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ARTICLES re HOUSE CHURCHES
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1 How to Start House Churches
2 Baptist Article On House Church
3 Youth Ministry and House Churches
4 New York Times article on House Churches
5 Some Differences Between Cell Churches, Care
Groups and House Churches
6 House Churches and Mega Churches
7 House Churches Multiply
8 NETWORKING: A Biblical Model of Cooperation
¡V the Nehemiah Strategy
9 Home-Based Churches Can Help Reap the Harvest
10. Why Do House Churches Fail?
11. Dangers to Keep in Mind as you Prayerfully Consider
Going in House Church Directions
================
1. HOW
TO START HOUSE CHURCHES
-------------------------------------
From: John White, House Church Coach, Denver, CO DenverWH@aol.com
Dear Church,
Many of you are asking, "How do I start a house church?" Or "How do
I start more house churches?" While there are many answers to these
questions, one key factor is that of identifying the people that God
is preparing. (Like Cornelius in Acts 10.)
Prayer is always the starting point in this process. As we listen to
the Lord, I believe He will give us lots of creative strategies. Here's
one that He has been speaking to me about.
My impression is that the article in the New York Times last Sunday
entitled "Search for the Right Church Ends at Home" (I sent this out
to you by email) is an amazing resource for us. I plan to make 5-10
copies to have on hand to give to people as the Lord leads. (Tony Dale
in Austin, TX. is planning to
contact their local paper to ask them to run the Times article and to
write an article about house churches in the Austin area.)
Once they have read the article, I will simply ask if this is something
they would be interested in. If they are interested, then the next step
is to invite them over for dinner to talk about it. I also plan to have
several copies of Wolfgang Simson's book (Houses that Change the World)
on hand to
give to those who indicate an interest. I believe this is another fabulous
resource that the Lord has given us.
The goal of this strategy is not so much persuasion as identification.
It assumes that our Lord is working preveniently to prepare many people
for church in the home. The Times article even spells out how He is
doing this.
Here are some of the ways:
1. Creating discomfort with "the contemporary culture of the megachurch".
2. Creating discomfort with "pastors who hoard power".
3. Creating discomfort with "churches that experiment with doctrine
and styles of worship".
4. Creating discomfort with "just staring at the back of someone's head"
in church.
5. Creating discomfort with "dropping off their children in a Sunday
school classroom instead of worshiping together as a family".
6. Creating discomfort with financially supporting "a big building and
staff and insurance policies and advertising campaigns and fixing the
roof".
On the other hand, He is
1. Creating a hunger for "more participatory forms of worship".
2. Creating a hunger for God to do here what He is doing in other countries
around the world.
3. Creating a hunger for the church experienced by "the believers who
met in the first three centuries".
4. Creating a hunger for "sharing one another's lives on a daily basis".
5. Creating a hunger for "the kind of intimate Christian fellowship
they never found in institutional churches".
Two other important insights from the article:
1. "Cell groups become hatcheries for house churches." Keep your eyes
open for people in cell groups who are coming to realize that they could
function as "full fledged churches".
2. "Many pastors of large churches (I would add small churches also),
aware that they cannot effectively minister to congregations that increasingly
number in the thousands..." Many of these church leaders realize that
the current "church system" is falling short in both discipling Christians
and
reaching the lost. The problem has been that they could see no alternative.
Recently, there has been a growing interest among pastors to explore
ways to work with the house church model. (Mike Steele will be meeting
with 12 pastors in Colorado Springs in the next couple of weeks to discuss
just this possibility.)
So, may the Lord bless you in identifying those where you live who He
is preparing for the church in the home.
John
CONTENTS
==============
2. BAPTIST
ARTICLE ON HOUSE CHURCH
----------------------------------------
From: John White, House Church Coach, Denver, CO DenverWH@aol.com
Dear Church,
The Baptists are getting into the act. Click on the hyper link (here)
for an excellent article entitled "CHURCH AT HOME: Early church model
gaining favor".
John
CONTENTS
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3. YOUTH
MINISTRY AND HOUSE CHURCHES
------------------------------------------
From: John White, House Church Coach, Denver, CO DenverWH@aol.com
Dear Church,
In the first issue of the new house church magazine (House2House - have
you subscribed yet?), Ralph Moore, founder of the Hope Chapel movement,
asks several excellent questions of the house church movement. Here's
one:
Parents of adolescents will gravitate toward congregations that support
the needs of their children, how can a house church best respond to
their dilemma?
