 Okay, so with regard to our discipleship and small groups ministry, we looked at last class. I think we stopped at about a cell meeting and also, you know, ministering to cell members between the meetings. Right. That's what we said. That's what we stopped with. Let me just share the screen and we'll go into what we can look at today. Okay, so today we're going to look at, you know, as we continue with our topic about small groups ministry. Now, just wanted to share that even before we start, right, that so this small group ministry is very, very invaluable. It's in the sense it's of great value because a lot of big things, a lot of amazing, some amazing big things happen in a small group sitting, small group setting, right, in the ministry which happens in a small group setting. It could be even in a one-on-one setting or even in, you know, a setting where we minister to people in a small group, it could be in a home. But we see that, you know, destinies are changed, like lives are changed, people discover they are calling purpose because there is much more clarity, right, they receive clarity about their own lives and there is also hand-holding in the sense, you know, you are there, other believers are there, to be with, to lend a helping hand, right, to help a person grow spiritually, to help them navigate some of the challenges, some of the difficulties that they might be facing, right. So all this really helps the person to, rather than, you know, figuring out things on their own, you know, without anyone to help them, without anyone to, you know, properly guide them. You know, a lot of people actually fall by the wayside in the sense, you know, they fall, you know, because of a lack of this kind of lack of discipleship, right. So lack of mentorship, lack of discipleship, a lot of people really get discouraged and stop, stop really following the Lord or stop pursuing the plans and purposes of God. But so this, even if it, even though it looks like a very simple thing, a lot of significant changes can happen in a small group setting, a lot of significant changes which can mark a person throughout their, you know, entire life, right, and a lot of edification brought in and a lot of, you know, kind of even refining work, renewing work, refining work brought in by the, by ministering to people in small groups, so in a small group setting, right. So just wanted to reiterate the importance of that. Okay. So today let's look at, you know, topic seven page 20, which talks about how we can look at our cell group as a ministry team, right. So, so far we've been looking at, okay, how to have a cell group meeting, how to have a effective meeting, how to be a good leader and what to do as a cell group leader, what to do in between meetings, right, how to minister to the cell group, how to, so we looked at all that. So today let's look at, you know, for us to look at our cell group as a ministry team, you know, it's a, it's rather than, you know, looking at the cell group as, okay, I have to prepare something and share, which we are anyway not doing, right. We are facilitating, we are enabling, empowering the people to grow, right, helping people to grow. So that is what we are doing in a cell as cell leaders in this particular model, of course, right. So to look at our cell group as a ministry team, so what does that mean? That means that each member in the cell group is a minister, right. Each member in the, to look at each member in the cell group as someone who is built or trained for ministry and to see yourself or oneself as a cell leader who's going to be leading the team to minister to, to minister in various ways, right, however the Lord would lead in evangelism, in outreach, in maybe in specific ways, right, to minister, right. So, so one of the first things that we can do is to delegate responsibility, give responsibility to the cell members, like the members who are part of the meeting who come regularly, give them responsibility. What kind of responsibility? Well, to meet with visitors, right, who come, newcomers who are coming, whatever, you know, you as a cell group leader, we're doing, maybe talking to people during the week, making a feel at home, welcoming them, etc. Give some of those responsibilities to delegate some of these responsibilities to others. So that, you know, they, they have an opportunity to do this, they have an opportunity to grow. Okay. So these are some things that following up with people, you know, how are you doing, you know, how are you doing spiritually, how are things, how are things at home, and those kind of conversations that each of them can have. And particularly, you know, if you see someone with leadership potential, you know, they have a heart to care for people, then definitely, you know, this kind of an opportunity which will enable them to grow further in that, right. So give them opportunities, delegate the responsibility. Okay. At the same time, you, you know, as a leader, you, you keep in touch, right, with them and to see if everything's going okay. Right. The second thing would be strategic relational evangelism. Okay. So what can we do, you know, have, these are some ideas, these are some thoughts, right. So have the self-group members create a list of their family members who are not saved. Right. They could be people who are friends, family, maybe it could be even neighbors, it could be in their immediate neighborhood, maybe