Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Raising Up Champions


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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

JESUS IS LORD CHURCH
Area 29-Batangas
1st Life Group Leaders’ Summer Camp
Mountain Rock Resort, Brgy. Talisay, Lipa City
May 20-21, 2011
"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."
(1 Thessalonians 5:11, NASB)
SCHEDULE of ACTIVITIES
FIRST DAY:
Morning
Arrival/ Preparation/ Registration
Praise and Worship/ OP
Welcome Remarks/ House Rules/ Icebreaker/ Games
Gen. Seminar 1-Functions of a Small Group Leader (Bro. Cloyd Castro)
DBS 1-The Role of Prayer in Small Groups:
Group A. How Intercessory Prayer Can Revolutionize Your Small Group (Sis. Mayette D.)
Group B. Building Prayer Momentum (Sis. Cely Alidio)
Group C. Seven Ways to Get Our Church into the Praying Field (Ptr. Ronnie Barrion)
Gen. Seminar 2-The Role of the Holy Spirit in Leading Small Groups (Ptr. Vher Cabarlo)
Lunch
Afternoon
Praise and Worship/ OP
Gen. Seminar 3-Eight Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders (Ptr. Veron An)
DBS 2-The Role of Worship in Small Groups:
Group A. Worshipping in Your Small Group (Bro. Nomer Luque)
Group B. Worship in Small Groups: Why it’s vital (Bro. Dave Dimaano)
Group C. Leading Worship in Small Groups (Sis. Edith Castro)
Gen. Seminar 4-Become the Person God Wants You To Be (Ptr. Ronnie Barrion)
Free Time/ Relaxation/ Dinner
Evening
Praise and Worship/ OP
Retreat Night
SECOND DAY:
Morning
Worship/ Devotional Songs
Sharing/ Prayer for One Another
Breakfast
Praise and Worship
Commissioning Service
Lunch/ Home Sweet Home
dtd/may2011

Area 29-Batangas Life Group Leaders' Summer Camp

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Leading Worship In Small Groups (by sis. edith castro)

Leading Worship In Small Groups
By Dan Smith and Steven Reames
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to
God" (Col. 3:16).
1. Be Prepared.
Always, always play or sing through the songs in order you plan to sing them before the
group meeting. This helps you discover which songs are too high or low to sing in that
particular key. It also helps you include or exclude songs if you have no instrumentation.
("Celebrate Jesus Celebrate," for example, has long pauses between lines intended for
musical fills. A lack of music and singing during this time can produce awkwardness, rightly
or wrongly so.) Other questions to consider: Do you have the proper accompaniment (guitar,
piano, CD, cassette, acapella)? Do you know the songs? Do you have song sheets for those
who don't know the words? If you are the musician, do you need the music in front of you?
Can you lead in the correct key without a musician?
2. Be Confident.
Never apologize for leading. Speak and sing distinctly. If you make a mistake, make it loud
and keep on moving. Always remember that everyone expects the worship leader to lead. If
you lead, they will follow. Allowing times of silence without direction can cause people to
second guess what is happening; sometimes strong-willed people will interpret this as a lack
of leadership and inappropriately try to move
things along if they think you are faltering.
3. Be Sensitive.
Leading worship requires three sets of ears: physical ears to hear how the music is
progressing, mental ears to gauge the atmosphere of the group, and spiritual ears to hear what
the Holy Spirit is saying.
Be especially sensitive for signals to move or to wait. Never rush worship or let it drag. When
choosing songs, listen to the Holy Spirit; don't choose songs just because they're your
favorites.
4. Be Authentic.
Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Don't let the
action of leading worship become a distraction from your own worship. People will sense
your authenticity or lack thereof. Focus on the Lord as much as possible. This works best
when you are prepared.
5. Be Passionate.
Worship demands wholehearted participation. Become wholly engaged in the worship
process as you lead. Choose to do it, think about it, feel it, and express it physically. Give
those you are leading permission to do the same. Go with your instincts. Let people know that
you care about what is happening. Always provide room for teaching people how to worship.
Encourage and teach the physical expressions of worship and what they mean, both from
Scripture and example.
6. Use Scripture.
The book of Psalms is an excellent resource for worship. Start by having somebody read a
psalm while the musician plays the first song in the background. Or, at a predesignated time
(you'll have to work out a signal or a specific song), have somebody read a Scripture to
meditate on between songs. If you are playing an instrument yourself, you can do this if you
can play and speak simultaneously.
7. Be Positive.
Focus on the character of God (holiness, love, power, etc.). This is not the time to browbeat
people into a more authentic faith. Let the Holy Spirit do His own convicting. Choose songs
that bring people into close relationship with God. Avoid songs with obscure, distracting, or
confusing tunes or lyrics.
8. Be Brief.
The average attention span of an American is thirteen minutes. Keep worship in small groups
short (ten minutes or about four songs). Don't feel obligated to talk between each song.
Remember that when you are talking they are not worshiping. A worship leader is an usher in
the throne room of God. Your job is to bring people into His presence and then get out of the
way.
9. Practice Continuity.
Worship should flow as seamlessly as possible with everything else that is happening. Try to
not pause in between songs, but move right into the next one if possible. If it is necessary to
provide a list to everybody before you start, go ahead and do that so you don't have to stop
and shout out songs numbers. It is almost always best to ease out of worship rather than just
abruptly ending it. If you are using an instrument, you should rarely just stop playing cold.
Some ideas for segueing worship to the next portion of the meeting: Direct the group to take
time to listen to what God is saying. You may use background instrumentation for this. Ask if
anyone has had God already reveal something to them. Encourage any other gifts of the Holy
Spirit. Have people pray words of exaltation and worship. PUT IT TO WORK: Begin
incorporating these principles into your worship preparation this week. Give a copy of this
sheet whenever a person is designated to lead worship for the first time.

