January 2013 Cell Material

JANUARY 2013

celloutlines | overview

WATER Water……

It can be as small as a drop or as big an ocean.

It sustains us, defines us, it refreshes us and brings us life.

Water is immortal, the ultimate renewal resource.

Water is valuable, water is illusive. Water is pure, water is vital.

Water has the power to invigorate, to stimulate.

Water is transformational.

We all need water.

Water is life! 1 Water is part of everything and essential to everything. Our planet, our body, our daily living - water is not just needed it’s essential.

The theme for 2013 is…yes you’ve guessed it…WATER! This may seem like an unusual choice but water is a theme that flows throughout the Bible. In Genesis 1:20, we read of the first mention of life, and this life comes from water, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures…”. Before there was anything; light, sun or moon, earth, plants, living creatures or anything else, there was water.

The images of water especially pervade the Gospel stories. Jesus was baptized in water, he walked on water, he calmed the stormy waters, turned water into wine and called all who were thirsty to come and drink….

On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.”

John 7: 37-38 (MSG)

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From the beginning of the Bible to the end water flows through the pages of scripture. In fact, there are then over 700 references in all to water in the Bible! It is full of passages that link water to Gods creating, blessing and saving work. From Genesis to Revelation water is there…..creating, sustaining, healing, cleansing, refreshing & transforming. And we’re invited to come and drink!

“If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It’s free!”

Rev 22:17 (CEV)

2013 Cell Groups Our cell material this year will take us deeper into the theme of water, and will broadly follow four ‘streams’!

REFRESHING WATER - The water Jesus offered was refreshing, reinvigorating and reenergising. 2013 is a chance to be refreshed and made pure with the life-giving water that Jesus promised and still promises.

DEEP WATER - A chance to dive deeper into our theology and be sure we understand the basis of our faith and doctrines.

PURE WATER - An opportunity to consider holiness; what does it mean for a 21st century young person in The Salvation Army and how can we recapture and refresh holiness in our generation in a way that makes our world a better place?

HARD WATER - As culture continues to ask tough questions of the church 2013 this year we will tackle some hard issues and difficult questions.

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At ALOVE we are so excited about diving into our ‘water’ theme this year and about the opportunities it will bring us. Our prayer is that for all of us throughout the territory we will go deeper in our mission to the world and our relationship with God and each other; that we will be refreshed and made pure with the life-giving water that Jesus promised and still promises; and that we will find courage to ask the hard questions and discover the sometimes harder answers of what it really means to be disciples of Jesus and The Salvation Army for a new generation.

Image sourced from www.versexverse.com/?p=1469

Leaders Notes In week four you will have the opportunity to think about questions / issues that your group members find difficult. It would be really useful if you could email your group’s questions to ALOVE ASAP, anonymously if you would prefer, as we will use these to create the cell material later on in the year as we attempt to answer some selected questions! Please also give us your thoughts or suggestions for tough questions or issues that you think should be tackled over this year in our ‘Hard Water’ stream.

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Cell Extra Don’t forget to remind your group about Cell Extra – which you / they can download from the ALOVE website.

This month’s Cell Extra provides seven devotional style readings of Bible stories involving water. This is designed to complement the cell notes as the cell notes do not really go into any specific stories, rather simply introduce the theme of the four streams. If you know that your group are reading cell extra you may be able to incorporate some of the stories into your group discussions.

1 Extracts from SAID Watershed campaign video.

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JANUARY 2013

celloutlines | week one These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources

REFRESHING WATER WELCOME a. Catch up with everyone’s Christmas…try asking everyone to state their: most bizarre present most meaningful moment most sung Christmas song / carol best TV moment most delicious item of food eaten b. In two teams ask people to create a list of all the different uses of water that they can think of. The team with the most ideas wins! (You could play this as a charade style game…each person acting out a use of water to his / her team mates!)

Read the Cell Introduction together

WORD a. Brainstorm as many Bible stories about water as you can think of.

Look some of them up in a Bible and read together. (You may need a concordance or access to the internet to search for the reference) Discuss, how did this person’s interaction with water change him /her e.g. healed, refreshed, cleaned, grew in faith. What other elements were involved e.g. faith, obedience, Jesus!

b. Thirst!

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a. Read the group the following funny story!

A man was going along in the desert in Australia when his car suddenly stopped. Nothing he could do would get it to go, so he got out and started to walk. He walked and walked and walked and soon he was feeling terribly, terribly thirsty. Finally he saw, coming into view, a little old shack by the side of the road. He staggered to the door and shouted ‘”Water, water, water.”