colleagues, maybe people who are, they are studying with, you know, fellow students, make a list, right. And each cell member can pray for them for this list during the week, right. During the, and also at the cell group meeting. And so that, what are some things that you can pray for? Okay. Pray for them that their hearts be open to receive the gospel and pray that for opportune time, for that God would orchestrate the moment, that God would orchestrate the circumstances and provide a divine appointment so that the gospel can be shared and so on. So this can be, this can be something that the whole cell group prays for during the week and also, you know, catches up during the cell group meeting to find out, okay, what happened, what did anything happen. Okay. So the other thing, third thing is to follow up of the newcomers to the church. Okay. So we said, okay, follow up with visitors, follow up with the regular people on the life group meeting or cell group meeting. Now following up with newcomers in the church, you know, in the sense, now that we know that the cell group is very integral part of the church, of the local church, right. It is a ministry of the local church, it's a discipleship, a model discipleship tool of the local church, so it's not disconnected from the local church. It should not be disconnected from the vision, from the leadership, you know, from the anointing, everything that happens in the local church, the cell group should receive from and not be disconnected. Okay. So in that sense, now the cell group leaders or cell group members are also part of the local church, right. So they are going there for Sunday services, they are part of the worship services, they are part of whatever is happening in church in the bigger setting. So then each cell group member can follow up or visit or talk to newcomers, like make them feel welcome. Now the church might have its own programs or it might have its own, let's say, welcome team or, you know, visitors welcome team or a member care team or a connect team, you know, whatever name you call it. But basically these are people who are connecting with the first time visitors, connecting with other people in the church and making them feel welcome, helping them find their place in the church, getting them to, you know, introducing them to other people, other members of the church and so on. So this is, the church might have a formal team doing that. But in addition to that, you know, what will really help is if every cell group member, you know, makes it their responsibility to meet with a newcomer in church, you know, many, many times, you know, the tendency for us is to meet with people who, who we know, like, we are not met during the week. And maybe our friends, maybe, you know, we are meeting them only on Sunday morning, right, we're meeting them maybe that week. So the tendency, natural tendency is to go towards them, say hello, find out how they're doing because they are, you know, familiar faces, right. As a cell group leader, if we can share with our cell members to go and meet every Sunday, meet with at least one new person who might be coming to church or one unknown person to them, right, who might be coming to church and, and find out and, and follow up with them and also, you know, maybe there are new believers, you know, maybe there are people who have made decisions in that church service to follow, follow Jesus or maybe committed their lives or recommitted their lives too. So just to meet with them, to talk to them and, if possible, find out if they are, you know, if they can be part of the life group, right. So, so what happens is more and more people are connected, get connected to the life group, get discipled, have fellowship one with one another and nobody feels really left out, right. Nobody feels that, hey, I'm coming to this church and I'm going back and, you know, this happens in big churches, right. When I say big churches, it could be even, you know, a church of a hundred people, right, a church of a hundred people, you know, I think anything more than 50, right. If you, if you see, there are chances that people would come and go without meeting others. If it's 50 years, they would get to meet others. So, so the thing is, it's not for the sake of just meeting or sake of just fellowship, but also for the, for the, for the important purpose of being disciple. Okay. So, so the thing is to find out, follow up. Okay. So we are, what are we looking at? We're looking at how our cell group can be a ministry team. So the cell group can be a ministry team to follow up with newcomers to in our own cell group. The cell group, cell group can be a ministry team to reach out in terms of evangelism, pray for people specifically known to us, right. It's not reaching out to, and that can also happen. But, you know, people known to us in our friend circle, in our work circle, in our student circle, who are they, who are the people who need to know Jesus, right, who need to understand and fall, I mean, receive the love a lot. Okay. So then, since we are part of the bigger body of Christ to follow up with the newcomers, follow up with members, follow up with people who make a new decision to follow Christ and so on, right. Okay. Then, as a ministry team, the cell group can also do small projects. You know, we can call them seed projects. We can call them, you know, you know, different names, but these are small