Cell group series

The call to leadership is an ongoing model found in the

Word. If we are to become great leaders, we need the
best possible spiritual habits.
Charles Spurgeon said:
“Go not to minister in the temple till you have
washed in the laver. Think not to be a messenger of
grace to others till you have seen the God of grace for
yourselves, and had the word from his mouth… Texts
will often refuse to reveal their treasures till you open
them with the key of prayer.”1
It is in prayer and meditating on the Word that the most
1. Spurgeon, C. H. (2013) intimate secrets and hidden treasures of heaven are
Lectures to my students:
Addresses delivered revealed to us. We need to find those treasures so that
to the students of the
Metropolitan Tabernacle.
we can communicate them to our disciples.
Volume 1. USA:
Delmarva Publications. This study guide is divided into 3 stages - just like the
book Under Construction - and covers a 6-week period.
We will spend two weeks focusing on each stage:
 DESIGN FOUNDATIONS ROOMS

God doesn’t do anything Foundations are the most Each room has a specific
by accident; He has essential part of any building. purpose and represents
designed our lives with Paul wrote to the church at the things that have
a clear purpose in mind. Corinth: become priorities in our
We will spend the first “Their work will be shown for what it is, lives.
because the Day will bring it to light. It
two weeks looking at will be revealed with fire, and the fire will
We will spend the last
His design, based on test the quality of each person’s work. If
two weeks looking at
the first four chapters what has been built survives, the builder
will receive a reward.” our priorities and seek-
of Under Construction: (1 Corinthians 3:13-14)
ing the direction of the
Your beginning, Your
Our lives need to be found- Holy Spirit to help us
name, Change of plan
ed on the Word of God. For put them in order, while
and Jump.
this reason, we will spend looking at the following
the next two weeks studying chapters: The room,
the chapters: Your ground, Family, The waiting room
Anchored, Different and Your and Houses of light.
door.
How to organize
the cell meeting

Each cell meeting lasts one hour and is divided into the
following sections:

1. Introduction
2. ? (Break the ice)
3. + (Teaching)
4. = (Application)
5. Prayer
How to use
the study guide

This guide provides you with five sections for each week
(Preparation, ?, +, = and Prayer), more details to follow.
Read each week completely and use the material as an
aid to help you prepare for your cell meeting. The idea is
to understand the theme and to structure the meeting
as you feel fit, rather than simply reading out what is in
the guide. This will allow you to make the theme your
own and your disciples will not see it as “somebody else’s
material.”
Preparation

This section is just for you. Before building something

together as a cell group, you need to make sure that
you have all the materials necessary for completing the
work successfully. It is important that you are constantly
learning and growing.
God said to Abraham: “Walk before me faithfully and be
blameless” (Genesis 17:1). In Luke 6:40, the Lord tells us,
“Everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.”
Contact with the Word and studying it in depth allow us
to be perfected in Him. In 1 John 2:5, Paul teaches us that
“…whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly
been perfected” (NASB).
As leaders, we need to allow ourselves to be perfected
in God, walk before Him and be blameless. For this to
happen, the study of the Word needs to become the
cornerstone of every construction.
This section contains a brief summary of the biblical and
historical context surrounding the chapters of the week,
to help you better understand the context around the
teaching.

Introduction
(3 MINUTES)

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a

wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one
should build with care” (1 Corinthians 3:10).
 Every two weeks, you will find a video introducing the
theme with a short reflection on the corresponding stage.
You can play this from any device with internet access
(smartphone, tablet or computer). Watch the video
ahead of time to become familiar with the content and
the theme for the week, and make sure there is internet
connection in the place where you will be meeting. It
would be a good idea to have a back up plan in case you
have any technical problems.

? (Break the ice)

(5 MINUTES)

Here you will either find conversation questions that

allow your cell group to better understand the material,
or activities that involve everyone and help them connect
to the theme for the week.

+ (Teaching)
(20 MINUTES)

This section contains the main teaching from each chapter,

the key points and how to develop them.
It also includes the rhema verse for the cell meeting.
Study the verse on your own and reflect on it ahead
of time so that it can enrich the teaching. You will need
to memorize this verse with your cell group each week.
Encourage your disciples to practice each week’s verse
until they can say it correctly ten times over without
 looking at the Bible. Before you learn a new verse, go
over those already learned together.

= (Application)
(15 MINUTES)

This section contains a practical challenge to help us apply

what we have learned during the meeting in a creative
way. This will allow each person to be immersed in the
Word and challenged to put it into practice.

Prayer
(5 MINUTES)

This is the time to place everything we have learned in

God’s hands so that He can be the One who touches
every heart. You will find some key points in this section
to help you lead your disciples during this important time.
Each week…

Keep these four points in mind to help you prepare for each
cell meeting:

1. Pray for the cell group: Set aside time each week to seek
the direction of the Holy Spirit, intercede for your disciples
and place your study of the Word, your preparation, and
the session itself into His hands.

2. Prepare the theme: Study the outline for the teaching,

read the corresponding chapters in Under Construction,
consider the context and dig deep in your personal Bible
study. The better you prepare, the greater fruit you will see
in the lives of your disciples.

