The Home Church Blog
Welcome to the Home Church Blog. This blog is hosted by www.homechurchhelp.com and www.NewTestamentChurchlife.com Feel free to post a comment, ask a question or introduce a subject.
Welcome to the Home Church Blog. This blog is hosted by www.homechurchhelp.com and www.NewTestamentChurchlife.com Feel free to post a comment, ask a question or introduce a subject.
October 22, 2007 at 1:27 am
My family and I have been having “house church” meetings for about a year now. As soon as we left the institutionalized church, we felt free. It was as if a burden was lifted. We are on a path led by our Heavenly Father. the Holy Spirit is teaching us and strengthening us daily.
Will look over your site and post again! thanks
October 24, 2007 at 2:35 am
I have been wondering why the role of shepherd is called rare on your site?
Also, I have been wondering why the near elimination of leaders is considered a good thing? I might be misunderstanding the things that I have read, and I would love to understand more. Please contect me.
November 13, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I am looking for a home church. I cannot find the Holy Spirit or even the desire for God’s guidance in most of the church’s I’ve been in. SO dry. I long for real worship and real support and Christian love and most of all real communion with the Father in prayer. United in prayer.
I hope your site will show me how to find this.
November 13, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Matt, thanks for your excellent questions.
The role of a shepherd is rare today because we’ve largely lost the true meaning of what shepherding is. Many people think that shepherding is performing administrative functions, or just doing a lot of teachings. It is rare to see real shepherding occur today.
Concerning leaders, we do not want to eliminate true leadership in the church. However, the roles of leadership have become perverted. Leadership should emerge naturally from within the group, as in the early churches.
December 6, 2007 at 4:44 am
Great site! I’ve read enough of Frank Viola’s writing on similar issues to know that there is a real groundswell of support for this entire movement. It’s refreshing, authentic, and encouraging to see the Body of Christ sloughing off the old wine skin. The Holy Spirit of God was never meant to be “contained” by or in anything - certainly not human-generated traditions. And though we are the temple, individually and corporately, being built up together as “living stones” into a spiritual house, we still don’t “contain” Him who said, “Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me?” Having said this as a reinforcement of the truth found throughout this site (as though it needs reinforcement), let me add that we all should proceed with a great degree of discernment, especially in the cult-fostering, postmodern era in which we live. Paul also said that if we think we stand, we should take heed, lest we fall. Our “traditions” or forms can easily become mere replacements of that which we have fled if those practices become ends unto themselves. It is grievous to me to see a proliferation of related literature in the “Christian” market (whatever that is) that seems to benefit the authors and publishing houses more than anyone else. The free exchange of our ideas and experiences under Christ’s authority, and mutual, scriptural exhortation doesn’t seem to give place to marketing our perspectives for monetary gain, but it doesn’t seem to be letting up. I believe we are of the same mind and would agree that “being” the Church, stripped of our comfort with compulsory worship, robbed of the opportunity to grow complacent, and reaching beyond the pursuit of personal gain, is a qualified goal as we grow from glory to glory. But, desiring and achieving intimacy with one another in a “real” and mutually nurturing biblical setting is not the ultimate goal - exalting the name of Christ is! Wherever we may find ourselves, if only two or three, we should make this our focus. Thank you for your work and diligence as you decrease and He increases!
December 9, 2007 at 9:01 pm
I came across you site today (12/09/07). In fact, I linked it on my blog. I hope that is ok.
I would like to visit with you one day soon and begin learning directly from you. I live in Georgetown, TX.
Let me know. My email is bwrightjr@gmail.com.
Take Care!
Bill
December 15, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Great resources! I always thought I was the only “square peg trying to fit into a round hole!”
Way back in the late 1970’s; I was asked to promote “tithes and offering Sunday” at our “church denomination.” I was a babe in faith but loved reading His Word. I struggled with promoting the giving of faithful tithes but being a New Testament believer who is commanded to cheerfully give to my brother in need… so I approached my “Pastor” about this.
