Quote:
Originally Posted by commonsense
We had church in our home when we started in Home Missions over 30 yrs ago.
We tried to rent a building for Sun morning but the cost was too much for a beginning congregation.
We set up 1/2 of our basement with pews etc. We had fewer visitors in the house format.
Several years later we rented a store front in another city. We had a congregation this time and it was on a busy street but still had limited visitors.
You'll get more "drop" in visitors in a traditional building. People aren't comfortable opening the door to a "home".
|
This is the view that many have of house churches. The view that this is an interim venue until we can get a building rented somewhere.
That isn't a house church really. It is church in a house... until we can get a building. House church is more of a paradigm shift than that.
House churches have the intent that this is the way they are going to do church. When the local house church reaches 20+ members (depending on the size of the home etc) then the house church will send it's most qualified leader and a few of the best families (and also families that live near the new leader) and start a new work elsewhere. Then when those 2 works reach the multiplying point they will break into 4 works etc.
There is a constant need to build leadership in people and there is a constant outward multiplying of works and each work will need to develop more leaders so that it can birth other works. There is, of course, a continuing mentorship between the works as needed. As time goes on the fruit of ones labors increases yet their own personal work remains relatively constant.
IMO... what makes a true house church a house church is less where they meet and more the paradigm that they possess in how they will go forward as the work grows.
Quote:
If we're discussing cell groups, I've seen this in a few churches. Then it's the format Keith described. Food and fellowship and short Bible discussion with ?'s.
The downside in some I observed was the "pastor" programming. There were several groups meeting on same night.
The topic was written out and meant to be followed. It seemed to limit participation and freedom in following gifts.
|
Agreed. Cell groups and houses churches have their location in common and little else.