Reformed House Churches

[JM]

Christ Fellowship of Kansas City

Any thoughts on the Reformed house church movement?

 

[bsd058]

Christ Fellowship of Kansas City

Any thoughts on the Reformed house church movement?

Just a thought, house churches were necessary for the early church and are still necessary for persecuted churches.

They are not necessary for us as believers in North America. They might also violate fire standards and jeopardize lives in the event of a fire if there are many people on your property every Lord's Day and your home is not properly set up as a meeting place or zoned properly with the city. It definitely increases the risk of something happening on your property (which isn't fair to your congregation or your neighbors). Unless you can meet life safety standards, I say no. But if you can meet the standards for keeping your congregation safe (ie. you have a permit from the city or other authority...otherwise you could be negligent) then I don't necessarily see anything wrong with it.

There should be the same level of or better accountability than a church that would meet together in a corporate building.

They build a decent case here, but I'm not so sure it's just that cut and dry. I would have to look into it more.

As for the houses themselves, as a risk and insurance manager, I would say that the elders would need to make sure that their congregation and assets are properly protected with the right risk control techniques and church insurance (an often overlooked aspect of church). Sometimes they may not realize the risk until it is too late. And I firmly believe that the Bible calls us to not be negligent in these regards (based upon OT precedents).

From a risk standpoint, it is easier to control what happens in a single corporate building, which lowers the risk to the congregation and neighbors.

 

[JM]

bsd, are you a lawyer?

I can understand all of that but the idea behind these house churches doesn't seem to exceed the amount of people you would have at a birthday party or Bible study. They split and multiply into other groups.

They admit it is more difficult to maintain accountable Elders but they are, at least at this time, able to handle it. Any thoughts on this issue?

 

[bsd058]

bsd, are you a lawyer?

I can understand all of that but the idea behind these house churches doesn't seem to exceed the amount of people you would have at a birthday party or Bible study. They split and multiply into other groups.

They admit it is more difficult to maintain accountable Elders but they are, at least at this time, able to handle it. Any thoughts on this issue?

No, I'm a risk professional.

It has to do with the regular use of the building and statistics, but yes it increases risk to society and so the elder should definitely make sure they are following proper guidelines. It is every Sunday after all, not merely a BDay party that happens once in a while or a Bible study that happens at different houses. If a Bible study is happening at one house every week, that might turn it into a "church" for risk and zoning purposes, so you have to be careful. Those zones are there for a reason. It's not merely because the government wants to control commerce. It has to do with risk controls, too.

But aside from taking necessary precautions and covering your congregation with the kind of insurance a church needs, I would need to think about it more. I would like to hear what others would have to say about it.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Any thoughts on the Reformed house church movement?

I can see where house churches might spring from necessity. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's how church gatherings should always be done, but there are geographic needs, even in North America. As a movement, it should promote the established (conservative) Reformed Churches above it (so as to not take away from), while at the same time supporting the concept of in house church (for those in need). That's my take on it.

 

[JM]

Thanks bsd I wasn't trying to be a smart aleck but as AW pointed out, it might arise out of necessity. A couple of the churches in my area operated for years and years as house churches before buying a building, or in one case building a church building.

I wonder how the Primitive Baptists did it for so long.

 

[bsd058]

Thanks bsd I wasn't trying to be a smart aleck but as AW pointed out, it might arise out of necessity. A couple of the churches in my area operated for years and years as house churches before buying a building, or in one case building a church building.

I wonder how the Primitive Baptists did it for so long.

I never even thought of it as a smart alec comment. I thought it was a genuine question. haha.

Nevertheless, I agree that in some cases is it necessary. Even in North America. I shouldn't have been so broad in what I said, that it is not necessary in North America. It might be sometimes.

 

[twin1954]

I would be in favor of it in only extreme situations. My reasons for this is it just too easy to gather in someones house and have no real commitment. A local assembly is a commitment of time, money and faithfulness. I know of several who meet in houses and never look for a pastor because it would mean that they would have to commit themselves. It is easy to never actually commit yourself to a local assembly and easy is always wrong, especially in spiritual matters. If at all possible let the group commit themselves to the rental of a place to meet if for no other reason thatn to take the burden off of one family or person and the financial commitment it requires.