Growing Deeper by Going Smaller

December is here. We have made it to the end of the year. At the beginning of the year you probably think how you will make it this year. But we are now in December. We made it.

And there are a lot of things and programme happening in December. Yesterday the youth and young adults visited the paediatric ward at GH. Some of them was their first visit to the General Hospital. And they ask me how come no aircon? I purposely chose the GH. Some of them were so sick at a young age. The young who has cancer. And some of the youth were thankful for their own health and blessings in their life.

The other event is 19 December, an acoustic Christmas with Amy Yeoh. We have about 70 tickets left. Please don't waste any tickets. One ticket could mean one soul. Take the tickets and reach out. Go and get your tickets. If you are on duty that day, we ask you not to take any tickets. We want to invite as many outsiders as possible. We want to maximise every seat. If you want a place to sit, get yourself a ticket. No ticket no seat. We go according to tickets.

If we have walk ins on that day, I'm going to ask our church members to give your seats to these people. For servers, there will be a briefing next Sunday after service. Theresa and Esther will be giving a briefing. All those involved have to be there.

Please pray for the event. Everything the church does is a spiritual exercise. The church has to pray for this event. That people, will not be stopped from coming. We are going to ask God to give us an open heaven for the event. The dancers, the ushers and those of you who are serving, can you fast a day for this. Amen? Amen church?

This morning I want to talk about growing deeper by going smaller.

Our church theme for the last two years is what? Arise! Shine! Next year we will be focusing on another aspect. So I want to talk about the theme for 2016/17. And at watch night service and the first service of 2016, our vision casting service, where I will share more in detail.

The area that we want to focus on is the cell group. Grow deeper by going smaller. Next year it is our desire to increase the cell attendance. It's now about 30 to 40% attending cell. How many is that? Any accountant here? That's about 80 people attending cell. We can be better.

Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

You may say it this way, Day after day in the church and cell group to cell group they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Some don't like to use the name cell group because it reminds us of the terrorist cells. We use terms like small groups or breakout groups. But it's actually the same.

How many of you hear of good things that come in small packages? Like your wedding ring. How would you like it if your fiancé gave you a big present instead of a small box with a ring?

The Bible is full of testimonies of God using small things to do great exploits. Like Samuel. God says man look at the outward appearance while God looks in the heart. God used him and he was the next king of Israel.

Remember Bethlehem? It was so insignificant. Jerusalem was the centre of all attraction. Nobody goes to Bethlehem. If not for Christ's birth no one would have heard of Bethlehem. God used small things. Jesus was born in a lowly manger.

What is the biblical backing for small groups.

Because our Saviour led a small group

Mark 3:13-14 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve–designating them apostles–that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach

He started with a small group and he turned the world right side up. We see our Saviour doing it. If it is important enough for Jesus to invest in 12 so is it important for the church.

The early church practised small groups

Acts 2:46-47 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

The early apostles preached the gospel and God added to the church daily. And in order to maintain the vitality, they broke bread from house to house and God continued to add to the church. They met in homes. So we ought to do the same.

Paul practised small groups

Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.

If it is important for Paul it is important for us.

You may ask what is in it for me?

We get support. In small groups you are never alone. When you have a problem who do you call? The cell leader. The first point of contact and care is from your cell. 

Some of you may not know but it is with sympathy I tell you that Bro Ho have passed away. I respected him because he not just talk the talk but he also walk the talk. He will share the gospel with the community people. He preached the gospel. When he first passed away, I believed Sis Ho called the cell leader and when I reached the hospital, the cell leader came next and then the cell members. They are elderly and their only son is in Singapore so the immediate support came from the cell.

It is in the cell that we learn to stand with one another. In the cell you see both the good and bad in a person. That's what you get when you get close to someone. First point of support is from the cell.

I salute the cell leaders because week in and week out every Friday you prepare your lessons.

Do not think that because you are not in the cell, pastor will not bury you. No. This brings me to the next point.

Everything starts with a relationship.

We do things not because of duty but because of relationship. I do it because I love you. I cannot build lasting relationship with everyone. The only way you can do that is through the cell. You have praise and worship and exhortation and the word. And food, which you cannot get in church. All the cell have good food. I see laksa, curry chicken with Bengali roti, man, always good food. They say those that eat together stay together. It is in the cell that we build lasting relationships.

There will be people that will offend you or people you don't like but because we are a family of God, we see Jesus. You take Jesus' face and put it on that person. You know porcupines?

One day it was getting cold in the forest and in this den was a group of porcupines. In order to get warmth, they needed to get close to one another. But they prick one another. So they bear one another in order to keep warm.

Sometimes we have to do that. But sometimes we may have bad relationship but there are also good relationships. Do not let one bad relationship destroy your ability to build lasting relationships with others. You may drop out of church if we don't build relationships.

Yesterday I was so encouraged that there was an old lady who wanted to join the youth for the hospital visitation. And she was a blessing. And she said every Sunday she kena tembak because she is not in a cell. But she said next year she wants to attend cell and she chose Bro Allan's cell.

Last but not least, you will be grounded.

Some people ask me if I can preach deep deep deep deep deep sermons. Sunday sermons are to encourage, inspire and to challenge. If you want something solid, go for Sunday Bible Study by Bro Koay.

Or go to the cell, knowing God through his names. Even I benefitted from it. You don't go, you rugi. It's the place where you can get solid food. On Sunday, what can I do in 45 minutes? On Sunday you cannot ask questions. In a cell it's two way. You can ask questions. The cell leader can do that or the members can help you. A cell is important. You have to be in a cell.

One day it may become illegal for us to meet like this. What happens then? The church is where 2 or 3 are gathered, that's where God is.

You need life in the cell where you don't only meet on Friday but also days outside of the cell. Go for outings and mission trip. The cells that are doing well meet outside of Friday. It’s a place where we can grow spiritually.

We are going to push for this next year. Everyone. Everyone means? ALL. All means? EVERYBODY! You need to make a commitment to come.

On Sunday mornings you are charged up by the word. Monday you go to work and you are charged up. By Tuesday your battery is almost finished. By Wednesday we have prayer meeting and you get charged up again. Thursday you are superman. By Friday you wonder how you get through when your boss dumps work on you. Then there's cell. You get charged up and you're ready for Saturday. Then Sunday no problem.

But some of us only come on Sunday. Not enough. It important that you need to be found in a cell. I grew up in a cell. It is important and it is based on relationships. If you do not build relationships in the cell it is very difficult.

So how many of you will sign up for cell? You may ask how do I join a cell? Very easy. Cell leaders all stand up. Go and see a cell leader. Find a cell nearby. We are like 7 Eleven. We have 9 branches. So you cannot say where to go?

How many of you have a bulletin? The last page list down all the cells that we have. It lists the cell Christmas event. Go join them. Don't need to wait until next year. If you don't want me to talk about this like for the last 5 years, go join a cell. Then I will stop talking about this.

Let's do something new next year.

Galatians 6:7-10

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Cell leaders, I know sometimes you feel weary and tired. I pray for you and I try to give you breaks. But do not give up. Do not be weary of doing good. You will reap the harvest.