projects, meaning it can be an outreach, it can be something, a community project, something that the cell group does together to impact people around them. Okay. Now, it's, it's no more individuals, but together as a team, right. What can they do? Can they visit some place to be of encouragement, maybe senior citizens, elderly people, can they visit some place? You know, it's talking not only about Christmas time, you know, Christmas time is when everybody does that, but regularly, you know, maybe once in two months, once in three months can, can that, you know, what is it, what is the burden that the, that the Lord is putting in their hearts as a cell group? Maybe they, they want to take up something, take up, you know, some, some form of responsibility in a nearby community and they want to do that. Maybe even a responsibility, like, you know, maybe cleaning up a neighborhood and things like that, right? So, you know, which, which, you know, which may look like unspiritual, but then you're making an impact, right? You're creating an impact, you're making an impact. You're, you're doing something for the community, you know, which are people and you're showing through the action that you love and, and when, you know, that sets us up for, you know, even further, further opportunities for meaningful conversations about the gospel, right? So, you know, maybe some things like that, right? And also outreach, especially evangelistic events and outreaches, you can, you know, the cell group can organize ministers. So what happens is, you know, like when, let's say the church is organizing something, okay, the local church is organizing something, some people will get, be part of it, some people, most people, you know, may just come, attend, go. They may not be involved in planning, they may not be involved in executing the plan, right? But in a cell group, you know, because it's a handful of people, everyone gets to do something, right? In planning, in executing, in, you know, in leading, right? So in ministering, so all this happens. So, so everyone grows, right? Everyone grows because they are, they are either ministering or, you know, they're doing things or they're planning and they're engaged, you know, with the vision of the church. So everyone gets to grow, they get to use their gifts, they get to use their, you know, special abilities, which God has given them, they get to use their spiritual gifts, right? And so with the, so, you know, like Paul says, do not neglect the gift of God, which is in you, right? God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. So, so to stir up that gift, okay, so as a cell group, you're doing that, you know, giving opportunities to stir up the gift for the people, right? And of course, very important is the involvement in Sunday service or Sunday celebration, right? So everybody's coming together, they are not disengaged or they're not distanced from the service that happens on Sundays. And that's, so that's the thing. So they are worshiping together corporately as a church, as a body, as a family. Okay. Right. Okay, so let's look at what are some, what are some of the pitfalls to avoid or mistakes to avoid? You know, it could be, if now this is from the perspective of a cell group for a, for a cell group leader. Okay. So as a cell group leader, what are some mistakes to avoid? Right? So let's look at a few of them. Okay. So just to say that each are very, each, you know, each point which is listed here is important, right? So let's look at a few. Okay. Avoiding shortcuts, you know, to build a successful cell group. Now, it's, it's a process. It is, it is going to take time. Okay. So what does it involve? It involves getting to know people. It involves people getting to know you as a cell group, as a cell leader. And people getting to know each other, you know, some might not feel comfortable, they might leave. Maybe they, they, you know, they're not comfortable in, in this kind of a group. Maybe they'll be comfortable in some other cell group. That's fine. Just encourage them. Let them be part of a cell group. So it's going to take time. We need to understand that, you know, and not get discouraged, you know, maybe in the cell group, there are only three people, four people who are there and the others are, well, they're not regular, they're not, you know, they're not showing up. Just continue, right? Don't stop, continue, persist and see, you know, whom the Lord will connect and see whom you can, you know, in church, who you can connect, who are the people in your area and don't give up. Maybe the Lord is working something in you and changing things in you, building strength in you to be a better leader, right? So don't give up. So there are no short routes, you know, shortcuts to building a successful cell, cell group, right? The second thing is, you know, when you get to know about other cell groups and other cell leaders and they know how well they are flourishing and thriving, then when we compare ourselves, right, to others, then there is a tendency to compete. I want to be like that. I mean, it's good and healthy thing to learn from successful, you know, cell leaders, others who are doing it well, and to learn, right, to learn, it's a healthy thing to learn that and say, okay, maybe, you know, these are some things that I'm not doing, and I need to do it well. Or these are some things that I, these are some things to stop, right? What I need to