Gathering: What do you Do?

[Sleaker]

Just a question to all the different House churches. I'm wondering what you guys do in a gathering, meeting or service. Whatever you like to call it. If you have a set structure or if you do a lot of different things, if you have ever restructured, tryed new things etc. What has worked, what hasn't worked!

 

[New_Wineskin]

Just a question to all the different House churches. I'm wondering what you guys do in a gathering, meeting or service. Whatever you like to call it. If you have a set structure or if you do a lot of different things, if you have ever restructured, tryed new things etc. What has worked, what hasn't worked!

They are all different . I like to look at them as visits . I am visiting friends and discussing life in general .

 

[brother daniel]

Just a question to all the different House churches. I'm wondering what you guys do in a gathering, meeting or service. Whatever you like to call it. If you have a set structure or if you do a lot of different things, if you have ever restructured, tryed new things etc. What has worked, what hasn't worked!

My experiance is varied,

It all depends on the agreement of those meeting at the time. When Its exclusively mature disciples of Jesus it is very open and everyone shares an understanding of Jesus Words.

When their is those without scriptual knowledge present, it requires a patient review of foubdation doctrine taught by Jesus.

Some times meetings last for hours or days. At other times they are brief.

The key is singelness of purpose. When everyone present is agreed with Jesus we experance unity and effective prayer and praise.

With love in Christ.
brother daniel

 

[Sleaker]

I'm trying to fish for Specifics! Structural or non-structural Here I'll use the church I'm at as an example!

As far as structure goes we meet two times a week, once on Thursday Nights and another time on Sunday morning. Sundays are long, usually about 3 hours, we usually have a time of worship, praising the Lord, with both music and prayer. Afterwards the pastor or a teacher usually gives about a 15-30 minute teaching about something that the Spirit has revealed to them. Then we usually split into groups and discuss what was talked about. That usually lasts for about an hour and then we will come back together and pray for one another, sing more songs, and share a meal together.
That's what it tends to look like but like last week we didn't split up into groups and discuss anything, instead we stayed in a group and kept with corporate praise. Oftentimes when we come back together after the groups the spirit will move in a time of prophecy along with the prayer for others.

While Sunday mornings have a bit of structure our Thursday nights are almost completely unstructured, we will have a time of musical worship and prayer and then we will seek to see what the spirit would like to have done, sometimes it's a teaching, with group discussion and sometimes it's to stay in with the music.

Everytime we meet we give time to pray for people and lift each other up. Just something that has become a habit, and I'd say a very good one

So yah, more details are definetely encouraged!

 

[brother daniel]

I'm trying to fish for Specifics! Structural or non-structural Here I'll use the church I'm at as an example!

As far as structure goes we meet two times a week, once on Thursday Nights and another time on Sunday morning. Sundays are long, usually about 3 hours, we usually have a time of worship, praising the Lord, with both music and prayer. Afterwards the pastor or a teacher usually gives about a 15-30 minute teaching about something that the Spirit has revealed to them. Then we usually split into groups and discuss what was talked about. That usually lasts for about an hour and then we will come back together and pray for one another, sing more songs, and share a meal together.
That's what it tends to look like but like last week we didn't split up into groups and discuss anything, instead we stayed in a group and kept with corporate praise. Oftentimes when we come back together after the groups the spirit will move in a time of prophecy along with the prayer for others.

While Sunday mornings have a bit of structure our Thursday nights are almost completely unstructured, we will have a time of musical worship and prayer and then we will seek to see what the spirit would like to have done, sometimes it's a teaching, with group discussion and sometimes it's to stay in with the music.

Everytime we meet we give time to pray for people and lift each other up. Just something that has become a habit, and I'd say a very good one

So yah, more details are definetely encouraged!

1Cr 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

The reason most of us are outside of big churches or home churches is because the structure doesent fit with what we see in the word of God.

When I see Jesus or his disciple leading meetings, I dont see them looking at the clock and saying its getting late this meeting will be continued next thursday.

It looks like Jesus and the early disiples preached and taught as long as anyone was listening.

Act 20:7¶And upon the first [day] of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.


Act 20:9And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.


Act 20:10And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing [him] said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.


Act 20:11When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed

Could you see this happening today in any type of church meeting?

