Youth Cell Ideas

This page is full of ideas for three of the four cell group ‘W’s:

Welcome
Worship
Witness

Welcome

One person is nominated to sit on the ‘hot seat’, and each person has to ask them a question. Once they’ve answered their questions the next victim is up… and so on.
Write down an unusual fact about yourself on a bit of paper, for example “I have an extensive stamp collection”, fold it up and put it in a hat. Pick at random one of facts and as a group see if you can guess who wrote it. You don’t want people to know it’s your fact!
Don’t tell anybody what is going to happen, but get a roll of toilet paper and tell all those playing not to take too much but to take however much they want. One all the players have taken the number of sheets they want each has to tell one thing about themselves for every sheet they have.
Get a ball of string and get a group of people to stand in a circle and then throw the string to different people and then once the ball of string has ran out you can then talk to the group on how the relationships can work and if (then you cut a random piece of the string) it breaks you can affect the entire line of people. (Works best with a smaller group.)
Ask a “few” questions:- * Who is the person closest to you? * What was one of the happiest moments in your life? * What time period would you have lived in, if you could have lived at any time? * What Biblical character inspires you the most? (Besides Jesus) * What would you do if you had won a million pounds? (can’t be spiritual) * What historical (non-Biblical) figure interests you the most? * Describe your favourite cousin. * What is your favourite style of music? (Christian isn’t a style) * What is your favourite piece of art? (It doesn’t have to be famous) * Whose eyes are most like yours in the room? * What is your favourite worship song? * What is your favourite praise song? * If you were unlimited by money, where would you spend a vacation? * What planet would you visit if you could go to any one? * What is your favourite hobby? * What is your favourite Bible verse? * Where were you born? * What is your favourite family Christmas tradition? * Tell an unusual fact about yourself. * What is your dream car? * How many brothers and sisters do you have? * If you could not fail, what would you do? * If you were going to live on the moon and could take one thing with you, what would you take? (Besides your Bible) * If your house were on fire, what is the one thing you would grab (assuming all family and pets were safely out)? * What is the hardest thing you ever had to do? * Do you have any phobias? * What do you do when you have free time? (Follow on with a few more questions…)
Take the letters of your Christian name and think of a quality you would like to grow in for each letter. E.g. Peter = Patience - Endurance -Thankfulness - Encouragement - Reliability (Don’t worry if you can’t cover every letter - especially with long names!)
In two teams take turns in being blindfolded and guessing by feeling the identity of some ordinary household objects e.g. Scissors - an egg - a sock - a corn flake - an oxo cube - etc LESSON - It’s difficult if you don’t have vision
TALK ABOUT - A time when you lost something very important or valuable. How did it happen? - How did it feel? - What did you do? - Did you find it again? - How did it feel when you found it?
A Good Old Favourite that’s worth running again. Give everyone a piece of paper and get them to draw a picture of their face only - illustrating the kind of day they have had. THEN - Fold the pictures, get everyone to choose one at random, you have to guess who it is and what they are feeling. Don’t reveal the correct identities until the very end.
What is the most relaxing thing you have ever done? OR - The most relaxing place you have ever been?
CHINESE WHISPERS: Depending on the size of the group. Prepare some short messages - e.g. a shopping list with 4 or 5 items; Instructions to meet somewhere including the time, the place, the reason and something to wear; an order for a three course meal. Then whisper it down the line and get the last person to write out the message. Compare all the messages at the end. Talk about the importance of listening and understanding.
TALK ABOUT - A time when you were misunderstood - what happened -was it resolved - how?
Prepare some smells - e.g. lemon / banana / strawberry / marmite / bleach (careful) / meths etc. Form two teams and take turns in guessing whilst blindfolded.
TALK ABOUT - A large procession, March, or public celebration that you remember seeing or being a part of.
ALPHABET GAME: In a circle - call out things that followers of Jesus should be like or do, for each letter of the alphabet in turn. Make it quick fire with people saying pass but aim at something for EVERY letter. Be generous and creative EG - A = actively evangelistic - Q = quietly generous X = exceptionally loving - etc
Ask those who have been baptised by immersion to share what it were like - what happened - how did it feel?
TEAM GAME: How many people’s names can you make from the letters in PENTECOST SUNDAY in 5 minutes? E.g. STAN / DANNY / PETE
TALK ABOUT - Your first encounter with supernatural spiritual gifts. Where was it? - What was happening? - How did you feel? - What did you do?
TEAM GAME: in two teams - give each team a large potato. Make a list of as many uses you can think of for a potato in 5 minutes - sensible and silly.
Think about a time when someone, or something that happened to you, brought you encouragement just when you needed it. Share it with the group.
If you could sell anything door-to-door (non-religious), what would it be and why?
If you could visit a friend or relative anywhere in the world who would you choose and why?
Paul says in 2 Cor 5:17 “The OLD has gone, the NEW has come". Share something “OLD” that has gone and something “NEW” that has come as a result of being a “NEW CREATION"
Which event from the Bible would you most like to have been a part of and why?
What was the best thing your father or mother ever said to you OR did for you?
ALPHABET FEAST - This worked especially well in Youth Cells. Go round the circle in turn Start with “I went to a feast and we all ate - APPLE PIE. Next Person “I went to a feast and we all ate - APPLE PIE and BACON ROLLS. Next Person “I went to a feast and we all ate - APPLE PIE and BACON ROLLS and CHICKEN LEGS. NOTE: Each item has to be TWO words starting with the next letter in the alphabet. Keep going round until the memory begins to fade - the list gets too long - or you get bored.
What is your biggest or longest standing “unfinished task"?
If you could choose to be an animal rather than a human, what would you be and why?
If you could change one thing about your town centre, what would it be and why?
Which nursery rhyme character would you most like to have been and why?
Which subject did/do you most enjoy at school? Which was/is the most boring?
Exchange something from your pocket or bag with someone else in the group - think up a use for the item other than its normal use. E.g. A handkerchief - “I could tie knots in this and wear it as a hat!"
What is your favourite way of staying cool in hot weather?
Go round the group naming a drink for each consecutive letter of the alphabet. OPTIONAL EXTRA - If you cannot think of one you have to drink a glass of water.
What is the boldest thing you have ever had to do? What were your feelings before and after?
In two teams - The first team to find 5 objects in the room or in your pockets / bags that are linked to an event or passage in the Bible. You have to read out the Bible reference. What do you most look forward to about your cell meeting?
Who has had the biggest influence on your life outside your family and why?
TASK - To design and make the tallest tower that will stand unsupported for 60 seconds using ONLY three sheets of A4 paper. No glue / sticky tape / clips allowed, only tearing / cutting / folding.
If you could be musical instrument what would you be?
What is or was your favourite team game and why? Ask for stories about “team” experiences - good and bad!
What was the most unusual present you were given this Christmas?
What was the most unusual thing you ate this Christmas?
If you had the chance to own a small business or shop what would it be?