3. Get the place ready: It is important to have the best

location with the best possible conditions for your cell
meeting. Make sure that the place where you meet is
suitable for your disciples to receive the message and to
carry out all the activities without any problems.

4. Prepare your materials: Check what recourses you need

for each week and get them ready ahead of time so that
you can do all of the activities without problems.
 DESIGN

WEEK 1

Preparation
HISTORICAL CONTEXT

JEREMIAH
Jeremiah is the main character in the first two chapters of
Under Construction. His life reflects the fact that we have
CHAPTERS TO READ:
been designed and chosen by God.
Y o u r Jeremiah means: Raised up or appointed by God.
b e g i n n i n g
It is interesting how the first chapters talk about the
Your name
beginning, because every building begins when the
foundation is laid. The name Jeremiah means that God is
the One who lays our foundation.
We read about the spiritual state of Judah at the time in
Jeremiah 2.That generation was known for idolatry, turning
away from God and forgetting His commandments.
Jeremiah served as a priest and a prophet and was the
son of a priest named Hilkiah. His ministry was to his own
people in Judah, as well as to other nations.
His message was one of repentance to avoid the impending
judgment of God caused by the idolatry and other sins
he constantly saw among his people. He prophesied
 about who God would send to invade Jerusalem to bring
judgment and the devastating consequences that would
follow.
Passages to help you better understand the historical
context of the times Jeremiah was living in:
2 Kings 22 - 2 Kings 23 - 2 Kings 24 - 2 Kings 25
2 Chronicles 34 - 2 Chronicles 35 - 2 Chronicles 36

Introduction
3 MINUTES

Begin the session with the introductory video Week I.

?
5 MINUTES

Ask the group the following questions and use their

answers to help you guide the conversation. By the end
of the activity, they should understand that having a plan
is better than not having one:

1. What type of situations do you draw up a plan for?

2. How do you think those situations would turn out if

you had no plan?

3. Have you chosen a name for the plans God has

given you?
Choose 3 images of famous monuments or locations
around the world. Show the cell group a small part of
each one and ask them what they can see in the photo,
what they think the role or purpose of what they can
see is, etc.
After hearing their opinions, show them the whole picture
and tell them that God’s design for their lives is not about
the small part they can see right now, but rather a bigger
plan that He has for each one of them.

Example:
+
20 MINUTES

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you

were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to
the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).
There are 3 important things that need to happen in
our lives in order to begin a construction for God. The
first is that we need a change of name, because this
will determine the direction of our lives. The second is
attaining a new nature, which we can only receive from
the Holy Spirit. Lastly, we need to ask ourselves how
much we want God’s blessing. How much do we really
want the blessing, regardless of the price?

1. CHANGE OF NAME
Not only does the Lord have a plan for our lives, He also
has a name that will mark our destiny. Read Jeremiah 1
with your group and reflect together on the name God
has placed on each one of you.
The enemy seeks to make our nature the very opposite
of the name God has given us. It is important for us to
know that our name is connected to our character, which
is why the enemy tries to distance us from that nature
with all his might. This is why it is sometimes easy to
identify the name God has given us when we discover
the weaknesses we battle with (for example: Gideon
thought he was a coward, but God called him brave).
Explain that each person needs to be called by their true
name and that we often need to understand that our
name hides behind our fears and weaknesses.
2. NEW NATURE
The name Isaac means laughter. Page 45 of Under
Construction explains that there are two types of
laughter: one of unbelief and one of surprise. Sarah
experienced both and perhaps many in your cell group
have also done the same. Ask if anyone has experienced
both kinds of laughter.
Initially, Sarah’s joy depended on her situation and her
circumstances. Her laughter came because she did not
believe the words God had spoken to her; her unbelief
was a symptom of not having the right nature. That was
why God intervened with the name Isaac (laughter), to
remind Sarah that there is nothing impossible for Him.
In Genesis 18:15, Sarah told the Lord that she had not
been laughing, but the One who knows all things not only
confronted her doubt, but also her lie. Sarah had just lied
to the Lord Himself, who had come to visit her house!
We may be able to deny our unbelief to others, but we
will never be able to cover up our unbelief before God.
That was the moment when Sarah exchanged a nature
of unbelief for a nature of faith and trust in the promises
of God.

3. HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT?

There came a time when Jacob found that he was
completely alone.
This is one of the most difficult things for a person.
Nobody likes being alone, but sometimes God leads us
to that point, without help or advisers, so that we can
depend on Him completely. Jacob took years to get to
that place of total dependence on God. Nevertheless,
what he wanted most was the blessing. Everything he
had done, he had done to get the blessing. But it was only
 when he was alone and he asked the Lord His name that
he truly received the blessing.
Everything comes from knowing God personally. God has
supernaturally used the lives of many men and women,
simply because they had a close relationship with Him.
Jacob longed to be blessed, he refused to settle for what
he was, and he wanted the new that God had for him.
We need to ask ourselves how much we want to be
transformed, and how much we want the blessing of God.
When we are alone, we feel weak, and that is when the
Lord can do His work in our lives. He brings us to a place
of feeling alone, vulnerable and broken, so that we can
truly depend on Him. Sometimes, simply clinging on to
our own constructions is an obstacle that prevents God
from doing His work.
Ask the members of your cell group to think of what they
rely on that prevents them from completely surrendering
to God.