Worship in Small Groups: Why it is vital (by bro. dave dimaano)

Worship in Small Groups
Why it's vital that your group maintain an upward connection with the Almighty
"Don't teach about worship as part of the small-group order when you're speaking to our leaders,"
the pastor told me right before the seminar started. "We don't practice worship in our small groups.
It's too much of a hassle to train the leaders to direct worship—and after all, our small groups are
primarily for non-Christians."
"Okay," I nodded—outwardly calm. But inwardly I was wrestling with this new revelation.
Jesus First
What surprised me about the small-groups ministry at this church was that its normal, typical small
groups excluded worship. I understand that a certain number of groups will have more of a seekersensitive
approach—but to exclude worship altogether from the bread-and-butter small groups? I
felt that this church had cut out one of the major arteries that flows directly to the heart of God.
I strongly believe that small-group ministry is a powerful tool to reach the lost, but is this our only
purpose? We're flooded with information about how to be "seeker-sensitive," but have we paid as
much attention to being God-sensitive? How does God feel when we pay more attention to the
seeker than the Almighty?
The Scriptures help straighten us out.
Jesus says, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only"(Matthew 4:10). Worship first;
service second. This order is repeated later on in Matthew when Jesus says, "Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Afterwards comes the
second command: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37–39).
And then we read about the M sisters: Martha and Mary. Martha excelled in serving but failed in
worship. Mary cared about only one thing—the person of Jesus Christ. Who got the "A" grade?
Jesus tells us: "Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (Matthew
10:42).
One more example: In the last book of the Bible, Jesus talks about an incredible church that
produced good works like a modern-day factory. Yet after highlighting the impeccable deeds of
that church's congregation, Jesus rebukes them: "I hold this against you: You have forsaken your
first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at
first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp-stand from its place"
(Revelation 2:4–5).
How does all this relate to small-group ministry? It tells me that an upward, God-focus must be at
the center of every small-group ministry. While techniques to lasso non-Christians are great, they
shouldn't be at the core of our ministry. God is the core. Let's be encouraged to make our groups
God-sensitive.
The Normal Small Group
In the same way that the human body needs a good diet, most "normal" cell groups include certain
staple ingredients. I recommend the following practices for basic cell groups:
Upward Focus—knowing God through worship and prayer
Inward Focus—knowing each other through fellowship
Outward Focus—reaching out to those who don't know Jesus through small-group evangelism
Forward Focus—raising up new leaders through training and discipleship
No two small groups are exactly alike, but each maintains the ingredients.
Prayer in Small Groups
Prayer is part of that upward focus. In my own cell group, we almost always begin with prayer.
Then we enter worship, which is a form of prayer. Notice how prayer and worship are linked in
Revelation 5:8–9:
"Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of
the saints. And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and
language and people and nation."
We also start the lesson with prayer. During the lesson time, God speaks to us through the Word.
Invariably there are prayer needs, so we allow a time for prayer requests. Finally, we pray for
unsaved loved ones to know Jesus Christ and come to our group.
The sensitive leader utilizes the style of prayer that best fits the context of his or her small group.
When non-Christians are present, for example, an all-out, "fiery" prayer meeting is probably not
the best. Silent prayer might be in order, or praying in pairs. Group leaders must remain sensitive
to the situation and utilize the type of prayer that best fits with the circumstances—but do pray.
Worship in the Cell
Singing and prayer form part of the upward focus in a small group. Entering God's presence
through song is an important part of the worship time.
You don't have to play guitar or sing like Amy Grant to lead God-honoring worship. I've
experienced worship times in which the members choked out a joyful noise (with the emphasis on
the word noise). God doesn't require a tabernacle choir. He looks at the motivation for singing.
Some groups simply prefer to play a tape or CD, while the members follow along.
The worship leader should pick five to six songs before the worship starts. Or the worship leader
might invite group members to select the songs before the worship time and then sing them in
sequence. I think it's best to concentrate on God during the entire worship time, rather than
stopping and starting to pick the song. I also like to intermingle praise and prayer between songs.
Don't limit the worship time to just singing songs. At a cell-groups seminar, one participant shared,
"It's important to go beyond singing songs. Our group has experienced God's presence through
reading Psalms together, praying sentence prayers, or even waiting in silence."
Go for It
Make your group God-sensitive, while asking him to show you how to reach non-Christians. Put
him first in your group, and he'll give you a new, dynamic atmosphere that will both edify the
saints and evangelize the unbelievers.
Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today International.

Worshiping in Your Small Group (by bro. nomer luque)

Worshiping in Your Small Group
by Lynn Mather Breitenbach
Worship in a small group setting can be very different than in the large group setting,
especially if you have folks who are insecure about their own worshiping. The first thing
to do is to put people at ease by letting them know that we are all beginners in worship.
Then help them by having a structure prepared to help them worship. Then model what
you want your small group to do. This may mean that you have to step out of your own
comfort zone. Use this as a challenge to grow deeper in worship.
It might be wise to have a discussion or Bible study on worship one evening in your
small group and then end your meeting in worship. The following is a suggested outline
for a discussion on worship. Here are nine general statements about worship:
1) Worship is inseparable from life.
2) Worship flows out of redemption.
3) Worship is Christ-centered.
4) Worship recognizes Christ's worthiness.
5) Worship involves prayer.
6) Worship is a blending of man and God.
7) Worships speaks to God of God.
8) Worship is celebration.
9) Worship is eternal.
Use this as an outline for discussion. You don't have to use them all; choose which ones
you wish to discuss in your group. Share the statement and ask a series of questions about
that statement. For example,
"Worship is inseparable from life." How is worship inseparable from life? Can you think
of a Scripture that says that? How is this statement true in your own life?
Source: http://www.eagleflight.org

