Northfield Methodist Church

THE FOUNDATION OF PRAYER
During150 “Days of renewal” we will be viewing all that we do through
the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the questions for this week would you also consider the underlying question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: How close do you feel to God right now?
(Share if you fell comfortable to do so.)
1. What are you learning about prayer at the moment?
2. Why do you pray?
3. What is your main struggle with prayer?
4. How do you sit at the feet of Jesus?
5. What do you think God is inviting you into regarding your
life of prayer?

THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH
During150 “Days of renewal” we will be viewing all that we do through
the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the questions for this week would you also consider the underlying question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: What is your biggest “Faith” struggle?
1. Faith, in the world value system, is the opposite of knowledge.
Share your views on this statement.
2. What is the “giant” that you have to face in your life now?
3. What do you think that you have to do to get out of the boat?
(Matt 14)
Spend time praying for the faith that each person needs to overcome the “Giants” in their lives. Pray also for the picture of Christ walking with each other, to become very real.

THE CUP OF COURAGE
During150 “Days of renewal” we will be viewing all that we do through
the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the questions for this week would you also consider the underlying question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: Name a person you consider to be courageous
and share your reasons for them being a person of courage.
1. Share your personal definition of courage. (Compare with an official definition if able)
2. Share one moment in your life when you were required to be courageous.
3. Courage is also required for “ordinary-day” living. In what ways is courage found in everyday existence?
4. How can we grow in courage?
5. Read I Cor 15:58; 16:13. What insight is given to you through these passages?
6. Pray for any particular circumstances your group has which require courageous responses.
PTO
Cell Health :
Does the cell structure make sense?
Welcome, Worship, Word and Works.
Have you asked why an ice breaker? We all
know each other after all.
All are invited to a cell workshop on 24 July
from 08h00 to 12h00, in the Grace Room.
The cell structure, facilitation etc will be work shopped.
Find out how others do “small groups” and share your
successes and struggles.
RSVP Tony Habgood. 082 8965 853. Manuals are
supplied.
This is particularly important for New cell members and leaders.

During150 “Days of renewal” we will be viewing all that we do through
the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the
questions for this week would you also consider the underlying
question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: How would you describe contentment?
1. What robs you of contentment?
2. Are there things we need to be discontent about?
3. How do you think you personally can learn contentment? (only speak for yourself)
4. How does Christ meet you in your discontent?
PTO
Cell Health :
Have you put together some ground rules?
• Start and end time.
• Confidentiality.
• No interrupting or separate conversations.
• Call when you can’t come.
• Agree on approximate time of each cell function. e.g.
15 min Welcome and ice breaker, 20 min Worship, 40
min Word and 15 min prayer. (Never miss the 15
prayer at the end.) If you have problems keeping
time, appoint a time keeper. Parents of young
children and time conscious people, get stressed
and fed-up with bad time keeping.
• Any other thing that the group agrees on.
Keeping to agreed ground rules will ensure that cell
members remain focused. This is good for long term
sustainability of the cell.

During150 “Days of renewal” we will be viewing all that we
do through the lens of Renewal.
As you consider the lesson and the
questions for this week would you also consider the underlying
question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: Share a recent experience of joy.
1. Name the number one thing that steals away your joy.
2. What would it mean for you to see God as the most joyful
being in the universe?
3. In what way (if any) has Jesus brought you joy?
4. How can you intentionally practice celebration?
5. Take 5 min as a group to practice memorizing (and having
fun) 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Cell Health :
Is the cell a safe place?
One indication is to review if people bring up a real life
struggles?(Fears, worries, ambitions, request for
help, etc.)
Safety
• Having a “come as you are culture”.
• Feeling safe enough to be yourself.
• Accepting each other unconditionally.
This comes if people feel cared for:
• Being “for” each other.
• Encouraging each other.
• Coming alongside one another.
To care takes effort!
SMS, phone call when someone misses cell. (Make sure
this is done from a “Missed you ” attitude and not a “Where
were you” attitude.
Each cell member shows interest and respect when someone
is talking.
To foster Safety apply agreed ground rules like:
No interrupting or carrying on separate conversations.
Participation
Confidentiality
Bring issues of dissatisfaction up right away.
The role of the facilitator is to make sure that the ground
rules work.

