Youth Can Lead Cell Groups

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters. 

When I was 14 years old, leaders in my church asked me to lead a small group Bible study for youth aged 11 to 13.  Every week I prepared a Bible study. I carefully wrote out my topic, the Bible reference of the passage we would study, and the questions I wanted to ask. I prayed for the members of the group during the week. I was only a couple of years older than they were, but I was the group leader. I took my responsibility seriously. We met in the homes of the youth. Their parents were nearby, but they did not participate in our youth cell group. Our meetings often ended with very rich times of prayer. Every week, seven or eight kids and I had wonderful fellowship in the Lord. 

While I have great memories of prayer times and fellowship in that cell group, I feel a little bit embarrassed as I think about the quality of my Bible studies.  I don’t think I ever taught any heresies, but if I had it to do over again, I would make a lot of improvements!  But I am so thankful I was given the chance to lead.

One of the greatest lessons I take from that experience is that youth can lead cell groups. I know they can do it because I did it when I was a youth. So often church leaders look at children, youth, the elderly, and other marginalized groups as people who need to receive ministry. But in Village Church Planting we view every person as a potential minister of the Gospel. I want to repeat this very important observation: In Village Church Planting we view every person as a potential minister of the Gospel.

This means that youth need to hear the Good News so they can repent of their sins and trust Jesus. Teach young believers to obey Jesus’ seven basic commands. Challenge youth to make disciples.  A great way to make disciples is to start and lead a cell group.

Ideally, cell groups should have a leader and a co-leader. Older youth can lead younger youth.  In some contexts, young women will lead older girls and young men will lead older boys. The important principle is to empower youth to lead cell groups made up of other youth. Have adults nearby, but let the youth leader have the freedom he or she needs to truly lead and multiply the cell group.

Teach youth cell group leaders to pray constantly for group members and plan cell meetings carefully. Train the leader and co-leader to lead in prayer, Bible study, worship, and ministry outreach. Help the leaders set simple, achievable goals for the group and share their goals and vision with the members. Meet once a month with cell group leaders to encourage them, pray for them, and train them.  Keep the vision for multiplication before the leaders. Help the group to reproduce itself in new cells.  In Village Church Planting, we view every person as a potential minister of the Gospel.  Your encouraging words and living example will bless the youth of your church. When you show the young people of your church that you believe in them and want to help them achieve great things in the Lord, many will rise to the challenge, grow in faith, develop ministry skills, and bear much fruit.

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #CellGroups #EmpowerYouth