7 Ways to Get Our Church Into the Praying Field (by ptr. ronnie barrion)

7 Ways to Get Our Church Into the Praying Field
Ask any congregation of Christ-followers if they think that prayer is important, and all heads will
nod in unison. Ask that same group how many are committing daily time to prayer (i.e. in the
"closet,"), and very few hands will go up.
Stop and think for a moment about what this prayerlessness means. It means that most believers
are not praying for the salvation of their lost friends or for the spiritual protection of their children.
It means that they're allowing unconfessed sins to build up in their lives and that they're cheating
God of thanksgiving and praise. It means that they're not interceding for pastors, missionaries,
Christian leaders, government officials, schoolteachers and hurting friends.
1. Set a Good Example
Are you known as a person who prays? According to Acts 6, prayer was one of only two activities
for which the early church's leaders insisted on protecting their time. You may never be able to
lead like John Maxwell, speak like Andy Stanley, evangelize like Rick Warren or write like John
Ortberg—but there's nothing holding you back from praying like the best of them! Determine
today that you are going to excel at praying.
2. Pray as a Staff
Our focus is usually on ministry concerns, although personal issues also surface. We try to keep
the sharing of prayer requests to 20 minutes, so that the majority of our time is spent in actually
praying.
And when we pray, we pray!! We break into groups of three or four and pour out our hearts to
God. The room in which we meet rumbles with the sounds of intercession. Gently rebuke any
groups that don't get right to it, or that stop before the time is up to chit-chat. This is serious
business!
The staff that prays together stays together.
3. Teach Regularly on the Topic of Prayer
America OnLine website recently published a list of "Top 10 How To's" its users expressed a
desire to know more about. One of the surprises on the list was: "How to Pray."
Is it possible that the people in our churches don't pray more than they do because they just don't
know how to pray? Interestingly, this is the only activity that Jesus' disciples ever asked their
Master to teach them how to do! (See Luke 11:1.) How often do you preach about prayer,
complete with user-friendly suggestions for getting started?
4. Include Prayer Exercises in the Worship Services
What other exercises can you create that would engage your congregations in prayer? How about
asking them to pray for three unbelieving friends? Or what about listing the nine fruits of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22, 23), inviting everyone to choose one that is conspicuously lacking in their lives,
and then instructing them to ask God for more of this particular quality.
5. Weave Prayer Throughout Leadership Meetings
Most of us wouldn't dream of starting a meeting with our staff or elders or volunteer ministry
leaders without "opening in a word of prayer." Similarly, at the conclusion of these gatherings, we
faithfully ask someone to "close us with a word of prayer." Prayer gets reduced to a mere
formality—like singing the "Star Spangled Banner (US National Anthem)" before a ballgame.
6. Train Small Group Leaders to Protect Time for Prayer
Small Group gatherings can often operate in a similar fashion to the leadership meetings I just
described. Prayer is used only as an opener and closer; the agenda, in this case, is Bible study.
Nothing wrong with that. But, unfortunately, it's often the only thing that a Small Group gets
around to. When time runs out on the clock, somebody quickly wraps things up with a brief prayer,
and that's it.
Small Group leaders must be trained to protect time for prayer. Occasionally, they should frontload
the praying so that it takes place before the Bible study component. They should set a limit on how
much time is spent "sharing" prayer requests versus actually praying. They should be given
creative lines with which to introduce prayer, so that it's not always: "Anybody got anything to
pray about?" (Try one of these: "What's the biggest challenge you face this week?" "Which
member of your family is in greatest need of prayer? Why?" "How does God want you to grow
these days?")
And don't limit praying in your Small Groups to intercession for each other. What about times of
thanksgiving, or confession, or praise?
We lack the basic vocabulary with which to praise God. We know a handful of his attributes—at
most.
Interestingly, there are over 250 names and titles and attributes by which God goes in Scripture.
Over 250! That's a lot to praise God for. Get a hold of that list and start praying it back to
God—and then teach others to do the same.
7. Provide Prayer Counselors at the End of Worship Services
Provide a number of prayer counselors who stand across the front of our auditorium and are
available to intercede for those who will come forward. This is not merely an evangelistic
invitation—although some who come for prayer end up putting their trust in Christ. People also
approach our prayer counselors because they are wrestling with the topic that was just addressed in
the sermon, or because there are struggles in their personal lives.
Try to serve as a role model to the congregation.
George MacDonald, the 19th-century novelist, said that a runaway boy may head for home
because he is hungry—but, ultimately, he needs his mother more than dinner. In the same way, our
needs may drive us to pray, but we need Christ even more than answers to our prayers.
Source: churchleaders.com/

Building prayer momentum (by sis. cely alidio)

