The Bottom Line on Home Churches....

O

Onesimus4God Oct 20, 2007

Folks, I want to share with what God has been speaking to my heart for the past several years about home churches. The joy is that I don't have to type it in, that has already been done for me.

Last week, we sat in a friend of ours home and I shared my heart about cooperation church, home churches and body ministry. I hit almost ever single point that the below article does.

So my friend and I are talking this morning, and he asks me if I had ever been to this web page. I told him know, why? Sure? He asked. Yea, what's up. He said this web site sounds just like what you spoke in our home. So I checked it out and sure enough, it was as if I had written it all down in detail.

Naturally, I wanted to share it with the readers in this forum. I do hope someone is blessed and can say amen. For the article, please click on the link below, God bless you as you do.

http://www.openchurch.com/user/The%20Concept.pdf

In Him,

1

1another Oct 20, 2007

I was just trying to share a article that I thought was great.

Perhaps another time

B

baxter Oct 20, 2007

I strongly caution you regarding the teachings at the allathisfeet website. As I said in reply to the "How to Eat from the Tree of Life" teaching, it looks good on the outside, but there's poison on the inside.

Beware of teachings that do NOT come from the Word of God. There is simplicity in Christ

2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity {of devotion} to Christ.

www.indianapoliscult.com

http://www.factnet.org/discus/messages/3/18551.html?1180021384

beware of those that exalt men: http://www.allathisfeet.com/seed.cfm?id=34349

C

crusader Oct 21, 2007

I am sorry brother but the article doesn't sit right in my spirit. why, i am not sure yet but i will say this.

the article i read felt like i was reading a "how to loose weight in five days" manuel
i agree that Many Many churches have hidden behind worldly attributes because they claim to have the lords power but dont and as a result are too frightened to bow their heads before the lord to be washed and led by the spirit of the lord, as a result they hide behind earthly tools to smoke screen any exposure of their herecy.

the awnser is always simple but the action brings tears and sweat.

have home groups that are spirit filled and pray continuosly for your church. If there are major problems in your church, pray for anwsers and rebuke those that need to be rebuked and comfort those that need to be comforted.

O

Onesimus4God Oct 21, 2007

No need to apologize. Your comments are as welcomed as any others. I do have to disagree with you of course, and with the person who posted before you. But I do respect your right and privilege to voice your opinion.

As for the article being without scripture, I'm not sure where you're coming from. There is ample Biblical evidence for home churches and their success. Except for tithing, the article is in harmony with New Testament theology, but not in harmony with American corporation church. I do appreciate you comments. Thanks for taking the time to read the article. I know it will unsettle many established "church people" in the USA.

In Him,

Lahry

sermonindex Oct 21, 2007

Onesimus4God said

As for the article being without scripture, I'm not sure where you're coming from.

I believe the reason the article didn't include scripture because ~~[i]~~it's unscriptural[/i].

1. Convert those mild mannered pew warmers into spiritual warriors with clear goals and a total loyalty to your church.

And what's wrong with mild-mannered Christians?

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (JAM 3:17)

2. Make your services so exciting no one wants to leave.

"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (ECC 7:4)

3. Help your church grow about twice as fast.

"Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?" (ISA 66:1)

4. Double or triple the number of those who tithe- and put your church financial problems in the past.

Aha!

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (LUKE 16:13, MATT 6:24)

5. Bring back marginal believers who quit the church long ago out of frustration or lack of interest.

"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and ~~[i]~~few there be that find it.[/i]" (MATT 7:14)

"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for ~~[i]~~many[/i], I say unto you, ~~[i]~~will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.[/i]" (LUKE 13:24)

6. Turn your teenagers into your best members (well, at least best in some ways).

7. Attract more men to your church. Not J. Alfred Prufrock types, but lions!

"...but to this man will I look, even to him that is ~~[i]~~poor and of a contrite spirit[/i], and trembleth at my word." (ISA 66:2)

8. Save your pastor from the tasks he hates and free him to concentrate on what he likes.

...And he will speak nothing but what the people want to hear:

"They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly." (AMOS 5:10)

"Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him." (MIC 3:5)

"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (MATT 15:9)

9. Aquire a regional reputation as a rare church where one can find pure, uplifting worship (as in Revelation 4 and 5) along with deep, lasting friendships.