A man popped his head out the window and said, “Sorry pal, I only sell ties.”

So the man walked and he walked and he walked. By now his mouth was completely dried up. Then, coming into view, he saw another little old shack by the side of the road. He staggered up to the door and shouted, “Water, water, water.”

A man popped his head out the window and said, “Sorry pal, I only sell ties.”

So the man walked on. Finally he couldn’t walk anymore, so he crawled. He crawled and he crawled and he crawled till, coming into view, he saw a hotel. There by the side of the road, right in the middle of the desert, was the Hotel Splendid. And a really splendid hotel it was, with a man in uniform standing on the steps outside.

The man crawled up to the steps and gasped, “At last. Water, water, water.” continued over u

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celloutlines | week one (continued...)

And the man in uniform said, “Sorry pal, you can’t come in here dressed like that.

You’re not wearing a tie!” 2 Does anyone know what it is like to feel really, really thirsty?

The water Jesus offered was refreshing, reinvigorating and reenergising….and we will be looking at what this means for each of us during the year in the ‘Refreshing Water’ stream. b. Read John 7: 37 -38 together in different Bible translations and use the following thoughts as you find useful to expand on the words with your group.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (NIV) On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! 38 Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.” (CEV) 37

On the last and most important day of the feast Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from that person’s heart, as the Scripture says.” (NCV) 37

On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.”

37-39

Jesus literally shouted out this invitation for people to come to him and have their ‘thirst’ satisfied! He had to shout because it was the time of the Festival of Tabernacles. This was the annual celebration of the time when Israel wandered in the wilderness before entering into the Promised Land.

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On each day of the feast there was a procession of priests to the Pool of Siloam to draw water. They would draw water in a golden vessel from the pool and carry it to the temple to be poured out before the altar to remember the gift of water. (This ritual was intended to remind them of the time that they were very thirsty, and God gave them water from the rock in the wilderness) It was a very festive time each day, with choirs chanting and people waving palm branches, rejoicing and praising God. On the seventh day of the festival the priests processed around the altar with the water not once but seven times. At this high point of the festival Jesus dramatically cries out loudly, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.”

This invitation to come and drink is the climax of a series of references to water in John’s Gospel: the water turned to wine (chap. 2), the water of the new birth (chap. 3), the living water (chap. 4), the cleansing water of Bethesda (chap. 5) and the calming of the waters (chap. 6). All of these watery illustrations remind us that it’s in Jesus that we find all that we need and desire in life.

At the very end of the Bible, in the book of Revelation, we hear this invitation again: “If you are thirsty, come!

If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It’s free!”

Rev 22:17 (CEV)

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celloutlines | week one (continued...) c. An online sermon describes three actions that this verse instructs us to take: ‘Grasp!’

‘Gulp!’

‘Gush!’

Write these three words out on a piece of flipchart paper and discuss together what you feel each of these mean….jotting down your thoughts as you talk.

(Extracts from this sermon are attached below, and it would be good to read this before the cell group to help inspire your discussion!)

Discuss: in what ways are you thirsty for Jesus’ living water for this coming year?

PRAYER Assemble some art materials (e.g. paper, coloured pens, crayons, pastels, collage materials, glue) Ask each person to create / draw a picture based on John 7:37 – 38. For people that dislike art they could write a poem / prayer instead! Then use these in a time of prayer to pray for each other to be filled with the living water from Jesus and for a refreshing and reinvigorating 2013!

Alternatively, try an internet image search using ‘John 7:37’ and print some of the pictures that you find to stimulate your group in a time of prayer! You may be surprised what you find!

ACTION Spend some time this week asking Jesus to fill you with his living water. Consider what it means for this living water to ‘brim and spill out of the depths’ of your life to those around you….then demonstrate this in some way!

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You could also ask your cell group to read Cell Extra introduction and reading 1.

2 from Fantastically Funny Stories by Michael Rosen continued over u

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celloutlines | week one (continued...)

THIRSTY? Paul Decker Sourced from sermoncentral.com www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/thirsty-paul-decker-sermon-on-jesus-teachings-48944.asp?Page=1

The first course of action is to GRASP We are invited to come (Isaiah 55:1).

This is a theme that continues throughout Scripture. The prophet Isaiah would announce: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…”

Jesus continues the invitation.

“Come!” “Make the move!” “Reach out as I reach out to you!” “Grasp on to me!”