His reply? “That was for then, but this is for now.” That was like my being asked to put “blind faith” in what was being taught behind a pulpit! I went back to the scriptures and discovered everything that I was being “taught” was contrary to what the “church actually is!” It is we - the fellowship of believers, equipped and empowered by God the Holy Spirit; to use our giftings accordingly to edify and build one another up in the most holy faith and to prepare to meet or Great Shepherd soon - Jesus Christ!
30 years and 14 children later - we still go to “denominational churches” to minister in song, teaching, preaching and fellowship… and keep getting asked to do so despite our actually being a “member of no particular denomination!” This must be a “God thing!”
Be encouraged pilgrims! We are going home soon… just continue working in our Master’s fields into He calls us in for supper!!!
Cody and Elaine Bateman
Brunswick/St. Simons, Georgia
http://www.codybateman.org
http://www.truthhiker.com
Ezra 9:8
December 31, 2007 at 7:36 am
Hi!
I’m glad I found your blog, maybe some of your readers can help us. We need help finding a home church in the Longview-Gladewater, Tx. area. Please help us with any information that you think might helpful.
Thank You…Roger
keepsake35@yahoo.com
January 20, 2008 at 8:28 am
You have been an encouragement to me and I thank you!! A while back I purchased your book….so,so right on the truth! May the Lord continue to bless you with His love and peace. I live way up here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Do you know of any home church connections here?, Fran
February 4, 2008 at 1:27 am
Great site to connect with others. Thanks
February 17, 2008 at 8:07 am
Terry,
Thank you for caring more about what God thinks than the approval of men. It is not an easy task to go against the grain but the rewards are definitely worth it. I hope that everyone sees that your heart is for unity in the body of Christ & not division. The things you write & say may seem harsh but I can attest, it is done with a humble heart & out of love. Thank you for your passion for the thing nearest & dearest to the Lord, His Bride. May we all come into unity of the Spirit under the headship of Christ.
Come & see us again soon!
February 23, 2008 at 6:28 am
Terry,
I am quickly reading your book. I have known the example given by the Apostles in Acts and within God’s Word for His church. There has always been a “empty” feeling in the lack of “Fellowship” and growth as described in Ephesians 4 within our body. The gifts are silent, and the edification is limited to the first day of the week. It’s a sad and empty meeting… in a dead building. Some of us seeking transparent relationships with those who are also hungry and quenching the Spirit the same.
February 25, 2008 at 12:50 am
How can I start a new thread on the significance of communion?
It is something that I have struggled with since my mother put a dread in me of taking it in an unworthy manner. As a impressionable child, it put a gloom & doom, solemn atmosphere around the whole “celebrating communion” thing. What served to further confuse me was the practice of the church I grew up in to do it in the context of a “love feast” which to me would indicate a celebration & not a funeral. We only observed it once or twice a year which also included a foot washing element beforehand where each man would wash another man’s feet & each woman would wash another woman’s feet. To say the least, it was an awkward & humbling experience but it built a sense of intimacy & community. I feel like I’m missing the importance of it but unless something more than a sip of wine & pinch of bread is offered, I don’t see any point in it.
Perhaps you can shed some light on this since you often refer to having a bottle of wine & some bread handy at each gathering.
February 26, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Thanks for your comments Mike. I love you and the brothers there dearly. I am planning on coming to be with you guys for another extended stay at the beginning of June. The way you all are and the encouragmenet that you guys bring is truly a blessing in the Spirit.
Concerning your post: I guess I would say that every beliver takes the wine and bread differently. Some receive these symbols of the body and blood in a very serious and prayerful manner and some seem to take it in a very light hearted and rejoicing way. For me, it depends on the mood I’m in and what my faith is at the time.
If I am experiencing difficulty or trials in my life or heart, I may be very prayerful and I may spend five minutes in meditation before I take eat the bread and drink the wine. At other times I may take them much faster. It just depends on what’s real for me in that moment.
I will say that I think it’s good that those “elements” are available often as we gather, at that someone announce the fact that they are available or lead us in a time of taking them…. because it is good to remember what the Lord did and that we remember together. I think it always encourages faith among us when the wine and bread are a part of our gathering times.
