House Church Talk - Opening the Door

[goodwordusa at att.net]

There is always room for a housechurch in your community.

Many traditional churches in America began as small meetings in the home.  A 
church planter or pastor would go through a community or a town and invite 
people to a Bible study or a prayer meeting in someone's home.

A church my wife and I attended in Indiana began this way.  For a couple of 
years before the people bought a building to meet in, they all met in homes 
scattered over about a 30 mile radius.  Some met in this area and others met 
in this other place, some on Tuesday nights and others on Thursday, etc.  
They had a time of fellowship, a time of Bible study and a time of prayer, 
followed by refreshments.  Even after they bought a building, many continued 
to meet on weeknights for Bible study and prayer, and the closer fellowship.

It is no surprise, then, that many HC (housechurch) groups begin a little 
like this, too.  People gather for a time of Bible study and prayer, and for 
fellowship.  Sometimes they meet on a weeknight, sometimes on Sunday morning, 
or Sunday afternoon, or Saturday afternoon.  They may share a meal, or just a 
snack.  They may meet for two hours, four hours, or a whole day.  Some meet 
for just an hour or so.

Some are very informal, and others have regular singing times, and even 
preaching.  It's up to the folks who gather as to what kind of meeting they 
have.  The Book of Acts, and the letters of Paul shed a lot of light, and are 
worth the study and discussion of any local group.

Starting is as easy as inviting friends over for coffee and Christian 
fellowship.  A lot of HC groups begin as a Bible study in the home, studying 
the church practices of the first century believers.  And still other begin 
as prayer meetings for a community.

While many HC folks do not regularly attend a traditional IC (institutional 
or denominational church), some do both.  They go to church on Sundays (or 
Saturdays) and then meet in their homes during the week for a more 
interpersonal gathering.

HC is great for reaching younger couples and even teens.  Many younger 
families are glad to meet with real people in a setting where they can share 
their faith and also be part of a "larger family" in Christ.  And this does 
not always work out with a traditional church.  

Teens also are very interested in spiritual things, but may be so influenced 
by TV, popular movies, Magazines & music that they cannot see anything 
spiritual about traditional churches.  (And they may be right about some 
churches.)  Meetings in a local home, where people are not acting religious, 
but simply talking and acting out real faith can be more attractive and less 
intimidating.

One way to start a HC is to invite some young couples and/or some teens to a 
discussion and an investigation of Scripture into the real person and meaning 
of Jesus Christ.  Young couples have the needs of a young family.  And teens 
have the needs of young people facing the whole future.  Both groups are 
looking for answers.  And while they may be asking slightly different 
questions, the young adults can often grow a lot while they are lending a 
hand to the teens.

Opening your home to the people around you is a natural thing for many of us, 
and not as easy for some of us.  But we can all learn how, as we seek God's 
face for our lives, and as we allow Him to direct our steps.  Starting 
housechurch meetings in your community is one way of sharing Christ with your 
area.

Jim