My response:
The real dilemma is that Christians have accepted the cultural concept
of "adolescence". The idea that teens are somehow a separate class and
should be separated from those older and younger than them was largely
unknown before the 20th Century and certainly finds no support in Scripture.
In the last 50 years, Christians have responded to the adolescent subculture
with a huge investment of time and money in "youth ministry" (both church
and parachurch). While there are individuals who have benefited, there
are few that would say that "youth ministry" has been successful at
producing
generations of mature, Godly adult disciples.
In the emerging house church movement, our first priority should be
finding those teens and families of teens who are ready to return to
the Biblical value of intergenerational extended families meeting in
homes. (Titus 2:3-8 gives the Biblical model of "youth ministry".) We
must work hard to help these teens become full fledged participating
members of the house church.
Should there be opportunities for Christian teens to get together? Sure!
Is there a need for special strategies (like a youth house church) to
reach those teens (both Christian and non Christian) who have been too
indoctrinated by the culture to handle intergenerational church. Certainly!
However, our primary focus should be on developing prototypes of vibrant
house churches where teens are fully incorporated and highly valued.
This is how "youth ministry" was done in the Bible.
John
CONTENTS
------------------
4. THE
NEW YORK TIMES AND HOUSE CHURCHES
-----------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 17:37:55 -0400 (EDT)
Search for the Right Church Ends at Home (click
here)By LAURIE GOODSTEIN or request an emailed copy of the article
from: chcrn@hotmail.com
CONTENTS
=================
5. SOME
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CELL CHURCHES, CARE GROUPS and HOUSE CHURCHES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
- by Grace Wiebe, May, 2001
One of the questions we continue to receive is: "what is the difference
between a house church and a call group or nurture group"? We will
attempt to answer that below...
The main small group models:
-------------------------------------------
1) home groups/care groups
2) cell churches
3) house churches
HOME GROUPS/CARE GROUPS:
----------------------------------------------
This is the model which most churches use in order to help their people
have some place within the context of the local traditional church model,
where they feel they can get to know people more personally in a bigger
church, and where they can be nurtured more deeply than in the big meeting
assembly. Churches have found these to be a main type of 'glue' that
holds traditional churches together.
In these groups there is usually a fairly structured meeting which includes
prayer, worship time, Bible study, some sharing/fellowship, some snacks
and perhaps some ministry time.
Home Groups are not usually intergenerational and usually focus on a
particular age group or other specific group in the church - ie. musicians,
seniors, youth, singles, truck drivers, etc.
With Home Groups, the Sunday corporate service is considered the primary
meeting. Often the weekly home group meeting will be a follow-up to
the Sunday sermon.
Home Groups/Care Groups are often not greatly concerned about multiplying,
because a main focus is on nurture.
Leadership style: Usually very structured.
CELL CHURCHES:
---------------------------
This model, which has been used by Pastor Paul Yonggi Cho in Seoul,
Korea for several decades has become increasingly utilized around the
globe.
It is a model which, on a scale, is basically in the middle of the home
group/care group model and the house church model.
Cell churches function very much like a house church, and their primary
meeting is the cell churches rather than the larger weekly corporate
meeting. The cells are accountable to the local church which has birthed
the cell churches. These meetings usually are a follow-up to the weekly
sermon as well.
Cell churches are often much more evangelistic than home groups, which
are usually more inward and nurture-focused. Cell churches are often
intergenerational, and usually encourage the use of spiritual gifts
in their midst.
Although much nurture happens in cell churches, they are not focused
on nurture but on evangelism/discipleship.
Cell churches usually have the vision/mandate to multiply through evangelism
and are much more conducive to leadership development/discipleship within
the cell church, than the Home Group/Care Group model.
Leadership style: remains fairly structured.
HOUSE CHURCHES:
-------------------------------
There is also the house church model.