Hey you can bring a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread with you when you guys have the next prayer meeting! I can’t wait to enjoy it with you when I come in June.
February 27, 2008 at 5:00 am
Maybe I’m dense but I must be missing something because I sure don’t get out of it what other people get out of it. The whole symbolism of the practice is lost on me. I’ve never needed elements to remind me of the price he paid. If it wasn’t for His grace & mercy, I would be dead by now so I feel like I’m just living on borrowed time. When you’ve got the real thing living through you, why do you need something external to remind you of it. I don’t mean to be difficult, I just really want to experience whatever it is you experience from it.
February 27, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Yea I understand that. I think that’s great.
For me though, really all it is, is a time set aside to focus on only that one thing. It’s good for our faith to do activities that focus us on one thing only from time to time. Whether it’s a time to focus only on scripture, a time to focus only on the fear of the Lord and who He is that will judge the whole earth, or a focused time on only His love and mercy.
It’s great to be aware of what He did on a daily basis, really great - but to take a few minutes and just focus on what the bread is, His body, and all the implications of that for me really carves out more depth in that area.
I am aware of what the Lord did on the cross, but if I were to stop right now and spend a couple of minutes focusing only on that (even without the physical elements available), I get in touch with it in a deeper way and on a deeper level. So, when we do this type of activity corporately, it deepens US as a group in the very foundation of Christianity.
I don’t kow…just my thoughts. Maybe someone else has more on it…
March 5, 2008 at 3:16 am
I heard there may be another hc conference this year. If so, when & where so I can make travel plans.
March 9, 2008 at 2:47 am
LOVE THIS SITE HAS GIVING ME MORE VALOR TO SPEAK AND KNOWING THAT I WAS BELIVING THINGS THAT WERE HINDIRING MY BELIVES.
I HAVE 2 QUESTIOS;went JESUS WENT TO THE TEMPLE AND HE FOUND THAT THE PEOPLE WERE SELLING JESUS REFERD AS THE CHURCH WAS NOT MADE FOR SELLING(EXPLAIN)and about summiting to our pastor in the church???thank you.
March 10, 2008 at 12:32 am
I have been out of the institutional church for many decades, initially on gut feeling. But, about 18 years ago, I asked the Holy Spirit what we should do about church, and got an astonishingly clear response. “Do what is written, then ask again.” I made a list of scriptural guidelines for being or “having” church, finding few or none that were included in on-going institutional church life.
So, several of us started a home church (which was clearly written), and waited on God for further direction. He then brought the passages in I Corinthians alive to us: verses 1:11 to 4:6. This last verse actually commands that, insofar as we go about being church, we are to not even “think beyond what is written.” The whole section, flagged throughout with references to “Paul” and “Apollus,” is a single, coherent admonishment, one of great importance. The judgment part (3:16) is quite severe. Naming groups (churches) is considered “defiling” the “temple of God” a sin punishable by being destroyed by God Himself, evidently a sin unto death (1 John 5:16).
The institutional churches, which are all named, (”I am of Paul, I am of Cephas, I am of Luther, I am of Mennon, of Christ, etc.”
are described as being built out of “wood, hay, and straw.” I believe this is a reference by the Spirit to the bundles of tares described by Jesus in His parable. Bundled tares would have to be considered “hay.” (Straw, like chaff, consists of dead plant parts that played a temporary role in bringing wheat to maturity. Wood would be gotten from trees that got an ax to their root, and fruitless fig trees.)
So, I believe the Holy Spirit has led me to the truth that house churches are more than a good idea. Limiting one’s church identification to an unnamed “house” church is spiritually a matter of life and death.
I have found searching throughout the whole scriptures for the written passages referred to most rewarding.
March 17, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Tony,
I wanted to reply to your two questions:
When Jesus made His comments about His house should be a house of prayer and not a den of thieves, to put it very simply I believe he was referring to the fact that money and profit should not be a part of the church - which is what we have today - people making their salaries and incomes from the church.
Concerning your second question. You should never submit to a man because he has a title, a degree, has a position of leadership, or because everyone else is submitting to him. People gain influence and position for any number of reasons. You should only submit to Jesus and to the scriptures. If a man is sharing with you the scriptures, then submit to what he is saying with all your heart.