Each one of us can come. Each one of us has access to Jesus. No one has to be left out. It is a universal invitation. If “anyone” desires to drink they may. There are no ethnic, intellectual, or social qualifications. You just come……. “everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…”

The second course of action is to GULP But we must mention at this point that there is one condition. You have to drink. You have to accept the invitation. You see…

We can satisfy thirst if we drink.

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If I stand here thirsty, with a glass of water in my hand, and I don’t drink it, what good is the glass of water? We must take it, bring it to our lips, and drink. We need to gulp it down, if you will. We will not be satisfied until we consume it.

The great thing about what Jesus offers is that He will never run dry. He will always have more than we need. We also don’t have to wait in line (like waiting for a drink at a fountain). It is always available, because…

Jesus desires to fill our emptiness.

As human beings we have many innate drives. It is how we survive and exist.

We have a drive to fill our stomachs. We get hungry. But, the drive of thirst is all-consuming. When we are thirsty, we cannot get it out of our mind.

This concept of thirst is used to describe the emptiness of our souls.

For each one of us has a sense of being driven and a chronic restlessness.

We become dry, weary and torn. Because no matter what we have or what we do, we are incomplete. Our lives are not perfect. We have times of regret, shame and rejection.

It is away from this that Jesus invites us to and tells us to drink. It is from this that Jesus wants to save us. He wants to believe and fill us with Himself.

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The third course of action is to GUSH. Here we find Jesus probably quoting from the prophet Isaiah (58:11 or 44:3-4) to demonstrate that the water is to make a difference in us.

For‌ We are filled with water that never abates.

It never stops. It keeps going. When we are filled with the water Jesus offers, it does not stop with us. It gushes out of us! It keeps coming and touches those that we touch. We become, in effect, a former thirsty person showing thirsty people how to get a drink.

For‌ We have living water that gives us power, joy and hope.

I believe that the promise is not only that we will be satisfied, but that we will be satisfying. We should and will become a blessing to others.

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celloutlines | week one (continued...)

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celloutlines | week two These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources

DEEP WATER WELCOME a. Watch this clip on You Tube of Mr Bean at the swimming pool! www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZujYUcY5xc

b. Thirsty Straws Game Split into two teams, and stand each team in a separate line. Give each person a plastic cup full of water with a straw. This game is a relay race to see which team can finish all their water first. On the ‘go’ signal the first person in each team drinks their water through the straw as quickly as possible. When their cup is empty the next person in the team can begin drinking, and so on until one team finishes all their water…they are the winners!

Feedback from last week Ask the group if they were able to demonstrate Jesus’ living water ‘brimming & spilling’ out of their lives this week!

WORD a. Ask group members what their specialist subject would be, if on a quiz show for example e.g. Doctor Who, X-Factor, Manchester United, Girls Aloud, Irish dancing, Chemistry Ask other group members to fire some questions at each person about their specialist subject.

(If you are really organised, you could have asked them last week and prepared a little quiz for this week for each person based on their specialist subject….see who really does know the most!) b. Use the following thoughts as you find useful to introduce the theme of doctrines

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If one of your friends asked you about your interest, what would you say? You’d probably be able to talk for hours about what you do and why you’re into that particular thing, explaining the finer points of what’s what or who’s who!! You may hope that your friend catches your enthusiasm and wants to join you in your interest!

So what happens when someone asks you about your faith, or about Jesus, or about The Salvation Army or why you go to church? In the Bible we are urged to make sure that we can always ‘give an answer’ when someone asks us questions like these.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) In The Message it says: “Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.”

So during this year, in the ‘Deep Water’ stream, we are going to recap on what we believe as Christians and why we believe it. So the next time someone asks you, you will be ready to give a clear and confident answer! To do this we will be looking at The Salvation Army Doctrines of Faith. A Doctrine is simply a statement of belief….and The Salvation Army has got eleven…eleven statements of faith (doctrines) that explain what we believe about God, faith and life. c. Print out the doctrines of faith (attached below) and cut into separate strips. Put the group into pairs and give each pair one set of strips. Ask them to try to lay them out in the correct order as they are in The SA Handbook continued over u

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celloutlines | week two (continued...) of Doctrine. The first pair to get this correct are the winners.

Give each person printed copy of the doctrines and read through them together‌.ask which doctrines, or phrases within the doctrines that they may not understand. Then show them the simplified forms of the doctrines (attached below) and discuss.

Explain that it is OK if they don’t understand everything about the doctrines at the moment, as we will look in detail at these in various fun and challenging ways in the next few months.