== It is important to note that what we are saying as a network is not
intended to criticize traditional churches (because we need each other
and there is lots of work for all of us and no room for competition),
but rather to say that we have been seeing how the biblical model of
house churches seems to be potentially much more conducive to doing
the things and living the life that we as the Church were called to
be and do than the traditional model is. It is also more conducive to
reaching the various segments of society that are not a part of traditional
churches. As is stated in our vision statement, it is our desire as
the Canadian House Church Resource Network to compliment other forms
of Christian gatherings in Canada, since God has called us to unity,
to love one another and to work together to see His Kingdom expanded
in our nation. There is more than enough work for all of us and we NEED
EACH OTHER. ==
House churches tend to be intergenerational and tend to see children
as having a vital role in the Body of Christ even as children.
House churches are able to flex more easily as the Holy Spirit leads
since there aren't the normal structures or financial stresses.
House churches are the primary meeting. If there is a local network
of house churches, they may meet together corporately for worship perhaps
once a month or so locally and potentially work together in various
ministries as the Holy Spirit leads. The corporate meetings are seen
as a secondary meeting.
In addition to focusing on knowing Christ and experiencing His Presence
together, house churches are usually focused on evangelism/discipleship
and usually have a vision/mandate of multiplying reproducible, Christ
centered house churches. As in cell churches, though the focus is on
evangelism/discipleship, nurture is a by-product of that.
House churches (and probably cell churches), especially if most of those
attending are from the same neighbourhood, try to get together much
more often than just on a weekly or bi-weekly basis...they try to share
their lives together as a witness to their neighbours and to grow in
their relationships with the Lord and with each other. It is a very
grass-roots way of seeing the church grow and has great potential for
becoming a people movement. House churches tend to be more community-oriented...sharing
their lives together on a more frequent and intimate basis.
A house church meeting usually includes a meal, the exercising of spiritual
gifts, prayer, worship, sharing of the Word, fellowship, ministry to
each other, everyone sharing a word or a song, etc. as in 1 Corinthians.
Leadership style: plurality of leaders. Potentially mutually accountable
to a local network of house churches and possibly receiving the ministry
of an itinerant apostolic team who serves the local network of house
churches.
Wolfgang Simson also says that house churches are also part of the 'city
church'. "Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you...and pray
to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare"
(Jeremiah 29:7).
Following are some additional thoughts on this chart from Wolfgang Simson'¦s
excellent book: "HOUSES THAT CHANGE THE WORLD: The Return of the
House Churches¨ copyright 1998 by OM Publishing (ordering information
available from: CHCRN@DiscipleTheNations.org From : page 133
Core Differences - Cell Church - House Church
-----------------------------------------------------------
Philosophy - "chiefdom"- Acephalous, headless tribe
Reflects - City culture - Village culture
Flourishes in - Warrior nations - Peaceful nations as well
Cell is - Part of larger unit - The unit itself
Administration is - Jethro system - Fivefold ministry
Programme - Agenda-driven - House church is the agenda
Structure - Pyramid - Flat
Leadership - Leaders ladder - Elders and apostles
Centre - Headquartered - Decentralized
Celebration - Must - Optional
Visibility - High - Low
Set-up - Evangelistic - Apostolic and prophetic
"big-wing"is - Denominational church - The city church
CONTENTS
===========
6. HOUSE
CHURCHES & MEGA CHURCHES?
-------------------------------------
From: John White, House Church Coach, Denver, CO DenverWH@aol.com
Dear Church,
One of the very encouraging developments in the house church movement
is that it is spreading beyond house churches. What I mean by this is
that traditional, denominational churches are beginning to consider
the house church format as a viable means for church planting. In recent
weeks, I've talked to a Lutheran pastor, a Christian Reformed pastor,
and a Southern
Baptist church planter who are all moving in this direction.
What may be even more astounding is that some mega church leaders are
also beginning to consider the value of the church in the home. In June,
I had the opportunity to meet Larry Kreider who is the Director of DOVE
Christian Fellowship (see website at http://www.dcfi.org/index.htm).
Larry's cell based church in Pennsylvania grew to over 2000 and has
been responsible for planting 80 churches around the world. In the last
couple of years, Larry has become convinced that God is doing a major
new work in the US through house churches.
