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  #31  
Old 03-08-2007, 08:55 AM
Nahum Nahum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Garfield View Post
I attended a house service this week. There were about 60 in attendance.

No way!!!!!!!

What city?
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  #32  
Old 03-08-2007, 10:20 AM
Sister Truth Seeker
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This is so timely for me...I just attended my first home church meeting last Saturday evening...it was so wonderful...it was just their second one so they are working out the format...mostly they are seeking God's leading each time...there were about 12 already, I think it is going to grow quickly...there is such a need out there for God...more fully...the gifts of the spirit, true faith...

I am still attending my UPC church, and have no plans of leaving at this time, but I am putting myself in God's hands and He will lead me...

I will check out that web site....

I will be watching this tread also...thanks for the info and guidence...

The home we have been blessed with is perfect for home church and we are hoping it will expand here....
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  #33  
Old 04-13-2009, 07:30 PM
Akellyman Akellyman is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

Our church family currently holds sevice every sunday in our home. We start off with a lesson, give praise, worship & testimonies (w/ the help of windows media player) lol, then my father (UPC) preaches. The only issue is space (a good issue?) like this past Easter Sunday. We're going to need a building soon.

the impression people get is feeling relaxed more, you be the judge on weather thats good or not, but over all there are no regrets.
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  #34  
Old 04-14-2009, 08:42 AM
Withdrawn Withdrawn is offline
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Akellyman View Post
Our church family currently holds sevice every sunday in our home. We start off with a lesson, give praise, worship & testimonies (w/ the help of windows media player) lol, then my father (UPC) preaches. The only issue is space (a good issue?) like this past Easter Sunday. We're going to need a building soon.

the impression people get is feeling relaxed more, you be the judge on weather thats good or not, but over all there are no regrets.
This sounds great! I'm not sure this is the same as a house church, though. This sounds more like a traditional church that just happened to start in a home, with visions of moving to a dedicated "church building" someday.

The house church model is more focused on everyone participating equally, each member of the body bringing a testimony or a word/study from God's Word or a song, with no one person ever having the pre-eminence or being the focus (such as with a sermon being preached to a passive audience). It's more about participatory fellowship and mutual ministry than the traditional model with a clergy doing the bulk of ministry.

I'm not saying either is more correct than the other, but there is a difference.
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Instead of studying to make sure what we believe is supported by Scripture, we MUST study the Scripture to see what IT TEACHES... then BELIEVE THAT!

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2.15 KJV
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  #35  
Old 05-14-2009, 09:02 PM
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rava61 rava61 is offline
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

I believe we will the 'the house fellowship' more and more, especially with the decline in the economy. Also, there seems to be more people who are loosing their faith in 'the ministry' - too many who have failed God and failed their congregations.
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  #36  
Old 05-15-2009, 09:30 AM
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Digging4Truth Digging4Truth is offline
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rava61 View Post
I believe we will the 'the house fellowship' more and more, especially with the decline in the economy. Also, there seems to be more people who are loosing their faith in 'the ministry' - too many who have failed God and failed their congregations.
Indeed...

When God designs something he put together a model that will work in all economies and in every situation.

God is not one known for failure to plan well.
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  #37  
Old 05-16-2009, 10:31 AM
Aquila Aquila is offline
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

The house churches I've attended were very simple models. One person hosted the group meeting in their home. There wasn't an official "pastor" in the sense that we understand it. The office of "pastor" is a calling... not a political position in the group. Therefore out of a group of 15 people 3 men or more might have the calling of "pastor" on their lives. This means that they work together as "elders" to spiritually shepherd the believers attending. Everyone's calling is acknowledged. Everyone was encouraged to search the Scriptures and bring what they felt the Spirit leading them to bring. All were encouraged to bring edifying messages. Rebukes were to be dealt with privately unless the individual continued in sinful rebellion. Everyone took turns sharing their "insight" or "message". The messages weren't intended to be very long or "profoundly entertaining". They were very short... but STRONG. There was little need for using drawn out illustrations or timed humor. It was just people sharing the Word and opening up together.

Something else struck me... there wasn't a push for "members". There was just a push for "sharing Jesus" with everyone. They weren't focused on building a congregation and getting a building, but instead the focus was "the Kingdom of God." This is why they didn't mind seeing new faces every week. They looked at it like they were opening their home and ministry up for all to freely visit and receive something from God. Individuals could stay or go as they pleased, their prayers were simply that the individual grew in their walk with Jesus and became more firmly rooted in "the Kingdom". They were strongly encouraged to have an "elder friend" they could turn to for spiritual advice and counsel. But for the most part it was really just a service to all who could come and go as they felt led.