Building prayer momentum
by Joel Comiskey
The programs in many churches are so effective and self-sufficient that there seems to be no need for prayer. As long as the
worship team performs, the pastor preaches a relevant message, and the administration flows without a hitch, everyone feels
satisfied. Dependence on slick programs is a North American norm. As you examine these churches, however, you’ll notice a
fatal flaw: the lack of transformed lives. There is no power. God seems to be controlled by the church's programs as well.
You can build a church without prayer and even grow numerically. But it will be a weak church that lacks power.
Transfigured lives will be the exception, rather than the norm. I prefer the type of church that breathes New Testatment life
from every pore. The only proven way to accomplish this is through prayer. Would Jesus rebuke some of our churches today
for their prayerlessness? Would He have to cast out some of the moneychangers who peddle programs, rather than God?
Would he need to remind us, “My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers” (Matthew
21:12)?
Dedicate Yourselves to Prayer
Because ICM church has grown from 70 cell groups in 1991 to 20,000 cell groups today, pastors flock to that church, hoping
to capture something that will make their churches grow. Pastor Castellanos says that some pastors change their name to
Charismatic, hoping that the anointing of God will fall from heaven because of the name change.
Some copy the furniture or the precise administrative structure of the church.
Those who try to copy the method miss the main point. The secret behind the amazing success of the International
Charismatic Mission is their commitment to prayer. God is in the midst of their amazing success.
Only God can grant success. Cells are simply the instruments of God’s mighty power. We must not trust our methodology;
rather, we must trust the living God. Only God can grant us success. God uses the cell church, but He refuses to be used by it.
Let us remember that our God is the God of the church. We must humbly come to Him, asking Him to use us.
Paul wrote the Colossian epistle at the end of his saying, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”
(Colossians 4:2). The Greek word for devote literally means to attend constantly. To illustrate his point Paul uses the example
of Epaphras, “. . . who is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully
assured” (Colossians 4:12). Epaphras labored fervently and constantly for the believers in Colosse. We must continually cry
out, “Lord, make us like Epaphras!” Most people immediately agree that prayer is very important. But many do not
understand how to create a church of prayer. Like one desperate seminar participant blurted out, “How do I make prayer the
foundation of my church?” It’s so much easier to talk about prayer than to pray. Allow me to offer a few suggestions.
Follow the Leader
In 1998 our entire pastoral team visited ICM. We were privileged to eat lunch with Pastor César Fajardo and his wife Claudia.
During the course of our conversation, Pastor Fajardo looked straight at my senior pastor and said, “Your church will never
pray beyond your example, pastor.” This not only sliced into the heart of my senior pastor but deeply moved each pastor
present. We left Bogota that year with a firm commitment to dedicate ourselves to prayer. We realized that if the generals
were not praying, the army wasn’t going to go near the battlefield. Now things have changed. We’re no longer telling the
troops what to do from behind comfortable desks. We as pastors are intimately involved in the prayer life of the church. Each
staff pastor leads a three-hour segment of weekly prayer in the church—including the senior pastor. Peter Wagner says it so
well,
The senior pastor must take direct charge of the corporate prayer ministry of the church. The day-to-day implementation of
various aspects of the prayer ministry can be delegated to the church prayer leader and others, but if the pastor is not
perceived by the congregation as the supreme leader of corporate prayer, it will not fly as it should.
This doesn’t mean the senior pastor needs to do everything related to prayer. I was recently in a dynamic, growing cell church
in Wimberley, Texas called Cypress Creek Church. Rob Campbell, the founding pastor, understood the importance of prayer
from the very beginning. He not only exemplified prayer to the congregation through his personal example, but he also staffed
CCC based on the importance of intercession by bringing aboard a Pastor of Prayer, Cecilia Belvin, who has a wonderful gift
of intercession to lead the prayer ministry. The first recruitment call that Pastor Campbell made-- even prior to the official
launch of CCC-- was asking Cecilia to lead CCC's prayer ministry team. Today Cypress Creek Church has one of the most
vital prayer ministries I have ever seen.
Promote a Variety of Prayer Formats
Concentrate on cell ministry. But remember, prayer, is not another program. It is the life of the church. It is the atmosphere in
which Jesus Christ lives and works. Do your best to promote prayer at every level of the church. Here are few suggestions for
implementing prayer on many levels.
Twenty-Four Hour Prayer Meeting
I am committed to this idea and constantly promote it. This strategy has worked so well for us, and my prayer is that it will
work for you as well. I like it so much because those leading the charge are the generals—the pastors of the church. Allow me
to explain. A twenty-four hour prayer meeting takes place within the church one day each week (although we now have an 18
hour weekly prayer meeting because people simply didn’t come between 12 p.m. and 6 a.m.). Key leaders in the church take
turns leading the various prayer intervals. Those who attend the church (both cell and celebration) are encouraged to attend at
anytime during the prayer meeting. They might stay for fifteen-minutes, ½ hour, 1 ½ hours, or the entire three hour time
block. What matters most is that the pastors are praying.
We have six pastors in our church. Each pastor leads a three-hour interval to complete the eighteen hours. Here’s our
example:
6-9 a.m.: Pastor 1 in charge
9-12 a.m.: Pastor 2 in charge
12-3 p.m. Pastor 3 in charge
3-6 p.m.: Pastor 4 in charge
6-9 p.m.: Pastor 5 in charge
9-12 p.m.: Pastor 6 in charge
I am not saying that only full-time workers can lead these prayer intervals. I do think it’s important, however, that key church
leaders lead a prayer segment. Sheep follow the shepherd. If prayer is important in the church, the people with influence must
demonstrate their commitment. Perhaps there is only one pastor in your church. If so, you could try to find key lay leaders
who could fill each block. I would recommend that only cell leaders should fill these posts, preferably cell leaders who have
multiplied their cells. As your church grows, you can then ask staff members to fill each block. It is essential that the senior
pastor take at least one segment. He must not delegate this area. The senior pastor must lead the charge, practically
demonstrating the priority of fervent prayer. Your prayer schedule may look like this:
6-9 a.m.: Senior pastor in charge
9-12 a.m.: Key leader in charge
12-3 p.m. Church board member in charge
3-6 p.m.: Key leader in charge
6-9 p.m.: Key leader in charge
9-12 p.m.: Church board member in charge
The three-hour prayer block can be divided into worship, prayer for individual needs, prayer for church needs, and prayer for
the country, the nation, and the world. I like to keep the group together during the time when I lead. Other pastors divide the
larger group into smaller groups. Wagner’s advice about praying in a group makes sense to me: “It is much wiser to stay with
the least common denominator and keep the large group as a large group” (footnote 1)
Wagner acknowledges that breaking up for the purpose of sharing intimate prayer requests can sometimes be beneficial, but it
can also make the prayer meeting seem mechanical and impose on people who would rather not break up in a smaller group
(footnote 2).
There is no right or wrong way to lead these prayer segments. The right way is what works for you. I do, however, have some
suggestions:
It’s a good idea to make a list of prayer requests. These hand-outs can be distributed to the newcomers.
Individual prayer requests can be shared in the group, but don’t allow the sharing time to become an end in itself. Limit the
sharing time and concentrate on the prayer time. One way to avoid filling all of your time with personal prayer requests is to
ask each person to pray their own prayer requests out loud and then recommend that one or two people mention those same
requests in prayer. Be sure to keep moving on to additional requests. At all times, maintain the momentum of prayer.
Make it the goal to pray 80% of the time and talk only 20% of the time.
Try to pray and worship non-stop for at least 45 minutes. Before starting a non-stop prayer time, explain to those present that
you will be praying without stopping for 45 minutes (sometimes it lasts longer). Grant them liberty to pick a song, read a
Scripture, pray more than once, etc.
After a period of non-stop prayer, allow newcomers to introduce themselves. Some people will need to leave at this time.
Normally, there is a constant flow of people as some enter and others go. The one constant is that the key leader or pastor
remains.
Initially, we offered a 24-hour prayer vigil every three months, but we craved more of God’s presence. If you plan to
implement this strategy, consider starting slowly, meeting every quarter, and then easing into a monthly prayer time with the
goal of providing a weekly prayer watch.
Let me warn you that you will not turn back the clock once you’ve tasted the benefits of a weekly prayer time. Since
converting to a weekly prayer watch, we’ve experienced new growth, protection, and power in our church. You will too. God
promises it: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their
wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). God will
provide new protection, new liberty, and a new atmosphere. Revivals start when God’s people seek His face earnestly. God
wants to do the same for you and your church if you will seek Him.
Again, effective leadership is the key to making this work. The foot soldiers will follow their commanding officers, but they
lose heart when leadership disappears. We have made it a rule that our staff pastors must be present for their full three-hour
block, unless sickness or death gets in the way. We believe strongly in delegation, but not in this area of ministry. Even if no
one from the congregation shows up, the pastor is on his knees praying.
We tell our pastors to turn off their cell phones and cancel their appointments during this time. Intercession is a serious
undertaking, and we know that Satan will do everything possible to distract, divert, and lead astray. We try to avoid being too
rigid and under rare circumstances, a pastor might ask a layperson to replace him, but it’s definitely the exception and not the
norm.
I like this prayer methodology so much because it maximizes freedom and flexibility. The career person who rushes off to
work in the morning can pray in the evening. The housewife who needs the extra time to prepare herself and children in the
