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Every once in a while there is a "buzz" that God is moving in many people's lives all at once. Right now seems to be such a time.
I'd be interested in others' observations on the following:
Breakthroughs in leadership Breakdowns in non-biblical ideas New understanding on major issues Meltdown in fellowships
All these things can be very painful, but they bring growth. I'm especially watching a particular fellowship that is having some serious shaking. I think this season will result in either a dissolution or a multiplication.
Pray with me that it will be multiplication. That leaders that have breakthroughs will find support. That the new understandings will be processed properly, and that things opposing what God is trying to do will be swept away.
Amen?
Blessings, Laurie Ann
-------------------- You & Me and Jesus. We are enough!
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These are exciting times, sister, but not without disappointments and pains along the way.
"Breakthroughs in leadership" - HC communities have largely ignored and over-reacted againt any concept of leadership. Actually, there is more about it than many other major themes of the NT. Still, there are those in HC's who love to be in control of everything as others get suppressed.
"Breakdowns in non-biblical ideas" - I vote yes. Lord, cleanse ME!
"New understanding on major issues" - Yes, again. I'm open to looking at anything and comparing it to the holy scriptures. Look at the last sentence in this ancient quote:
quote:John Robinson's final address to the Pilgrims upon their departure to the New World, 1620:
We were now, ere long, to part asunder; and the Lord knoweth whether ever he should live to see our faces again. But whether the Lord had appointed it or not; he charged us, before God and his blessed angels, to follow him no further than he followed Christ: and if God should reveal anything to us by any other instrument of his, to be as ready to receive it, as ever we were to receive any truth by his Ministry. For he was very confident the Lord had more truth and light yet to break forth out of his holy Word.
"Meltdown in fellowships" - I vote no, unless folks can part peaceably and without holding grudges and clinging to unconfessed sins. The largest church in our area, btw, was just split. (Senior Pastor had an affair.) We had a connection to it because they hosted some home school classes which our kids attended on Tuesdays.
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Hey, D Looks like I didn't communicate very well on this one... I didn't mean "are you for or against" but "do you see any of these things happening?" And, by "preparing for another flood" I meant, I'm expecting more people to be open to house church as the Spirit "shakes that which can be shaken".
Something I consider doing from time to time is inviting IC pastors to some sort of fellowship to talk about "Where are our people going?", because of the trends Barna talks about. Our family is quintessential "pillars of the church who don't go anymore" and I'd love to communicate what we've been thinking, because we don't want to break our pastors hearts, but we "love you, but we just can't go there anymore."
We are seeing some things happening that we feel are promising long-term, although troubling in the immediate time. It's hard to watch people kick each other out of fellowship, but we are capitalizing on that to say, "that's why we don't have card-carrying membership. God's church unit is HOUSEHOLDS! not organizations."
Blessings, Laurie Ann
-------------------- You & Me and Jesus. We are enough!
I have noticed some things lately, but I am new enough to this house church mentality that I am not sure if they are new, or if I am just more aware than I used to be. But here are a few things that I have run accross:
I went to the dare to share confrence for teens with my daughters and a few of their friends a few weeks ago. Although it was a huge event (not very home church like ), I went to the break out session for youth leaders (I snuck in ), and they were teaching some interesting material. The first thing said was that we need to stop using the ministry concepts handed down to us as they are part of a largely flawed system. They then went on to explain that we needed to go back to the Bible for guidance, and went through portions of acts with the group. Their main conclusion was that we needed to switch from an addition to a multiplication mindset which happens largely as we move away from the professional to ministry through the people. They talked of going deep (spiritual growth through small groups) and wide (evangelism through the people as their lives are changed). Interesting info I wasn't expecting- you can go to their website- I think it is dare2share.org and downlaod their thesis on deep and wide ministry if you want to read it for yourself.
I mentioned earlier that I recently read a book from Francine rivers called "and the Shofar Blew". An interesting read exposing the tendoncies of pastors and church leaders to fall into sins of selfish ambition and how ths often leads into further sin, especialy sexual. The book also feaured a couple of small groups meeting in homes where true spiritual growth was happening, and true conversions (vs. just new church members) were happening.
There has been 3 pastors of large churches (biblicaly solid for the most part) in our area who have recently been caught in sexual sin. Although this didn't happen in the church we were previously attending, there was definate selfish ambition amoung the leadership there- many leaders who were forced to leave as others climbed the ladder of success.
Email this page to someone.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
), I went to the break out session for youth leaders (I snuck in 