Worship

Light a candle, play some music, think about Jesus - The light of the world.
Write out the lyrics of a favourite track from your favourite worship CD (or if someone can play a instrument) play a song a let people come in to a time of worship.

Put on a favourite CD and then discuss what kind of a person you are and whether you are…

Contemporary	Traditional
Believer	Seeker
Mature	Nurture
Head	Heart
Reflective	High Energy
New Format	Known Format
Stage Driven	Audience Driven
Anonymous	Relational
Consumer	Servanthood
Fast Pace	Relaxed
Professional	Participation
Liturgy	Free
Answering	Questioning
Teaching	Building up

(Does Jesus do any of the things in the left hand column?)

Candle. People closed their eyes for a few minutes and opened them to the words “Jesus came as a light of the world". The people then took it in turn to light their own personal candle and reflect on what does it mean for us to be a light of the world and united to Christ.
Blindfold People were blindfolded and had to walk unaided around a circle. During this experience they were to reflect of how sin blinds us.
Chat through some basic liturgy and its meaning then say it all together.
Seriously study the Bible and look at how the various people and personality types worshipped God in different ways through their life.
Reflect on how other religions worship, consider what we can learn or how we can adapt these for true Christian worship.
Read a Psalm out loud slowly. Pause at particularly significant bits. Allow people to drink in what is being said or simply to use the words of the psalm to focus on God.
Use the breaking of bread as a focus for worship.
Construct a simple cross. Use this focus for worship. Plain children’s building blocks make a good job of this!
Write out the name ‘Jesus’ in bold block capitals. Put it on the mantelpiece or some other focal point. Again allow people to mediate on the name.
Experiment with body posture! Kneel as a sign of penitence. Stand as you wait on God.
Read a passage of Scripture or some other devotional passage as a starting point for a time for silent worship and / or mediation.
Encourage people to write out their most heart-felt prayers to God as a preliminary to worship.
Get a big sheet of paper and invite people to write down words that describe God. Then begin thanking God for who He is.
Bring some art materials and get everyone to draw or paint something that expresses worship to God.
Use an excerpt form the Jesus video with a music track in the background.
Take some old magazines/catalogues and a few pairs of scissors to your group, along with a small box or basket. Get the members of the group to cut out images that are appealing to them, something that gives them pleasure. (I.e. clothes/cars/jewellery/holiday etc.) Get the group to discuss what enjoyment they receive from their chosen cuttings. After this, redirect their focus upon the Lord by reading some scripture. (Romans 1 vs. 25- “…and worshipped and served created things rather than the creator- who is for ever praised, Amen.") Remind the group that God has provided for us and that we can enjoy these material things as they have been given to us as a gift.
However, there is a danger of becoming too caught up in a material world and that we must acknowledge where these pleasures come from. Following this, get the group to place their images into the box/basket as a symbol that these things are insignificant in comparison to the ultimate gift that God has lavished upon us. End in a prayer of thanks giving.
Prepare a “Creative worship” evening by providing lots of different media to use. For example, poster paints, felt pens, modelling clay, scissors, sticky tape etc. You could have a writing corner and somewhere with musical instruments/ CD player. Encourage the group to loose their inhibitions and come before God as they are, free and able to worship him in whatever they do. Get them to try and do something that they wouldn’t usually try. Put the emphasis on having fun and being joyful in praising the Lord. Provide a Bible for inspiration and make suggestions for those who may find this challenging. I.e. make something from clay to represent a favourite verse of scripture; use your hands in the paint to create a powerful image; write a love letter to God; sing a worship song, either individually or together; simply sit down and pray. There are endless ways to reciprocate God’s love.
Get a short fat candle. Turn the lights in the room off and then strike a match, light the candle and think of how the candle resembles Jesus:” Perfect shape - It flickers, but reforms. You can’t physically touch it, but you know it’s there because you can see its effects. It gives light, heat/warmth, destroys/powerful… (There are loads things you can think of.) Then light some more candles from the main one… Explain how the light spreads to people… Prayer that you will be a light, resembling God and pray that you will spread the light to other people.
For this you will need a staff (a broom handle will do); a red or purple robe (we used a red door curtain); a crown of thorns (use any blackberry bush for this, but be careful when winding them together); three large nails (the rougher and rustier the better); a large hammer or mallet; a glass of red wine; broken bread. The above are to be hidden in another room - out of the sight of the rest of the group. Play a worship song about Jesus suffering and going to the cross and have people listen to the song with their eyes open. After a while leave the room and bring in the rod, place it in the middle of the group and then sit down. A few seconds later, go and get the robe, place it with the rod and then sit down. Do this until everything is on display. Then have a few moments of silence and praise God for what He did on the cross.