morning can visit the church mid-day when the children are in the school.
We want as many people as possible to attend our day-long Friday prayer meeting and really emphasize the meeting in
church, but this is one area that we emphasize quality over quantity. We are encouraged by the fact that even if only the pastor
is in the church praying, we know that God will answer his prayers and that a new, fresh anointing will descend on our church.
We originally held these prayer meetings in the sanctuary but circumstances caused us to change the location. Now we meet
in a designated room that we call the "prayer room". It can hold approximately 20 people and there are normally between five
and fifteen people praying during each three-hour segment.
I recognize that holding a three-hour segment of prayer can be daunting to anyone, especially a lay person. The leader of each
part must be directive: asking individuals to pray, waiting in silence, singing praise choruses, sharing Bible verses, and
allowing various people to express their burdens. The routinization of the prayer time is by far a great danger than the fear of
the unknown. Part of the prayer process is to allow the dynamic of God’s Holy Spirit to break through.
Morning Prayer Meeting (s)
In 1996, I visited the International Charismatic Mission in Bogota Colombia for 10 days. The church allowed me to stay in a
converted sound room in the main sanctuary. The sound room was rather large, so the church converted it into an apartment
overlooking the stage. I could see everything and everyone in the church.
During those ten days, I didn’t need to use an alarm clock to wake-up in the morning. Every morning at 5 a.m. I woke up to
worship choruses singing: “Jesus, I love you, I praise You I adore You,”in Spanish It did not matter when I got to bed at
night. I was awakened at 5 a.m.
At ICM, the prayer meeting starts at 5 a.m. every day. Then another group of prayer warriors enter the church at 6 a.m.;
another at 7 a.m.. At 10 a.m., the last group finally leaves. Back in 1996, there were probably 500 people who prayed every
morning, although that number is much larger today. ICM also hosts an all-night prayer meeting every Friday.
The secret to the success of ICM is dependence on God through prayer.
At Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, Korea, the faithful arrive for prayer at 5:30 a.m. and they have a similar rotation to
ICM's .People are encouraged to come and pray every morning. I remember one April morning when I visited the YFGC
prayer meeting. That Monday, it was below freezing, ready to snow. I bundled up and went down to the main sanctuary at
5:30 a.m.. There I saw 3000 Korean saints crying out to God, “Give us Korea for Your Son Jesus, dear Lord.” I was amazed.
I realized the largest church in the history of Christianity was a praying church. This church was willing to pay the price in
prayer, and God was mightily blessing them as a result.
The early morning prayer session is a great way to get your church praying, if you can mobilize your members to attend. The
early morning schedule works well for many people, even if it means only staying for a short while.
Twenty-Four Hour Prayer Sign-up
One way to make prayer convenient for your church members is to allow them to pray at home in an organized fashion. A 24-
hour per day sign up promotes personal prayer and ministers to the needs of the congregation.
This type of prayer is especially effective when you want your church to pray for specific requests—a harvest event in the
church, reaching the goal of a specific number of cells, or just a fresh touch from God. Ask members to sign up on a list to
pray for particular needs on a non-stop basis. I would recommend asking each cell member to pray for ½ hour, which means
that you’ll need a total of forty-eight people praying. Administration of the various time slots is easier if the list is posted
during the celebration service, preferably at the cell information table (footnote 3).
Spontaneous Prayer Chains
Prayer chains are an excellent strategy to promote in your church. They are easy to start and work well in the background. In
other words, prayer chains do not require individual church members to come to the church in order to pray. They work just
as well at home, at work, or at school. How do you make a prayer chain work? First, promote prayer chains at the cell group
level. Each cell group will distribute names and phone numbers. Then, when a need arises, one cell member will call another
cell member and the cycle will continue until everyone is contacted. Unlike the twenty-four hour prayer sign up, prayer chains
are best administrated at the cell level.
All-Night or Half-night Prayer Meeting
All-night prayer meetings were quite common among the cell churches that I studied. Following the model of Yoido Full
Gospel Church, most of the growing cell churches in the world hold regular all-night prayer meetings. There are a wide
variety of formats for this model, so I suggest that you use your creativity. Here is a basic format:
8:00 p.m. Dynamic worship
9:00 p.m. Meditation from the Word of God
9:45 p.m. Individual meditation and confession of sin
10:15 p.m. Break into groups of four to pray for personal needs
10:45 p.m. Pray as a group for church needs
11:15 p.m. Pray as a group for the nations
12:00 a.m. Repeat the process until 6 a.m.
Prayer Retreats
You might want to establish prayer retreats in your church. The focus of such retreats is fervent prayer. Everything is centered
around seeking the living God for His blessing. Yoido Full Gospel Church has created an entire mountain called Prayer
Mountain. They converted a cemetery into a place of prayer and carved out hundreds of individual caves into the
mountainside. At the mountain they have a chapel—without seats (dedicated to prayer), lodging for those on prayer journeys,
and a restaurant—to help you break your fast. YFGC takes the spiritual battle seriously and has prepared diligently to sustain
the prayer dynamic over a long period. A bus leaves every half-hour from the mother church and transports prayer warriors
(many who are fasting) to Prayer Mountain.
Promote Prayer in the Cell Group
Praying cell groups are effective cell groups. The first place to promote prayer is in the cell group itself. Cell group leaders
need reminders that the cell group is not primarily a social time. Successful cell groups, rather, are flowing with the presence
of God. The presence of Jesus Christ is the key to cell group success. Take a look at a normal cell group:
Begins with prayer.
The cell leader asks Jesus to fill the cell with His presence (or better yet, asks someone in the group to open in prayer).
Worship time draws members into God’s presence.
Worship is a deep act of approaching the living God. It is also a form of prayer.
Prayer is interspersed in the worship and before the lesson.
One of the best ways to get people praying is to ask them to pray between songs. Call on individual members, but not
newcomers, to pray out loud between the songs.
Try to vary this time. During a normal worship time in my small group, we’ll sing a few songs without interruption, I’ll ask
different people to pray out loud, and then we will have a time of silent meditation. I never follow a rote order, but rather
depend on the Spirit of God to lead the group.
Members pray for one another after the lesson (God’s Word often pinpoints areas of need).
Be careful not to shorten the prayer time because of a long lesson. I’ve discovered that prayer requests often naturally surface
during the lesson time that you can later cover in the prayer request time.
5. Freedom for spontaneous prayer requests
I remember one cell that I visited. The leader asked each member to pick his or her favorite worship song. One member
named Theresa picked a song about renewal. After singing the song, Theresa began to sob saying, “I picked that song because
I desperately need renewal in my life. My non-Christian husband is talking about leaving me and he’s treating me like dirt. I
really need all of you tonight. Please pray for me.”
Immediately, the cell surrounded her and began lifting her up before the throne of God. Theresa left the cell group that
evening completely renewed.
6. Members pray for newcomers to attend the cell during the vision casting time.
Bethany World Prayer Center in Baker, Louisiana and Faith Community Baptist Church in Singapore have popularized the
practice of writing down the names of non-Christians and persistently praying for them to attend the cell group. This is a
helpful practice that I wholeheartedly endorse.
I recommend using a small white board to write down the names of non-Christian friends and relatives, but be sure to hide the
white board when those non-Christians visit your group to avoid offending them.
Individual Prayer
Spiritually strong cell group leaders are the most effective cell group leaders. We must remember that it is not by might, nor
by power, but by the Spirit of God. I constantly tell my cell leaders to stop preparing the cell lesson at least ½ hour before the
cell meeting starts. Why? So that they will seek God and ask for His blessings on their cell groups.
True success in cell groups and cell churches comes from God. The secret is not the cell structure, the cell order, or the cell
pastor—it is the blessing of the Almighty God upon the congregation. God spoke to Jeremiah saying, “But let him who boasts
boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on
earth, for in these I delight,” (Jeremiah 9:24). I encourage churches to spot, develop, and release spiritual people—those who
depend on God and know how to seek His face. Other leadership characteristics can help but spirituality is the chief
requirement.
Some have accused the G-12 strategy as being nothing more than a Christian pyramid system. Nothing could be further from
the truth. I remember talking to a very successful multi-level marketing man who had made millions. This man converted to
Christianity and happened to come in contact with one of the largest G-12 churches in the world. He felt he could build a
large church because of his experience. He soon discovered, however, that he lacked the spiritual power to make it work. It
wasn’t about following the latest technique. When I spoke with him, he had failed miserably and was on his knees before God
asking for His special guidance. He realized he had to pay theprice in prayer to gain the needed power.
Just Do It
After all of our struggles at the Republic Church, we had become experts at teaching on prayer without praying. We finally
became tired of talking and decided to start doing. We had to commit ourselves to become doers. My advice is to start doing
something. You might need to adjust along the way, but start doing something .
The key question that you must ask yourself is this: are we praying? If you cannot say yes to this question, I give you three
words of advice—Just Do It. The most important thing is not that you do it right, but that you do something. Some people
criticized D.L. Moody for his bold style of evangelism. The evangelist responded, “You might be right, but I prefer what I’m
doing to what you’re not doing.” Prayer methodologies and strategies abound. But none of them matter if you are not actually
praying as a church
Source: http://www.joelcomiskeygroup.com/articles/churchLeaders/churchLeaders.htm

