House Churches: What are your thoughts?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by dizzyde

Well, I agree that the model is VERY biblical. I also agree that it will be a long road for most Apostolic churches to embrace it. I think the closest thing we have in the Apostolic movement to date is home fellowship groups, I know that there have been very conflicting results from these, but in our church, so far it has been a very positive thing.

I agree that it is very biblical and that it will be a long road for most Apostolic churches to embrace it.

But I ask... why would we even mess with what is going on in "regular" churches?

As oneness Pentecostals we have reached less than 1% of the world There are more than 99 times more people out there who aren't part of the Apostolic churches.

The movement is growing because it is biblical, it is balanced, it works. It is, indeed, what the apostles used when they turned their world upside down.

Why even try to change the Apostolic churches when there are many scores of times more people outside those churches.

Let the Apostolic churches thrive, live, survive, or die... Let them win all the people they can. There is a whole other world of people out there who would attend a house church but would not want to go to an Apostolic church.

(Btw... i am just using your post to make a point... please do not take my post as challenging or questioning you personally)

[Digging4Truth]

Houses That Change The World

An excellent book on the subject.

[dizzyde]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I agree that it is very biblical and that it will be a long road for most Apostolic churches to embrace it.

But I ask... why would we even mess with what is going on in "regular" churches?

As oneness Pentecostals we have reached less than 1% of the world There are more than 99 times more people out there who aren't part of the Apostolic churches.

The movement is growing because it is biblical, it is balanced, it works. It is, indeed, what the apostles used when they turned their world upside down.

Why even try to change the Apostolic churches when there are many scores of times more people outside those churches.

Let the Apostolic churches thrive, live, survive, or die... Let them win all the people they can. There is a whole other world of people out there who would attend a house church but would not want to go to an Apostolic church.

(Btw... i am just using your post to make a point... please do not take my post as challenging or questioning you personally)

LOL, I understand. I don't think that changing traditional Apostolic church is much of a concern at this point, there would be waaayyy too much opposition to it, and I don't think that the traditional church setting is broken, per say. But I do think that the other method is more biblical.

Case in point to what you are saying, in our home frienship group meetings, we have a number of people who attend those regularly who have no interest in going to formal church. Our policy is that getting these people to the church is not our goal, our goal is to get the gospel to them, anyway that we can, whether or not they ever step foot in a formal church.

Originally Posted by tamor

I know some folks who are doing this. They meet with several families who left a church after some major problems. One of them is the host family and they all meet at that home on Sunday evenings. They worship to CDs. One man, who is a minister (he wasn't a pastor) has a word prepared. Then they discuss it, as in an open Bible study. I'm not sure what they do about offerings. They've been meeting like this for more than a year and as far as I know it's still very solid.

That is so good, and I believe its the wave of the furture...

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by keith4him

I have much to say about this, but most if not all OP's both pastors and saint like the current model and will fight anything that trys to change them.

I have read everyone and everything written about this, it is the way to go, but sadly it will take a major shift for it ever to take roots in American and among Apostolics. We love our buildings, special services and being our fish for the week through the professionals.

I like the idea of what is described, however from the OP standpoint I do see some other reasons to avoid changing to this model.

1. The worship dynamic. I know, you should be able to find God for yourself and to experience everything that God has available in a much smaller setting. However, there is a great deal of momentum for the "big church" sound and style. It will be impossible for many to get around that.

2. Marriage opportunities. Okay, more carnal than the last point, but still... If you want your kids to find mates from among people of "like precious faith" then you need to have social events with large numbers of young people of "like precious faith." My living room is not large enough for just my three kids as it is.

If you don't have social institutions built into the system for transmitting the faith to the next generation and the next, then you'd better be right about the rapture coming up before 2012 (or whatever the next possible time might be).

3. Trained "Clergy." This includes however you want to define "clergy." If "everybody's a preacher" then that does NOT mean that "nobody needs to be trained." The biggest problems that the UPCI has faced (just to pick one OP org at random) is the lack of a trained clergy. Google and YouTube will give you many examples of this.