But even men who speak to you what is in the scriptures can also speak to you things that are not in scripture. So you have to let the bad stuff go in one ear and out the other.
Submission can be a big subject that I can’t go into detail here, but Jesus said to call no man leader, father, or teacher - but that we are all brothers.
At the same time He will use men to encourage us and bring us to the Kingdom of God in our lives, but it is God doing it and not the man himself. God allows men of position to fall all the time and for their weaknesses to be continually exposed so that we don’t become followers of men instead of followers of God.
But yes, God will bring people into your life that He will use to show you the Kingdom way, but you are to only submit to them as they share with you what is Biblical - so you must always maintain a relationship with the Lord yourself in which you are praying and listening to God and learning to discern the scriptures for yourself.
April 9, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I love your site! We planted a church about a year and a half ago with the predominate idea of that church being cell-based and institutional. I didn’t really know anything about the “house”/”organic”/”simple” church movement going on in our country. In fact, I didn’t even know the terms “Institutional” vs. “House/Simple/Organic”!
Early on, I was exposed to some interesting books such as “Organic Church” by Neil Cole and “Rethinking the Wineskin” by Frank Viola. Since then, I have read everything thing on this subject that I could get my hands on! I especially found myself spending a lot of time in the Gospels trying to see how Jesus first planted His church, which, BTW, met often in several different houses.
Today, we are a house church. We are simply living out body life everyday, and gather on Sunday evenings. We eat together, pray together, play together, and discuss the Scriptures together. We are begging God to bring people into our lives that are hungry and thirsty for Him, instead of empty, hollow religion. We live normal lives and work regular “jobs”. Our kids play sports and we hang out around town. We are making many new friends and wait on God to show us how far to go with each person we meet.
Your site will no doubt give me another avenue to learn how Jesus truly seeks to manifest His body to the world.
Thanx!
Jeff Rhodes
http://www.jeffrhodes.wordpress.com
May 31, 2008 at 8:02 am
OUR CHURCH MODEL: I am part of a none denomination christian group in Brazil that has introduced several aspects of the home church dynamics into its church services. We have a combination of small churches and home churches. 45 years ago 8 young people were invited to leave a main denomination church. Unable to find a church that they could fit they sought the Lord ardently with many tears. In his great mercy the Lord started showing them a different kind of church. Right from the beginning the Lord required all to be completely and absolutely obedient to the Holy Spirit… not to go by our own understanding… we made many mistakes since this is far easier said than done. With great struggle and stumbles we slowly learned how to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The key point was in developing a group of members that were truly used in gifts of the Holy Spirit. Today, we are completely dependent on the gifts that all members bring each day for the edification of all. We are a living a unique and strong doctrine of body of Christ. Not a doctrine developed by a theologian but one that “naturally” sprang from the practical application of the scriptures the life of the church. As a result, we have grown from 8 people to almost 1 million in 45 years. We are experiencing a revival in our midst. We grow in average by 20 to 30 thousand people per month. We build one small church every 3 days and open 3 to 4 home churches per week. We do not solicit money in our services, our churches are small and we have services every night and we all really look forward to finishing a days work so we can be together with our brothers and sisters to worship, pray and seek the Lord. Our model of church is not ours… it is His… it did not come about by one man writing a vision or a book… and this format is always undergoing changes and new directions by the Holy Spirit. God bless you all.
June 1, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I am almost 50 yrs old. I have been “going to church” off and on since i was an infant. When I was around 15 yrs old, I started reading the bible. I quickly became confused because of the difference in what I was reading and what I was experiencing in “church”.
I have been reading about home churches for a few days now. I stumbled onto this site and after reading these blogs,
I have to tell you, I am ANGRY. I now realize, instead of growing as a christian, I have learned to mistrust what the Holy Spirit has been trying to tell me all these years because it is so different than what all the other christians seem to accept as truth. I have even suspected that maybe Jesus would not or could not “choose” me because I just could not believe that tithing, sermons, ect was scriptural.