How Intercessory Prayer Can Revolutionize Your Small Group (by sis. mayette dimaculangan)

How Intercessory Prayer Can Revolutionize Your Small Group
by Joel Comiskey
Mark, a cell member in Melbourne , Australia had a rotten attitude towards John, his cell leader and vocalized his feelings to
others in the group. John and his wife, Nicole, in an act of humility, committed themselves to pray daily for Mark, declaring
positive words over him and sending cards of appreciation to him and his family.
Week after week the walls slowly crumbled. One day, John called Mark’s office and was told that he was sick and at home.
During the lunch break, John visited Mark, praying for him and giving him a big hug before leaving. Mark broke down and
confessed his mean spirit and selfishness. He gave John full permission to speak into his life. Today, they are best friends and
Mark is now a cell leader under John and doing very well!
Intercession for Group Members
My Ph.D. study of 700 cell leaders in eight countries revealed that one of the chief factors behind fruitful cell groups that
multiply was the cell leader’s intercessory prayers for group members. The survey revealed that prayer for group members
was the leader’s most important work to unify and strengthen the group in preparation for multiplication. Those small group
leaders who prayed daily for group members were twice as likely to multiply their small groups than those who only prayed
occasionally.
Praying daily for a cell member transforms the leader’s relationship with him or her. Through prayer, the healing balm of the
Holy Spirit breaks the strongholds of bitterness and unforgiveness. A oneness develops through the bonding power that prayer
creates. Paul writes: “For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly
you are and how firm your faith in Christ is” (Colossians 2:5). This verse indicates that it’s possible to be present “in spirit”
with someone through prayer. [1]
I encourage cell leaders to tell cell members, “I’m praying daily for you.” It develops an immediate spiritual relationship with
that person. After praying for members in private, I encourage cell leaders to pray aloud for cell members during the meeting.
As Marjorie, for example, prays for each member during the meeting, her pastor’s heart is evident. Her prayers are so specific
and personal, yet she doesn’t reveal confidential matters. She warmly lifts each person in the meeting before the throne of
God. Marjorie knows her flock, and they are willing to follow her. This type of prayer tells members that the leader cares for
them and desires to minister to their needs. It’s also an excellent way to model intercessory prayer.
Marjorie’s example encouraged everyone to press on. Because she had paid the price in intercessory prayer, she was able to
meet the needs of those around her. She could immediately connect with the group and meet the needs of each member.
Intercession and Spiritual Protection
Christ prayed for the protection of His disciples in John 17: 15: “ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that
you protect them from the evil one.” The devil wants to destroy the lives of every member in the group. The principal job of
the cell leader, therefore, is to provide supernatural protection through intercessory prayer.
As the leader lifts up the members in daily prayer, the members will feel it and receive Christ’s protection. C. Peter Wagner ’s
book Prayer Shield, details the necessity of protective prayer for other Christians, teaching not only how to pray for others but
also how to recruit it. [2] Every level of leadership needs to develop a prayer shield and also form part of someone else’s
prayer shield. To protect cell members in prayer, various steps should be taken:
1. Properly discern the needs of the person
2. Enter the prayer battleground on behalf of the person
3. Pray persistently and fervently for his or her needs.
4. Rejoice when God answers prayers.
Janet, a member of our home cell group, struggled with emotional and physical abuse in her childhood. We spent hours with
her, trying to help unravel the dark web of fear and self-condemnation. One night on the phone, Janet told me she just
couldn’t handle it anymore and that she was leaving the church and our small group.
We prayed and prayed, not knowing if we’d ever see her again. But God was faithful to answer our prayers. Eventually Janet
resurfaced and continued to walk in holiness. Janet was not only able to overcome her own inadequacy, but she is also helping
others overcome their problems through effective cell leadership.
Satan, the prince of this world, refuses to relinquish control without a battle. The Bible reminds us that, “Our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against . . . the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms” (Ephesians 6:12 ). Intercessory prayer is spiritual warfare and demands battle-like persistence to conquer enemy
strongholds.
God is looking for prayer warriors who will stand in the gap on behalf of others. He’s looking for those who will persist until
the job gets done—until the fruit of persistence prayer has found its fulfillment.
Intercession for Evangelism
Small group evangelism techniques abound. In previous books I’ve written about small group picnics, barbeques, videos in
the cell, praying over an empty chair, and other evangelistic methods. I have a growing conviction, however, that prayer is so
much more effective that it makes all the other strategies pale in comparison. Sustained intercessory prayer is the nuclear side
of the Christian’s evangelistic armament.
When God’s people pray fervently and wholeheartedly, God Himself releases supernatural power and miracles take place.
One cell leader said, “The place I was staying was rife with witchcraft and poverty. I initiated prayer action within my cell
which grew to . . . 5 cells. When the powers in the air are broken, the light of God shines magnificently bringing healing and
redemption to all the hurting and destitute.” [3]
Effective cells and cell leaders are dedicated to prayer. They recognize the most effective tool to win non-Christians is fervent
prayer. They understand that it’s a spiritual battle and that no one will be won to Jesus Christ apart from the supernatural
intervention of the Holy Spirit. He is the One that gives victory and heals hearts. Only Jesus can set the captives free and
make a person whole.
Recently in my own cell meeting, Shaun shared, “Please pray for my eighteen year old son, Jeremy. He received Jesus as a
boy, but now he’s taking drugs, in-and-out of jail, and on the verge of suicide.” We as a cell committed ourselves to pray for
Jeremy every day. During the Thursday morning prayer meeting, I sensed a relief in my spirit as I prayed for Jeremy, as if
something was going to happen.
The next day Jeremy’s mom, Gina, called saying that Jeremy out of nowhere mentioned his need to get right with God. We
invited Jeremy to our church camp the following Saturday night, and he came with his girlfriend. God moved in Jeremy’s life
and the following week after camp, Jeremy starting attending a Bible study—the first time in seven years.
Intercession as a Group
The best way to mobilize the entire group to intercede for pre-Christians is by asking each member to write down the names
of friends, relatives, or contacts with the purpose of praying for their salvation. It’s a great idea to then write the names of
each member on a large poster and ask the entire group to pray in unison for the names on the poster. The Faith Community
Baptist Church training manual exhorts potential cell leaders to, “Make mention of your unbeliever friends in the cell
meetings. Encourage all the cell members to pray for them daily. God will answer these prayers.” [4]
Intercession for New Leaders
Along with praying for non-Christian friends, pray also for those who will start the new cell group. Avoid prayers of doubt
here—“Lord, if it be your will to multiply this cell group …” The faithful cell member prays believing that multiplication is
God’s will (2 Peter 3:9-10; 1 Timothy 2:4-5).
Scott Kellar began to lead his cell group in Escondido , CA in the year 2000 and has been leading a cell group ever since.
