I have a question

[rob64]

Why have you guys started a home church?

 

[Johnnz]

For me it was several factors.

a) Church programmes took too much time and didn't add that much to my Christian life.
b) The one man at the top did not fit with my understanding of the church as a multi gifted community
c) Leadership powerplays and supreme authority did not impress me.
d) Ordinary Christians were not given a real voice and a sense of personal value and importance.

So we have spent the last 10 years trying something different. And it has been a great experience for all of us.

John
NZ

 

[rob64]

For me it was several factors.

a) Church programmes took too much time and didn't add that much to my Christian life.
b) The one man at the top did not fit with my understanding of the church as a multi gifted community
c) Leadership powerplays and supreme authority did not impress me.
d) Ordinary Christians were not given a real voice and a sense of personal value and importance.

So we have spent the last 10 years trying something different. And it has been a great experience for all of us.

John
NZ

John, thanx for that! I can empathize with your reasoning. I've been looking for a church that even comes close the churches in the New Testament.
My landlord, who was an elder in a church, invited me to it, and I went several times. Later, her and some of the other leaders had a falling out because of a lack of "corporate prayer" (is how she put it) She suggested this blanket prayer system, and they shot her down and told her they were only concerned with a "deliverance" ministry.
Now, they are associated with the "house of prayer" movement. Maybe it's just me, but they seem to place more emphasis on their "agenda" of "prayer ministry", and have lost sight of their purpose in "the ministry" the Bible describes.
I'm looking for a tiny home church just like the Bible describes

 

[Daniel Detroit]

Rob, you asked "Why did we start home church?" I and those few with me have been fellowshipping home to home for 20 years. The ultimate reason we began was because of the preaching of the one true gospel: the Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried and He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. As the gospel was preached, and questions arose why was not this gospel preached more today, there was rejection by many who called themselves Christians. There was not acceptance in the building made with men's hands. And then there was a time of not knowing what to do, that God brought forth an assembly of God. It has now been 20 years, and some have fallen away, but some have remained. This is the purpose of God. For the falling away has occurred and the man of sin, the son of perdition has been revealed. And we wait by the grace and will of God for His coming. Come Lord Yeshua.

 

[rob64]

Rob, you asked "Why did we start home church?" I and those few with me have been fellowshipping home to home for 20 years. The ultimate reason we began was because of the preaching of the one true gospel: the Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried and He rose again the third day according to the scriptures. As the gospel was preached, and questions arose why was not this gospel preached more today, there was rejection by many who called themselves Christians. There was not acceptance in the building made with men's hands. And then there was a time of not knowing what to do, that God brought forth an assembly of God. It has now been 20 years, and some have fallen away, but some have remained. This is the purpose of God. For the falling away has occurred and the man of sin, the son of perdition has been revealed. And we wait by the grace and will of God for His coming. Come Lord Yeshua.

I see... The reason I asked is because I've been going to a house meeting myself. The members are mostly relatives, and all came out of the same church. I also know the NT describes how the church got started, and they went "from house to house..."
I dont see any fruitation in this "house church". They mostly pray, and call it a prayer ministry. But that's the extent of it.
What is a typical meeting for you guys?
Also, what are you saying, concerning this "son of perdition"?

 

[Johnnz]

Introversion and isolation are potential 'black holes' for any house based group, or for any sector of the Christian family for that matter. Family dynasties could soon become too self contained.

John
NZ

 

[mystery4]

Rob,
Question for you, why not see if your church would be interested in planting more house churches? Look at what outreach things you can do, but above all, pray! If you read Matt 28:18-19, what should the goal of a church or housechurch be? For I believe from what you've said, this dissatisfaction is coming from God so that you and your housechurch can fulfil his mission for you. I'm currently learning about church planting based on principles from the NT. If you would like me to share what I have been learning, then I'm quite happy to.

 

[rob64]

Rob,
Question for you, why not see if your church would be interested in planting more house churches? Look at what outreach things you can do, but above all, pray! If you read Matt 28:18-19, what should the goal of a church or housechurch be? For I believe from what you've said, this dissatisfaction is coming from God so that you and your housechurch can fulfil his mission for you. I'm currently learning about church planting based on principles from the NT. If you would like me to share what I have been learning, then I'm quite happy to.

Sounds good! I'd love to learn what you've been learning

 

[mystery4]

Sounds good! I'd love to learn what you've been learning

In our first meeting we were told to get into groups of about three of four. Then having been given the text Matt 5:13 we were asked a series of questions to discuss relating to the verse in our groups. What does salt do, what's it's purpose? How does salt lose its saltiness? How was Jesus salt? Ultimately the idea was to think about what Jesus meant and to think of church planting in a similar way. I won't give you any answers, thats for you and your homechurch to go through and work out for yourselves. They also have a challenge each week which we are held accountable for during at the end of the session. During the week the challenge was to talk to at least one person you don't know and find out something other than the usual (how are you, etc).

The other thing being looked at was what the Bible defines as church and what it's purpose is:
ekklesia is the greek word NT uses. It's definition is a group of people coming together for a common purpose. Church has nothing to do with the building (although thats the first thing that comes to mind when the word church is heard). church can be anywhere. And the question was raised, what is the minimum number of people required for the gathering to be called "church?" Matt 18:20
the purpose of church was basically found in Matt 28:18-20
make disciples. If a church is not making disciples then its not fulfilling it's call and is just a social club.

I hope this is alright for the time being. I'll write some more after the weekend.

 

[rob64]

In our first meeting we were told to get into groups of about three of four. Then having been given the text Matt 5:13 we were asked a series of questions to discuss relating to the verse in our groups. What does salt do, what's it's purpose? How does salt lose its saltiness? How was Jesus salt? Ultimately the idea was to think about what Jesus meant and to think of church planting in a similar way. I won't give you any answers, thats for you and your homechurch to go through and work out for yourselves. They also have a challenge each week which we are held accountable for during at the end of the session. During the week the challenge was to talk to at least one person you don't know and find out something other than the usual (how are you, etc).

The other thing being looked at was what the Bible defines as church and what it's purpose is:
ekklesia is the greek word NT uses. It's definition is a group of people coming together for a common purpose. Church has nothing to do with the building (although thats the first thing that comes to mind when the word church is heard). church can be anywhere. And the question was raised, what is the minimum number of people required for the gathering to be called "church?" Matt 18:20
the purpose of church was basically found in Matt 28:18-20
make disciples. If a church is not making disciples then its not fulfilling it's call and is just a social club.

I hope this is alright for the time being. I'll write some more after the weekend.

Hey, preciate it!

 

[Giver]

Why have you guys started a home church?

I was sort of forced. After Jesus started teaching me about himself, I saw that the denominational churches were not teaching or living the whole Word of God. Also I started having a hard time listening to people talk about Jesus when they didn’t even know him.

Also something strange started happening when I would attend a church. After a while the minister would not make eye contact or greet me. A minister would not have to even know me.

I remember sharing with a minister of a large Charismatic Baptized church, and after fifteen minutes or so he told me to stop. He then told me that I was a man of God, but he didn’t want me in his church. He said I would take his people away and he wanted to shepherd his people. He told me that no matter what; every minister I met would feel the same way, but most would not be honest enough to tell me. His prophecy has held true for the last thirty years.

 

[rob64]

I was sort of forced. After Jesus started teaching me about himself, I saw that the denominational churches were not teaching or living the whole Word of God. Also I started having a hard time listening to people talk about Jesus when they didn’t even know him.

Also something strange started happening when I would attend a church. After a while the minister would not make eye contact or greet me. A minister would not have to even know me.

I remember sharing with a minister of a large Charismatic Baptized church, and after fifteen minutes or so he told me to stop. He then told me that I was a man of God, but he didn’t want me in his church. He said I would take his people away and he wanted to shepherd his people. He told me that no matter what; every minister I met would feel the same way, but most would not be honest enough to tell me. His prophecy has held true for the last thirty years.

I understand exactly what you are talking about. I've had similar experiences. I used to get 'the cold shoulder'. I was a counselor at a baptist children's home. The pastor, who was also the director of the home, enforced a rule that if the kids messed up, they had to write Bible verses, 10-20,000 times. In a closet! After a year or so I went in his office and told him that that kind of treatment turns the Bible into a punishment. He imediately fired me and told me I was demon possessed. So I replied, " well I wasn't demon possessed 5 minutes ago, before I walked in your office. Why have you allowed a demon possessed person to work for you for the past year?"

What were you sharing with the minister, for him to tell you to stop?

It seems like these churches are like a rigime. Like they have a little political party in the upper eschelons.

Have a good one