=
1 5 MINUTES

The goal of this time is to discover the plan of God for

each life and to represent that creatively.
Before the cell meeting, prepare 5 different colored card
cut-outs that represent the different areas in a person’s
life.
1. Spiritual: A cross
2. Personal: A medal or trophy
3. Family: A house
 4. Ministry: A flame
5. Work: Computer
Everyone should write on each of the cut-outs the goals
they want to see fulfilled in the next month, along with a
word that God has given them for each one.
Take a photo of the pictures and send them to all the
members of the cell group so that they can spend the
next month praying for God’s plans to become a reality.

Prayer
5 MINUTES

Guide people in prayer in the following ways:

1. God has a plan prepared and designed for the life
of each of your disciples. Ask the Holy Spirit to
reveal that plan to each of them so that they can
live in the plans of God.
2. God has given each one of them a name that
marks their nature. Pray for God to help them
understand that the name God has given them
defines their destiny.
 WEEK 2

Preparation
HISTORICAL CONTEXT

ABRAHAM
He was not always known as Abraham. He was born as
Abram. God had to change his name, and in so doing, He
also changed his nature. Abraham lived for 175 years, 95
CHAPTERS TO READ: of which he was known as Abram. When God changed
C h a n g e his name, he went from being known as Exalted father
of plan to become the Father of multitudes. This name change
J u m p represented a change in his nature and his plans.
Abraham is known as a hero of the faith and we have
heard so much about his great feats. Hebrews 11:17 tells
us that when he was tested, he offered his only son (the
son of the promise) and gave him to God, understanding
that He was powerful enough to raise him from the dead.
Abraham is a man from whom we can learn so much,
particularly what it means to be willing to change our
plans or to take a leap of faith at any moment in our lives.
Abram worshiped other gods and did not have the
knowledge of the true God (Joshua 24:2), but there
came a point in his life when God appeared to him and
changed all his plans. The first command the Lord gave
him was not an easy one: to leave his country, his people
and his father’s household, and go to the land God would
show him (Genesis 12:1).
When God appeared to Abram to call him and reveal
His plans to him, he was living in a city called Ur of the
Chaldeans (Genesis 11:28). This city is considered by
historians to be the cradle of civilization; it is thought that
 this was where people first gathered together in cities
and set themselves up as societies. Leaving the comforts
of the first and only civilization on the planet to head
toward a destination that was still unrevealed must have
been a great leap of faith.
Abram decided to believe God without hesitation and
left everything he knew behind - all that was familiar,
everything reliable, everything in which he trusted. As a
result, God called him His friend and he was justified by
his faith.
As well as reading the story of Abraham in Genesis 11-
25, you can discover more about his life in Acts 7:1-8,
Romans 4, Galatians 3:7-18 and Hebrews 11:8-19.

Introduction
3 MINUTES

?
5 MINUTES

You will need 4 images of internationally renowned

events or happenings that seemed negative at first, but
then ended up as great triumphs. Firstly, show the cell
group the images that represent the negative event and
ask them what name or headline they would give to the
picture. Once all of the images have been named, show
them how each situation turned out in the end.
Example:
 1. Picture of Cristiano Ronaldo in the Euro 2016
final.
2. But the plan for his life was different from the one
he must have imagined at that moment… (victory,
triumph, joy).

The goal of this cell meeting is to understand that the

plans of God are always better than our own and that
despite the many questions we may find ourselves asking,
God always has a better plan.
+
2 0 MINUTES

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Explain that this week will focus on the plans of God,
and how He is the expert at transforming difficult
circumstances for our good.

DECISION
Begin with this word: Decision. The root of this word
means: to cut off.
In order to make a decision in our lives, we need to cut
off everything that does not come from God.
A change of plan begins with an experience, and such an
experience requires us to make a decision to surrender
everything we are and have into God’s hands.
For some men of God, the experience began with the
change of plan God had for them. For example;
For Enoch, it was his son, an experience.
For Abraham, a promise, a +.
For Joseph, a tragedy, a ?
A+
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”
Isaiah 55:8.
Explain the meaning of God’s higher plans in Abraham’s
life: it seemed obvious that Isaac must have been God’s
higher plan. He was the son of the promise and the joy
of the house, but when God asked Abraham to sacrifice
Isaac, his spiritual eyes were opened and he came face to
face with God’s true higher plans. This higher plan looked
different from how Abraham might have imagined. God’s
higher plan is the cross.
It is at the cross that we find the provision of God for
every area of our lives. This provision is complete and
includes everything we need.