He’s multiplied his cell four times and personally cares for the cell leaders he has developed. Scott believes that the key to his
success is praying fervently for each member in the group.
Scott began to pray for Melissa, one of the members of his small group. After praying for her for two months, he approached
Melissa about the possibility of one day leading a cell. She flatly refused with the words, “I’m not ready.” Scott continued to
pray for her, asking God to open her heart. He waited for six months and then approached her with the same question about
cell leadership. “Sure,” she replied. Now Melissa is successfully leading her own cell and Scott continues to coach her and her
husband. Scott continually lifts up Melissa in prayer, knowing that the devil would like to attack Melissa’s ministry.
Floyd L. Schwanz addresses “How to Birth New Groups” in his book, Growing Small Groups. He counsels cell leaders to
“get their group pregnant.” How? Through prayer. He advises cell leaders to include a prayer in each week’s meeting for
those who will help start a new group. He says, “It gives the Holy Spirit an additional opportunity to work with the hearts of
potential leaders.” [5]
Intercession for World Missions
The scope of the small group’s intercessory prayer must invade the unreached people of the earth. God is calling His church
worldwide to intercede on behalf of the unreached masses of the world, especially those living in the “10/40 Window.” This is
the geographical rectangle between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude in which 90 percent of the unreached people
groups live.
I visited one key U.S. cell church that asked each of the cell groups to conclude with intercessory prayer for the unreached
peoples of the world. To that end, they’ve developed an excellent series of prayer profiles on unreached groups for other
churches and cell groups to use.
Intercession and Fasting
Carl Everett , director of BCCN at Bethany World Prayer Center , started out by leading a cell group. His cell multiplied
several times, and each daughter cell grew and prospered. Carl boils down the secret to his success into three words: “Prayer,
prayer, prayer.”
Cell preparation for Carl and his wife, Gaynel, includes fasting and prayer the day of the cell meeting. Before the meeting,
they anoint the food, the sidewalks, the yard, every room in the house, even each seat to be used that night. Carl prays for the
members and for God’s anointing on his own life. They wait until after the meeting (during the refreshment time) before
eating.
The Everetts ’ example is not unusual at Bethany , where cell leaders are encouraged to fast and pray before the cell meeting.
Some fast the whole day, others until 3 p.m. , some may skip one meal. Carl says, “It is important to mobilize as many from
the group as possible to fast and pray.”
Fasting and prayer are a dual threat to the enemy. The devil leaves when we pray but flees when we fast and pray. The
believer enters a new level of commitment and dedication—a dedication that even involves laying aside personal pleasure and
enjoyment.
Omar Cabrero is the founder of the Church of the Future in Buenos Aires , Argentina . His small group based church is one of
the largest in Argentina with approximately 150,000 members in 188 churches. [6] Omar discovered that the best way to
evangelize people was to rent a hotel room in a city for the purpose of fasting and prayer. For days, he would engage in
spiritual warfare for the people of the city until he felt they were released from Satan’s grip. When he sensed that God’s work
had already been accomplished, he would then begin an evangelistic campaign, in which thousands upon thousands then
received Jesus both as savior and Lord.
When we fast, we enter the presence of the living God in a more in-depth, personal way. Fasting helps us to hear God’s voice
because we become more sensitive to Him. It clears up the cobwebs in our brain and helps us see with spiritual eyes. It also
provides additional power to intercede for those who need it most.
Creative Intercessory Prayer
Cells quickly slip into “program mode” unless they are spiritually alive through prayer, and thus, effective cell leaders
promote prayer within the cell group. “Cells are merely a conduit through which the Holy Spirit flows,” I often tell our cell
leaders. Prayer, like every other participatory event in the cell group, brings unity and encouragement to the cell members.
There is not one “right” way to mobilize cell members to pray, and flexibility helps avoid the boredom of a routine. A small
group leader can:
Break into groups of two or three. This allows more people to enter into prayer and is less intimidating for quieter members.
Train the group to pray short, conversational prayers that provide greater interaction and agreement. This allows more people
to pray and helps prevent one person from dominating.
Ask individual cell members to intercede.
Try using “concert prayer.” C. Peter Wagner describes this as “all those present in the prayer meeting pray out loud at the
same time.” [7] Korean Christians have popularized this style of prayer. In Cho’s church, the leader gives the signal to begin,
and a roar of prayer floods the church until a bell signals that it’s time to quit.
Divine Desperation
The world’s largest church in the history of Christianity can teach us that intercessory prayer. When I visited the church in
April 1997, I estimated that there were 253, 000 people attending the mother church along with 25,000 cell groups. Someone
had told me before going to Korea that the Yoido Full Gospel Church was in decline. I thought to myself, If this is decline,
what does church growth look like!
It wasn’t until the next morning that I understood the secret of the success of this great church. It was lightly snowing that
Monday morning in April. I bundled up and went down to the main sanctuary at 5:30 a.m. in the morning. There I saw 3,000
Korean saints on their knees crying out to God. “Give us Korea for Your Son Jesus, dear Lord.” I realized that the largest
church in the history of Christianity was a praying church. This church was willing to pay the price in prayer, and God was
mightily blessing them as a result.
That same Monday morning I took a bus to Prayer Mountain , a former cemetery converted into a mountain of prayer. An
estimated 10,000 people pass through this prayer mountain every week. The Yoido Full Gospel Church has carved hundreds
of caves into the side of this mountain for the purpose of prayer. It was exciting to walk by the prayer caves and hear the cries
of God’s people ascending to the throne of God. These Korean believers reminded me of Epaphras, a person who Paul said,
“is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Colossians
4:12 ). The verb “wrestle” in this verse literally means to agonize. This is what I need, I said to myself. I lack fervency. I need
to wrestle more with God in prayer. Compared to the Korean Christians, my prayer life was halfhearted. I left Korea inspired
to bolster the fervency of my prayer life.
Until cell leadership is convinced that only God can convert a non-Christian and raise up new leaders, very little will happen.
Trite moments of prayer in a cell group are incapable of breaking the spirit of lethargy in a cell. It’s like praying for food at a
restaurant—mindless. Before prayer can make a difference in the cell, the cell leadership must “know that they know” that
unless God breathes His life into our methodologies, they are just wood, hay, and stubble. When Jesus saw the pressing needs
of the multitude, He didn’t tell the disciples to initiate the latest evangelism-training program. Rather, he commanded them to
“Ask the Lord of the harvest ... to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38 ).
Intercessory prayer is hard work. It requires hard work and persistence. Yet the fruit of it is renewed members and salvation.
At times you’ll want to give up. Don’t. God is hearing your prayers and is pleased with them. In His time the answer will
come—quickly.
http://www.joelcomiskeygroup.com/articles/basics/basics.htm

