Outreach-via home church meetings

[Nicodemus1968]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Every assembly I've been a part of was founded and maintained on home bible studies. Evangelism done by church members on their jobs and in the market place. Weekly prayer meetings along with preservice prayer. Teaching church members how to teach a simple home bible study. Doesn't matter if it's a home fellowship or a small rented storefront. No reason to push for the burden of owing a building although most seem to think that is important.

Until the Government decides to tax their property. I guess there is a push on social media to tax religious non profits. It’s states that if they did, the tax rate would drop to only 3%. Home church is sounding more like the norm, we’ll at least to some.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Nicodemus1968

Until the Government decides to tax their property. I guess there is a push on social media to tax religious non profits. It’s states that if they did, the tax rate would drop to only 3%. Home church is sounding more like the norm, we’ll at least to some.

The early church met from house to house and also met at the temple pre 70AD. Some built fellowship halls as additions to their homes. Church buildings were not the norm until after 325 AD when Constantine began building Romanesque basilicas for church meetings.

To return to home fellowship meetings being predominant would require committed participatory vs spectator Christianity. Families would need to be able to leave the main group and start a new fellowship when the main group outgrew their current meeting place.

[james34]

Originally Posted by diakonos

Start one.

please elaborate

[james34]

Originally Posted by Nicodemus1968

We have home services every Sunday Morning, and its great! We pray, we sing, preach, and fellowship afterwards. There are times after the service the people stay afterwards and we talk for a couple hours, they're asking questions about the word and were able to minister right there in our living room after service.

Baptism shouldn't be any different from that in a church building and that in home missions. We had a baptism, and we had it outside and I baptized a young man in the cattle tank.

I personally do not know of any home churches in Arkansas, I know in some churches they call them "home groups", not home church.

im considering going this route,
i almost did last year ,but joined a local assembly.....it doesnt seem to be working out

most mainstream churches are filled with problems that "they are not willing to address"

[diakonos]

Originally Posted by james34

Does anyone know of any house churches in N. Central/east Arkansas?

Originally Posted by diakonos

Start one.

Originally Posted by james34

please elaborate

Start one.

[Amanah]

Apostolic Order of Service
By Esaias

https://www.apostolicfriendsforum.co...t=House+Church

[Nicodemus1968]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Apostolic Order of Service
By Esaias

https://www.apostolicfriendsforum.co...t=House+Church

I don't believe there is a certain template that a church needs to follow. I know we usually follow a traditional service at times, i.e prayer, worship, testimonies, preaching, alter call, and then fellowship. Yet there have been plenty of times we just ministered to a need. No worship, no preaching just ministering to the present need.The church needs to be instant in season and out of season, we need to follow what the spirit wants. I have been in services and I'm sure others will agree, that we just prayed the entire service.

In my opinion, I feel the spirit is able to minister a lot easier in a home rather than a church building, especially with new converts. Thats why home bibles are so important, church buildings and the church service (in the building) can be intimidating.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Nicodemus1968

I don't believe there is a certain template that a church needs to follow. I know we usually follow a traditional service at times, i.e prayer, worship, testimonies, preaching, alter call, and then fellowship. Yet there have been plenty of times we just ministered to a need. No worship, no preaching just ministering to the present need.The church needs to be instant in season and out of season, we need to follow what the spirit wants. I have been in services and I'm sure others will agree, that we just prayed the entire service.

In my opinion, I feel the spirit is able to minister a lot easier in a home rather than a church building, especially with new converts. Thats why home bibles are so important, church buildings and the church service (in the building) can be intimidating.

[coksiw]

First century house gatherings were usually in the house of the one that could hold as many people as possible. The number was between 50-60 people, putting in perspective, 50% of churches in the USA has 75 or less members. I don’t think it is what most people nowadays expects as “house church”. The archeology is my source. Apparently, they also had city-wide meetings in Corinth.

Regarding meeting content, it is very likely they followed the synagogue style as many of the first Christians were devout Jews. Prayer, public reading of the Scriptures, with explanations, words of exhortation by any male in the congregation. Once in a while a topical teaching somebody will bring already prepared, and a meal also. I am not sold out on any specific order. Whatever is practical.

I don’t think the small gathering was normative or even the goal. Quite the opposite. Jesus himself beside the 12, had large gatherings, and more followers than the 12, from both genders. The meeting in houses in Act was not always to gather as a church but to evangelize or teach to households. So no all verses used to back house churches is appropriately used.

[Nicodemus1968]

Originally Posted by james34

im considering going this route,
i almost did last year ,but joined a local assembly.....it doesnt seem to be working out

most mainstream churches are filled with problems that "they are not willing to address"

I don’t believe it’s because they’re not wanting to address the problems. My understanding is they don’t know how.