THE ?
Genesis 39:1-3
“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an
Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of
the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken
him there. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered,
and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his
master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord
gave him success in everything he did…”
Ask the members of your cell group to put themselves
in Joseph’s shoes. Ask some of them what they imagine
Joseph might have been thinking at different points in his
life, especially in critical moments:
• When he was sold as a slave by his brothers.
• When he was faithful in Potiphar’s house and was
put in charge of his entire household.
 • When he was unfairly put in prison (because he
decided not to sin).
• When time passed by and he remained in prison,
even though he did not deserve to be there.
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Everything the enemy wanted to do to harm Joseph, God
used for his good, and in the end, God’s plan was carried
out.
Jesus came to bring life to our ?s. Even though we do not
understand what is happening, and even though the enemy
tries to steal or destroy our dreams, Jesus will always come
to give abundant life to everything around us.
Tell the end of Joseph’s story - when he understood the
reason why he had to live through all of those difficulties
(see Genesis 45:5-9).
“Buddha never claimed to be God. Moses never claimed to
be Jehovah. Mohammed never claimed to be Allah. Yet Jesus
Christ claimed to be the true and living God.
Buddha simply said, ‘I am a teacher in search of the truth.’
Jesus said, ‘I am the Truth.’
Confucius said, ‘I never claimed to be holy.’ Jesus said, ‘Who
convicts me of sin?’ Mohammed said, ‘Unless God throws his
cloak of mercy over me, I have no hope.’ Jesus said, ‘Unless
you believe in me, you will die in your sins.’”2
In the midst of many ?s, we need someone to show us
which way to go. Our world is lost, our society doesn’t
know the way, and we need to recognize that we don’t
2. Creation Studies either. Jesus shows us a way out. Jesus is the path to the
Institute. Quotes About
Jesus Christ. [Online]. truth, the path to God, the path to coming face to face with
Available from: http:// eternity. He shows us the route, and there is no one better
creationstudies.org/
Education/quotes-about- than Him to go before us on the path; no one knows the
jesus.html. [Accessed 18
June 2017].
way better than He does because He is the way!
=
1 5 MINUTES

ENTERING THE DIMENSION OF +

We have learned that the “why” only places our eyes on

the past, while the purpose and the “for what reason” will
keep our eyes on His promise.
Ask your disciples to remember an occasion when God’s
plan was more incredible than the plans they had for
themselves - an idea they had that ended with God
actually surprising them with something much greater.
Take a sheet of card and divide it in two. On one part,
along with your disciples, write a short list of the ?s they
have had in the last three years - situations they have
lived through, in which they did not understand the why.
Next to each ?, they will write a +, and describe something
new and better that God has done for each ? that they
have had to live through (it is possible that some ?s are
still unresolved; encourage your disciples to trust that
God will do something amazing in that situation).
Divide the group into pairs and have them answer the
following questions:
1. What problems in my life have allowed me to
grow?
2. What paths have I taken in different areas of
my life without God’s direction? What were the
consequences?
 (Could be a job that took time away from God, a
journey without divine direction, etc.).
3. In what areas of our lives do we need specific and
straightforward direction?

Prayer
5 MINUTES

Lead the prayer time in the following way:

1. Pray that each person would be able to identify
the ?s they have had in their lives, and minister to
them if there are still wounds in their hearts. Lead
your disciples to release the will of God over their
lives, knowing that the plans of God are always
better than our own.
2. Pray for each disciple, asking the Holy Spirit to
reveal Himself to their lives and to allow them to
have a supernatural experience with God that will
change their lives completely.
 FOUNDATIONS

WEEK 3

Preparation
HISTORICAL CONTEXT

ELIJAH
During one of the most difficult and sorrowful periods
in the history of Israel, 1 Kings 17 introduces us to Elijah,
who was called to bring a challenging message to the
CHAPTERS TO READ: most powerful man in all Israel.
Anchored Elijah’s prophetic ministry begins during the reign of
Ahab (son of Omri), who governed the kingdom of Israel
between c. 874 and 853 BC. This king did more evil than
all his predecessors. Influenced by his wife Jezebel, he
killed many of the prophets of the true God, gave himself
over to idolatry and introduced the worship of Baal to
all Israel.
Israel had turned away from God in a hard-hearted and
painful way. They had never sunk so low. Fifty-eight years
had passed since the kingdom had been divided into
two. During that short period, no less than seven kings
had reigned over the ten tribes, and all of them, without
 exception, were wicked men who did not fear God. Elijah
arose during the reign of the most sinful monarchy in
the history of the people of Israel; it was in the midst
of spiritual darkness and moral depravation that Elijah
appeared.

Introduction
3 MINUTES

Begin the cell group with the introductory video Week 3.

?
5 MINUTES

Every experience is a lesson from God to help us

become more rooted in Him. For this reason, faith in
Jesus is something we need to discover for ourselves - it
needs to be something personal.
No matter how confident you are in your own abilities
and talents, there will always be something that will move
you if you are not holding on to something secure. Our
anchor is Jesus and when we run to Him, nothing and no
one will be able to move us.
Take 2 plastic bags and place some rocks inside one and
some sand (or play dough) in the other.
 Allow people to put their hands in both and ask:
1. What does your character resemble? The sand or
the rock?
2. Are you inconsistent in your thoughts and
emotions? Or does nothing move you?
3. What foundation is your life built on? Are you the
rock or the sand?