PRAYER Use the following scriptures to pray for each other that you will grow more in wisdom this year and gain a greater understanding of God, faith, theology and life!

One way you could do this would be to take it in turns for each person to sit in the middle of the group, everyone else to gather round, and have one person read Proverbs 2:1-11 as a blessing and encouragement over that person! Perhaps that person could then pray out loud their own response to God. But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you.

James 1:5 (NCV) My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.

2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.

3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.

4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.

5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord grants wisdom!

From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.

He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.

8 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

11 Wise choices will watch over you.

Understanding will keep you safe.

Proverbs 2:1-11 (NLT)

ACTION Read through the doctrines again this week. Special prize for the person who can memorise and recite the most doctrines correctly next week!

You could also ask your cell group to read Cell Extra readings 2 and 3.

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THE DOCTRINES OF THE SALVATION ARMY We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God; and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.

We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.

We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost - undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.

We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.

We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.

We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.

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We believe that we are justified by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.

We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.

We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.

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SIMPLIFIED FORMS OF THE DOCTRINES Doctrine 1 God helped and guided good people to speak and write what is in the Bible, so that from it we may learn the way God wants us to live and the things he wants us to believe.

Doctrine 2 There is only one God and he is altogether perfect in every way. He is the creator, preserver and governor of all things. We should not worship anyone or anything else.

Doctrine 3 The Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit are one God. Doctrine 4 Jesus is both truly God and truly human: he has both God’s nature and human nature.

Doctrine 5 Our first parents, by their disobedience, lost their sense of God’s favour, and came under the power of sin; and because of this we are all inclined to do wrong.

Doctrine 6 On the cross Jesus suffered and died for the sins of everyone, so that whoever wants to may be saved.

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Doctrine 7 To be saved we must be truly sorry for doing wrong and trust in Jesus; then the Holy Spirit will make us new people.

Doctrine 8 Salvation is a free gift from God. It is received when we believe in Jesus; and when we are saved we know it and show it.

Doctrine 9 To stay saved we must trust in Jesus to help us, and we must go on doing as he wants us to do.

Doctrine 10 Saved people are given the chance to be used by God to help him. When they have given themselves to him fully, they can be given power to serve him, and be kept from sinning.

Doctrine 11 When our present bodies die we ourselves go on living in a new and different way.

At the end of the world Jesus will judge all people. Those who have chosen him to be their saviour will be happy to live with him as their king, for ever. Those who have not done so will always be unhappy because they chose what separates them from all that is good and lovely.

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celloutlines | week three These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources

PURE WATER WELCOME a. Have one or two of the large containers of water that you can buy from supermarkets, or a camping water container. Ask group members to volunteer to lift the water, who can lift it for the longest? Who can lift the highest? (You could refer back to this when you introduce the Watershed campaign and the distances many women in the developing world have to carry huge weights of water.) b. Water Numbers Quiz In this activity group members are asked to match up a number with a statement, either on their own or in pairs. Print out and give each person a copy of the Water Numbers sheet attached. Simply ask people to draw lines between the number and statement that they feel match up.

Feedback from last week Who has memorised and can recite the most Salvation Army doctrines? Prizes at the ready!!

WORD ‘Pure Water’ is about living life in the way that is pleasing to God, with values such as honesty, kindness, generosity, faith, love and hope top of our agenda. We call this holy living! We are called to reflect the holiness of God in our lives and to the world around us.

a. A Holiness Movement The Salvation Army was born of the holiness movement. William and Catherine Booth had grown up with Wesley’s holiness teaching but felt the expectation and desire for Christian perfection had gradually been eroded. They included Holiness as a key Salvation Army belief to encourage all believers in this aspiration.

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Read 1 Peter 1:13-2:3 This passage talks about holy living. Choose from the following questions to discuss this further with your group.

What is this passage discussing?

Why does this passage say that it important for us to live holy lives?

What does it mean by ‘evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance’?

What does this passage say we should keep away from and out of our lives if we are to be holy?

What should we embrace and include in our lives to be holy?

How should our holiness affect those around us?

What would holiness look like in our local community?

If you were made holy, how would this influence your family, your best friends, and your acquaintances?

How do you think they would be affected? 3 Use the following thoughts as you find helpful during, or to summarise, your discussion.