Consider these quotes from Larry's new book, "Emerging House Church
Networks" (due out this fall):
"Many of today's Generation X look at the existing choices of churches
and have no enthusiasm for them because like the generations before
them, they are looking for something new. It is happening. Both in major
cities and in rural areas, a new kind of church life is peeking forth
like the fresh growth of new crops pressing through the surface of the
soil each spring -house church networks.
Within the next ten to fifteen years, house church networks will dot
the landscape of North America. They are house churches because each
one functions as its own little church. They are networks because they
work together to foster accountability and encouragement. Although the
terminology house church networks may sound like a contemporary concept,
they are not really
new - house churches are as old as the book of Acts.
These are real churches, not just Bible studies or cell groups. They
have elders, they collect tithes and offerings, and the leadership is
responsible before the Lord for the souls of the people in the house
church (Hebrews 13:17). Each "house church" is committed to network
with other house churches in their city or region. This keeps them from
pride, exclusiveness, and heresy.
Additionally, these young leaders are intent on the rapid reproduction
of these house churches. When the house or place where they are meeting
is outgrown, instead of constructing a church building, a new house
church is planted. Sounds a bit like the book of Acts, doesn't it?
Examples of house church networks. During the past few years, thousands
of new small house churches have sprung up throughout the world. I was
in China a few months ago where over 80 million believers are part of
house church networks. More than 2,000 house churches led by Generation
X have sprung up throughout Western Europe. Southern Baptist missionaries
have
started thousands of these new house churches in Latin America, India,
and Southeast Asia. House church networks have already emerged in the
United States in Denver (!), Dallas, Austin, Cincinnati, San Francisco,
and Portland . And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
These house church networks remind me of a shopping mall. Many of the
small, specialized stores in a shopping mall would go out of business
within a year if they were left on their own. But together, they prosper.
House churches that network together in their city will experience great
blessing from the Lord.
A wave of the future. If you recall, thirty years ago, home schooling
was almost unheard of in America. Today, it is commonplace. Parents
today have the choice of home-schooling their children, along with the
traditional choices of public or private schooling. All three types
of educational training coexist in nearly every community in America
with no competition.
I believe several years from now, house churches will mushroom all across
America. Like our educational choices, they will coexist and network
with other traditional community churches (approximately 50-1,000 people)
and mega-churches (more than 1,000 people) meeting in church buildings
every Sunday in our communities. Our God will bless all three - the
house church, the community church, and the mega-church!"
Almost sounds like Wolfgang Simson could have written those paragraphs!
(By the way, did you know that his book "Houses that Change the World"
is now available through Amazon.com?)
John
CONTENTS
7. HOUSE
CHURCHES MULTIPLY
As the Waltons pulled out of the driveway at 10.45
on Sunday morning, John said, ¡§You know, we are the only family on
our street who will be in a church today - why? They are good friendly
neighbours, but they don't seem to care about spiritual realities or
spiritual nourishment for their families.¡¨
His wife, Betty, responded thoughtfully, "Well, remember when the
Harris family went to church with us last year? They didn't want to
go again - - said they felt culturally alienated in the after-church
discussions amongst the regular attendees.."
"Yes"¨ agreed John, "and this is exactly the problem;
most of our neighbours are two generations removed from the institutional
church culture. I wonder what would happen if we simply invited our
neighbours to a weekly meeting in our home to discuss spiritual issues?¨
"That's a good idea,¨ said Betty, "let's do it.¨
And so they did. Eight families accepted invitations to the first Saturday
evening "house church". Coffee, tea and dessert were enjoyed
during the get-acquainted time. A short video on basic Christian concepts
was shown. Then John and Betty led a lively discussion and invited everyone
to come back one week later. Most of the guests did return for their
second house church experience and some of them brought friends. Week
after week, attendance increased and requests were made for Bible study
and systematic teaching. Hymn singing and times of worship became enriching
and bonding experiences for the participants. Then someone proposed
a Sunday teaching session, with classes for children and adults, with
classes in the homes of several participating families.
By the end of the first year, attendance at the Saturday evening meeting
had grown to more than forty adults, plus children - - too many to accommodate
in one home. After much agonizing discussion and prayer, the decision
was made for half of the people to change their meeting place to another
home, just a few blocks away. Thus, the second house church came into
existence by the "organic"process of cellular growth. Healthy
cells don't just keep on growing - - they produce new cells. Cells that
keep on growing, without producing new cells, generally become unhealthy,
sometimes malignant. House churches are sometimes called cell churches
because they function more like cells in the human body than like organizations.