By multiplying the number of our "franchises" we multiply the number of potential cases of abuse. By removing the "tithe" and profit motive you do clear up some potentials, however you are stilled faced with solving many other problems, like #2 above.

[lad]

What if the group starts to outgrow your home? I know the answer most likely to come is..... start another one! But what if they are happy where they are at?

Just a side note: I know from experience in dealing with people in our church, some can only tolerate other children running around and playing in their homes just so long.

We do have what we call "Vineyards" in our church - our city is divided into quadrants and those that live in the area ("Vineyard") take responsibility for their vineyard or area of the city. Some Vineyards have been very successful and have grown very close -- They love the close fellowship and look forward to being together. Some of the Vineyards can't seem to get it together on a consistent basis - and wonder what they are doing "wrong".... sounds kind of like some of the churches I seen - just on a smaller scale?!?!?

I think what most of the "church" world is looking for is a place to go for fellowship and learning that is safe and godly. A "community" - for lack of a better word - where we can play together, laugh together, eat together, learn together, worship together, marry, raise children, befriend one another, cry together and sometimes just talk... (my husband mentioned this in passing awhile back and a few days later got a call from some of the young men in our church -- they were at the annex having coffee and just talking.... they invited him (if he had the time).... He said that they really enjoyed it.

We need to get our focus off of "cathedrals" and create "safe havens" for our children and "the lost".... not so much focus on the sanctuary and "church" services, but on a facility that is conducive to the things mentioned above. I do agree that the HOME was first instituted by God and as families from strong homes come together they create a stronger "church" family/community where our children can find good friends, fellowship and someday a godly spouse.

[Truly Blessed]

There are more Christians gathered together during any single week of the year in China than there are Christians gathered on any given Sunday in North America. Where are they gathered? In house churches. I have ministered in them, and will be doing so this weekend. While attendance at many churches in North America are in decline, attendance in house churches and the multiplication of those house churches have increased substantially in the last few years. They do so under severe persecution in many places.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by keith4him

I pray along with you, I see the moutain, but I feel it to be a long way off. But I believe you are right the shift is coming!

The shift is coming ... and it's time we start to at least prepare for it.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

There are more Christians gathered together during any single week of the year in China than there are Christians gathered on any given Sunday in North America. Where are they gathered? In house churches. I have ministered in them, and will be doing so this weekend. While attendance at many churches in North America are in decline, attendance in house churches and the multiplication of those house churches have increased substantially in the last few years. They do so under severe persecution in many places.

And I believe it may be persecution that forces the American church underground.

[Kae]

Originally Posted by lad

What if the group starts to outgrow your home? I know the answer most likely to come is..... start another one! But what if they are happy where they are at?

Just a side note: I know from experience in dealing with people in our church, some can only tolerate other children running around and playing in their homes just so long.

We do have what we call "Vineyards" in our church - our city is divided into quadrants and those that live in the area ("Vineyard") take responsibility for their vineyard or area of the city. Some Vineyards have been very successful and have grown very close -- They love the close fellowship and look forward to being together. Some of the Vineyards can't seem to get it together on a consistent basis - and wonder what they are doing "wrong".... sounds kind of like some of the churches I seen - just on a smaller scale?!?!?

I think what most of the "church" world is looking for is a place to go for fellowship and learning that is safe and godly. A "community" - for lack of a better word - where we can play together, laugh together, eat together, learn together, worship together, marry, raise children, befriend one another, cry together and sometimes just talk... (my husband mentioned this in passing awhile back and a few days later got a call from some of the young men in our church -- they were at the annex having coffee and just talking.... they invited him (if he had the time).... He said that they really enjoyed it.

We need to get our focus off of "cathedrals" and create "safe havens" for our children and "the lost".... not so much focus on the sanctuary and "church" services, but on a facility that is conducive to the things mentioned above. I do agree that the HOME was first instituted by God and as families from strong homes come together they create a stronger "church" family/community where our children can find good friends, fellowship and someday a godly spouse.

We attended a house church. We have 7 children ranging from the ages of 11-1, not once did they run around and play, in our home or in anyone else's home. They participated just like anyone else. Children can sit still if trained to do so.