do is I need to stop doing this, because it's not really helping. And I see, you know, right, this working in the other cell groups. So, so that's fine, right? But to compete and say, I want to be better than this, I want to be better than them. You know, that is wrong, right? That's a work of the flesh. So, you know, it's like selfish ambition, right? So, so we should not go there, we should not go into, you know, that go follow that path, right? So, avoid that, avoid that comparison, avoid that competitiveness. Just, you know, be content in, you know, what you're doing, and continue to do without getting discouraged. Okay. Avoid careless appointing of leadership. Okay, within the cell group. Okay, let's say you see people and then they're saying that I really want to be a cell group leader, I want to get trained. What is the motive? Right? What is the motive? Is it because they want to promote themselves? They want to, you know, they want to, you know, whatever their agenda is, you know, sometimes we had that challenge, right? Like people are into multilevel marketing, multilevel marketing, you know, like, they're selling some products like Amway, or, you know, other other stuff. And it's a multilevel marketing where network marketing, right? So they get to know people, they sign up and then, you know, the whole thing and then the whole, the objective is that, okay, you sell the products, you sell a whole range of products, you get, you know, the more people you network with, you get to, so, so the thing is to find out, you know, is the person who wants to be a, who wants to be a cell group leader, is that the agenda? You know, do they want to be a cell group leader so that they can be successful in their business? So they are treating every cell group member like a business contact, right? A business connection with who can actually further their business. Is that the motive? Like, so we need to be discerning as cell group leaders to and not appoint people with the wrong motives. And people who genuinely care about the ministry, people who are ministry in the sense who have a genuine heart for people, people who genuinely are connected and they are committed to the body of Christ, you know, to the local body of Christ, to whatever the local church that you're part of. So, so don't compromise on that. Like, don't let down the standard for appointing cell group leaders, right? Then the other thing is the fourth thing that we need to avoid is avoid the cell group meetings from becoming a mini church service. Okay, now, what do we mean by that? When we say, you know, in a church service, okay, there is, there's someone doing it, some of the leading worship, there's somebody who is sharing the word, somebody who's, you know, and and that's, you know, that that is how it is. It's not two ways, right? It is mostly one way, right? The word is being shared and and everybody receives it. And there is a place for that. It's a good thing. It is, and it is what we need to do, especially when a group comes together like that, that there is, you know, receiving there's an impartation of learning and so on. So we need to do that, right? But we need to avoid doing that, like bringing that search service into a cell group meeting. Now, this is the, this is specifically I'm talking about this model of cell group ministry. Okay. Why? If you ask the question, why? Why can't I just have preaching and teaching? Well, the answer is this, you know, this is not an evangelistic meeting. It is not like a big crusade meeting. It is not a Sunday service, where there is preaching and prayer and people go, right? It is not that it is time of a discipling. It is a place and it is a space where people are learning to follow the Lord Jesus. People are being groomed to become disciples, leaders, ministers, leaders, right? So we are intentionally enabling people to be followers of the Lord, a better followers of the Lord, a closer followers of the Lord Jesus, who will discover their plan and purpose, discover their gifts, get trained, get equipped to use their gifts for the work of ministry, right? So they be, they are ministers, and they are becoming leaders as well, who will raise up other leaders, right? So so that is something that we are doing. So we are intentional about now. So therefore, we cannot allow a life group or a cell group meeting to become a mini church service kind of a setting. Okay, so this is not to say that church service setting is bad. But it is not the right thing to happen in the cell group meeting, where the focus, the intention is discipleship, right? So it's more for discussion, it's more for asking questions and, and so on. So there is a lot of interaction, the time is spent on interaction, the time is spent on, you know, getting the answers from the Word of God, the time is spent on, okay, applying the truth, and, you know, finding out, okay, why this did not work, you know, what were some of the challenges to learn? And, and everything is word based, right? Everything is based on scripture, the answers he, you know, people are giving it needs to be based on scripture. Right? So, so that's something, right? That we need to be mindful of. Okay, watch out for people pursuing personal agenda. Okay, so in the sense, you know, just like what we said, people, you know, they have their own idea, they have their own agenda, why they're coming for the cell group meeting? It's not to, it's, it's