This scenario could have been witnessed in first century Israel, or
19th century England, or modern China, or even in 20th century Canada.
Research has shown that Christianity has always experienced it¡¦s most
rapid and healthiest growth during times and situations when house church
movements have flourished. This is dramatically demonstrated in China
where, in spite of extreme persecution and political repression, the
number of active Christians is approaching one hundred million, largely
the result of "house church" multiplication. And now, post-Christian
Europe is beginning to experience re-Christianization by house churches.
Even secular-humanist Canada has the beginning of a house church network.
Bligh Stockwell, November 2, 2000
CONTENTS
------------
8. NETWORKING:
A Biblical Model of Cooperation - the Nehemiah Strategy
- Grace Wiebe, July 2001
-------------------------------------
The Book of Nehemiah has some very
helpful insights and examples of how God seems to be working in these
days, especially in terms of how He is increasingly networking His Body
together in regions, cities, nations and even internationally at an
unprecedented rate. We believe that this is because He is raising up
His Church and preparing us to be able to increasingly bring in the
Harvest as we, together, focus on Him and on the things that are deepest
on His heart! His desire is for unity, and it is something HE is bringing
into His Body in these days as He is increasingly conforming us into
the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ, and into wholehearted worship
of Him in every aspect of our lives!
We desire to be a part of what God is doing in these days and to cooperate
with Him in that as He leads us, and so we would like to present to
you one biblical model of cooperation which is exemplified in Scripture
and which He put on our hearts as a Network when it began.
In Isaiah 61:4 we are told: "They will REBUILD the ancient ruins
and RESTORE the places long devastated; they will RENEW the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.¨
The story begins in the book of Nehemiah where Nehemiah is made aware
of the tragic situation of the ruined Jerusalem walls. The walls stood
for protection. What about the state of our cities and even the Church?
Our 'walls of protection'are badly damaged because we have often not
been living the lives we've been called to live. We've lived in disunity.
We've lived independently. We've lived in rebellion. And the list goes
on.
How did Nehemiah respond? Did he give up because it looked seemingly
hopeless?
When Nehemiah heard of the devastation, he wept. Then he fasted and
prayed and began to seek the Lord's direction as to how to rectify the
situation.
As He prayed, he began to get a revelation of the greatness and awesomeness
of God, and God's ability to solve the seemingly impossible situation!
He then began to intercede on behalf of the people, and then to repent
on their behalf. He became so involved as an intercessory advocate that
his heart was deeply burdened - his heart was breaking and as a result
his prayers were earnest. As God revealed Himself, his faith rose. He
risked the king's anger in asking if he could check out the situation
himself, and then went to survey the destruction, leaving his good job
as the king's cupbearer to do so. He paid a price to see God's purposes
fulfilled in this situation.
Perhaps this is also where we need to start if God has not already brought
us through that process? Perhaps we need to become aware of the tragic
situation we are in in these days as compared to where God wants us,
as the nation and as the Church in our nation...and to weep, fast and
pray and seek His solutions. Perhaps we need to consider whether we
are indeed willing, by God's grace and power, to pay the price to see
God's purposes in the Church and in our nation/s accomplished?
Perhaps this is where many of us are at these days? We see our society
and even the Church broken down and in desperate need of repair. Often
it is breaking our hearts. Many have been seeking the Lord's face about
how to proceed in order to see our nation come to the place where God
wants us...We know His Word says that IF His people will pray, and seek
His face, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN He will hear from heaven
and forgive our sins AND HEAL OUR LAND. In Psalms 2 the Word says "ASK
OF ME, and I will make the NATIONS your inheritance, the ends of the
earth your possession." God's abilities and invitations are staggering!
What a privilege we have been given as part of God's cosmic purposes
in these days!
And so as many of us are praying, God seems to be leading increasing
numbers of people into the house church model. I personally believe
this is one of His strategies to see the situation in Canada rebuilt/restored
and renewed!
Many involved, interested or involved in house churches have thought
they were totally alone and now God seems to be beginning to network
isolated house churches and people interested in house churches from
all across the nation and even internationally!
WHY?
