Running a cell group is easy- after all you're just sitting around talking to friends.

I wish!

Being a good cell leader means that we need to be often planning ahead for the next meeting.

What will the topic be?

Which tasks can I delegate to whom?

What do I need to have in place before the group starts?

There are times when you just cannot prepare- emergencies arise and unforeseeable events happen. But good leaders always have a "Plan B" in the back of their minds. It might be a good video to discuss or a spontaneous trip to Maccas.

After each meeting, start praying about the next meeting. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you issues that need to be addressed. Pray for each member of the group.

A day or two before the meeting start getting serious about the agenda. Don't leave your final planning to an hour before group time- that's always fatal.

An hour or two before the meeting pray about the meeting. Then having done everything that you can, trust God for the rest.

Don't be rigid in your preparation. If the Lord is moving the meeting in a different direction than what you had planned, that's fine. If you have a firm plan in mind for the meeting, it actually frees you up to listen to the Holy Spirit and be sensitive to a new direction.