not, you know, it's not to become a disciple, it's not to be a better follower of the Lord Jesus, it's, it's not all that, it's just another agenda, you know, something else. Now, like people might come for various reasons, but then ultimately, they need to align themselves, right? They need to know that this is what the cell group is about. This is why we are actually meeting. It's, you know, that purpose, that vision needs to be made clear. And over a period of time, of course, you know, when we, when we reiterate, okay, this is why we are meeting, it's not for the food, it's not for, you know, it's not for everybody just having a great see those are all happening. But this is the main thing. You know, everything else is, it's, it's on this on the periphery, but the central thing, the main thing is that we are learning to follow Jesus, we are being trained to be disciples. Okay. So personal agenda is okay, I want to maybe somebody saying, I will get an opportunity to preach, I'll get an opportunity to, you know, you know, to minister every time, to prophesy every time to, you know, whatever, you know, then if I'm part of this group, if I'm ministering here, then I'll get invited to, you know, preach on a Sunday morning, whatever be that, you know, so if there is a personal agenda with people coming, let's say what happens, you know, people come with that personal agenda, then once they know, well, this is why the life group needs either, you know, they get aligned, right, they make that change internally and say, okay, you know, this is a good thing. This is good for me. And let me do this, you know, all other things, you know, I need to let go of people change. Or they make, they might not stay. It's reality. They might not say, Hey, this looks like this is a place where I cannot, you know, come and put my talents on display. You know, it's, it's, it looks like it's a place where, you know, where, you know, all this will not be encouraged. So I don't want to come. Well, you know, the thing is, just, you know, maybe there's some somebody said, Okay, maybe I can start a church here, you know, all these people are there, I'll slowly get them, you know, to, to be part of my church, right, whatever. So the people realize that that can't happen. So they might discontinue. So that's fine. That's okay. But you avoid that. You be discerning and you avoid encouraging such, such things, or encouraging such people, right? Okay, okay, what about people from other churches? Now, this is a question, you know, which we get asked over and over again. So can people from other churches attend the life group? Well, now it's, it's, it's like this, right? Especially in this cell group model, what are we doing? What are we discussing? What are we learning? Okay, so you need to go back to that. What are we doing in this? You know, we're having a time of worship. What is happening in this cell group? We are, whatever we have learned on Sunday, like whatever we have heard on Sunday, we are going further deeper than that. Okay, but this is something that we heard on Sunday, that we, it was preached on Sunday. So we're going deeper than that. Okay. And whatever was heard, preached on Sunday, we are trying to apply that truth. Okay, whatever, we need clarification, you know, from the whatever was, you know, preached on Sunday, you know, we're going to study that, you're going to clarify that. So, so that is what is happening. Right? So now if someone is from another church, right? Now that's the same thing is not going to happen. Why? Because they are part of another church. And they are listening to something else, right, which is good, you know, but it's not something that was preached in the, in the church that the life group is part of. So they're part of some other church, they're listening to some other message. So now when, as a life group, when all the people are actually, you know, they've heard on Sunday, they are discussing on Sunday's message and thing, then they're going to be out of place. Right? They, either they're not able to contribute because they've not heard that they're not able, they're not in sync with what is happening. So, you know, so on a one-off thing, you know, occasionally, occasionally, visiting will, will be okay. But then, you know, over a period of time, we see that that really doesn't help the person. Okay. And still, if the person, we're not going to say, okay, you know, the best thing for that person would be to be part of a cell group, which that church has, which they are with the church where they are going on a Sunday. And, you know, receiving from on a Sunday morning, so it's a good thing to be part of that body, local body, and whichever cell group or a small group meeting, which is part of that, that will be beneficial for them, rather than here, rather than this, it's going to be, it's going to be difficult for them. It's not going to be really useful for them in the long run. They're going to feel left out. Okay. Well, some people say, okay, no, this is not being taught in my church. And I find that, okay, this is something that is really useful. I need to, you know, be part of it. And then you just say, okay, don't, you know, let your pastor know that you're doing this, or, you know, because it should not become a problem. Right. Sometimes it happens, like, okay, this person is part of this church and they're, they're going for this other church's life group, you