When we are sand, the circumstances move our lives in

any which way.

+
20 MINUTES

Matthew 7:24-25
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his
house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose,
and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did
not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
We always have two options and God allows us to
choose the path we want to take. We can build our lives
on the sand and watch as everything collapses in times
of crisis, or we can lay the foundation for our lives on
the rock and remain anchored in Jesus, regardless of the
circumstances.
FOUNDED IN THE TRUTH
Explain that Elijah’s secret to staying radical in the face
of lukewarmness in his nation was the result of his
foundation. Emphasize that Elijah drank from one source
only: Jesus.
“But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.
Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring
of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).
Ask the members of your cell group to reflect on the
fountains from which they drink (social media, movies,
youtubers, reporters, etc).
The masterpiece in Elijah’s life was created as he drank
from the stream. He drank water from the correct source
while his foundation was being laid on the rock, which is
Christ Himself. Elijah knew that the more time he spent
drinking from the stream, the stronger he would become
in his spirit to be able to face every challenge.
Emphasize the importance of spending more time
studying the Word of God and putting it into practice.
Each person should create habits that allow them to
drink from His stream.

THE VALLEY OF DECISION

The valley of decision is the place of repentance, where I
choose to either be hot or cold; it is the place of change
where I have the opportunity to take my sword and put
to death all that distances me from God and keeps my
heart divided.
Ask each person to write in their notebook the things
that are distancing them from God and causing their
heart to be divided. Then have them write down what
concrete response they are going to make to remove
those things from their lives.
 =
1 5 MINUTES

MAKE A MEME
Give out the following images and have each person
create a meme3 about today’s topic: having our foundation
built on the truth and making a firm decision to serve
God (print out enough images for each person to have at
least one. If everyone has smartphones, you could send
the pictures to them so that they could use an app to
3. The term meme is used
make the memes).
to describe an idea,
situation, expression Once everyone has their meme, ask them to show them
and/or thought,
reproduced in any kind to the others. Explain that just like the memes, there are
of virtual comic, video, people in church who have their foundations built on
text or image shared on
social media. many things other than the truth.
Challenge your cell group to spend more time drinking
from the right source. Make a 5-day reading plan on
YouVersion. As the leader, you can follow each person’s
progress simply by asking them to add you as a friend on
the application.
 (Link to Bible Plan)
(The YouVersion app is available free on any Android or
Apple smartphone. Simply search for YouVersion in the
corresponding app store).

Prayer
5 MINUTES

Lead a time of ministry where:

1. Each person has a time of repentance for having
been unstable on the sand in regard to their faith.
Encourage everyone to make a firm decision for
Christ and to follow Him faithfully, regardless of
the circumstances.
2. Each person lays their foundation on the truth.
Pray so that they can build their lives on the rock
that is Christ, and so that they can long for their
lives to be built on that rock.
3. At the end, pray that each person would be able
to spend more time drinking from the water
source called Jesus, through the Word.
 WEEK 4

Preparation:
HISTORICAL CONTEXT

DANIEL
We can learn many things from Daniel’s life and character.
He was a man in whom there was no flaw and who was
found to be 10 times better than the other young men
CHAPTERS TO READ: his age.
D i f f e r e n t The writer of this book is Daniel and his name means:
“God is my judge.”
The book of Daniel develops over 70 years of Babylonian
captivity. Because the people of Israel had turned
away from God to follow false gods, and had ignored
the multiple warnings the Lord had given through the
prophets, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian
army and its inhabitants were carried into captivity in
Babylon.
The book begins in 605 BC when Babylon conquered
Jerusalem and led all its people into captivity, and 9 out
of 12 chapters speak about revelations given through
dreams and visions.
Daniel’s message addressed both the Gentiles and the
Jewish people. Some Bible studies say that Daniel is to
the Old Testament what the Book of Revelation is to the
New. In Daniel, we learn about the sovereignty of God
(2:20-22) and the miracles of God (6:16-23).
?
5 MINUTES

The purpose of this cell meeting is to learn to be different.

The call of God comes with a price. God has called each
person to make a difference by serving Him. The call of
God is what makes a person different, and makes them
part of a kingdom that cannot be seen with our natural
eyes.

READY TO PAY A PRICE

You will need the following resources:
1. Toy money (give the same amount of money to
each person).
2. Pictures printed on A5 card: A house - a car - a
hamburger - silhouette of a bride and groom - G12
conference in Miami - an iPhone - a computer - a
school scholarship - a beach - an airplane - dinner
with a celebrity - Nike soccer cleats - a spa day - a
clothes gift card - a promotion at work.
Write a price on the back of each picture and stick them
up on the wall so that only the price can be seen. Go
through and show each of the pictures one by one, as
though you were holding an auction. The idea is that the
more trivial or material things would have a lower value
than the more important things, like marriage. It would
also be good to begin with the less attractive items, so
that some people might offer a lot of money for things
that are not so valuable and possibly end up without
enough money to buy the more valuable things.
 Once you have set the starting price, the cell members
will offer what they want to pay for each item, and the
one with the highest offer can have it.
At the end, teach your cell group that there will always be
a price to pay for the things we want.
Ask your cell group
1. What would you be willing to do to make a
difference?

The call of God has a price and being different has a

price, but many times, we have not been willing to pay it.

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2 0 MINUTES

Daniel 1:3-8
“Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials,
to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the
royal family and the nobility - young men without any physical
defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning,
well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in
the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and
literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily
amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were
to be trained for three years, and after that they were to
enter the king’s service. Among those who were chosen were
some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name
Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach;
and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile
himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief
official for permission not to defile himself this way.”
BEING DIFFERENT
The call of God on our lives makes us different, and
makes us part of a kingdom that cannot be seen with
our natural eyes. When God calls a person to serve Him,
they should understand that His call has a price, which
among other things, means being different. The world
will never understand the food of those who have been
called by God, but those who are called to be different
need different food from those around them.
Something special about Daniel was that his life was
characterized by a determination and a resolve in his
heart to only do what pleased God. In Daniel 5, we find
some specific qualities that made Daniel different:

1. HE HAD THE HOLY SPIRIT (Daniel 5:11)

It was no secret to anybody that the power found in
Daniel’s life came from God and not from himself.
When the Spirit of the Lord rests on a person, other
people notice, admire and want that same anointing. The
presence of God in Daniel’s life was obvious. Ask your
cell group if they think other people are able to notice
that there is something different about them.

2. HE HAD DISCERNMENT
Great leaders are able to improve and perfect their gift
of leadership by focusing their thoughts on the Word of
God.
Daniel’s mind was focused on God because his thoughts
passed through the filter of the Word. Only when our
thoughts pass through the filter of the Word of God will
our minds begin to have the discernment we need.
 His knowledge was neither limited nor incomplete. Daniel
was so prepared in every way that when they tested him,
he and his friends were found to be ten times better than
anyone else.

3. HE RESOLVED PROBLEMS
Only a leader who loves the people can interpret the
depths of their dreams and the inner workings of their
hearts.
John Maxwell said that, “You can love people without leading
them, but you cannot lead people without loving them.”4
Daniel’s gift of leadership was so in tune with people
and with God that even the most private dreams of the
4. Maxwell, J. C. (1993) king could only be revealed by him. He explained what
Developing the leader
within you. Nashville: confused many, he brought answers when others brought
Thomas Nelson. questions and he solved what made other people come
undone. A leader like Daniel does not question problems
and mysteries, they explain and resolve them instead.

THE FIRE OF TESTING

Explain that being different can mean being tested. For
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, bowing down was
not an option. While everyone else bowed down to a
statue, they were different. They preferred to be burned
to death than to give up their faith. The enemy often uses
the fire of testing to try and consume our faith, but God
will use that same fire to revive our faith in Him.
Paul said, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold,
silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be
shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It
will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of
each person’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).
Not only does the fire of testing draw out the best in us,
it also gives us an opportunity to see how God cares for
our lives. The blazing furnace allowed everyone to see
how God protected Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
in the midst of the trial. When we are in the fire, God is in
our midst to protect us. Only those who have determined
to be different can be sure that no matter what happens,
God will be with them.
 =
1 5 MINUTES

How about we begin a special diet to help us be different?

Daniel was a young man who was different from everyone
else at that time, partly because he determined not to eat
what the king was offering and what the world could give
him.
Present the following plan to your cell group:

Print out this plan to “DETOX”

give each member a
copy (you can find The plan covers 7 days and has a table where each person
this at the end of the
booklet).
can record the progress of their daily diet, checking off
each day in the corresponding boxes.

D E T O X
NAME START DATE PERSONAL GOAL

ACTIVITY DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7

Tips: The diet should last one week, contain 7 detox steps and include:
At least one food fast / Reading of the Word / Fast from social media / Fast from everything that does
not edify when watching or listening / A way to progress or grow.
Prayer
5 MINUTES

Guide the cell group in a time of ministry so that:

1. Each person can make a commitment to God,
determining to live differently from the customs
of the world.
2. Each person will want to be found 10 times better
in everything they do, and so that God will help
them in every project they undertake.
3. You can pray for those disciples who have gone
through the fire of testing and have felt their
strength run out, that the Holy Spirit would sustain
them in the midst of difficulty and that they would
be found faithful and be different from others.
4. The Holy Spirit would guide them and give them
strength for this time of detox.
 ROOMS

WEEK 5

Preparation:
CONTEXT

PRAYER
We see many examples when it comes to prayer. We can
constantly hear people praying: the pastor who prays for
the church during a meeting or who prays for a person in
CHAPTERS TO READ: need, the leader who prays when they begin and end the
The Room cell group, we hear ourselves praying in our room every
day. In fact, prayers come and go all the time.
Prayer is like a staircase that connects heaven and earth:
“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the
earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God
were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12).
We pray in the mornings when we wake up and place
the day in God’s hands. We pray when we leave the
house and when we arrive at work or school. We pray
when things don’t go well, when we receive unexpected
bills to pay or bank payments we need to make. We pray
when we are in trouble, when we are in hospital and
when we are at funerals. We pray during times of victory,
at graduations, birthdays and weddings. Prayer is part of
our lives, and still we ask ourselves: Do we really know
how to pray?
 In Luke 11:1, we find the request the disciples made to
Jesus: to teach them to pray like John the Baptist had
taught his disciples. And Jesus did. We never see the Lord
teaching them how to preach or heal the sick, but He did
teach them to pray: How did Jesus teach His disciples to
pray? And how did people in the Bible pray?
Look at these passages about prayer and answer the
questions below:
Matthew 6:6-13 / Daniel 9:2-19 / Nehemiah 1:4-11
1. To whom are my prayers directed?
2. Is it the words I use that are important, or the
attitude of my heart, or both?
3. What similarities can you find between all of these
prayers?
4. Should prayer be the most important thing in the
life of a Christian?