Choose a psalm e.g. 103. Read it aloud and then ask the cell group to imagine they are going on a desert island and they are only to take a verse or a few words of the psalm with them for the rest of their lives for their encouragement or to remind them of one aspect of God etc. Write it down on a piece of paper and place on the floor in the centre of the room. Take some time out (perhaps with background music) to look at all the contributions. When everyone is finished, thank God for all those things on the paper.
Gather a random collection of objects from around the house, it can literally be anything. One for each member of the group (and a couple more just in case!). Give them out and get everyone to meditate on them and allow God to speak to through the objects. Then get everyone to share what they have got from God, this may be revelation into Gods character an understanding of some scripture or a hundred other things!
The leader must produce stickers for each member giving reasons why worship is difficult today ("I’ve had a bad day", “so and so has upset me"; “those curtains are interesting!"). Peel off the reasons and place them in a waste bin. Then distribute new stickers with Bible verses printed on them, affirming our status as God’s children, declaring God’s unconditional love for us, and so on. Take turns to read them out and to thank God.
Go through the alphabet from A to Z and ask the group to come up with an attribute of God to fit each letter! (Humour and worship together!)
Or try the same with things for which we can thank God.
Spend five minutes in silence listening to God, and then share the results. Perhaps give a few verses from a psalm as a seed thought before the silence begins.
Go into the garden and spend ten minutes individually contemplating a weed or a flower or a leaf that you find there. People could bring back the object they selected and talk about it.
Lie on the ground gazing up at the sky, chatting to God in silence.
Use worship CDs and sing along. The louder they’re played, the more confident people will be to join in.
Read a short passage of scripture about Jesus and ask each person to write their own short psalm inspired by that passage. Then let each one read their psalm and allow people to pray in response to each reading…
Read Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Spend time individually writing out a declaration of Jesus’ worthiness. Then read them out with others praying short prayers inspired by what has been written.
Clear as much space as possible from the room. Get everyone to stand against one wall with clear ground in front. Read Revelation 4:1-11 through once and ask people to visualise the scene, with eyes closed. Get them to picture the door of heaven and then to “knock” on it; wait until it is opened and then move forward and in through the door. Allow time and silence (and space!) to picture the throne room of heaven and then to approach the one who sits on the throne. Many will want to kneel and will find this a powerful encounter with Jesus.
There’s a wealth of liturgy available: some from your denomination, alternative pieces from other denominations or published resource books.
Write a psalm, hymn or spiritual song together. You’d probably want to go for words only and then you could find a musical genius to write a tune and teach it at the next cell!
Pray together about one aspect of God’s character (His faithfulness, love, mercy, grace, &c.)
Read a psalm together.
Prepare a meditation (e.g. Get the group to close eyes and to imagine they are a character in the Bible. Talk the members through the particular Bible story and how they might feel. Allow time and periods of quiet for this. See the Revelation 4:1-11 examples above.)
Everyone pray only Thank You prayers. This is good to do because most people will find it hard to pray without eventually turning it into an asking prayer and it’s quite a challenge to keep the prayer thankful only.
Use an object to focus on one aspect of God. Examples might be a lump of clay alongside a pottery vase, reading Jeremiah 18:4f. Or Isaiah 64:8. Or you could use garden flowers and a passage about Creator God.
Modernise an old hymn (or re-write some old liturgy).
Read the Gospel of Mark, or another short Bible book, one chapter each around the group.
Prepare by taking a magazine(s) and cut out very many small squares of different shades of colour from the photographs. Place the “confetti” in a basket and at the meeting have each person select a colour that appeals to them. Then get the group to arrange themselves in a line with the colours in the order of the spectrum. Join the ends of the line so that the group forms a circle and then get the different colour groups to use their imagination and make the noise of their colour!! Mention that, together, all of the colours of the rainbow make pure white light. Read Genesis 1 and have the group make their sound and wave their colour swatch whenever the word “light” is mentioned.
Be creative with clay, paints or crayons. E.g. give each person a small piece of modelling clay. Ask them to pray silently and to meditate as the leader reads a passage of Scripture. Encourage them to play with the clay in silence and see what is formed as the meditation progresses.