It was really neat.
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  #38  
Old 05-19-2009, 07:42 PM
Withdrawn Withdrawn is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila View Post
The house churches I've attended were very simple models. One person hosted the group meeting in their home. There wasn't an official "pastor" in the sense that we understand it. The office of "pastor" is a calling... not a political position in the group. Therefore out of a group of 15 people 3 men or more might have the calling of "pastor" on their lives. This means that they work together as "elders" to spiritually shepherd the believers attending. Everyone's calling is acknowledged. Everyone was encouraged to search the Scriptures and bring what they felt the Spirit leading them to bring. All were encouraged to bring edifying messages. Rebukes were to be dealt with privately unless the individual continued in sinful rebellion. Everyone took turns sharing their "insight" or "message". The messages weren't intended to be very long or "profoundly entertaining". They were very short... but STRONG. There was little need for using drawn out illustrations or timed humor. It was just people sharing the Word and opening up together.

Something else struck me... there wasn't a push for "members". There was just a push for "sharing Jesus" with everyone. They weren't focused on building a congregation and getting a building, but instead the focus was "the Kingdom of God." This is why they didn't mind seeing new faces every week. They looked at it like they were opening their home and ministry up for all to freely visit and receive something from God. Individuals could stay or go as they pleased, their prayers were simply that the individual grew in their walk with Jesus and became more firmly rooted in "the Kingdom". They were strongly encouraged to have an "elder friend" they could turn to for spiritual advice and counsel. But for the most part it was really just a service to all who could come and go as they felt led.

It was really neat.
BEAUTIFUL example! And (IMO) how it should be.
__________________
Instead of studying to make sure what we believe is supported by Scripture, we MUST study the Scripture to see what IT TEACHES... then BELIEVE THAT!

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2.15 KJV
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  #39  
Old 05-20-2009, 09:39 PM
shag shag is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2008
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila View Post
The house churches I've attended were very simple models. One person hosted the group meeting in their home. There wasn't an official "pastor" in the sense that we understand it. The office of "pastor" is a calling... not a political position in the group. Therefore out of a group of 15 people 3 men or more might have the calling of "pastor" on their lives. This means that they work together as "elders" to spiritually shepherd the believers attending. Everyone's calling is acknowledged. Everyone was encouraged to search the Scriptures and bring what they felt the Spirit leading them to bring. All were encouraged to bring edifying messages. Rebukes were to be dealt with privately unless the individual continued in sinful rebellion. Everyone took turns sharing their "insight" or "message". The messages weren't intended to be very long or "profoundly entertaining". They were very short... but STRONG. There was little need for using drawn out illustrations or timed humor. It was just people sharing the Word and opening up together.

Something else struck me... there wasn't a push for "members". There was just a push for "sharing Jesus" with everyone. They weren't focused on building a congregation and getting a building, but instead the focus was "the Kingdom of God." This is why they didn't mind seeing new faces every week. They looked at it like they were opening their home and ministry up for all to freely visit and receive something from God. Individuals could stay or go as they pleased, their prayers were simply that the individual grew in their walk with Jesus and became more firmly rooted in "the Kingdom". They were strongly encouraged to have an "elder friend" they could turn to for spiritual advice and counsel. But for the most part it was really just a service to all who could come and go as they felt led.

It was really neat.


Man Aquila, that was a fantastic post!
Matter of fact, I'm gonna go ahead and read it again!-lol
focusing on being "firmly rooted in the Kingdom" -- Yes sir!



Keith, I'd like to see your video'd service as well.
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If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart...
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Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. - Eph. 4:29
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  #40  
Old 05-20-2009, 09:48 PM
Aquila Aquila is offline
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.

Quote:
Originally Posted by shag View Post
Man Aquila, that was a fantastic post!
Matter of fact, I'm gonna go ahead and read it again!-lol
focusing on being "firmly rooted in the Kingdom" -- Yes sir!

Keith, I'd like to see your video'd service as well.
It's exactly what Paul did...
Acts 28:30-31 (NIV)
30For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now consider...
1 Corinthians 11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
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