House Church Talk - Pattern or simply an adaptation?

[Glenn Frank]

Thanks for the response Bruce.


You concluded your email with:
> ... NEITHER, house churches nor institutional churches are ever
> set forth in scripture as THE PATTERN to follow. But, in view of the
> purposes that scripture sets forth as the reasons for church gatherings,  we
> need to ask, "Which forms are best suited to the purposes for which God
> would have us to meet?"


So you are saying that really it is just a purely practical and logistical
reason that we would follow a similar pattern to what the early church
practiced as far as house to house meetings -- Because it best facilitates
the things we are told to do -- such as the one-another commands?



So then... taking into account that a number of typical church practices are
really adaptations and assimilations of pagan practice (and trying to remove
these) is there any reason that other ways of gathering and meeting together
(in addition to meeting in small intimate groups)... And other kinds of
'ministries' are needed or at least not prohibited?


I say this only because the pastor of our church is of the view that home
groups are great... But he sees them as just another of the many core
'ministries' of the church, not as the primary kind of ministry. He
constantly argues that if a very needy person who is dealing with some
specific addiction or circumstance comes into a small group, that it would
take away from the group to try and have to deal with their issues every
week. He thinks that person should be directed to another 'ministry' in the
church that deals with their specific issue (some kind of 'support group'
type ministry). 


I don't really agree with him... I mean, some amount of organization and
leadership in the home group can be had so that no one person makes it their
personal counseling session EVERY week These kinds of issues can be dealt
with by individuals who minister to that person's needs on a personal basis
(and aside from the allotted time of meeting).

so I suppose I answered the question myself!
;-}



What is your take on that? Is that the way you would say a house church
should deal with 'needy' or 'hurting' people who bring their ongoing issues
to the group week after week? I just don't see a need for any 'formal'
ministries outside of the gatherings... Because as we develop relationship
and bonds in the gatherings, we should naturally begin to minister to those
who need ongoing counseling on 'our own time'. That just seems natural.



Thanks,

Glenn Frank