Witness

Cell Prayer Journal: Are there any cell prayer issues to consider, e.g. specific people or situations the group are praying for?
Outreach Planning: Get the group to think up activities they could organise e.g. for a “cell social” to which they could invite friends. These could be a games or something they want to present. Try to think of something that would be suitable for people coming along who aren’t familiar with church or with Christian stuff. It would be good to encourage something with spiritual content, however this is not essential. There are other aspects of group and individual development in doing this e.g. team building. Trawl the web for more ideas on Christian worship… get members of the cell group involved in planning and suggesting various ways of worshipping God.
Go out to a local park or place of beauty and consider God as creator.
Go to an art gallery; be inspired by the art – what does it make you think about God?
Ask for everyone to share a prayer topic, either personal, or for someone they know. Discussion about the mission statement may have prompted ideas. Stand up and pray in a circle together for these things. Don’t be afraid of encouraging the group members to lay hands on one another. They will see this as a natural thing to do. Encourage them to minister to each other; this is where it is at!
Get each group member to make a list on a separate piece of A4 paper of the people they want to pray for, and what they want to pray. Put names on the left hand side and reasons on the right hand side of the paper. When finished, stick the sheets together head to tail, then stick the bottom of the last sheet to the top of the first to make a loop with the names facing outward. Use this list in a group prayer time. At the end of the cell, make sure addition to individual Prayer Journals; introduce the idea of a cell prayer journal (book), to note the things the group is praying for corporately. This might include people or situations. Each week, each group member could have the opportunity to write new prayer items into the book, and also the answers. Use it as a focus to prayer. A member of the group could take on responsibility for looking after it (and bringing it each time the cell meets), rather than the cell leader.everyone has a clean mission statement to take home.
Prayer Walking-Explain how prayer walking can help us focus on a geographical area. Prayers walk around the church building, praying for the things which are relevant to different rooms and offices. To assist this process, list the prayer topics at each location you stop to pray.
Discussion: What are the things the group members do where they most meet people who aren’t Christians? How can they best share Jesus with these people?
Prayer Journal: keep praying for people and situations relevant to the group.
Remember not to let this get squeezed out, even if there is lots of praying happening! Maybe swap the witness and the word if the witness is being left out. Last week we moved away from praying broadly for our collage and started to look more specifically at our friends and networks. Go around the group and ask each person to identify two friends they particularly want to see become Christians. Explain that these people will be the focus of our prayers in these coming weeks.
Arrange to spend some time with some of your friends and encourage them and offer to pray for them.
Pray that you will make some significant friendships with people that don’t know Christ yet and pray that you will be able to influence their lives.
Pray that you will be able to ‘be in the world but not of it.’ Pray that you and your Christian friends will be able to not comprise under pressure and stand out attractively different.
Pray for more of the Holy Spirit in you so that you will be able to influence the cultures around you.
Pray that God will be able to build a real Christian community in the place that you are e.g. schools/collage etc. And pray that it will be attractive to non-Christians and that many would be able to join in being disciples of God.