As Christians our lives are orientated around Kingdom values and priorities that are often different to how many continued over u

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celloutlines | week three (continued...) people around us choose to live. Our number one priority is to live in a way that is pleasing to God, with values such as honesty, kindness, generosity, faith, love and hope top of our agenda. We call this holy living! We are called to reflect the holiness of God in our lives and to the world around us. God asks us to live holy lives, not just to please him, but because he wants the best for us. It means staying away from the things that may hurt us or get in the way of our friendship with Jesus.

‘Be holy in all you do, just as God, the One who called you, is holy.’

1 Peter 1:15 Some people think holiness is living a life that is disconnected and separate from the world, trying our best not to break the rules. But real holiness is about living in the world whilst staying in time and in tune with God’s heartbeat. Holiness is about living everyday by choosing to make good and godly choices, through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 (NLT).

b. Social Holiness Use the following thoughts as you find helpful to introduce the idea of social holiness...

John Wesley said there is ‘no holiness but social holiness’. He meant that we can’t do this on our own - it is within Christian community that holiness of life is to be realised. But more than that, we have a responsibility to outwork holiness to make our world a better place – a more just place, a more compassionate place.

You cannot be holy except as you are engaged in making the world a better place. You do not become holy by keeping yourself pure and clean from the world but by plunging into ministry on behalf of the world’s hurting ones.

Rev. Dean Snyder 4

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Social holiness was also essential to the Booths. The urgency of getting peoples souls saved was balanced by the need for transformation; of individual’s whole lives and of society. In 1869, Booth spoke the following well known words: ‘What is the use of preaching the Gospel to men whose whole attention is concentrated upon a mad, desperate struggle to survive? No-one gets a blessing if they have cold feet, and nobody ever got saved while they had toothache.’

In 1886 the first Salvationist home for “fallen women” was started and social action became the central action for The Salvation Army. Out of this conviction that men and women could lead changed lives, came the focus on the promises of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The Salvation Army is the one holiness denomination that has continually and faithfully stuck with a mission of social action.

Later on in the year we will be focusing on this aspect of holiness and one way we can all get involved is through the SAID ‘Watershed’ campaign.

Introduce this now by watching the following video on The Salvation Army International Development Watershed webpage. www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/watershed There is lots of information about this campaign on the website. Use as much as you feel appropriate for your group at this time and / or encourage each person to look at the campaign material themselves over the next week.

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celloutlines | week three (continued...)

PRAYER Read aloud the following old hymn written by Barney E Warren in 1911. (If you don’t know the hymn and want to hear a rendition of what is sounds like go to http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Holiness/hifi/) 1. Beautiful holiness! Theme of the Bible, Filling my heart with its riches of grace; Cleansing and keeping me ever from evil, Fitting my soul for that heavenly place.

2. Beautiful holiness! Fair as the morning, Sparkling with jewels of purity bright; Rubies of grace in their splendid adorning, Cover me here as I walk in the light.

3. Beautiful holiness! Coming from heaven, Likeness of God and the angels above; Jesus, the way, and the Bible, are given— Wonderful favour through infinite love!

4. Beautiful holiness! Blissful, eternal, Surely without it no man seeth God; It will prepare us for glories immortal— This is the way our dear Saviour hath trod.

Read through each verse carefully to be sure to understand some of the more old fashioned language. What is each verse actually saying? Maybe rewrite it in your own words, or ask each group member to write their own lyrics, poem or prayer about holiness. Use these in a time of prayer together.

ACTION There is lots of information about the SAID Watershed campaign on the website. www.salvationarmy.org.uk/ uki/watershed. Have a look at some of the resources over the coming week and see how you feel inspired to get involved! Share your thoughts next week.

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You could also ask your cell group to read Cell Extra readings 4 and 5.

3 The Uprising: A Holy Revolution – Olivia Munn & Stephen Court 4 Social Holiness: Our Wesleyan DNA – Rev. Dean Snyder October 5, 2003 – www.foundryumc.org/sermons/10_5_2003.pdf continued over u

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WATER NUMBERS Match up the numbers with the correct statement

160

lives that could be saved each year by achieving universal access to safe water and sanitation

2000

school days are lost each year due to water-related diseases

2.5 million

The weight of water, in kgs, that women in Africa and Asia carry on their heads

884 million

litres of water used by each person in the UK every day

40 billion

the average cost, in pounds, of building a well providing a whole community with clean water

443 million

people who live more than a kilometre from their water source

700

people in the world without access to safe water

1.1 billion

hours spent carrying water each year in Africa sanitation

20

children die every day from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation

