Outreach-via home church meetings

[Jito463]

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.

We've had many services like that, where the Spirit of the Lord just moved on us, and we never got around to the "service". It was just about letting God do as He wills.

Originally Posted by Nicodemus1968

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.

The building isn't what matters, it's the people of God actually being sensitive to the moving of the Spirit. I don't think God cares if we meet in our homes or a building, so long as we listen to His Spirit and follow where He leads us.

[Nicodemus1968]

Originally Posted by Jito463

We've had many services like that, where the Spirit of the Lord just moved on us, and we never got around to the "service". It was just about letting God do as He wills.

The building isn't what matters, it's the people of God actually being sensitive to the moving of the Spirit. I don't think God cares if we meet in our homes or a building, so long as we listen to His Spirit and follow where He leads us.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by james34

please elaborate

There is any number of directions you can take to begin the process of building a home-based church community.

You can create flyers, get business cards, door knocking, and all of the traditional approaches to outreach, if you are so inclined.

But I don't recommend that. Up to you, of course.

How about your neighbors? Got any family in the area? Co-workers? Parents of your children's friends (if you have children)?

To me, that's the place to start.

Don't worry about who already is or is not Apostolic. Just get the ball rolling with regular invites over to the homestead for dinner. If you are wise as a serpent--meaning you're paying close attention, and if you're harmless as a dove--meaning you keep things simple, sincere, unsophisticated, people will tell you exactly when the right time is, for you to begin ministering to them.

So, you have a coworker over for dinner. He brings his wife and kids. You have a good meal. The kids play together, or whatever. You sit around the table, play a game of Yahtzee, or whatever, and you laugh and have a good time.

Then, inevitably, the common phrase "we should do this again sometime" will be spoken. Agreements will go around. Make certain you do do it again, sooner rather than later. Maybe give it a month, tops.

This time, perhaps they have you over to their house. Wash, rinse, repeat. Within a few times, you'll be talking about meaningful things like, how you met your spouse, the joys and struggles of parenting, the state of the world, etc.

And if you're paying attention and have the "tongue of a ready writer", as it were, you'll be able to speak the Word at the right moment. It may be only a comment here, or a few bits of bread there, but it will work out and make a difference.

And you just keep it up. Don't pressure anyone. Don't "try" to start a church. Just be what you already are. Let the Spirit lead and be in control. You won't have to do much but make sure the pot is on the stove and the table is ready.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

There is any number of directions you can take to begin the process of building a home-based church community.

You can create flyers, get business cards, door knocking, and all of the traditional approaches to outreach, if you are so inclined.

But I don't recommend that. Up to you, of course.

How about your neighbors? Got any family in the area? Co-workers? Parents of your children's friends (if you have children)?

To me, that's the place to start.

Don't worry about who already is or is not Apostolic. Just get the ball rolling with regular invites over to the homestead for dinner. If you are wise as a serpent--meaning you're paying close attention, and if you're harmless as a dove--meaning you keep things simple, sincere, unsophisticated, people will tell you exactly when the right time is, for you to begin ministering to them.

So, you have a coworker over for dinner. He brings his wife and kids. You have a good meal. The kids play together, or whatever. You sit around the table, play a game of Yahtzee, or whatever, and you laugh and have a good time.

Then, inevitably, the common phrase "we should do this again sometime" will be spoken. Agreements will go around. Make certain you do do it again, sooner rather than later. Maybe give it a month, tops.

This time, perhaps they have you over to their house. Wash, rinse, repeat. Within a few times, you'll be talking about meaningful things like, how you met your spouse, the joys and struggles of parenting, the state of the world, etc.

And if you're paying attention and have the "tongue of a ready writer", as it were, you'll be able to speak the Word at the right moment. It may be only a comment here, or a few bits of bread there, but it will work out and make a difference.

And you just keep it up. Don't pressure anyone. Don't "try" to start a church. Just be what you already are. Let the Spirit lead and be in control. You won't have to do much but make sure the pot is on the stove and the table is ready.

Here are the Biblical proofs:

Romans 12:13 (ESV),

13. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Hebrews 13:2 (ESV),

2. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

In the above two verses, the Greek term translated "to show hospitality" is φιλοξενίας or philoxenias.

1 Timothy 3:2 (ESV),

2 Therefore an overseer[a] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach...

Titus 1:8 (ESV),

8. but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

The above two verses, which in part, outline the qualifications of a bishop, that is, an elder shepherd, both use the Greek word φιλόξενον or philoxenon.

1 Peter 4:9 (ESV),

9. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Here, the Greek word translated hospitality is the same as in 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:8.

So now, the question is, what does it mean to "show hospitality" and to be "hospitable"? Clearly, the two Greek words are from the same root, with one being a verb, the other being an adjective. So, essentially, they mean the same thing (The noun is the concept, the adjective describes the noun when the noun is embodied in the believer).

