House church or excuse?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Nice sentiments, but the fact remains - baptism is immersion, by grammar, by Scripture usage, by secular Greek usage, and by example and history of the early church.

I don't believe that the mode is as important as calling upon the name of Jesus when one is water baptized. For the record, I've only been present for two baptisms that were performed through pouring. These were done during the winter months when no other option was available at the time. Beyond that, I prefer immersion and every baptism I've been involved in has been by immersion, except the two previously mentioned.

I even provided a photo of me in a pool wherein we baptized converts via immersion.

[shazeep]

i think you guys both made good cases

[shazeep]

http://imgur.com/a/Sx9jT

time to find a new image sharing site i guess

[Esaias]

lol

[Aquila]

Ultimately, the call to house church isn't an excuse for not involving one's self in an institutional church. Those who house church are probably a little more organic in their lifestyles. More missional and perhaps more into alternative expressions of Christianity. Most seek more authentic relationships and personal spiritual growth. In my experience house churches are often the misfits, oddballs, mystics, outcasts, and black-sheep of God's family. Frankly, they don't fit into more traditional institutional molds. However, increasingly house churches are networked into a larger body, most having campus facilities. So, slowly but surely, house churches are becoming more integrated with more institutional structures. Those who are "bitter" against church and are blaming the institutional model for all their woes need to seek healing.

[Originalist]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Ultimately, the call to house church isn't an excuse for not involving one's self in an institutional church. Those who house church are probably a little more organic in their lifestyles. More missional and perhaps more into alternative expressions of Christianity. Most seek more authentic relationships and personal spiritual growth. In my experience house churches are often the misfits, oddballs, mystics, outcasts, and black-sheep of God's family. Frankly, they don't fit into more traditional institutional molds. However, increasingly house churches are networked into a larger body, most having campus facilities. So, slowly but surely, house churches are becoming more integrated with more institutional structures. Those who are "bitter" against church and are blaming the institutional model for all their woes need to seek healing.

I agree.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Ultimately, the call to house church isn't an excuse for not involving one's self in an institutional church. Those who house church are probably a little more organic in their lifestyles. More missional and perhaps more into alternative expressions of Christianity. Most seek more authentic relationships and personal spiritual growth. In my experience house churches are often the misfits, oddballs, mystics, outcasts, and black-sheep of God's family. Frankly, they don't fit into more traditional institutional molds. However, increasingly house churches are networked into a larger body, most having campus facilities. So, slowly but surely, house churches are becoming more integrated with more institutional structures. Those who are "bitter" against church and are blaming the institutional model for all their woes need to seek healing.

I could not help but notice the use of the word "institutional" in regards to meeting in a church building which involves under a pastoral setting. which implies a man made setting rather than scriptural.
When one truly examines the ministry of Christ and the Apostles, they utilized whatever means was available to them to reach those that had not heard the good news, but one is hard put to determine that they set up churches in the manner we have today. The closest thing scripture gives us is that the early Christians went from house to house "breaking bread".
Which many take to mean they shared the communion meal. I believe they were simply sharing the word.
We also have the words of the writer of Hebrews admonishing us to "forsake not the assembling of ourselves together". Neither of which proves the early church established institutional meetings and hierarchies such as we have today.
The way I see it both institutional churches and house churches fail in fulfilling the commission of God to GO into the world. Instead we lock ourselves up into our closed little worlds, and expect the world to come to us.
God gave the gifts of ministry to equip the saints to minister, not sit on our butts and leave it up to the ministers.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Ultimately, the call to house church isn't an excuse for not involving one's self in an institutional church.

IMO, never the two should meet.

A "cell" group is not house church. Anything connected to an institutional church is not a real house church, but rather just another division of the church. The point is missed. The two should never be connected.

[shazeep]

i'm not quite getting why not there, nd. Or actually, i think i am, but you might expound a little bit upon the point that is being missed.

[n david]

Originally Posted by shazeep

i'm not quite getting why not there, nd. Or actually, i think i am, but you might expound a little bit upon the point that is being missed.

There are many opinions of what house church is, and they vary greatly. Why I posted that an institutional church and house church shouldn't meet is because they're two very different entities.

The institutional church is centered around one man and has many different ministries or missions. A house church is a gathering a believers with a common focus.

An institutional church is designed to attract churched/unchurched families and keep them involved within the various functions or ministries of the church. A house church is simply designed for equipping the believer.

An institutional church is spectator friendly. A house church requires input from all gathered believers, using their gifts.

The point of the house church is to be more like the early church, where believers met to break bread, pray and share the word. It's meant to be small and mobile.