We had church in our home when we started in Home Missions over 30 yrs ago.
We tried to rent a building for Sun morning but the cost was too much for a beginning congregation.
We set up 1/2 of our basement with pews etc. We had fewer visitors in the house format.
Several years later we rented a store front in another city. We had a congregation this time and it was on a busy street but still had limited visitors.
You'll get more "drop" in visitors in a traditional building. People aren't comfortable opening the door to a "home".
__________________
"Le sens commun n'est pas si commun."
(Common sense is not so common.)
Voltaire
Common sense is genius dressed in working clothes.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.
William James
If we're discussing cell groups, I've seen this in a few churches. Then it's the format Keith described. Food and fellowship and short Bible discussion with ?'s.
The downside in some I observed was the "pastor" programming. There were several groups meeting on same night.
The topic was written out and meant to be followed. It seemed to limit participation and freedom in following gifts.
__________________
"Le sens commun n'est pas si commun."
(Common sense is not so common.)
Voltaire
Common sense is genius dressed in working clothes.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.
William James
We had church in our home when we started in Home Missions over 30 yrs ago.
We tried to rent a building for Sun morning but the cost was too much for a beginning congregation.
We set up 1/2 of our basement with pews etc. We had fewer visitors in the house format.
Several years later we rented a store front in another city. We had a congregation this time and it was on a busy street but still had limited visitors.
You'll get more "drop" in visitors in a traditional building. People aren't comfortable opening the door to a "home".
This is the view that many have of house churches. The view that this is an interim venue until we can get a building rented somewhere.
That isn't a house church really. It is church in a house... until we can get a building. House church is more of a paradigm shift than that.
House churches have the intent that this is the way they are going to do church. When the local house church reaches 20+ members (depending on the size of the home etc) then the house church will send it's most qualified leader and a few of the best families (and also families that live near the new leader) and start a new work elsewhere. Then when those 2 works reach the multiplying point they will break into 4 works etc.
There is a constant need to build leadership in people and there is a constant outward multiplying of works and each work will need to develop more leaders so that it can birth other works. There is, of course, a continuing mentorship between the works as needed. As time goes on the fruit of ones labors increases yet their own personal work remains relatively constant.
IMO... what makes a true house church a house church is less where they meet and more the paradigm that they possess in how they will go forward as the work grows.
Quote:
If we're discussing cell groups, I've seen this in a few churches. Then it's the format Keith described. Food and fellowship and short Bible discussion with ?'s.
The downside in some I observed was the "pastor" programming. There were several groups meeting on same night.
The topic was written out and meant to be followed. It seemed to limit participation and freedom in following gifts.
Agreed. Cell groups and houses churches have their location in common and little else.
Last edited by Digging4Truth; 06-09-2009 at 07:23 AM.
We had church in our home when we started in Home Missions over 30 yrs ago.
We tried to rent a building for Sun morning but the cost was too much for a beginning congregation.
We set up 1/2 of our basement with pews etc. We had fewer visitors in the house format.
Several years later we rented a store front in another city. We had a congregation this time and it was on a busy street but still had limited visitors.
You'll get more "drop" in visitors in a traditional building. People aren't comfortable opening the door to a "home".
You are right, house churches tend to have fewer drop in visitors. But for house churches the push is "personal evangelism" for every member. The Gospel is only shared as individuals share their testimonies and the message with other individuals. Sometimes I've seen tracts used, but it's typically encouraged that you speak and invite people by word of mouth.
House churches are often very disenchanted by the corporatized advertising of the church. Churches are typically trying to get lit signs, brochures, radio spots, and all this hoopla that the Apostles never used, all to attract visitors. House churchers believe that the best method is the simplest method... just have individuals share their stories, present the Gospel, and invite folks. Often house churchers get people's curiosity going by telling folks it's fine to be a Christian but don't go to church, be the church. Also house churchers emphasize that the house church rarely wants any money.
I believe there is a place for both traditional churches and house churches. However, I believe that house churches are far more biblical. Perhaps the very best model for America at this point is a traditional church with a cell group approach that is freestyle.
We had church in our home when we started in Home Missions over 30 yrs ago.
We tried to rent a building for Sun morning but the cost was too much for a beginning congregation.
We set up 1/2 of our basement with pews etc. We had fewer visitors in the house format.
Several years later we rented a store front in another city. We had a congregation this time and it was on a busy street but still had limited visitors.
You'll get more "drop" in visitors in a traditional building. People aren't comfortable opening the door to a "home".
Commonsense
Don't mean to imply that you feel the way I am going to state. but this last coment you made makes me think that most people don't want to take the gospel to the world just open the doors and wait for them to come to them. True Christians are to take the gospel to the world and reach as many as they can. Lip service say here I will just put in the offering plate and bask in the spirit of God on Sunday. The kingdom of God needs to get back to the basics of living for God. We don't need all the traditions and outside doctrines that have piled up in the churches today. Lets get back to faith in Christ and furthering the kingdom of God. In a spirit of love.
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Re: House Church - How It's Done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Godsdrummer
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Commonsense
Don't mean to imply that you feel the way I am going to state. but this last coment you made makes me think that most people don't want to take the gospel to the world just open the doors and wait for them to come to them. True Christians are to take the gospel to the world and reach as many as they can. Lip service say here I will just put in the offering plate and bask in the spirit of God on Sunday. The kingdom of God needs to get back to the basics of living for God. We don't need all the traditions and outside doctrines that have piled up in the churches today. Lets get back to faith in Christ and furthering the kingdom of God. In a spirit of love.
Of course you have a good point but if I was invited to someone's house for church and I didn't know them I wouldn't go. There are too many churches available. The time may come too soon that we are driven to homes ansd other places to worship but not now.
Of course you have a good point but if I was invited to someone's house for church and I didn't know them I wouldn't go. There are too many churches available. The time may come too soon that we are driven to homes ansd other places to worship but not now.
I think the average person is more likely to attend a house church than go to a church. It's more like a participative Bible study than a church service. There's food, fun, games, fellowship, prayer, Bible reading, participative discussion, etc. It's nothing like a traditional church. Most people I've witnessed to were open to a Bible study at my home or their home. However, they are skittish about attending a traditional church.
Oh... one other thing. You typically don't invite interested people to a house church. If at all possible you set up a small meeting at their home, like a home Bible study. That keeps them on their turf and gives them a sense of control. The members bring the grill, their meats, etc. (House Church meetings are typically built around a meal wherein the Lord's Supper is observed.) Ideally, if the person is converted, you use their home as a the foundation of another house church. Then you teach them the Bible, train them, etc. (if they show the gift to teach), or you teach them how to host meetings and have other elders lead the group. I've met more people who are interested in this sort of thing than those interested in a traditional church. That's why traditional churches are reporting a drop in attendance while house churches and research groups are showing an increase in more home based forms of worship.
It's beautiful when a house church get's really flowing with everyone bringing a song, a text, a thought, a poem, a lesson, etc. It's amazing to watch as the songs chosen, the poems read, the thoughts shared, and passages discussed, all are connected to a central theme. It truly demonstrates that God is in the midst of his people.
Of course you have a good point but if I was invited to someone's house for church and I didn't know them I wouldn't go. There are too many churches available. The time may come too soon that we are driven to homes and other places to worship but not now.
Yes... and if, hypothetically, your feelings represent 100% of oneness believers then that leaves 99%+ of the nation still out there.
If, hypothetically, your feelings represent 100% of those in the US who attend church on a regular (at least weekly) basis then that leaves 80% of the nation still out there.
Your point is true. There are those... the "churched" of America... of which most would probably prefer the church model we have grown up with.
But there are FAR more who appear to not have such a preference. This may well be what many of the 80% of Americans who do not attend church regularly are looking for. They current popular model may be exactly what they are fleeing
I think one main point that is often missed in this type of conversation is that, while many feel that the people they know and associate with might not prefer a house church, those who do go to a church with a steeple on a regular basis are in the vast minority in this nation.
There is a definite field for this type of work and it is huge.
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