Expert: Phillip Senn - 9/12/2004

Question
Hi,I think another name for cell group is called small group.Where a leader will lead a small group of people to praise and worship God in a particular member's house and then give a short sermon,after that it's food and fellowship.Just like a mini chuch setting,but with a smaller group of people and more personal.Is there a system in your church too?

Regarding my cell group leader,I just felt that I am a quiet person in nature and I don't really know how to relate to people,I am quite a loner.After becoming a Christian,I learnt that a close relationship with God will inevitably cause us to be a 'magnet' to draw people to us,to have the kind of presence and countenance,in order that to lead people to God and be a role model to them.However,I don't seem to have that.I felt that I also have a problem relating to my cell group leader,I want some guidance and advice in leading my spiritual life and I just don't know how to press into my leader's life.I know that I can't grow much without accountability and guidance from her.I am pretty frustrated to see my best friend and those who are pretty new Christians who are promoted to be helpers in the group and having a relationship that I can't seem to build.
I admit that I have some opinions about her and it's wrong.I guess that's what prohibiting me.And the worst thing is I felt very inferior and keep having thoughts of comparison of myself to others,especially my best friend.I wonder how am I going to move on with constant thoughts of insecurity,jealousy and frustration.I cried many times over this.Pls give me some advice.

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Followup To
Question -
Hi there,I am very troubled by my own spiritual condition.
It's like I feel I have reached a plateau and I have not been doing much to grow.Say for example,the nagging feeling to pray is much less intense than when I was a new Christian and I tend not to get guilty if I miss one day with God.
Also I feel my hunger and excitment for God is less intense and I don't know how to find it all back to me again.I know it's silly to say that God loves me less but I really feel 'disconnected' from Him.There was a time when I really enjoyed spending time with God then something happened to me and I cannot and couldn't get back to the level where I was with God.
I feel sad too(BACAUSE I HAVE BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR A YEAR,AND I HAVEN LEAD A PERSON TO JESUS YET),shouldn't a Christian be happy-chirpy all the time?I keep questioning if Jesus's really in me and if my salvation is for real.And I cried like few times in a week.And I remembered I behaved like this when I was unsaved!I am really scared.
I told my cell group leader that I want to be baptised and after that I keep having conflicting thoughts that I shouldn't say that because 1)I haven't lead anyone to Jesus 2)I am afraid that I will remain like this after baptism 3)I am not a helper in the cell group yet
I have a lot of wrong thoughts,I tried to stop it but I can't.My best friend who was converted with me at the same time,was sort of promoted by God.And I keep wondering what else do I need to do to get close to God.Why does it seem so easy to others but to me,it's so difficult?
Lastly,I felt that sometimes I have difficulty to do what my cell group leader tells me to do.I know that I can't grow as much spiritually as I want to if I don't have an authority to correct and learn from.But I have difficulty relating to people,I simply don't know how to press into her life and gets the guidance and relationship that I should have with my leader.
Please give me some advice,I am very confused.

Answer -
I am confused by some of your comments. I will try to relate as best as I can. I am wondering what this "cell group" is, but I am assuming it has something to do with a Bible study and praise setting.

As I don't fully know your situation, I am wondering, "Do you attend a church with a Pastor?" Or are you just in a Bible Study setting". Either way, If you have come to have faith in Christ for your salvation, you indeed should have already been baptised, shortly after having come to faith in Him. Baptism should always be one of the first acts of obedience for the new believer after their confession of faith. Jesus gave the example by being Baptised at the start of His Earthly ministry.

The Ethiopian eunuch was baptised as soon as water was available to him. He even asked Phillip, "Here is water, what doth hinder me from being Baptised?" Phillip's response was simple, "If ye believe with all thine heart, thou mayest". This was in response to his faith, not his obedience in being a faithful soul winner, or in any other area of his new life. It was a testimony of the fact that he wanted to be identified with the Saviour that died for his sins, and was buried, and was raised again the third day.

