use the prayer exercise:
- Prayer Exercise
- Lectio divina
Word
Psalm 10:1-18
1Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed;
the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up.
3 Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants;
the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord.
4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,
“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.”
5 He is secure at all times.
He has no regard for your commands;
he disdains all his enemies.
6 He says to himself,
“I will never be shaken,
because I experience no calamity.”
7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words;
his tongue injures and destroys.
8 He waits in ambush near the villages;
in hidden places he kills the innocent.
His eyes look for some unfortunate victim.
9 He lies in ambush in a hidden place, like a lion in a thicket.
He lies in ambush, waiting to catch the oppressed;
he catches the oppressed by pulling in his net.
10 His victims are crushed and beaten down;
they are trapped in his sturdy nets.
11 He says to himself,
“God overlooks it;
he does not pay attention;
he never notices.”
12 Rise up, Lord!
O God, strike him down.
Do not forget the oppressed.
13 Why does the wicked man reject God?
He says to himself, “You will not hold me accountable.”
14 You have taken notice,
for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering.
The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you;
you deliver the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man.
Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds,
which he thought you would not discover.
16 The Lord rules forever!
The nations are driven out of his land.
17 Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed;
you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.
18 You defend the fatherless and oppressed,
so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.
Bible Study
Nurturer:
- Provide context of the passage using the below notes
- Spend 15-20 minutes in the Bible Study Questions to allow members to get a better understanding of the context.
- Spend the remaining time in the Discussion Questions to, reminder that the goal of cell is to facilitate conversation to allow individuals and the group to discover God.
Context of Psalm 10
- This Psalm sits in the middle of a section of Psalms credited to David, although it does not specify the context
- It is a Psalm of lament about those that do not stand with God
Bible Study Question
- What do these passages reveal about God and our world?
- How does this challenge or affirm your understanding of God and the world?
- How might Jesus want His followers to respond to these truths?
Discussion
Nurturer: The discussion for today is to focuses on the key ideas found in this passage. The hope is to allow for the Holy Spirit to speak to us about injustice in the world and discover how we can take steps to discover our role in God’s plan for restoration.
Nurturer: Ask the following questions, the goal is to facilitate conversation, not a Q&A, this section doesn’t have to have everyone share their personal thoughts but try to get everyone in the conversation.
Reflection & Response:
- What is an example of injustice you have either faced or witnessed?
- Like the Psalmist, in those situations, have you ever felt God’s seeming inaction? How does your response compare to that of the Psalmist?
- What challenge(s) are you or someone you know going through, and how can others pray for you?
Witness
- Thanksgiving is coming up! The period following Thanksgiving is scheduled to be a cell activity week, start brainstorming activities to do a as a cell to fellowship and outreach!
- Prayer Room – October 15th 8:30pm
- This is a self paced, guided prayer time shaped around the most recent sermon. There will be live worship, primarily as a reflection tool instead of a time to sing.
- Baptism and membership:
- Are you interested in baptism or membership, ask your nurturer! Classes have started!
- Cell Teams
- Thinking about joining the cell team? Talk to your nurturer!
- Summary of new Cell Roles: Document Link
- More Details and Sign up forms: https://gcgcny.link/adultzone
- Thinking about joining the cell team? Talk to your nurturer!
- Cell Outreach Process
- Gather a group cell members to go and get to know people/person that we are hoping to bring into the cell.
- Existing Relationships
- Share the details with the cell group and pray for the outreaching process
- Cell Request List
- The cell request list is for people without direct connections to anyone in cell right now, pray regularly for the list to see if God is moving you to reach out of any of them
- Existing Relationships
- As relationships establish with others in the cell (outside of the cell setting), share with them the purpose of cell groups (leverage vision statement) and invite them in.
- Gather a group cell members to go and get to know people/person that we are hoping to bring into the cell.
- Christmas EV: On Dec 20, 2024, we will be having our annual Christmas EV dinner evening. This year, worship ministry is heading up the annual Christmas EV dinner with dinner, and then a Worship EV night, headed up by Xiao. We are starting to gather interest in people who would like to help out with this event, and we would like to start early (August) in planning and preparing and working together to bring the vision of the Christmas EV dinner together.
- We want to offer many opportunities to serve for this evening for anyone who is interested in the roles:
- 1. Event planning team (Will meet 3-4 times to keep the organizing of the event on track and check in with how everything is going)
- 2. Worship EV planning team (Will meet once/twice a month for Aug/Sept to discuss and plan out the worship portion of the evening. Doesn’t have to be part of the actual worship team)
- 3. Worship team (Will meet during November/December at least 4 times to practice through the worship set)
- 4. Hosting Team (Greeters – Generally just greet and meet people and get to know new people and friends who come. Help seat people etc)
- 5. Hosting Team (Waiting – We’d like to have something more special and formal for everyone, so we’d like to have some people who want help wait and serve tables)
- 6. Food Team (Prepare/coordinate/work on food for the evening)