Lastly, take some time to reflect on what Charles

Spurgeon said about prayer:

“How very frequently God makes the life of a man to

be the reflection of his character. There is an echo in the
outward experience, to the inward character of the man.
Prayer, my Brothers and Sisters, must be our first
resource. But if it is the last, let it be the first as well.
Let us not merely go to God’s door because we have
tried everybody else and failed. Let us not go to the
Fountain simply because the cisterns are exhausted,
5. Spurgeon, C. (2015)
School of Prayer: Jacob’s but let us go to our God first and foremost! And let us
prayer. Editora Dracaena. say, ‘Even if earth’s cisterns did contain water, we would
not forsake our God for them. And if all the forces of
our fellow creatures were as real and powerful as they
profess to be, we would still lean upon the arm that
bears up the whole universe - the unseen arm of the
faithful Creator.’”5
Introduction
3 MINUTES

Begin the cell meeting with a short introductory video

Week 5.

?
5 MINUTES

Prepare the following elements in separate containers/

bowls:
Perfume
Bread
Hot chocolate
Onion / garlic
Coffee

Call two people forward and blindfold them (so that they
cannot see what is in the bowls). The idea is that they will
need to describe what they can smell in each.
After they have described the 5 different smells, read the
following verse and explain that although people cannot
always see the entirety of our lives, they can always get
a sense of our aroma, and that we can only receive the
aroma of Christ when we pray privately in our rooms.
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives
in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the
aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians
2:14).
+
2 0 MINUTES

The things you invest time into show where your priorities
lie. Ask your disciples to quickly write down the activities
they do on a daily basis and how much time they spend
on each. Then, ask them to organize those activities from
most to least time invested.
For Daniel, spending time in his room of prayer was
paramount. When the decree that said nobody could
pray to anyone but the king was published, the first thing
Daniel did was go to his room, open the windows and
pray to the only true God.
Explain the need to have our own room of prayer, a place
where we go every day to meet with our God.

THE ROOM
Every great man and woman of God had this main room
in their house. This was the place that determined the
aroma that would permeate the other rooms. For many,
the aroma of their room is depression, resentment,
sadness or loneliness; for others, the aroma is pleasant
for all those who visit the house, an aroma of peace and
tranquility, where the presence of God can be felt.
This room is where our greatest decisions are made,
where we recover the strength we have lost, and where
we find direction for the path we need to take. This room
should be a place of prayer, where we receive God’s
guidance to direct our lives. Explain the importance of
this room, reminding them of the devil’s plans to keep
Daniel away from that place.
 OPEN THE WINDOWS
How many Christians spend years with their windows
closed? Because Daniel understood that prayer was the
air he breathed, he preferred to die in the natural than
allow his spirit to die. When the windows of prayer are
opened in our lives every day, we receive strength from
God to overcome. That is where our thoughts of “I can’t”
are transformed into “I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.” Peter says that we should stay alert
(1 Peter 5:8 NLT). But how can we stay alert? By keeping
the windows open! That means having prayer as a priority
in our lives.
If we want to have a healthy spiritual life, we need to open
the windows, read the Word and have times of prayer.
The Word of God sanctifies us. D.L. Moody said, “If we
read the Word and do not pray, we may become puffed up
6. Moody, D. L. (2016) with knowledge, without the love that buildeth up. If we pray
Prevailing Prayer. without reading the Word, we shall be ignorant of the mind
Chicago: Moody
Publishers. and will of God, and become mystical and fanatical, and liable
to be blown about by every wind of doctrine.”6

=
1 5 MINUTES

BEFORE PRAYER, AFTER PRAYER

The chapter describes a picture that was divided in two:
on one side there was a picture of a harmless, little kitten
that couldn’t scare a fly, with the words: Before prayer! On
the other side was the picture of a lion, ready to devour,
and it said: After prayer!
 For this activity, ask everyone to make their own “before
and after prayer” poster.
Then, ask them to reflect on where they are in their lives
right now and what the biggest transformation they long
to see is.
To be able to see real transformation, it is important to
commit to pray for 30 minutes for that prayer request for
the next 30 days.
Remember that the enemy wanted to do everything he
could to stop Daniel from praying for 30 days, because
he knew that a person who stops praying for 30 days
dies spiritually.