As far as the wrong thoughts, we all struggle with that. The Apostle Paul had the same struggles. He said in Romans 7, that the things he wanted to do, he didn't do. He even said, the things I hate, I found myself doing. We all struggle with sin in our lives, but that doesn't have to rob us of the joy that comes from having a personal relationship with the Lord of Glory. That doesn't mean that we are always full of "happiness". Jesus was in a personal relationship with His Heavenly Father, yet suffered anguish often. He hurt over the death of Lazarus (Jesus wept); He grieved over the city of Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37); He was grieved over the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees (Mark 3:1-5). Others also faced sadness as believers, just as we do today. We need to understand that our right standing before God cannot be based upon our feelings, as our feelings may vary based upon circumstances. Our right standing before God must be based solely upon the finished work of our Lord Jesus, which He perfectly finished on the cross at Calvary. When our right standing is based solely on His finished work, we can know that we have ETERNAL LIFE, and that is reason to rejoice, even in the midst of those circumstances where we either don't feel worthy of His love towards us, or in circumstances that take away our happiness. In either case, we can have a joy unspeakable and full of glory, even when we are not happy.

In regard to the things your "cell leader" tells you to do, I don't know what they are telling you to do, so that would be difficult for me to make a judgement on.

In any case, if you have received Eternal life through faith in Jesus' name, your name is written in Heaven. Jesus, when his disciples came to him declaring that even the demons were subject unto them through His name said, " I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

I hope this has been helpful to you. If you need further help, please don't hesitate to post a follow-up. I will be more than happy to try to assist you. Please explain the "cell group" concept if it is different to what I thought it meant, and I will ry to be more specific to your needs.

Please rate my answer at allexperts.com so that I may know of areas in which I may need to improve, and that I may know how I am doing.

With Love in Christ,
Phillip Senn

Answer
Thank you for posting the information on "cell groups", and for the follow-up questions.

You sound much like myself when I was new in the faith. I also was very reserved in my approach. I also had trouble advancing in the Lord's kingdom's work.

The problem, as I see it, is that you haven't yet come to understand that, no matter what you think of yourself, or your abilities to "perfom" certain tasks, God has a special plan for your life that only He can perform in you. The Scriptures say, "...being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ..." (Philippians 1:6). Notice it is He that began the work in you, and He that will perform it in you. It is a matter of trust. Just as Eternal Life is a free goft to all that trust (believe) on Him to start the work (salvation), even so they also should trust Him to carry out that work to its fruition.

Many want to focus on making themselves "fit in" to a certain group. God is interested in using you in all groups. He wants to minister through you to others that may or may not be in your cell group. He does, however, want you involved in a local church. I hope that your cell group is a part of a church. It is an important thing to be associated with a group of believers in Bible study, but it is also important that that study group be involved in a church. Scripture says, "Unto him be glory in the church  by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

You stated, "I admit that I have some opinions about her and it's wrong. I guess that's what prohibiting me. And the worst thing is I felt very inferior and keep having thoughts of comparison of myself to others,especially my best friend. I wonder how am I going to move on with constant thoughts of insecurity,jealousy and frustration." You already have the makings of a GREAT believer, in that you readily admit wrongs that are apparent to you. The Holy Spirit is at work in your heart to minister to you when you deal with issues that He brings to your understanding. Let Him do his work, yield to His direction, and you will find that He will begin to resolve those issues in your heart.

With all of that having been said, keep one thing in mind: "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us  accepted  in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:6-7) You are accepted in Christ Jesus by the Father, whether or not others see you as accepted may depend on their walk with the Lord as well.

You may never become a "leader" in a cell group. That wouldn't be a great failure. The Scripture indicates that those that are first shall be last, and they that are last shall be first. I don't know all of what that means, but to me, it indicates that "they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) In other words, don't get ahead of God, let Him be the leader. You'll find Him  always leading in the right direction. Press yourself into His life, and then you will find Him pressing more of his likeness into your life.

With Love in Christ,
Phillip Senn