Prayerful Flower Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 21 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 77 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 84 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/21/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) Can some one please explain -Church Home Groups- a few friends from 3 different Churches invited me to thier "Home Group" I ask whats it about? and all my replies are come to find out. I want to check them out ut don't want to walk into something I am spiritually unprepared for, is that a true reason to stay away? Edited March 23, 2016 by Prayerful Flower spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdemoss Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 59 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,402 Content Per Day: 0.99 Reputation: 2,154 Days Won: 28 Joined: 02/10/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/26/1971 Share Posted March 23, 2016 5 hours ago, Prayerful Flower said: Can some one please explain -Church Home Groups- a few friends from 3 different Churches invited me to thier "Home Group" I ask whats it about? and all my replies are come to find out. I want to check them out ut don't want to walk into something I am spiritually unprepared for, is that a true reason to stay away? I would be wary of anyone who says ,come to find out, without first openly explaining to me what it is I am coming to see or be part of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enoob57 Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 35 Topic Count: 99 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 41,064 Content Per Day: 7.97 Reputation: 21,392 Days Won: 76 Joined: 03/13/2010 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/27/1957 Share Posted March 23, 2016 We have started this in our Church and it is a way for the Pastor through the people to bond and minister in a personal way .... I have noticed that I am drawn closer to the people in the group as I hear The Spirit of God in them-> that would not have happen in a larger setting! Their struggles become my struggles, their needs become my needs, their lives become precious to me where before it was more ethereal and spiritualized... Love, Steven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reinitin Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 13 Topic Count: 51 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,366 Content Per Day: 0.78 Reputation: 2,150 Days Won: 9 Joined: 01/10/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted March 23, 2016 Home groups can be awesome or they can be horrible. It depends on the leaders and the group dynamics. A lot of churches grow so large and some times the people of the congregation come from different neighborhoods and towns, so no strong relationships are built and there becomes a lack in discipleship, prayer support and mentoring. So large churches create home groups (which we see in the new testament and acts) in geographical areas for people to meet for one on one ministry and bible study. Some churches are careful and pick mature hosts that meet the biblical standards and criteria for church leadership and home groups can be wonderful. But some church groups don't and they can just create bad doctrine, gossip meetings or cult start ups. when there is no mature leadership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplejeff Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Mars Hill Followers: 12 Topic Count: 12 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7,689 Content Per Day: 2.39 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 20 Joined: 06/30/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted March 23, 2016 12 minutes ago, Reinitin said: Home groups can be awesome or they can be horrible. Amen. Like churches and like people. Dead OR Alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
post Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 23 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,045 Content Per Day: 0.34 Reputation: 615 Days Won: 2 Joined: 12/09/2015 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/03/1976 Share Posted March 23, 2016 i'm in several "home groups" -- that's what they're called in the church that i attend. they are all very different in focus - except they all focus on Christ, so they are all very much the same! haha - but the format is more or less the same in all; we meet together once a week, and share food (because we meet around dinner time) - and then talk about the scripture. they are more informal than "church services" and there are fewer people, and mostly meet in people's homes. in addition to being less "formal" it is open discussion - it's not just sitting there being preached at by someone; everyone shares and interacts. one, is at the pastor's house, and we usually talk about whatever the sermon was that week in a little more depth. in another, we've gone through several workbooks together on topics like prayer and knowing God's will over the years, and currently we're all following a read-the-Bible-in-one-year plan and just talking with each other about what we read over the week; what stood out or what we didn't understand, etc. in a third, we're reading through the book of Judges - mostly. once in a while, as people are led, or as there is need, we talk about other topics. in a fourth one, we've been reading through Romans verse by verse - sometimes only a half a verse a week - and discussing the gospel as presented in this book in great detail. we've been at this for over 2 years, and finally in chapter 13 now -- that's how slowly we're moving. before this, we talked about 1 John, Galatians, and Ephesians in the same format. this group has grown so large - sometimes 30 people or more - that we can't meet at anyone's home anymore, so we meet in the fellowship hall of our church building. but it's still a "home group" so, overall, as far as it is practiced where i am, a "home group" is more or less a Bible study in a small group setting, where there is interaction and discussion and input from everyone, as opposed to just sitting in a chair or a pew while someone else tells you how it is, or teaches, and you don't respond except for the occasional "amen." this is, in my mind, much closer to what the 1st century church format was - the "church" meetings as described in the new testament. there may be one or a few people who are gifted to teach, that generally lead the group, but it is meant to be interactive, allowing everyone's gift of the Spirit to be used, to mutually benefit everyone. there is usually food. it is great for fellowship, and getting to know the other believers in your church on a much deeper level than simply exchanging a few niceties on sunday morning. i highly recommend that believers involve themselves in something like this -- even if it's just with one or two other people, studying the word together. we are a body, and we should not just think that meeting once a week in a formal, ritualistic setting is the sum total of our faith. we are meant to serve each other and benefit each other with the gifts that God has given us -- i can't say enough about how blessed i am to be involved so deeply with so many others in the family of God - if all you ever do is attend on sunday morning, and never actually interact with others, but just "get preached at" -- you are really missing out, on fellowship, on the opportunity to grow, to be used by God, to grow in the knowledge of Him, and to benefit others with what He has put in your own heart and mind. do it! don't be afraid. God has already "spiritually prepared" you for the mutual benefit of the body of Christ -- don't stay "amputated" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristianAngel27 Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Members Followers: 7 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 60 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 66 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/21/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted March 23, 2016 they can be very edifying their is teachings out of the Bible then they go into praying for people's jobs ect.. and getting to know more about your church members is what i have learned from when i went to a couple with my parents ... but if a none Christian comes in and they have evil spirits attached to them is is very hard to concentrate on what is being taught just saying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prayerful Flower Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 21 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 77 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 84 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/21/2016 Status: Offline Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 wow I have a better understanding on this now thanx, I know in Acts everyone met in homes Before Church Buildings. ur all awesome 4 sharing thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
post Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 23 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,045 Content Per Day: 0.34 Reputation: 615 Days Won: 2 Joined: 12/09/2015 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/03/1976 Share Posted March 23, 2016 1 hour ago, algots said: From what I have found out, for the most part, home study groups turn out to be just a pooling of ignorance. I have been to home study groups which have claimed the nursery rhyme, "Mary Had a Little Lamb" was a parallel to the life of Jesus. To those relying on subjectivity to determine Christianity, it very well could be. To those who have a more objective view of Christianity, it is the epitome of stupidity to even entertain the thought, or possibility, because dissecting a nursery rhyme has absolutely nothing to do with Spiritual growth, or Biblical knowledge. The group is only as good as the one doing the teaching. Find out who is doing the teaching. Are they able to teach? What do they believe? Is it what you believe? What are they teaching on? There's nothing worse that than going to a home study group which has no clue as to what they're talking about, while others chime in only to increase the foolishness. Just because they claim to believe the Bible and ask for God's direction, which a lot of times means theirs, does not mean that God will not allow them to go astray. well! i guess i am more blessed than i even knew! i'm sorry to hear that you've had some poor experiences. if you think you know better than everyone around you, perhaps God has placed you there to teach -- i doubt very much that God puts mature, wise believers into intimate contact with other, immature believers with little knowledge, just for the purpose of frustrating the mature ones. we are all one body, and in Christ our purpose is for each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prayerful Flower Posted March 23, 2016 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 21 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 77 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 84 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/21/2016 Status: Offline Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 I agree be open and more loving ifu know it all then have the church of U'ism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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