Definitionally, the idea behind the Greek term is as follows:

From "philos" a friend, and "xenon" a stranger, or more properly, being a friend to strangers (or even foreigners). That is to say, to people who are not of your tribe, clan, or community, which in a Christian context means, your local church body, or perhaps even the Body of Christ, per se.

But there's more.

The Greek terms also denote the following:

A readiness to show hospitality to these strangers, that is, to share, to be generous with, in particularly, and all in CAPS to show emphasis: BY ENTERTAINING IN ONE'S HOME!

Bishop's, that is, elder shepherds, and the church at large, are to invite over and entertain people outside of their community, in their homes.

Hospitality:

Middle English hospitalite "reception of guests, provision of lodging," borrowed from Anglo-French hospitalité, borrowed from Latin hospitālitāt-, hospitālitās "entertainment of guests," from Latin hospitālis "of a guest, of hospitality, hospitable" (from hospit-, hospes "guest, host" + -ālis

Any church, therefore, that is not home-focused is not Biblical. The pastorate of that church, likewise.

Now, it does not mean that every home of every saint in a local assembly has to be open and that every member has to host and share and provide, and etc. But the over-arching emphasis should be about having one's home open and available for regular fellowships, even for those who otherwise might be considered a foreigner to your clan and tribe.

The conclusion: These are Scriptures that cannot be implemented in a building-focused church, by definition. And it is most certain that none of the authors who utilized these words in their Scriptures thought of suggesting their audiences take strangers to a church building, for there were no church buildings to take strangers to.

No, they were expecting their audiences to invite people over to their homes. Therefore, if you want to follow the Apostolic pattern and precedence and praxis of the early church, you need meet "from house to house" (Acts 2:42).

[Amanah]

Beautifully written and simple to implement.
Thank you Brother Votive.

[james34]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Here are the Biblical proofs:

Romans 12:13 (ESV),

13. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Hebrews 13:2 (ESV),

2. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

In the above two verses, the Greek term translated "to show hospitality" is φιλοξενίας or philoxenias.

1 Timothy 3:2 (ESV),

2 Therefore an overseer[a] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach...

Titus 1:8 (ESV),

8. but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

The above two verses, which in part, outline the qualifications of a bishop, that is, an elder shepherd, both use the Greek word φιλόξενον or philoxenon.

1 Peter 4:9 (ESV),

9. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Here, the Greek word translated hospitality is the same as in 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:8.

So now, the question is, what does it mean to "show hospitality" and to be "hospitable"? Clearly, the two Greek words are from the same root, with one being a verb, the other being an adjective. So, essentially, they mean the same thing (The noun is the concept, the adjective describes the noun when the noun is embodied in the believer).

Definitionally, the idea behind the Greek term is as follows:

From "philos" a friend, and "xenon" a stranger, or more properly, being a friend to strangers (or even foreigners). That is to say, to people who are not of your tribe, clan, or community, which in a Christian context means, your local church body, or perhaps even the Body of Christ, per se.

But there's more.

The Greek terms also denote the following:

A readiness to show hospitality to these strangers, that is, to share, to be generous with, in particularly, and all in CAPS to show emphasis: BY ENTERTAINING IN ONE'S HOME!

Bishop's, that is, elder shepherds, and the church at large, are to invite over and entertain people outside of their community, in their homes.

Hospitality:

Middle English hospitalite "reception of guests, provision of lodging," borrowed from Anglo-French hospitalité, borrowed from Latin hospitālitāt-, hospitālitās "entertainment of guests," from Latin hospitālis "of a guest, of hospitality, hospitable" (from hospit-, hospes "guest, host" + -ālis

Any church, therefore, that is not home-focused is not Biblical. The pastorate of that church, likewise.

Now, it does not mean that every home of every saint in a local assembly has to be open and that every member has to host and share and provide, and etc. But the over-arching emphasis should be about having one's home open and available for regular fellowships, even for those who otherwise might be considered a foreigner to your clan and tribe.

The conclusion: These are Scriptures that cannot be implemented in a building-focused church, by definition. And it is most certain that none of the authors who utilized these words in their Scriptures thought of suggesting their audiences take strangers to a church building, for there were no church buildings to take strangers to.

No, they were expecting their audiences to invite people over to their homes. Therefore, if you want to follow the Apostolic pattern and precedence and praxis of the early church, you need meet "from house to house" (Acts 2:42).

Great insight n, thanks for sharing

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Beautifully written and simple to implement.
Thank you Brother Votive.

You're welcome. And thanks.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by james34

Great insight n, thanks for sharing

Thanks, and you're welcome.

Let us know how it goes, if you put something together.