know, all kinds of problems. So the best thing what we suggest is, you know, you be part of whatever's happening in that church. But, you know, if you are part of this local body, local church, then this is a discipleship program of this church. So, you know, be part of it. Now, of course, you know, things are changing in the sense you have, you know, you have online church services. And then so, which means that people, you know, are not physically in that place, but they are in some other place, you know, some other part of the country, some other part of some other part of the world, who are watching the online services and who might want to be connected during the week. Now we've had instances like that, right, like people, like even part of the Bible College who watched the online service and then saying, hey, can I be part of this? So we've connected a few people like that saying that, okay, the life group, the cell group is meeting online because of the pandemic and so on. So, well, if you're interested and if you can manage the time difference, right, sure, you can do that. But this is what is happening. You know, it may make it very clear that this is what is happening. And so, you know, that also, you know, once they attend and once they see that, okay, this is what is going to be discussed in church in the life groups, in the cell group meeting, then either they need to listen to the word, you know, being part of the online service. So that's the key thing, right? So now that it's online, maybe they're, you know, they're members of another church, but it'll be really effective if they, you know, attend the service online or listen regularly to the messages online. So that's the key thing, okay. Then visiting speakers, okay. So now let's say you have somebody and you feel that, okay, they've really blessed your life, you know, as a, you know, well, a person growing up and a lot uses many people to speak to us, to build us up and use, you feel that, okay, them, you know, one of them or maybe a group, if they minister in the life group, it'll be a blessing to the group, if they minister in the cell group, then, okay, so which means that you're not going to be, you know, you're not going to be discussing, talking about Sunday service, okay, this is the one-off thing, right? You're going to be having a guest speaker or a visiting speaker and maybe it's going to be, it may not be a discussion, it's just going to be someone sharing ministering, okay. Now be careful, of course, you know, let it be someone whom you know, whom you trust, who will not damage what is happening, right? And all that. And have a discussion with the leadership of the church, right? Maybe there is a cell pastor or a cell group pastor or maybe there is a, you know, someone who's in charge, overseeing, overseeing, sorry, the cell group ministry. Have a discussion, have a conversation with them, ask them, you know, is it okay, you know, and maybe that person, maybe, you know, the thing is to get permission there, right? It's always good and maybe, you know, if they say, no, I don't think so, it's fine, you know, you can, you can have, you know, your own meeting or something, that's fine, but it's not what is said, it's not a cell group meeting, right? A cell group meeting is different, so you can, I mean, you're of course, you know, free to have anyone invited to come to the house and have a meeting and so on, right? So it's not a cell group meeting, that's what I'm saying, right? Okay, now independent ministries, again, you know, people who are saying, you know, we are from this ministry, we are from this particular thing, we are just visiting and can we, can we minister in your cell group, can we talk, can we minister, can we bring a message, be discerning, be careful, right? You know, because you don't know them and they are, you know, you don't know them, you don't know what they are, what they believe and what they're going to be sharing and so on. So it's best not to entertain such requests, right? But if you know them personally, if you know that they are safe, again, have discussed that with the cell group pastor, okay? So that the cell group pastor also knows, also, you know, shares in that responsibility and, you know, go with that, go with the wisdom and advice, right? So rather than your own thing there, okay, get the permission, discuss. Okay, now in the cell group, the next thing is this, you know, when we are ministering in the cell group, of course, the cell group is a wonderful place for developing the gifts, a wonderful place for, for a believer to practice the gifts of the spirit, right? Whatever be the gifts of the spirit, you know, maybe tongues and interpretation, maybe, you know, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, and so on. So it's a wonderful place where we can learn from mistakes, where we can, you know, where we can, you know, step out in faith. It's a safe place, right? And also, you know, having studied the prophetic and apostolic, you know, what are the guidelines, right? So everything has to be tested, it has to be based on the word of God, and you give, you're giving yourself permission and saying, okay, please test. You're telling the person, and you're giving the other person also the responsibility to test the, you know, if it's a prophetic word to test, and to either, you know, if it's not lining up with the word to either reject it, or if it is lining