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443 million

school days are lost each year due to water-related diseases

160

litres of water used by each person in the UK every day

1.1 billion

people who live more than a kilometre from their water source

2.5 million

lives that could be saved each year by achieving universal access to safe water and sanitation

2000

children die every day from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation

40 billion

hours spent carrying water each year in Africa

20

the weight of water, in kgs, that women in Africa and Asia carry on their heads

700

the average cost, in pounds, of building a well providing a whole community with clean water

884 million

people in the world without access to safe water

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NUMBERS QUIZ ANSWER SHEET

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JANUARY 2013

celloutlines | week four These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources

HARD WATER WELCOME Predicaments game Using the attached sheet create a set of cards with different ‘predicaments’ on them. You can add your own that may be more relevant to your group, making them more humorous or more serious as you feel appropriate!

Place the cards face down in the centre of the group and one at a time take a card from the pile. As each person takes a card s/he will read out what is written on the card and then say what they would do in that situation.

The group can then make comments and discussion may follow. Of course, there can be more than one ‘correct’ answer.

Feedback from last week How do group members feel inspired to get involved with Watershed this year?

WORD Sometimes in life we face challenges or go through difficult times. Sometimes it is hard to stay true to our faith and walking in God’s ways. Often we have to make tough decisions. So this year, in the ‘Hard Water’ stream, we are going to give some time to tackling hard issues and difficult questions. a. Group brainstorm

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One cell group later in the year will be focused on discussing – and hopefully answering - some of the difficult questions that we have about God, the Bible, faith and living as a Christian!

Place a large piece of flipchart paper / wallpaper in the centre of the group and brainstorm any questions of this nature that your group have. Assure your group that anything goes and that no-one should feel embarrassed about any questions that they want to ask. You could give each person a pen and get them writing their questions on the sheet themselves, then read them all out at the end. You may even find that several group members got the same questions.

Some examples to start you off could be as follows: (perhaps you may want to write these on the sheet of paper to begin with….)

How do we know the Bible is true?

Can I be a Christian without going to church?

How can a good God allow evil and suffering?

If a Christian commits suicide will s/he go to heaven?

How do I know what s right from wrong, especially when everyone else is doing it?

Please could you email your group’s questions to ALOVE ASAP, anonymously if you would prefer, as we will use these to create the cell material later on in the year and attempt to answer some selected questions! Please also give us your thoughts or suggestions for tough questions or issues that you think should be tackled over this year in our ‘Hard Water’ stream.

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celloutlines | week four (continued...) b. Challenges of 2013 Read the following together: Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.

1 Peter 4:12-13 (MSG) The British Humanist Association ran a publicity campaign, backed by the evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins, which involved placing large advertisements across the nation’s buses. Their message was simple: “There’s probably no God, now stop worrying and enjoy life”. This campaign was a timely reminder that the society in which the Church is called to serve is currently undergoing a time of huge cultural change and transition. There was once a time when God, religion and the Church were valued and respected. This is not true today. ‘Professor John Drane said that “People reject the church not because it isn’t relevant enough but because it isn’t spiritual enough.” Christianity, the Church and God are now firmly rooted on the margins of society.

Discuss: What do you think are some of the challenges of 2013 facing: The Church?

The Salvation Army?

Christian young people?

You?

PRAYER Print out a copy of the following scripture passage for each person. Read it together and use the words to fuel your prayers. If any of your group are going through a difficult time at the moment, allow time to pray for them specifically. Also pray for each of you for courage and strength to face and difficulties or ‘trials’ this year and commit to supporting and encouraging each other

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Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

5-8

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

12

Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

13-15

So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

16-18

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ACTION Choose one phrase, verse or paragraph from the above Bible passage and memorise it! Allow it to penetrate deep into your spirit so that when tough times come you will remember it and find comfort, courage and hope in the words.

You could also ask your cell group to read Cell Extra readings 6 and 7.

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celloutlines | week four (continued...)

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PREDICAMENTS You are accused of stealing some money by someone in authority e.g. head teacher, police officer, boss. You did not do it but you know who did.

You lent a friend £10. Repayment was promised for last Wednesday. Your friend seems to be avoiding you and has not paid any money.

Someone seems to be following you late one night. There is no-one else around.

You see someone you don’t know looking into a neighbour’s window at the back of their house.

Someone keeps picking on your best friend.

You see two young men beating up a policeman.

You see a tramp lying on a busy pavement. He could be ill or drunk. Other people are stepping over him.

Your house is on fire. You have time to save two things.

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Someone is spreading lies about you.

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