House churches/Organic church, your opinion? - Page 6

Amanah · #51 10-25-2011, 02:49 PM

you need to find a woman named Priscilla

Aquila · #52 10-25-2011, 02:51 PM

Jesus said:

Matthew 23:11
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

The Institutional Church Pastor:

The House Church Pastor:

lol

trialedbyfire · #53 10-25-2011, 03:44 PM

I'm not for it, I'm not against it. I've been to many home ministries. Many churches within the DC DEL MD Council of the PAW started in homes and nproggressed to church buildings. My problem is when people get dogmatic and claim that "the true" and "organic" form of worship occured in homes. Yes we know christians in the Apostolic era often held services in homes. Could this be because of persecution and the culture of the day? 100% absolutely. I worship in a building under a pastor. So do 900 other people at my church. I wouldn't try to fit them all in my pastor's house.

trialedbyfire · #54 10-25-2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

God is always ahead of the enemy. If house churching is exploding as quickly as Barna and others are saying it is... I think the real question should be... Why is God essentially drawing believers away from institutionalized religion?

I believe something terrible might be on the horizon. It may be that when this comes upon us, the institutional churches will compromise or be scattered to the four winds. The house church will survive whatever this might be.

That's just MY personal observation and personal concern.

It may be so. I also must question though whether or not this is ACTUALLY what God is doing. I don't believe God is drawing believers away from "institutionalized religion". There is one Lord, and one Faith, and one Baptism. I believe however some of the man made denominations and organizations are being rocked and shaken up. I'm guilty of denominationalism myself. I've often times been in fear that I may not be able to operate outside of the traditional organizational structure.

My whole Christian walk I've been in one of three organizations (PCAF, COOLJC, and now PAW) I know all the politics, the dirty gossip, the structure, the order, the pomp, the circumstance and sometimes I recognize that some of this stuff does hinder God because it exalts man, and God had beat my behind for getting wrapped up in it, because as soon as persecuation befalls the church, it's all over. Like you said alot of these organizations/denominations are compromising and falling away. True believers can't go with them. I'll go that far with you.

ThePastorsCoach · #55 10-25-2011, 05:51 PM

Uhhhh...Do you mean the Church of God is NOT the Church of God and the Assembly of God is NOT the Assembly of God and the Church of Jesus Christ is not really (according to our brilliant Houser's) the Church of Jesus Christ and the "churches" are emptying out and going to peoples houses to sing Kumbya, drink coffee and have Yankee Casseroles and Goulash? WOW!
Amazing that we are having to add 2000 more seats to our already 3800 seat auditorium that we pack out every Sunday with two (9AM & 11AM) services & Wednesdays and any other special services we have are packed to the walls in a little town in North GA - Gainesville.
But - I guess in Montana and Utah - people are running to the Houser's. Interesting! Maybe Barna needs to take a look in Gainesville, GA & Orange County, CA, Houston & Dallas and I could give you at least 20 churches near me in Metro ATL that have over 2000 each service and some have over 10,000 and over 20,000 every Sunday!
Poor deceived "Church" people!
And would somebody tell that Bishop Jakes with over 30,000 each Sunday and that Joel Osteen with over 45,000 that their numbers MUST be wrong because everybody's going to the HOUSER'S!

Praxeas · #56 10-25-2011, 09:05 PM

Personally I prefer the larger "corporate" church model coupled with a home group of some kind

AreYouReady? · #57 10-25-2011, 09:12 PM

Very fascinating thread. I like this!

I've been to a few home churches, but they are so very loosely organized that they disappear quickly...that is the apostolic based home churches.

My neighbor belonged to a home church all her life. Her mother left the home to all her children and it was her wish for that home to be open for home church meetings. These people are kind people; they look like pentecostals, but they do not believe in the apostolic doctrine of speaking in tongues, baptism in Jesus Name, or tongue and interpretations. They say that they have no organizational name, yet they know where each of their home "cells" are located all over the world.

They did not believe in tithing, yet as my neighbor told me, they know that their "workers" (preachers) have needs and they give to them when nobody is looking. If a worker got sick, money would pour in from all over the world to pay the medical bills. If there was any money left over, that money would go to someone else in need. All funerals were completely paid for.

She passed away last year at the age of 82 and the home has been vacant with no meetings since she died. It is kind of sad. I was so used to looking across the street and seeing cars, union meetings with "dinner on the grounds" afterwards.

Jay · #58 10-26-2011, 01:06 AM

There are some of those within about an hour of where I live. I have now ran into two of them, but I only spoke with one for a great length of time. I was able to explain, and he had asked me to, the Acts 2:38 message. I hope that I will be able to interact more with these fascinating people.

Amanah · #59 10-26-2011, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtlantaBishop

Uhhhh...Do you mean the Church of God is NOT the Church of God and the Assembly of God is NOT the Assembly of God and the Church of Jesus Christ is not really (according to our brilliant Houser's) the Church of Jesus Christ and the "churches" are emptying out and going to peoples houses to sing Kumbya, drink coffee and have Yankee Casseroles and Goulash? WOW!
Amazing that we are having to add 2000 more seats to our already 3800 seat auditorium that we pack out every Sunday with two (9AM & 11AM) services & Wednesdays and any other special services we have are packed to the walls in a little town in North GA - Gainesville.
But - I guess in Montana and Utah - people are running to the Houser's. Interesting! Maybe Barna needs to take a look in Gainesville, GA & Orange County, CA, Houston & Dallas and I could give you at least 20 churches near me in Metro ATL that have over 2000 each service and some have over 10,000 and over 20,000 every Sunday!
Poor deceived "Church" people!
And would somebody tell that Bishop Jakes with over 30,000 each Sunday and that Joel Osteen with over 45,000 that their numbers MUST be wrong because everybody's going to the HOUSER'S!

I think it's possible that God can be a part of the megachurch model and house churches. I have never tried the house church model and would be interested in possibly visiting just to see what it is like. On the other hand, the megachurch model with the rockstar preacher doesn't really appeal to me that much.

Jay · #60 10-26-2011, 03:51 AM

Please define exactly what you define as a 'megachurch'. I hear that term used, but no one actually defines it. It seems to me then that a 'megachurch' is what I want it to be.