For details I think it important to look to the scriptures and conform to them.

With love in Christ
brother daniel

 

[Sleaker]

Mm I like that story. But I don't think we are very far from hearing about things like that happening!

Mostly I think the reason why we tend to go toward a little bit of structure is because of the difference in people. People enjoy something that's built around how they enjoy worshipping etc, and what is conducive to focusing.

 

[brother daniel]

Mm I like that story. But I don't think we are very far from hearing about things like that happening!

2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Mostly I think the reason why we tend to go toward a little bit of structure is because of the difference in people. People enjoy something that's built around how they enjoy worshipping etc, and what is conducive to focusing.

Dear brother,

Ecc 1:9 The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.

Dear brother people are the same today as they were in Jesus time.

Jesus does not teach people to worship the way it was done in the Temple, synagogue or church of today. He taught that the way to worship God was to do what he does and instructs all his disciples to do.

You and I may have never met anyone doing what Jesus said. But we have the choice to serve him his way today whether anyone else is doing it or not. Of course it wont make us popular.

Iam sitting here online redeming the time studying and sharing Gods word.
Below is the online tool I use for seeking and sharing.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/

As I write to you I am praying for wisdom for us both.

With love in Christ
brother daniel

 

[FLANDIDLYANDERS]

Well some of you will know me as Mr-Murder-the-Church...

My church has continued to meet as pairs or small groups, in mums-and-toddlers sessions, curry-houses and pubs, gigging or art-exhibitions or whatever during our "UnChurched" season. Our "meetings" have been exclusively "worldly" drawing no distinctions between ourselves and non-christians who belong to our comunity... even in prayer-triplets and so on...

But we are just about to embark on a 40 day fast where we meet on pre-arranged days for different types of stuff - I am arranging outdoor-meditational-installations for example, some will lead in old liturgy, some down pubs, some down the beach with morning bonfires. We always eat together as a rule, and share experiences and either pray together, or split up and go pray round the local pub or house (which ever is most practical).

So that's my current set-up. There are about 200 of us, about 30-40 meeting at any one time. Some members attend local churches - from those in high church choirs, to those in happy-clappy new church type things - to people like me who play games in online communities as church!

So there you go.

Of course, essential in all things is love for each other, others and Jesus, and providing for the needs of those around us.

 

[brother daniel]

Well some of you will know me as Mr-Murder-the-Church...

My church has continued to meet as pairs or small groups, in mums-and-toddlers sessions, curry-houses and pubs, gigging or art-exhibitions or whatever during our "UnChurched" season. Our "meetings" have been exclusively "worldly" drawing no distinctions between ourselves and non-christians who belong to our comunity... even in prayer-triplets and so on...

But we are just about to embark on a 40 day fast where we meet on pre-arranged days for different types of stuff - I am arranging outdoor-meditational-installations for example, some will lead in old liturgy, some down pubs, some down the beach with morning bonfires. We always eat together as a rule, and share experiences and either pray together, or split up and go pray round the local pub or house (which ever is most practical).

So that's my current set-up. There are about 200 of us, about 30-40 meeting at any one time. Some members attend local churches - from those in high church choirs, to those in happy-clappy new church type things - to people like me who play games in online communities as church!

So there you go.

Of course, essential in all things is love for each other, others and Jesus, and providing for the needs of those around us.

The picture you discribe is not much differant than what I and other disciples live. It discribes the evangelistic activities of Christian world wide no matter what their denomination. It is the great net catching all kinds of fish, good and bad.

However when we come here we are all acknowledging a mutual faith in Jesus Christ, though we all have differant ways of expressing it.

As we each publicly proclaim our faith in Jesus we are a living sacrifice unto God and as such we are members of his body and are counted crucified with him.

I am glad we are getting to know each other in this vertual internet church.

I focus on disciples and discipleship so that we are strengthened as servants of God.

With love in Christ
brother daniel

 

[New_Wineskin]

I'm trying to fish for Specifics! Structural or non-structural Here I'll use the church I'm at as an example!

They are varied according to the group . Me - I loathe structured . If I was visiting someone and they always followed a way of doing things , there would be no enjoyment for me . It would be just like a visit with your friends except we might discuss what the Lord was doing in our lives since we last saw each other .

