Value Change

Discipleship is all about helping one another to change our value systems, from the values of the world which we have grown up with to the values of the kingdom of God which Jesus lived out.

Our cell groups are based not only on beliefs but also on a set of values that keeps them focused on God and effective. People join our cells from all kinds of backgrounds - some as new Christians, some as people who have got used to a religious way of life - all need to allow God to change their values to be like his.

Imparting new values

But how can we help each other change? It is not enough to preach at people and expect them to change instantly the habits of a lifetime. The following list shows a variety of ways to help the people in your cell catch the values of Gods way of life:

• Identify the value - what are good motivations?
• What are the scriptures you need to bring people to?
• How can you sow it?
• How can you challenge people with it?
• How can you model it?
• How can you pray for your cell members in this?
• How can you encourage them?
• How will you act together to outwork this new value?
   

For example - the value of discipleship

To help you understand these ideas, here is what you could do if you were trying to encourage your cell members to catch the value of 'every member of the cell maturing', which means a commitment to ongoing discipleship.

1. Identify the value - what are good motivations?

What is the value exactly? One way to find out is to look at the motivations people have. If people feel they should be involved in discipleship out of legalism or guilt, or want to help others out of superiority or pride, then they do not share the value we see in the Bible. There we find continual learning at Jesus feet, being a follower of Christ, committed to becoming like Him because he is perfect and that is the best way to serve God. People need to be aware of their current values and motivations and where they came from, so that they can repent of them and allow God to change them.

2. What are the scriptures you need to bring people to?

The values of cell are distilled from main themes in the Bible. This is our authority to show us what we should become. We need to know which scriptures teach these values so that we can bring others to discover and learn from them. With ongoing discipleship you could look with your cell members at so many different passages, for example Philippians 2:1-13, Hebrews 5:11-6:3, Matthew 7:24-27.

3. How can you sow it?

Think of as many different ways to keep on sowing out the value you want people to catch. Not everyone will get it straight away repetition and variation are vital. So as well as guiding cell members to scripture, stick the values on the wall, talk about them in your cell, do questionnaires to find out where people are at with this value, come up with creative and interactive ways that will stamp the new value into each persons mind and heart.

4. How can you challenge people with it?

We also need to be bold in challenging people firstly about what their current value systems are, secondly about whether they are prepared to change, and thirdly about how that change is coming along. Accountability is holding each other to account over whether or not we are growing in God and how the changes are taking place. Ask the awkward questions!

5. How can you model it?

This is perhaps the most vital method of all to help people change. Your cell members will do as you do, not as you say. You must be demonstrating the values in your own life for them to catch them, because they are caught more than they can be taught. It does not mean you must be perfect, but in this case are an active model of how to pursue God, be ruthless and open about tackling the issues in your life, and displaying a hunger to change.

6. How can you pray for your cell members in this?

We co-operate with God in change in our lives. Cell leaders need to lift up each member of their cell regularly to God in prayer and ask him for development in each one. Pray that they would develop a hunger for God and a conviction about what needs to change in their own lives, that will drive them into a commitment towards maturing.

7. How can you encourage them?

As well as challenging, teaching and modelling, remember that people respond best to encouragement, not criticism. Encourage the changes that you see, however small. Encourage the sharing of stories about each person's walk in God. 

8. How will you act together to outwork this new value?

Jesus said everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man. Plan action together as a cell to enforce and begin acting out new values. For discipleship, this could be implementing accountability groups, or one-to-one discipleship.