ricky Posted March 1, 2015 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 40 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 508 Content Per Day: 0.14 Reputation: 216 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/04/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/09/1985 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I have been wondering about house churches recently, I have always thought they were a bit odd to be honest and sometimes can be quite antagonistic towards those of us who are adherents to a more structures, institutional kind of church structure. I am also concerned by the lack of proper theological oversight That said due to conversations to someone quite close to me, who is rather disgruntled with church at the moment and is toying with the idea of house church. I have become curious about the house church movement. Is anyone here a member of a house church? What are your experiences with that form of church? What are the pros and cons of being part of a house church over being part of an institutional church. thanks in advance for your insights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Summers Posted March 1, 2015 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 0 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 225 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 27 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/19/2015 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/29/1984 Share Posted March 1, 2015 After leaving my last traditional church I have been part of a house church for a while, I love it. The closeness can never be matched in a traditional church setting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 One of the problems with house churches is the lack of any kind of oversight. Leaders who are not accountable, who have no formal theological training can shipwreck a congregation. Even in the Bible where house churches were prevalent there was a centralized authority structure. The potential for leaders to straw off the path theologically, combined with a lack of accountability outside the group is the recipe for a cult. False teachers who cannot find their way into a traditional church will always find inroads through house churches. A lack of solid theological training does not equal "spirituality." It usually tells you that the leader is lazy. People scoff at Bible colleges and schools, but training proves your work ethic and your ability to stay committed and finish what you start. Ministry is more than teaching. Teaching and preaching is less than 1% of ministry. If the leader is too busy to make hospital visits, if he is unwilling to visit with members in nursing homes and if he doesn't love the congregation, he doesn't belong as the leader. Some house churches are better than others, but it is important to be careful and discerning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Summers Posted March 1, 2015 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 0 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 225 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 27 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/19/2015 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/29/1984 Share Posted March 1, 2015 We don't have a "leader" pre se, we have an individual who preaches most of the time, but he is not really the leader. We decide pretty much eveything as a group, even what we will be leaning about during the bible study. Our teacher has a PhD in education and has studied the bible for decades. I minored in biblical studies and took some theology courses while working on my masters. But God didn't design the bible to need advanced training to understand it or to need some one else to tell me what it says. Our church has an accountability with each other you cannot find in a traditional church, a closeness and openness I have never found in any other church or group of believers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 That's encouraging. I live in an area that is kind of rural where house churches are numerous and they have teachers that know just enough about the Bible to be dangerous. I have had my share of some very wacky theology cross my path from members of those groups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted March 1, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 683 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 11,128 Content Per Day: 1.99 Reputation: 1,352 Days Won: 54 Joined: 02/03/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/07/1952 Share Posted March 1, 2015 We don't have a "leader" pre se, we have an individual who preaches most of the time, but he is not really the leader. We decide pretty much eveything as a group, even what we will be leaning about during the bible study. Our teacher has a PhD in education and has studied the bible for decades. I minored in biblical studies and took some theology courses while working on my masters. But God didn't design the bible to need advanced training to understand it or to need some one else to tell me what it says. Our church has an accountability with each other you cannot find in a traditional church, a closeness and openness I have never found in any other church or group of believers. Cool. What sort of outreach programs do you have? Are there children involved in your house church? How do you deal with theological disagreements? Are there any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Summers Posted March 1, 2015 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 0 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 225 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 27 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/19/2015 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/29/1984 Share Posted March 1, 2015 We work with other churches for any sort of community involvement like helping out at shelters and food banks. Children would be the biggest reason not to be part of a home church in my opinion. Any children of the group are either grown or still in diapers. Not sure what will come of them when they get older. It is hard to have a children's program in this set up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricky Posted March 1, 2015 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 40 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 508 Content Per Day: 0.14 Reputation: 216 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/04/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/09/1985 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks everyone for your replies, I think Shiloh kind of reiterated my concerns on a lot of house churches. Alex, your group sounds very good and the kind of group I could fit into very well. Like Shiloh I live in a rural area too (small town of less than 1000), there was a house church here but they were Oneness Pentecostal without the dress code. Anyhow I think house churches can be good if they are like what Alex described, but as I mentioned before having done some surface level research some (not all) of them just seem really antagonistic to the traditional church, I think that is my biggest problem with it. A lot of people point to the church in Acts meeting in homes, but they fail to mention that Paul also held meeting in a public hall in Ephesus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnut- Posted March 1, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 39 Topic Count: 101 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 7,673 Content Per Day: 1.31 Reputation: 7,358 Days Won: 67 Joined: 04/22/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted March 1, 2015 I have been wondering about house churches recently, I have always thought they were a bit odd to be honest and sometimes can be quite antagonistic towards those of us who are adherents to a more structures, institutional kind of church structure. I am also concerned by the lack of proper theological oversight That said due to conversations to someone quite close to me, who is rather disgruntled with church at the moment and is toying with the idea of house church. I have become curious about the house church movement. Is anyone here a member of a house church? What are your experiences with that form of church? What are the pros and cons of being part of a house church over being part of an institutional church. thanks in advance for your insights. I think for a house church to be effective it needs a good leader, and the majority of people need to be well grounded themselves. Amateur hour in either of these two areas and the results can be disastrous, as we have seen proven historically true time and time again. I was part of a house church that had twelve regulars, and for me it was constructive for growth, it may not be for all people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted March 2, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.33 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted March 2, 2015 (edited) I have been wondering about house churches recently, I have always thought they were a bit odd to be honest and sometimes can be quite antagonistic towards those of us who are adherents to a more structures, institutional kind of church structure. I am also concerned by the lack of proper theological oversight. A house church is nothing more or less than a different venue to meet for worship, teaching and fellowship. Those who are a part of this fellowship should know the Word and apply it. Many (if not most) of the apostolic churches in the NT were house churches to begin with, since the Jews in the synagogues generally resisted the Gospel. Study Acts (where the pattern for any and all churches is clearly laid out). A buiding is only a meeting place for the assembly of believers. As to "proper theological [spiritual] oversight" those who are the spiritual leaders should know that they are "elders" (pastor/elder/bishops) and therefore shepherds. Their oversight should be no different than anywhere else, and their qualificatons are listed in Scripture. Bible school or seminary training is a non-Scriptural basis of leadership which has been adopted by just about every denomination other than the Brethren (who do not consider themselves a denomination). In this day and age of apostasy, Bible schools are actually detrimental to Bible truth. None of the apostles went to the rabbinic schools and neither did the Lord, and the religious leaders of their day were astonished at their grasp of spiritual things. God calls individuals to preach, teach, and shepherd, He gives them spiritual gifts and also the appropriate ministries. This should not be a concern. So if you were to become a part of a house church, you would need to sit down with the elders and ask them if they are following the NT pattern in doctrine and practice. If so then you are in the right place. Members need to understand that this is not an opportunity to become casual and careless. Rather the opposite. As to antagonism towards denominational churches, let's face it. There has been a huge departure from the true Gospel and Bible truth in the denominations. Entertaintment has replaced worship in numerous churches. Bible doctrine is rarely taught properly (most Christians probably do not know what doctrines their churches hold to). The Gospel is frequently watered down. Questionable cooperation with those who should be avoided has become acceptable. And then there are "church politics". So if many Christians are finding house churches as the solution, more power to them. The caveat is that they must constantly strive to maintain Bible principles and practices and know the Scriptures. The onus is on every believer to know God's Word. Edited March 2, 2015 by Ezra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts