GROWING IN A HOUSE CELL – Ps Christian Saboukoulou

I must make a confession: I grew up in a cell

There are things that cannot be explained. There are dimensions of God that cannot be experienced without a total immersion in His principles and His Church. If you want to see your spiritual life explode, there is a secret I must share with you today: I grew up in a cell. It wasn’t a prison, no. It was a home cell, a spiritual household where God shaped me, where I learned to walk with Him, to surpass myself, to grasp the value of a soul, and to love the Church with all my strength.

And if I told you today that what you want to see in your life, what you desire to experience with God, is birthed in a cell? This revelation transformed my life, and I am about to share it with you.

Hebrews 5:13 – For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.

There is a difference between knowing the Word and experiencing the Word. And the cell is one of the places where this transformation takes place.

A cell, a school of life

The cell is not just a prayer group, it is not a mini-church. It is a training platform, an incubator where God shapes your character, refines your faith, and teaches you deep spiritual realities. I grew up in a cell! It was there that my faith took on another dimension, that my ability to love souls was developed, that I understood the importance of fellowship and service.

In Acts 10, we read that Cornelius and his family were saved within a setting similar to a cell. He had gathered his relatives and friends in his house, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. Before going to church, it often starts in a cell. This is my story. Before I even set foot in a church building, the cell was already part of my daily life. And you, where do you stand?

A cell, the place that changes destinies

The cell is one of the places where God draws souls. Some may never set foot in a church building, but they will attend a home gathering, and there, they will receive the Word that changes everything. It was through a cell that my mother, who was already converted, was able to draw us to Christ. We didn’t go to church. We were caught up in distractions, in our activities, but she planted a cell in our home. And it was this regular presence of fervent, vibrant, faith-filled people that led to our conversion.

Luke 15:7 – There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

A single soul is worth more than everything. In a church with thousands of people, if one soul is won, we may not fully realize its impact. But in a cell, you feel it, you live it, you understand the power of one saved soul.

The cell is a training ground for disciples

Coming to church on Sundays is important, but if you want to move beyond being a mere spectator and become a strong and active disciple, the cell is the key. It is there that you experience the Word. It is there that you understand spiritual responsibility. A true disciple does not just listen; he shares, he transmits, he grows by bearing fruit.

What did I learn in the cell? I learned to love and value each soul, I learned that the Word of God was not just a Sunday sermon but a truth to be applied and experienced every day. I learned service, prayer, and spiritual responsibility. It was in the cell that I took my first steps in preaching, intercession, and spiritual warfare.

A cell, a training ground for casting out demons

Some want to see the power of God manifest in public, but they do not seek it in the secret place. In a cell, you are confronted with spiritual realities more directly. My first experience of spiritual warfare took place in a cell.

A brother, in the middle of worship, suddenly started screaming in a voice that was not his own: “I will kill you all here!” The whole room emptied out! I myself ran to hide. But it was in that cell that I learned to exercise my authority in Christ.

It was not on the big stage that I learned to preach, teach, or intercede. No! It was in a place with three, four, or five people. Where every word matters. Where every soul is precious. Where I could not pretend to have a prayer life.

A cell, a school for the future

Look closely at those whom God is using powerfully in the Church today. Most of them have gone through this invisible yet so powerful school. Those who bear fruit today are often those who grew up in faithfulness within a cell.

It is no coincidence that many of ICC’s pastors today, those who lead campuses, those who make an impact, were cell leaders before they had big ministries.

If God wants to use you tomorrow, it is today that you must allow yourself to be shaped. The cell is God’s training school for those He wants to send far. It is in the cell that you learn spiritual discipline, soul care, and the responsibility of a flock.

At the heart of the Bible

Hebrews 5:13 – The experience of the Word

John 3:16 – Salvation through faith

Luke 15:7 – The value of one saved soul

Acts 10 – Cornelius and the power of the cell

Prayer

Father, I give You thanks for this revelation. Today, I decide to take my spiritual growth seriously. I refuse to be passive. I want to commit, I want to be a disciple, I want to bear fruit.

Lord, open my understanding and allow me to step fully into what You have prepared for me. If I am called to lead a cell, Lord, equip me, train me, prepare my heart.

Lord, I make myself available. Use me! May I be a channel for Your glory, may men and women be saved, strengthened, and transformed through my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen!