Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
I believe we will need both house churches and traditional churches to reach our world. Many will prefer the traditional model over the house church model. That’s fine really, there is more than enough people to reach to facilitate both. Sadly churches get possessive of their “turf” and thereby severely limit multiplied efforts to reach the lost in their communities. I believe we need traditional pastors who are willing to release men of God who have a burden for house churching, recognizing them as legitimate ministers of the gospel and maintaining fellowship with them. While churches are popping up in the suburbs, masses of humanity are left unreached in the densely populated cities where it is difficult to build or maintain a church building. House churches can be established anywhere and are perfect for establishing inner city fellowships. Traditional pastors need to just let the house church pastors follow their call.
I drive about 30 minutes (highway) to church way out in boonyville. During this drive I pass blocks and blocks of inner city neighborhoods that are still unreached. I talked to my pastor about the burden I was feeling to begin a house church and he refused to acknowledge the house church as a legitimate form of church for America in this era. He emphasized getting these individuals to come to our church. But most have never heard of us and for many the idea of driving 30 minutes or so to church isn’t appealing. Many of these individuals aren’t financially secure and I doubt they would even feel comfortable attending our “Sunday best” services. Don’t get me wrong, we have a fantastic church! I love the church we attend but I’m increasingly feeling a call to something far less glamorous in the trenches of the neighborhoods of my city. I was going to begin Bible studies in my home and just operate as a Bible study group but the services and obligations of the church we attend really gives us little time to properly serve the work. I’m very frustrated and feeling like it’s all becoming rather meaningless.
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The current church model will still be needful to reach those who have been acclimated to said church model. Many have been raised with these expectations and some have trouble functioning outside the environment that they have been raised in.
By the same token there are many who are not and will never be comfortable with that very same church model.
As things stand now the best thing that could happen in the body of Christ is for each model to see the importance and legitimacy that the other model brings to the goal of reaching our current world.
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