Prayer
5 MINUTES

Lead your disciples into a time of ministry:

1. Pray that your cell group would have the fragrance
of Christ in their nature.
2. Have each disciple ask the Lord to open their
windows to prayer and reading the Word.
3. Pray that your cell group would always have the
aroma of the knowledge of Christ in their lives,
and that they would be able to carry that aroma
wherever they go.

CHAPTERS TO READ:
H o u s e s
of light
WHAT LIGHT CAN WE CALL UPON?
7. Castellanos, C. (2016).
365 Declaraciones de
Vida [365 Declarations
of Life]. Volume 1. Día 1
Luminares en el mundo.
[Day 1 Light in the
World]. Bogota: G12
Editores.
WEEK 6
Preparation:
CONTEXT
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
John 1:4-5
“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not
overcome it.”
Pastor Cesar Castellanos shares something important
with us about being light in the world:7
Remember that when Jesus came into the world, the
world was in complete darkness, but His arrival became
the Sun of Righteousness that shone upon our hearts.
“The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light,
and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
upon them a light dawned” (Matthew 4:16).
“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light
of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the
darkness, but will have the Light of life’” (John 8:12). We
must understand that Jesus is no ordinary light; He is the
only light of this world. We must remember that He is
the Verb of God and that through Him all things were
created. Although He was equal to God, He decided to
lay all His divine privileges aside so that He could redeem
the human race. For this reason, He accepted that His
 Father would prepare a human body for Him to live in,
just as the writer of Hebrews expressed: “Sacrifice and
offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared
for Me; in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You
have taken no pleasure. ‘Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in
the scroll of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O
God’’” (Hebrews 10:5-7).
Jesus knew the mission that the Father had assigned to
Him from the beginning and He was willing to take on
that responsibility. Later on, the Lord told His disciples,
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot
be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under
a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to
everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine
before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify
your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Reflect on the following questions:
1. If Jesus is the only light of the world, why did
He also say that His disciples are the light of the
world?
2. What is our responsibility as light?
3. What did Jesus mean when He said that no one
puts a lamp under a bowl?

?
5 MINUTES

Give each person a candle. Light them all and turn out
the lights so that you can play a game.
The idea of the game is to try and put each other’s
candles out while trying to keep your own alight. Play
two games of one minute each.
 When there is only one candle left or when all the candles
are out, turn the lights back on and explain:
Each person is a light in the place where God has placed
them: work, school, neighborhood, etc., and we all have
a responsibility to keep our light burning until Jesus, the
source of our light, returns.

+
2 0 MINUTES

WE FOLLOW JESUS
Read out John 8:12 and Matthew 5:14-16. Explain that
every construction has an end, a goal and a destiny. Even
though some people are not clear about the destiny
or end goal of their construction, every life is formed,
molded and constructed with a purpose.
Jesus is the light of the world and the source of all light.
He called His disciples to follow Him so that they could
transmit His light to the world. Explain that our purpose
is to be light, and explain what you learned from these
two verses as you prepared for the cell meeting.
Just like Paul, we are not only transformed by the light of
Jesus in the moment when we have an encounter with
Him; we are also called to be messengers and carriers of
His light to all people.
That is why Jesus entrusted the job of taking His light
to the nations to twelve ordinary men, twelve houses
of light, who simply had the call and determination to
shine in this world. When His disciples connected to the
source of light, they were able carry the message and
 bring light to a world immersed in darkness. Today, Jesus
is still looking for people who are willing to follow Him,
houses that are ready to light up the world and reach this
generation with His light.
Ask your disciples to reflect on the following question:
Are we ready as a cell group to be a house of light that
brings the message of salvation to many?

KEEP THE LIGHT BURNING

Explain, based on Exodus 27:20, that keeping our lamp
burning requires an effort on our part to protect and
cultivate the presence of God in our lives. We cannot
leave that place because that is where we find the source
of light that allows us to shine in the darkness.
Just as the virgins in Matthew 25 had a responsibility - to
keep their lamps burning with the oil they had - each one
of us also has the responsibility to keep our lights burning
with the oil of the Holy Spirit. We need to ensure that
Jesus is shining in every house and that our lamps are
always burning so that the world can see a light in each
one of us where they will find salvation.
=
1 5 MINUTES

Prepare a map of your city ahead of time, no bigger than

an A1 sheet.
Put the map in the middle and ask each person to place
the candle they used in the first activity on the place
where they live (or study).
Light the candles and turn out the lights in the room.
Lead the cell group in a time of intercession, recognizing
that each one of them is a light in their city. Pray that this
will be a time to construct many houses of light in your
city, so that Jesus can shine in every place.

Prayer
5 MINUTES

Lead the cell group in a time of ministry where they

1. Pray over the map of the city.
2. Pray that following Jesus would be the main goal in
their lives.
3. Pray that each of them would be a house of light that
brings the message of salvation to every place.
4. Have a time of repentance if, by carelessness or for
whatever other reason, they have allowed the light of
Jesus to go out in their lives.
5. Ask the Holy Spirit to be their guide and helper, so that
they can keep their light burning and fulfill the purpose
for which they were created.
 D E T O X

NAME START DATE PERSONAL GOAL

ACTIVITY DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7