I have had a life time of “back-sliding”. I am tired of trying to learn about Jesus in a traditional church, of trying to ask questions and get anything other than pat answers, of trying to find people who want to live a christian life instead of just talking like they are christians.
But after reading here I am starting to realize that all these years I have trusted the traditions of men instead of the Holy Spirit. God forgive me.
My husband and children are going to start a relationship with Jesus in our own home and my hope is that He will send us other believers that want and NEED the same.
I want to thank everyone here for all your words, I am so happy right now, I’m going to stop writing and cry.
Please pray for the Griffin family, that we might truly learn who Jesus is and what he wants for us.
June 3, 2008 at 7:34 am
Dear Susan. I see your pain in your words. I understand how hard is to walk alone without the support of a local body. I would like to encourage you to gather your family in a home meeting and establish some guidelines on how your home church will function. These are some practical suggestions:1) Agree with your family to meet at least once a week on a specific day of the week with a set time to start. 2) During the meetings encourage everyone to pray and seek God’s direction for the group… don’t trust your own understanding. Surrender your own agenda to God… let the Holy Spirit lead you. 3) Don’t make the meetings too long. 4) When bringing a message use the Bible, make it short and objective and avoid message that criticizes churches and other religions… focus in Christ… deliver a positive message so everyone can be fed. 5) Worship is key… if you don’t play a musical instrument try to learn to play the guitar or the keyboard… start practicing a few simple songs and you will see quick results. 5) Once you have established a good dynamic in your family service its time to start inviting other people. 6) Pray for the Lord to bring people that are seekers and needy. 7) Focus on the unsaved… there is nothing better and uplifting than having new converts in your group.
Pray a lot and don’t forget to feed yourself daily in the scriptures.
Churches have failed to support you… but no church is to be blamed for your personal spiritual struggles. I encourage you to start home meetings as soon as possible and you will reap the benefits of what you sow. I will be praying for the Griffin family.
June 3, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Taylor,
Yes I agree with everything you said. I know I have been feeling bitter because of the state of churches today, but I have been praying a lot about it and just today it hit me: I should take the log out of my own eye before trying to take the splinter out of anyone else’s eye. Instead of focusing on what I need all the time, maybe I should have been doing a better job of finding my christian brothers and sisters that are unhappy and help them.
I think the Holy Spirit is guiding me towards being more tolerant of where other christians are in thier walk at any given time. I have been quietly critical of others for failing to see what is so plain to me in scriptures, for example: not selling in church, tithing, persuing wealth, gossip, ect., meanwhile I have not been able to kick the habit of smoking. I would hate to know someone would think I am “not really a christian” because I have not “overcome” this habit, all the while thinking the same thing about others because they don’t do what is easy for me to do.
I was wondering about inviting unsaved people to home church meetings. Thank you for your timely words.
What does everyone here do to build thier faith? I really would like some practical answers, because I don’t know how to build mine. I pray and ask for more faith, but could someone point me in the right direction as far as scriptures dealing with this subject. I have done topic searches online but always get overwhelmed.
God bless you,
Susan
June 4, 2008 at 1:30 am
Susan,
I can send you a sequence of bible studies on an MP3 format that you can listen to. These are bible studies that we use when starting our home churches. They are intended to build ones faith from the ground up.
Some of the studies are:
Praise in the Spirit
1) The Bible the Word of God
2) Salvation as a way of life
3) Baptism of the Holy Spirit
4) Understanding Spiritual Gifts
5) Using the spiritual gifts
6) Prayer
7) The Power of the Blood of Jesus
9) Means of reaching grace: Fasting, prayer, fellowship
10) The body of Christ
My email is taylor.vieira@mac.com
God bless.
Taylor
June 23, 2008 at 11:23 am
Very interesting site. My wife just ordered the book. This sounds like what we’ve been hearing in prayer.
We’ve been tired of “playing” church in the traditional setting, and wanting to be like the new testament church for quite a while now.
It’s almost as if many are “sleeping” playing church, and is not the same explosive power the church was meant to be.
I believe you’ve touched on the true dynamic of what Jesus wanted it to be.
God bless,
Dave