I believe that, as in the example of Nehemiahis situation, networked
together, we are able to accomplish much more in unity (in diversity)
than on our own...it takes a huge net connected at many points in order
to bring in a huge catch of fish! And He has called us to catch fish!
I believe He¡¦s getting us ready to fully bring in the Harvest, but
we will not be able to do that if we think we can do it alone...gone
are the days of the lone ranger...He has called us to be a Body that
works TOGETHER - each part doing its part and supporting the others!
- yet it is only one Body! - with one Head - with one purpose - to be
the glorious Bride of Christ and to be His helpmeet in seeing the desires
of HIS heart accomplished by seeing His Kingdom come and His will be
done on earth as it is in heaven! He is indeed in the process of bringing
together ALL THINGS under His Headship!
Now let's take a look at the strategy God gave Nehemiah for rebuilding
the wall.
Note in the book of Nehemiah that the workers all shared the same vision
- to get the wall rebuilt as part of the bigger picture - and all that
would mean! They worked TOGETHER and SIDE BY SIDE. It appears that everyone
was needed to get the job done. Godly character was needed. Various
gifts were needed, but there was unity in diversity. And prayer was
an extremely important part of the whole rebuilding process...before,
during and after.
So each section was rebuilt by different groups of people, but they
were not doing it on their own - they were NETWORKED together, sharing
vision and resources and supporting/ encouraging and praying for each
other! And there was mutual accountability as they worked together not
for Nehemiah's sake, but for the sake of God's glory in the restoration
of the wall of Jerusalem and what that meant to the people of Jerusalem.
Note also that it was not an easy task! There was a price to pay in
many ways! They had much opposition...but God was with them! They learned
to support each other and help each other through the difficult times
and to do battle for each other, just as we need to do spiritual battle
for each other as we seek to rebuild our spiritual foundations in our
cities and nation and indeed in the Church in Canada.
And so, we heartily endorse and encourage the development of local,
regional, national and international networks of house churches so that
we can encourage, support, learn from and pray for each other as we
take our place in the Body of Christ as a whole to see the Harvest come
in, the Body of Christ coming into maturity and the name of Jesus magnified
throughout the earth!
The Canadian House Church Resource Network is based on the example of
this strategy/model of cooperation in the book of Nehemiah. The books
of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther talk about finding the way back to God
out of captivity...I would say that this theme is most fitting for the
current situation of the Church in Canada and Canada at large. May we
find ways to seek to work together under the Headship of Christ as we
seek to see our foundations rebuilt on our True Foundation.
Be inspired and encouraged as you also read the follow excellent and
very helpful article!
NEHEMIAH:
REBUILDING THE WALLS - by Ray C. Stedman
--------------
CONTENTS
---------------
CONTENTS
------------------
4. HOME-BASED
CHURCHES CAN HELP REAP THE HARVEST
-----------------------------------------------
-- by Murray Moerman, 2001
Home-based churches have been a part of the church since
New Testament days and at the forefront of the growth of the church
in many third-world, developing, and restricted-access nations of the
world for the last 50 years.
The question is being asked now in Canada also, "can home-based
churches help reap the harvest in Canada also?¨
What Are Home-Based Churches?
--------------------------------------------------
Home-based churches include "cell churches¨ and "house churches.¨
"Cell churches¨ are linked by firm organizational structures to
a common leadership team and often use the common curriculum and models
of worship. Cells also meet together regularly for larger expressions
of worship. Dr. Cho's congregation in Seoul is the best known expression
of this model.
"House churches¨ are linked, in contrast, by less formal relationships
and express themselves in a wider variety of styles of ministry (though
generally individual "house churches"share a meal as part
of each meeting).
House-churches are less well known in that they do not necessarily meet
in any public setting.
Home-based churches differ from home groups, which are already valued
in many parts of the Canadian church, in that home-based churches meet
year round and share the intention of permanence and reproduction. Further,
home-based churches view themselves as real churches, expressing all
characteristics of the church including evangelism, leadership development,teaching,
and pastoral care.
Where Do Denominations Fit?
------------------------------------------
Many Canadian denominations have been uncertain as to how to relate
to home-based churches, wondering if they could be ¡§real¡¨ churches.
Some have been offended by the "anti-institutionalism"of some
home-based church proponents.
