Home churching

Another sign of a "heart" problem is when you tell someone of a truth and they think you are mean spirited and then you just dismiss it.
Do you feel the ones that told you "in love" is because they encouraged you to go on with the home church?

Your posts have an edge on them. You pick out and gnaw at them. I did nothing more than tell you a truth, in love. There are alot of people that become "church hoppers" because the turned from Godly advice to do what they felt was right.

 

In what manner?

The point is being discussed if it is necessary to begin a church in your home at this point in America.

Firstly, I would say who would be the pastor? Because the qualifications of 1 Tim. 3 should be met. But even if they could be met and the church was meeting in a house the question must be asked: why can those christians not combine their energies and efforts with another Bible believing church in the area.

Perhaps we should examine the foundational doctrines that a church should hold to in order to be considered worthy of attendance.

I haven't felt like this has been a bickering forum (though it quickly could become one) and does not need to go that route. Lets just deal with the issues from the scriptures.

SoCM

 

Too many hang ups over buildings. WE ae the temple of God and wherever two or three are gathered He is there. No mention of a building in that. The New Christians met in homes and still in the synagogues for awhile. It is better to have 4 families on fire for God in a home than to have their fire quenched in a church full of sitting, soaking and souring saints or flat out carnal ones. We should not neglect the assembling of ourselves together, but that can be in a field. Advertise the start of a new church in the area stating your goals, convictions etc. and you may find more folks than you think would like to do something but do not know how. They would like to leave the Liberal/carnal church, but are not leaders or have a clue. They will show up at your door and as you love them and lead them you may soon have a larger church than those around you.

House churches are booming in this area.

 

If this is in God's will everything will work. My husband and I planted a church a few years ago. We started out small in a house and after 3 bible studies someone offered us a empty church building. What I'm saying if you are doing this to please just a few folks and have no plans on expanding them it is not scriptual. Each body is to proclaim the gospel. But it sounds to me that you were in the same situation that the people that was in our area. We drove 25 miles for my husband to be ordained into the ministry for 2 years. Our church plant is small but very successful because of the blessing we have seen God use.

[ September 21, 2002, 09:21 PM: Message edited by: Mrs, KJV ]

 

Many folks are turned off by what they deem as organized religion and do not want anything to do with "churches." However, they are interested in the Bible and Jesus. Many house churches will never develop into what we traditionally deem as a church. No big building to maintain and waste money on, just people worshipping and sharing the Word and using the money for people and missionaries. Besides, when the persecution starts, it will be best to already have a system set up when the churches are locked down and confiscated. Remember the old saying about eggs in the same basket. Don't put all your saints in the same locale. Since the Islamic "radicals" see America as Christian and this mess is a war against Christians then one day they may decide to bomb churches. Fortunately for us small ones they will most likely hit the bigger ones to maximize the kill rate. When I was saved in 75, no one would have imagined such a thing, but it is very probable now.

 

G'day Kathy,

(DOH! Thought I read thread thoroughly before posting...Guess not. Just scrolled up and saw your "And just so you know, I have decided against home church." quote. Leaving msg here anyway, God bless.)

These sites might have some interesting material for you, http://www.churchinfocus.org/church_or_house.html http://www.hccentral.com/

Those claiming a "heart problem", feel free to include me in with that. I have been "to Church" 4 times in last 11 months or so. If your Church has no wishy-washyness, no "charismatic" practices/teachings worming their way in, no blokes running it who don't have their own house in order (and verbally abuse my mum...but thats another story...), then great. You have found a rare good one, thank God for it. However please do not assume that every Church is up to the same standard, and that people only leave a Church because there is something wrong with the person. Thanks.

Pete

[ September 22, 2002, 01:10 PM: Message edited by: Titus2_1 ]

 

[ September 28, 2002, 11:11 AM: Message edited by: VoiceInTheWilderness ]