N pastors or leaders . We only did a little Scripture study because one in the group liked it . Otherwise , I wouldn't care if we didn't do so . Most of the times we would sing with everyone choosing songs they wanted to sing . About once a month , we ate dinner together . We went to the movies on occasion . None of those things were something that *had* to be done .

 

[TheAJKMan]

Well some of you will know me as Mr-Murder-the-Church...

no not you Flandid hehe
My personal feeling is that there should be less concern with structure and rules and more concern with living out the scriptures in everyday life and being disciples of Christ.


theajkman

 

[brother daniel]

no not you Flandid hehe
My personal feeling is that there should be less concern with structure and rules and more concern with living out the scriptures in everyday life and being disciples of Christ.

theajkman

brother I agree with what your saying.
I am guided by the words of Jesus as I study scripture and live the new life he has given me.

With love in Christ
brother daniel

 

[Sleaker]

Oh absolutely, definetely believe that. That's what I teach about, it seems almost every Thursday night. Lets be doers not hearers and speakers only.. haha, but it's hard sometimes. That and the enemy doesn't like it when you come against his works, and start moving in love in during your whole day.

 

[brother daniel]

Oh absolutely, definetely believe that. That's what I teach about, it seems almost every Thursday night. Lets be doers not hearers and speakers only.. haha, but it's hard sometimes. That and the enemy doesn't like it when you come against his works, and start moving in love in during your whole day.

Beloved,
I have come to learn the enemy lives in my old flesh and carnel mind.

I come here to this forum as an act of worship to hear from God speaking through another brother or sister and be renewed in my spirit.

Sometimes we feel like we are all alone and nobody else cares abou the things of God.

Even when we are with those we know are brethren, we sometimes feel that thay are not getting what God has showed us.

Thats when God is showing us how to be as patient as he is. Think about how long he has waited for his children to come around and visit him.

With love in Christ
brother daniel

 

[TheAJKMan]

but it's hard sometimes.

Nothing worhtwhile comes easily. And like it that there are others out there who also believe in the walking the walk and not so much of the talking the talk only as so many christians do.


TheAJKman

 

[brother daniel]

Nothing worhtwhile comes easily. And like it that there are others out there who also believe in the walking the walk and not so much of the talking the talk only as so many christians do.


TheAJKman

Beloved,
In a way we are letting our fingers do the walking here.

As we converse with prayer the Holy Ghost can guide our words as we minister to each other.

Its the Holy Ghost that reminds us of the words Jesus used to instruct his disciples.

Face to face my fellow ship today has been with my sister and spouse Abigail, and visiting sons Dunn and Finn.

When not on the internet I am working in the woods clearing brush and uncovering massive retangular stones
the largest being 25' by 10' . There seems to be a stack of them that have been covered for at least 100 years because of the size of the trees that have grown among and over them.

When I get tired of that I return to online bible study.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/

With love in Christ
brother daniel

 

[FLANDIDLYANDERS]

no not you Flandid hehe
My personal feeling is that there should be less concern with structure and rules and more concern with living out the scriptures in everyday life and being disciples of Christ.


theajkman

Yeah and maybe looking for these things even in those who still adhere to the structures and rules... but I still cant set foot inside an Anglicn high-church building without feeling a huge oppresive weight from the place!

 

[brother daniel]

Yeah and maybe looking for these things even in those who still adhere to the structures and rules... but I still cant set foot inside an Anglicn high-church building without feeling a huge oppresive weight from the place!

Beloved your comment is understandable. I feel like that every time I enter a department store, or property of any denomination.

Even house churches can be oppressive when not led by love.

With love in Christ
brother daniel

 

[FLANDIDLYANDERS]

Lol. Yeah I especially feel it in Wal*Mart, or when I see a Coke machine....

....dont call me beloved, people will talk

 

[brother daniel]

Lol. Yeah I especially feel it in Wal*Mart, or when I see a Coke machine....

....dont call me beloved, people will talk

Dear brother,
A brother in the Lord used the term "beloved" when addressing my wife and I and I wondered if it was an affectation.

But I have adopted beloved in my online communacation because my love for the brethren is growing daily. In fact real love is being felt for everyone. Somehow my heart is stirred to love my enemies and I have more of them than friends.

With love in Christ
brother daniel