Neither concern need hold the Canadian church from harnessing the power
of hundreds of thousands of lay leaders capable of planting and pastoring
a church of 20 in their home without giving up their "day-job.¨
To the best of our knowledge, the Foursquare Gospel Church of Canada
is the first to form a national-level administrative division to foster
the development of home-based churches. Doug and Ellie Hagey serve as
co-ordinators, working currently in developing a prototype regional
model for home-based churches. Visit www.foursquare.ca/hbcn.htm
for further information.
Alpha.
Alpha is perhaps the highest-potential incubator of home-based churches
in the western world. Alpha is often conducted in church buildings but
can be as easily, more easily perhaps, conducted in the average home
living room or apartment amenities room.
If Alpha has any weakness (and I am a big fan and user), it is the final
session - Alpha could just as easily continue as a home-based church.
Canadian Housechurch Resource Network
---------------------------------------------------------
At least one Canadian resource network has developed, along with several
in the USA, to encourage the development of home-based churches. The
"Canadian Housechurch Resource Network¨ (www.outreach.ca/cpc/Housechurches.htm)-
CHCRN@DiscipleTheNations.org - is an informal network to "facilitate
reproducible Christ-centered house church networks." Along with web-links
to other home-based church organizations, the site offers downloads
of books and many resource options such as Wolfgang Simso's very helpful
book "Houses that Change the World.¨
Yours for discipling the nation through saturation church planting,
Murray Moerman
Church Planting Canada
Outreach Canada
7201 - 72nd Street, Unit 2
Delta, BC V4G 1M5
Phone: (604) 952-0050, ext. 302 Fax: 502-1667 Cell: 318-9859
Home Page: http://www.outreach.ca/cpc/cpc.htm
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Why Do House Churches Fail?
- Grace Wiebe (Oct 2001)
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This section is, in some ways, similar
to the above section on unrealistic expectations...All of us embarking
on the house church journey are probably wanting to know what we can
do to see healthy, reproducing house churches be a part of our spiritual
journey into the heart of God and into all of His purposes for us! Those
of you who have learned some vital lessons which could help the rest
of us, we would be most grateful if you could share that with us. Please
send your thoughts and counsel to CHCRN@DiscipleTheNations.org which
can then be considered for future editions of the newsletter. Many thanks!
Some obvious steps to help us develop healthy house churches are:
*Repentance
* Being Christ-centered
* Dealing with past baggage
* Respecting and honoring the other members of the Body
* Keeping focused on the Bigger Picture - God's heart for the nations
and throngs of whole-hearted worshippers from every people group around
His throne as seen in Revelations
* Prayer
* Unity in diversity brought about as we submit to the Holy Spirit
* Consciously seeking to build up the Body
* Honoring the others
* Love and Forgiveness
* Godly character development/living a life of whole-hearted worship
in every aspect of our lives ¡V our priority
* Allowing God to continue to conform us into His likeness
* Knowing and Living the Word
* Having a servant heart and attitude of humility
* Obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit
*Operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit by His leading and power
* Fulfilling our role in the Body of Christ
* Reminding ourselves often of the vision to reproduce as part of the
bigger picture of the Gospel of THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
* Etc.
But why do house churches sometimes fail? Following are some thoughts
on that, though the list is far from exhaustive.
* potentially built on the wrong foundation, wrong focus, etc. - ie.
focusing on the house church as the goal instead of focusing on Jesus
our Life/Center
* becoming ingrown instead of keeping focused on reproducing/multiplying
as we see exemplified in Scripture - disciples discipling faithful men/women
to disciple others.
* many people are bitter against the traditional church when becoming
part of/starting house churches -unless they work through this, their
bitterness will multiply if the house church multiplies since the seed
of bitterness will bear bad fruit, and if not, the house church will
eventually destroy itself out of bitterness.
* interpersonal skills lacking
* once the group is large enough to reproduce, people don't want to
go through the pain of separation or the dynamic changes, and so it
can easily stagnate...perhaps the major change needed is a perception
change of what's happening...when someone in a family is ready to marry,
they are moving out, yes, but they're starting a new family - it has
mixed emotions inherent in the transition, but it is seen as a time
of great rejoicing and natural reproduction! And family and friends
are prepared that there will be a time of adjustment. It doesn't mean
that that's the end of the relationship - and in networks of house churches
where they can meet together corporately monthly or whatever they decide
for worship or evangelistic events or specific ministry opportunities,
etc., these relationships can continue to deepen!