THE CUP OF ADVENTURE
During150 “Days of renewal” we will be viewing all that we do through the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the
questions for this week would you also consider the underlying question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: Who is the most adventurous person you
know and why do you see this person as adventurous?
1. Share one of the most adventurous things you have done in your life.
2. Does the word adventure lend itself in describing your journey with Christ?
3. What Bible story captures the sense of adventure for you?
4. Retell a part of your spiritual journey from the perspective of an adventure.
5. Share with your group a spiritual adventure you are currently in or about to take on.
Cell Health: Is the group feeling a bit jaded.
Possible causes:-
No significant outreach. Too much routine
PRESCRIPTION: Hold feed-back sessions regularly
to find out how the cell members feel about the cell.
Choose outreach that stretches the
group. Encourage the group to be involved in a
hands-on manner. e.g. if caring for the physical needs
of people get the group involved.
Break routine at least every six weeks. Have a casual
supper together or watch a suitable dvd. Change
to a different teaching for a month or so.

GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
For the next 150 Days we will be viewing all that we do through
the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the
questions for this week would you also consider the underlying
question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: Can you share a story of God’s guidance in
your life?.
1) What is your favourite Bible story of God’s guidance? Why?
2) What is your main struggle with discerning God’s guidance in your life?
3) What did you find most helpful from Sunday’s message on guidance?
4) How do you go about finding God’s guidance in your life?
Cell Health: Core values
Unmerited Grace. That means love mixed with time.
Know what type of group you are.
Share the cell vision.
Pray asking the Holy Spirit to help you to achieve
the vision. Remember each cell is different and
will achieve the vision differently. God knows best!
Work your way out with God pointing the way.
Decide together what it means to your group
to reach out to others e.g.

GIFTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Read the Prayer:
During these days Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we bend our knees and bow our heads.
We call out as did the Israelites in Egypt.
We come before you as did our Fathers and Mothers of
Scripture. We pray Almighty God, renew and refresh our
hearts and minds during this time of gathering
Ice Breaker: What gifts have you seen manifested in the
people of your church.
1) What mistakes had the Corinthian Christians made, to which Paul referred in 1 Corinthians 12?
2) Why is it important for a congregation: a) to have unity? B) to have diversity or variety?
3) How could we as a congregation best honour God with our actions? (What will you as a Cell do differently next Sunday?)
4) As a result of this conversation, what aspect of “renewal” could you introduce into your “walk with the Lord?”

Pentecost - Empowered by the Holy Spirit
150 Days of Renewal
As of Easter Sunday we have entered into a Time of Renewal.
For the next 150 Days we will be viewing all that we do through the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the questions for this week would you also consider the underlying question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: Brainstorm: When someone says “Holy Spirit” what is the first thing that comes into your mind?
1) What does it mean for you to say that “the Holy Spirit is a person?”
2) What do you think blocks the flow of the Spirit in your daily life?
3) Read Luke 11:11-13. What becomes clear to you in these verses about the Holy Spirit?
4) What would it mean for you to really “ask” for the Holy Spirit to flow in your life?
1. Question: Are you willing to be changed by the Spirit? How do you honestly respond to this question at the moment? What are your misgivings? What are your hopes?

JESUS – MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE 150 Days of Renewal As of Easter Sunday we have entered into a Time of Renewal.
For the next 150 Days we will be viewing all that we do through
the lens of Renewal. As you consider the lesson and the
questions for this week would you also consider the underlying
question, “How would this bring renewal into my life today?”
Ice Breaker: What feelings or ideas come to mind when you
see pictures of the Universe?
http://www.hubblesite.org/gallery/album/
1) The reading from Daniel describes a vision of one “like the son of man” who was given authority , glory and sovereign power, all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. The reading from Ephesians offers a similar picture.
How do we reconcile this vision with the “state of the world” today? Comment.
2) Do you think the “church” has responded well to the instruction (Matthew 28: 19, 20) to make disciples of all the nations?
3) During the 150 Days of Renewal, what do you think Northfield needs to be doing?
It would be helpful if the answers to question (3) could be fed back to Tony Habgood at tony@nfmc.org.za