I'm a leader of a new group of Home Churches in JHB South Africa and was looking for some insite as to building commuinity. We have had some wonderfull times over the last 2 years before we were "allowed" by our church to move out in this format and we prefered to be sent then just leave. We had great guidance from the Lord as to "how" to do this thing and lots of pictures, dreams, and words of knowledge etc. The key being "Let Me Lead" and we have done so as best we are aware.
I am looking for some guidence to some issues of dicipline and by that I mean not just scriptural "laws" of in or out ( I am aware of many scriptures to deal with sin and problems in peoples lives ) what I am looking for is someone in leadership of a home church who has had this type of problem who has time and is able to share their experience in this area of diffuclty and help me ( there are 3 couples who lead) work through a problem that requires loving caring balance.
I would not be surprised if there are no takers but I thought I would try. The reason I have gone this route is because I was hoping to get a view that is completely neutral.
I'm not sure what you are asking. If you are having trouble with needing the right wisdom in dealing with a problem? I would say ask the Lord for wisdom about it and pray. The bible says if we lack wisdom if they ask, He will give it to us.
I don't know what kind of problem you are talking about?
Admonish them that the bible says we are not to live disorderly.
I would say to stay away from controling that person, I just hate it when those in leadership try and control people. Allow the problem in their life, I think, to exist and approach it from the bibical approach in the bible. Like praying for them, you might try annointing them with oil, have a prayer for casting out any demons that may be involved in this situation, and that sort of thing. And if the problem gets really severe we as christian have the power to give people over to the devil, I mean the bible says that. The bible says we have no obligation to help anyone living disorderly. And Paul told the churches that he would forgive anyone that they decided to forgive.
I think you are talking about something here that is very interesting indeed. I've always wondered if we ever really get to really home church then how will be handle the discipline (something which by the way the institutional churches have totally failed in). Paul very much handled church problems and he wasn't very popular for doing that, he often wondered if it didn't cost him his love from the people. But nonetheless, discipline and correction is essential. They may not always listen but you might just convert someone and change the path they are on. And the bible says that is a good thing if we do that.
Be well seasoned with salt and be strong, do what you need to do and don't shrink back. If we don't live like Paul then we truly have lost our salt and are good for nothing. It's a good thing to live with salt in our lives and be on fire for God.
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Hi Kim Thank you for your encouragement and you got the gist of what I was asking and the truth is I do need to be strong in helping this person, both in dicipline and to love her as Christ loved the Church.... she is very broken ie messed up childhood , emotionally absent Father and her mother who lives in the shadows but who is a Christian . I know that our brokeness is never an excuse for sin but I am finding it really hard to get passed the mess in her mind and for the truth to take hold. I believe she intends to do the right thing but it lasts for a while and then she falls and wants to give up . its a vicious cycle and yes I need wisdom so thanks I will pursue that and all I ask is that you pray for us in our little home church in The Parks in JHB .
Thanks and God bless you for your caring
George
-------------------- George of the Parks Vineyard , 10 th street Home Church
Well, it isn't anything I did. Give the thanks to God. I read a post like yours and almost envy (even though I don't like to use that word, the bible says who can stand before envy) you for even having a home church to be able to handle problems. I can't even find a home church around where I live. And sometimes if I do find a home church I wonder just how DO you handle problems? I guess we just have to trust that God will show us what to do through His Holy Spirit.
I don't know, even though I don't have a home church I do have people I minister too. Right now there is this woman I know that is really having problems. And you sometimes don't really know what to do for people. Sometimes the bible says let he who is righteous be righteous and he who is filthy be filthy and so on. For those people who choose to really live disorderly, just how much does God expect us to help? We can pretty much let the word go forth and God then accomplishes what He wishes to accomplish with it. It says His word doesn't go out and return without accomplishing what He wants too.
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Hi Kim I would imagine not having a home church to go to must be hard. I consider myself really provided for that I do have these folk whom, to use John Eldredge terminology ( Waking the Dead ), fight for one anothers hearts. We do of course have our struggles, I believe God allows them to come our way to grow us up. I have had mine in just about every area of my life but God has turned them for good and I dont mean that in a cliche kind of quote. I would have to say the hardest lessons are the ones that do the deepest work at least in my experience . Some of the folk in this new group of home churches I have known for 20 years and that does help. We are trying to build a real commuinty and I guess it could take the rest of my life to achieve that. As a pastor friend of mine encourages me " Its a long obiedience in the same direction..." I will keep you in my prayers that God will give you the desires of your heart.
George
-------------------- George of the Parks Vineyard , 10 th street Home Church
I have looked for quite awhile in my area and for some reason no one has shown any interest in starting home churches here. It does make it kind of hard but what can you do, just wait until one starts. In the meantime I can hear of what is happening for other brother and sisters around the world and be a part of what is happening in their lives. It is kind of teaching me a lot, I don't think I will ever be a person who finds a home church and then is just content in my own little corner of my world. I will always have a heart for those out there who can not find fellowship and think of them.
Actually we are thinking about moving to get away from all these hurricanes that Florida has and if we move maybe then I can locate a home church in the new area we move too.
Tell me alittle bit about your home churches over there in Africa. How many do you have? Are you all enjoying worshipping like they did in the early church? What have been some of your experiences?
I think there is a website called www.minichurchnetwork.com that either has or is going to have a website for Africa. They want to have a website for every state in the United States eventually. They have started with one for Ohio and Africa (I think they have Africa's going but I've never been there). You may want to check it out, I think it is a fairly new website. I don't know why they picked Africa, I just thought maybe they had a missionary over there is Africa perhaps.
Email this page to someone.