* lack of clear vision or lack of vision being constantly put before
the group
* lack of faith and perseverance
* striving from the flesh rather than waiting for God's leading and
timing
* impure motivations
* power/control issues can become cult-like
* unrealistic expectations
* lack of prayer/dependence on God
* traditional leadership styles can be carried over into the house church
and squelch the growth of the other believers
* not networked - lack of overall support system
* gifts not working together in unity
* becoming stagnant/comfortable and ingrown if DNA of reproducible/multiplying
evangelism as a natural outflow of relationship with Christ is not always
kept to the fore
* isolation - not connected with others - give up
* becoming ingrown because multiplying is too painful and a natural
way of multiplying has not been come upon
* lack of coaching from others who are also learning or who have gone
the road before and can help to give encouragement and support
* lack of a teachable, humble spirit
* Etc.
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Dangers
to Keep in Mind as you Prayerfully Consider Going in House Church Directions
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- Grace Wiebe & James Nikkel
(excerpts from James Nikkel's notes much appreciated! - nikkelje@telus.net)
Following are some potential dangers
to prayerfully consider as you embark on or continue in the house church
model.
Us vs. Them Mentality
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"Although we believe God is calling us to the house church model,
God has also called the true Church of Jesus Christ to be in unity and
to love each other. So, although we may do things differently than the
traditional or cell church models, let's do our part to build up and
compliment the Body of Christ in our cities and nation rather than potentially
becoming judgmental and divisive. God is currently reaching various
people with the varied models. Let us seek to reach those that God is
leading us to reach - and the many people that the traditional and cell
churches are not reaching. There is plenty of work for all of us to
do! Let's work together in love to see the Harvest brought in!
Potentially Self-Righteous
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House churchers can sometimes be quite critical (at least initially)
and attack the traditional church because they may not have worked through
their own woundedness from past situations. It is imperative that we
allow the Holy Spirit to uproot and heal these past offenses, otherwise
how will we be able to reach a fallen neighbourhood, city, nation or
world if we do not know how to work through our own issues? Let us be
faithful to work through these things so The Reconciler can increase
the Ministry of Reconciliation He has entrusted to us.
Increasing Intimacy May Initially Mean More Conflict
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Interpersonal skills will need to be increasingly developed - some helpful
resources on Interpersonal Skills are available at:
http://disciplethenations.org/index18.html#INTERPERSONAL as well
as I can email some very helpful articles to you on that if you are
interested. (ie. learning to listen, conflict resolution, dealing with
negative emotions, working through grief, etc.) Contact: CHCRN@DiscipleTheNations.org
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House churches can become isolated and not recognize, practically, their
role in the larger Body of Christ and His purposes - locally, nationally
and internationally
Can Potentially Become Cultic
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- or theologically way off if not holding themselves mutually &
lovingly accountable to a larger body of believers - ie. a local or
broader network, for instance
Leadership can Become Hierarchal and Structure can Become an Organization
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- if DNA and biblical paradigm of the house church model isn't understood
and fully supported by all involved - especially the leadership
- Other
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The following excerpts are from James Nikkel's complete notes on this
which are located at:
www.outreach.ca/cpc/housechurches.htm
- then click on the HOUSECHURCHES link on the left, then click on the
EVENTS link at the left, and then check out: Notes on recent meetings:
January 26/01 quarterly meeting - included presentation from James Nikkel¨
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VI. CAUTIONS FROM THE SMALL COUNTRY CHURCHES
From: NEW PARADIGM CHURCH MODELS - HOME GROUPS¨
- by Dr. James Nikkel - January 2001 (nikkelje@telus.net)
Director of Church Planting - BC Mennonite Brethren
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* low self image can develop into size and limitations
* has dangers of ingrownness and homogeneity
* tradition is strong and change is slow
* tends to breed rigid forms of theology
* tendency to competitiveness for positions
* too much like a family reunion and closed to outsiders
* family feuds and monopolies keep people away
* evangelism is sporadic..¨
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