up with the word to accept it, right? So in the sense, so one has to be careful that it is done in the right way. Okay? So when people are zealous, we need to put in that guideline and say, okay, this is how we will do it, you know, like some people might say, okay, this is what God is saying, and they don't say it publicly, but they're saying it privately to another believer, and it's like, this is what God told me, this is what God spoke to me, and it could be, you know, certain things like, okay, God wants you to move there, or God wants you to marry this person, or God wants you to take up this job, you know, specific things. Now, and without, you know, without that oversight or without that guideline of, okay, test and see, is it in line? Is it in line with the word, you know, without that guideline, or maybe some kind of, you know, a condemning word saying, okay, hey, God showed me that this is what you're doing, and God is going to destroy this, God is going to be, you were going to go into a season of whatever, you know, difficulty. Now, you know, this is not done publicly, but this is done in private, so we need to avoid those things. If it is done publicly, the other person can actually correct, the cell group leader can correct, hey, prophecy, it brings in edification, exhortation, and comfort, you know, it's an edifying word, even if it's a word of correction, it is redemptive in nature, like how we see God's commandments, it's redemptive in nature, it's always to bring back the person, to redeem that person from destruction, and not to further push that person into destruction and condemn, right, the cross is about redemption, so there's always hope, you know, no matter how far the person has gone, so if a person in private gives this, you know, the group doesn't get to know, the cell group leader doesn't get to know, and maybe it brings in fear into the person, you know, that person is fearful, anxious, because of that word, and maybe that person is a new believer, or, you know, all these kinds of damages can happen, so while we definitely want to encourage, right, in the cell group, there definitely needs to be encouragement to move in the Gibson spirit, but with these safety measures, right, so as a cell group leader, put these things, put these guidelines in place, right, so help them, so help them, so that the group does the right thing, thrives, you know, even if there's a mistake, there is always a, you know, instruction on how to overcome and how not to do it, right, okay, so don't force newcomers, the next thing, don't force newcomers to become members of your cell, you know, we can just invite people, we can follow up with people, but if they're not interested to be part of it, it's, we don't have to force and say, hey, this is a discipleship thing, the church's thing, you need to be part of it, no, you know, let them be part of any, any cell group that they are comfortable with, if they're not, you know, that's, that is fine, just leave it, right, you know, as new leaders, you know, this is something that might happen, let's say you're a cell group leader, you've been trained by the church and you've been appointed as a cell group leader and you're conducting this cell group meetings, okay, now over, you know, let's say you've been doing things, okay, for a month or a few months and suddenly you, there is another person who gets connected to the cell group who is, you know, who's been, has been more experienced, like in the sense he's older, this person is older, this person is more experienced, you know, in, maybe in ministry, maybe is, you know, is operating in the gifts and so on, so as a cell group leader, don't be intimidated by that, in the sense, I don't think, okay, this person knows more than me, this person is more experienced than me, is more gifted than me and, you know, don't, don't be intimidated by that, right, intimidated in the sense, you know, don't be overwhelmed by that. Second thing is when we get overwhelmed or when we get intimidated by such things that we observe in another believer, whom we are actually leading in the life group, cell group, what we do is we sometimes give that leadership to them, you know, the leadership that we have been given, we try to, you know, what we do is because we are overwhelmed by this person, we try to hand over that leadership to them, how do we do that in the sense, okay, you lead, okay, you only lead, take care of it and we take a, you know, back seat in that, don't do that, do not relinquish, do not, you know, hand over the leadership of the group, you are a leader, it's for a purpose, right, why the church has trained you, why the church has appointed you as a leader, so the church is encouraging you, behind you, 100%, so do not relinquish the leadership of that cell group of which you are a leader to another, to another person, right, so this is very, very important, even though the person might be experienced, older, etc., and especially, you know, the facilitation of the group, you know, maybe you can give opportunities, now today this person will facilitate the discussions and we can always do that, but you do not, you have to be secure, as a cell group leader, you know, we have to be secure in our role, in our identity, as, you know, as child of God and not really be overcome by these things, what we observe and others, okay, okay, we'll stop here and then we'll, we'll come back after the break.