I am a young guy(23) who has been leading Young Life in my area for three years now. We have ministered to a very alternative crowd, and as a whole those who have come through our ministry are kinda floundering. We have quite a few who met Jesus in high school, and who their only christian contact right now is time they spend with each and with me. They don't feel welcome in a lot of the churches around here, and they don't like the ones that welcome them.
I've been praying about what to do with them, and now that my time volunteering with Young Life is just about over(we leave for camp today, and it's my last official event) I think it is time to be the church with them. I've been praying about a house/home church idea for a while, and one of the guys just asked me last week to start a church.
So, does anyone have any advice for what would be a very young church(17-23, and the 23 is me)? I play a little guitar, enough to lead worship time, so that would be possible. I'm more concerned that it would be the Dan Farrell show, instead of being a time to be the church to each other... So, any advice would be greatly appreciated, although I won't be able to thank you or respond for a week because of camp.
Thanks, and God Bless,
Dan
bal lsw
posted
danfarrell, you might want to check out http://www.xenos.org/index.htm This church started out as a ministry to college students in Ohio. They have a page with history of the church as well as many excellent teaching and church growth ideas. When they started, no one was seminary trained, although that has changed over the years. I think you could get many great ideas there as well as encouragement. You can also contact church leaders who may be able to give you some direction. May God be with you.
posted
Not to sound ungrateful for the suggestions... but Xenos Christian Fellowship is exactly the kind of thing I am trying to avoid. There are big churches in this area with "College Programs," "College Homegroups," etc, etc, etc...
I don't want an institution or a program. I have grown to distrust the "church growth" movement and it's principles. I want someting more real than that. I don't care if it gets big, gets attention, gets money(I don't have any desire to "be on staff," or get a seminary education), or any of the other things that seem so important to everyone else. All I want to get a group of people together to BE the Church of Jesus Christ. I don't understand why people can't understand this...
If anyone has any practical advice for a young adult, who wants to get a group of young adults together who want to BE the church... please respond...
God Bless, Daniel
bal lsw
posted
Dan, no offence taken. I attended there years ago and that was my first exposure to the home church. I learned a great deal there. Like so many on this forum I am looking for a return to a simpler church where everyone is able to learn and share. Although I do not see myself ever returning to Xenos, I do read some of the on-line teachings (especially Gary's) to gain new insite. I thought of Xenos only because it started out where you are, with a desire to reach a group the existing local churches were not reaching.
Anyway, enough of that...I am older than you are but I, like you, have a desire to reach many who are being missed by the local churches in my area. It sounds as if you have a great start. You have people who want to get together to pray, worship, and study. What about just getting together with some of them (especially the more mature ones) and praying for God's direction. Do you have people (even yourself) who are gifted with wisdom and knowledge? Teaching, exhortation? Maybe just praying that God will reveal your gifts, then allowing people to start working in those areas? What about someone gifted with hospitality (maybe you could meet in their home?) I don't pretend to know all the answers, I don't know hardly any actually...but these are some of the thoughts I am having as I contemplate whether or not God would have us start a home church. I find that people who are encouraged to work in the areas God has uniquely gifted them in tend to stay excited about Jesus and His work. I would think it is important to have some type of teaching or study so that we do not fall away from the Word (Hebrews 2:1). I always like when there is an opportunity to share either during a study or after a teaching. Everyone's input challanges me to think and to a deeper walk with Jesus.
Well, for what it is worth, these are my ramblings. Obviously, people see in you something of what it takes to lead, you have gifting there that others have identified. Also you are humbly seeking God, wanting Him to be the focal point. Why not just start meeting in someone's home and see where God leads? Please let us know how things go and what you learn in the process.
I would love to hear from others who have actually walked this road. What prompted them in this direction? What have they learned? As they grow do they begin to feel like the very type of institution they left? If not, what is making the difference. If yes, what lessons have been learned?
Dan, I will pray for you as you follow God's leading, and I ask your prayers for me.
posted
(I tried emailing this message privately, but Dan's email address must be changed since his post, so, forgive me...)
Dear Dan,
I noticed your post at the house church think tank site (which I just discovered!). That site has wonderful possibilities, but little activity. Yours was one of the several posts that touched me.
I just wanted to write and ask how your journey is going with Him? Have you found some answers and some difficult issues yet as you go? How do you think of the church- have you unravelled the truth (principles) in scripture from the traditions and baggage (cultural implementations, some good, some horrid) we have wrapped it in?
May our Lord be forming Himself in and through you!
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