Im_A
23rd August 2004, 09:13 AM
Out of mere curiosity, I am curious what everyone thinks of "home churches."
I currently am attending a small ministry every other week. We will be having changes in the near future. Our plan is to start home churches/groups. Meet at each other's houses or places, and have studies, while at the same time, going to the Sunday night meetings, or maybe just sticking with that specific group that is being started. Then after things get going, maybe either bi- monthly, have a large gathering of all the groups together. Communication still being an utmost important to keep everything going and afloat, and to have accountability for one another.
The ones i am currently attending is sunday night, which normally holds around 7 to at the most 10 people, and wedsnday nights which maybe exceeds at the most around 5. small it may be, but i can attest to this as being a fruitful process with God. i myself have gotten burned out with the "normal", Americain Westernized Church. Now for those that are being blessed with this, I mean no offense. I myself am so grateful to the normal church if you will, because I found Christ there, and hope to find a church to normally attend to, on top of the ministry. That to me is more grateful than any great sermon i will ever hear. i have been a Christian since i was 12 years old, and now i am 22, and my cup has become a lot bigger than when i was 12. for my own spiritual life, i do believe i am in the process of tasteing meat instead of drinking milk all the time, (paraphrase of what Paul speaks about in the Bible. Forgive me, I cannot remember the exact quotation of the verse.) People with the same needs, being directly directed too, because everyone in the group is not perfect, and not afraid of showing our imperfection. topics will range from week to week; to see what needs need to be met. I am looking forward to other groups forming in the near future. Our main goal is to nuture people to either start their own groups, or to just someway fulfill the needs of others. God has been blessing us with all kind of opportunities, and blessing us with encouragement from the Missionary Denomination, which is the denomination the pastor is under.
Now this is the kind of church i am currently attending. more of a home church. small groups of people, adressing specific topics and needs more personally. To me, home churches seem to be a missing idea, or key if you will to progressing in our faith. One thing I got burned out of within the normal, typical church is, you go for an hour or two, and hear a sermon for maybe 30 min., and sitting in a large group, you can't get involved with what is being talked about. Could you imgaine at a church of 300 people, people asking questions all the time? Yes, that would be rather chaotic, but i truly believe that questioning what is being talked about is one of the best ways to understanding. Like if the normal church would have their sunday morning sermon like normal, then people within the church start up their own groups, and talk about what was preached about, read the scriptures on it, then one day, the congregation meet up and talk about the outcomes, with the pastor being in the congregation. That is truly a community, seeking God out together, just as the early church would have possibly done, maybe not in the same format, but at least the main idea still there. One thing I respect so much about the pastor at the ministry i go to, is he is on the same path as us. he isn't on a higher plane level or whatever, but he is at the same level as us. he is just the so called, "leader."
another thing about home churches that i like is the capability to spread over a distance it can create. groups popping out like seed in a garden, Lord Willingly making effects in the surrounding areas.
Those are some of my views on the ideas of home churches. Obviously, i am huge advocate of small home churches, and just waiting for God to see if building a church building should be the next step for that group. being able to not be excluded from others around you, but yet that is the place you are in.
I am curious what others feel about the idea of "home churches." feel free to ramble on and on. i like to listen to others views whether they are like mine or not. God Bless you all! <><
p.s. if anyone would like to know more about Paradox ministries, email me, and i will give you their homepage, hence i cannot post a link yet on here yet, due to the lower amount of posts, or ask me about what we are doing, or both.
I currently am attending a small ministry every other week. We will be having changes in the near future. Our plan is to start home churches/groups. Meet at each other's houses or places, and have studies, while at the same time, going to the Sunday night meetings, or maybe just sticking with that specific group that is being started. Then after things get going, maybe either bi- monthly, have a large gathering of all the groups together. Communication still being an utmost important to keep everything going and afloat, and to have accountability for one another.
The ones i am currently attending is sunday night, which normally holds around 7 to at the most 10 people, and wedsnday nights which maybe exceeds at the most around 5. small it may be, but i can attest to this as being a fruitful process with God. i myself have gotten burned out with the "normal", Americain Westernized Church. Now for those that are being blessed with this, I mean no offense. I myself am so grateful to the normal church if you will, because I found Christ there, and hope to find a church to normally attend to, on top of the ministry. That to me is more grateful than any great sermon i will ever hear. i have been a Christian since i was 12 years old, and now i am 22, and my cup has become a lot bigger than when i was 12. for my own spiritual life, i do believe i am in the process of tasteing meat instead of drinking milk all the time, (paraphrase of what Paul speaks about in the Bible. Forgive me, I cannot remember the exact quotation of the verse.) People with the same needs, being directly directed too, because everyone in the group is not perfect, and not afraid of showing our imperfection. topics will range from week to week; to see what needs need to be met. I am looking forward to other groups forming in the near future. Our main goal is to nuture people to either start their own groups, or to just someway fulfill the needs of others. God has been blessing us with all kind of opportunities, and blessing us with encouragement from the Missionary Denomination, which is the denomination the pastor is under.
Now this is the kind of church i am currently attending. more of a home church. small groups of people, adressing specific topics and needs more personally. To me, home churches seem to be a missing idea, or key if you will to progressing in our faith. One thing I got burned out of within the normal, typical church is, you go for an hour or two, and hear a sermon for maybe 30 min., and sitting in a large group, you can't get involved with what is being talked about. Could you imgaine at a church of 300 people, people asking questions all the time? Yes, that would be rather chaotic, but i truly believe that questioning what is being talked about is one of the best ways to understanding. Like if the normal church would have their sunday morning sermon like normal, then people within the church start up their own groups, and talk about what was preached about, read the scriptures on it, then one day, the congregation meet up and talk about the outcomes, with the pastor being in the congregation. That is truly a community, seeking God out together, just as the early church would have possibly done, maybe not in the same format, but at least the main idea still there. One thing I respect so much about the pastor at the ministry i go to, is he is on the same path as us. he isn't on a higher plane level or whatever, but he is at the same level as us. he is just the so called, "leader."
another thing about home churches that i like is the capability to spread over a distance it can create. groups popping out like seed in a garden, Lord Willingly making effects in the surrounding areas.
Those are some of my views on the ideas of home churches. Obviously, i am huge advocate of small home churches, and just waiting for God to see if building a church building should be the next step for that group. being able to not be excluded from others around you, but yet that is the place you are in.
I am curious what others feel about the idea of "home churches." feel free to ramble on and on. i like to listen to others views whether they are like mine or not. God Bless you all! <><
p.s. if anyone would like to know more about Paradox ministries, email me, and i will give you their homepage, hence i cannot post a link yet on here yet, due to the lower amount of posts, or ask me about what we are doing, or both.