Functions of a Small Group Leader (by bro. cloyd castro)

Functions of a Small Group Leader
Neil F. McBride (How to Lead Small Groups)
1. Listening—Being a good listener, really hearing what people have to say.
2. Leading discussion—Guiding, or teaching others how to guide, effective discussions.
3. Enabling group decision making—Helping the group make choices at various points in
its corporate life.
4. Understanding and leading group process—Being knowledgeable and skilled in
facilitating group dynamics.
5. Practicing (modeling) openness and caring—Setting the example by being honest and
empathetic, and actively seeking ways to assist group members.
6. Dealing with conflict and problems—Guiding the group to confront and resolve
interpersonal strife and general difficulties.
7. Following up members outside of group meetings—Expressing concern for them at
various times apart from regular meetings.
8. Attending planning and learning opportunities for group leaders—When applicable,
participating in the training and organizational meetings of any existing larger overall
groups' program.
9. Evaluating progress—Making judgments and decisions about various aspects of the
group's existence and accomplishments.
Source: http://www.eagleflight.org/ministrycentral/sglead3.html

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Leading Small Groups (by ptr. vher cabarlo)

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Leading Small Groups
"An important foundation undergirding the role of a small group leader is the place of
the Holy Spirit within the group. Simply put, He is the unseen, but present group member
and leader... (The leader's) role is to facilitate the Holy Spirit's ministry in the members'
lives through planning and guiding the group's activities...in condensed form, there are
seven ministries the Holy Spirit performs..."—Neil H. McBride, How To Lead Small
Groups, p. 22.
1) He indwells—Rom. 8:9-11
2) He guides—John 16:13
3) He teaches—John 14:26
4) He convicts—John 16:8
5) He intercedes—Rom. 8:26
6) He enables with spiritual gifts—1 Cor. 12:11
7) He unifies—Eph. 4:3
Source: http://www.eagleflight.org

8 Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders (by ptr. veron an)

8 Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders
The eight habits can take a small group leader, and those under him or her, to a new level.
Whether an apprentice leader, a novice small group leader, a seasoned leader, a coach of
small group leaders, a director of a district of groups, or a pastor of a large small group
ministry, the eight habits will work. These habits lead to fruitfulness and multiplication.
The eight habits will help leaders, and those under them, experience greater fulfillment in
ministry.
The eight habits of effective small group leaders are as follows:
1. Dream of leading a healthy, growing, multiplying group.
2. Pray for group members daily.
3. Invite new people to visit the group weekly.
4. Contact group members regularly.
5. Prepare for the group meeting.
6. Mentor an apprentice leader.
7. Plan group fellowship activities.
8. Be committed to personal growth.
Source: http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/spiritualformation/061213.html

BECOME THE PERSON GOD WANTS YOU TO BE, BECOME A CELL LEADER IN THE CHURCH (by ptr. ronnie barrion)

BECOME THE PERSON GOD WANTS YOU TO BE, BECOME A CELL LEADER IN
THE CHURCH
GIDEON in Judges 6-7
Judges 6:14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel
out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?“ (NIV)
Becoming a leader in our church is more important for it is in higher level, It is the highest
kingdom- the kingdom of God.
"God wants you to be useful person in His kingdom. God wants you to become a great leader in
His kingdom and in this country."
THE KIND OF LEADER GOD WANTS YOU TO BECOME.
HOW WILL YOU BECOME A GREAT, USEFUL, FRUITFUL LEADER IN THE CHURCH
OF THE LORD?
1. YIELD TO THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE A LEADER
2. BUILD AN ALTAR TO GOD IN YOUR LIFE
3. FOLLOW GOD'S CHANGES
4. MAINTAIN A GROWING FAITH IN GOD
1.YIELD TO THE CALLING OF GOD TO BE A LEADER
Judges 6:14-15
- Don't resist the call of God
- Don't excuse yourself from the call of God
2. BUILD AN ALTAR TO GOD IN YOUR LIFE
Judges 6:24-32
- altar is for worship to God
- demolish other altars ( TV, computer, house, gimmick, malling )
- come to the altar everyday ( devotion )
3. FOLLOW GOD'S CHANGES
Judges 6:12
FROM A FARMER TO A MIGHTY WARRIOR
a. PERSONALITY
- from timid and fearful to strong and courageous
b. CHARACTER
c. SCHEDULE
d. HABITS
- forget your old identity
- depart from carnality
4. MAINTAIN A GROWING FAITH IN GOD
Judges 7:1-8
- your faith must always develop and grow
- expect challenges. Bigger challenges build bigger faith
CONCLUSION:
THE DELIVERANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES FROM OPPESSIONS AND CORRUPTIONS
DEPENDS SO MUCH ON THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRISTIANS TO BECOME USEFUL
AND FRUITFUL LEADERS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Source: www.clhcc2009.blogspot.com