"And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (LUKE 16:15)

"Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, ~~[i]~~They have their reward.[/i]" (MATT 6:2)

10. Enable most of your members to be soul-winners.

11. End the rat race of unfocused church activities that saps the drive of your best people.

12. Create a whole new feeling of love in the congregation.

C

crusader Oct 21, 2007

This morning after posting my thoughts on the discussion i have felt that i have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Firstly i do believe the main stream churches have not allowed the freedom of the holy spirit to move through all the congregation. Possible this is due to the fact that the people who are running the church are unskilled in judging spiritual matters in a matter that will edify the church. I have seen pastors feel like they have lost control when the congregation starts to speak from the lord and the time allowed for the service doesnt fit into the churches schedule.

i do believe that the spirit of the lord will move powerfully in an environment were the people have total devotion to him and is led by him whether it is in a church, prison, home or rubbish dump.

i have seen alot of people in church sit down quietly because they don't look like movie stars, they can't sing like pop idols nor are they brain surgeons and yet it is these people that God moves through.

i ask every christian to look aside from natural abilities and see peoples hearts where the spiritual abilities lie.

I believe the church apperance will change as time goes because of the herecey and stagnated religeous grot that seems to be growing around the world.

O

Onesimus4God Oct 21, 2007

Crusader,
Oh dear saint you've got it. God has chosen the foolish things in this world to confound the wise. He has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith. The bible is filled with people whom God chose to do His will and achieve His purpose who are quite ordinary, if not "inferior" to the ordinary. That way people know it is God and give Him all the glory and not the man.

I want to experience God, up close and personal. I have in the past, and words cannot describe how wonderful it is and how worshipful it is. The first time it happened was in a catholic church, which was the religion of my parents. But what happened was very personal, between me and God.

Paul said that the Holy Spirit gives "severally" as He wills. To the bishop only? The cardinal? The pope? Nay, my friend, but to the believer who places all their eternal hope in His Son Jesus and thrills to worship and obey His voice.

Then there is the "anointing", which as I understand it it the power of God to do what God calls each one individually to do. You can be an anointed helper or an anointed Apostle. But one still has to seek God day by day for direction. When God gives that direction and it is obeyed, then the power of God comes forth.

I believe there are ordinary people like me and you out there that God is speaking to about what we are discussing here. Until yesterday, I thought I was the only one. I had not found one individual or group that I was in harmony with. Now, all of a sudden, I'm in fellowship with others who God is speaking the exact same message and I am so humbly greatful and stand in awe of Him. This has been cooking in my heart for a very long time. I believe the time has come. This coming Tuesday night, a few friends and my wife and I will gather here to meet with God, striving to let Him be the centerpiece of all we say and do.

I've been in home fellowships before where God moved mightily. We met with a few other families when we lived in Maine. We had some awesome God filled home meetings. But we did not have communion together. I believe communion should be partaken of each time we meet. It is a commandment of Jesus, not an option for every 5th Sunday evening service.

Then I was in a home meeting in Belize in the middle of the jungle and I did not understand the language, but I could surely discern the Spirit. Oh how wonderful it was. Later, my missionary brother told me what went on and how God had dealt with sin in a person's life by the conviction of the Holy Spirit and I wept all over again. God is so awesome, if only we would let Him be.

Well, I could go on and on. Thank you for writing what you did. I feel the Spirit of the Lord moved you to do so. I can hardly wait for you to testify of what God does next in your life. God bless you real good.

In His mercy and grace,

"0"

sermonindex Oct 21, 2007

I am 100% FOR Home Churches.

I am NOT for what is contained in the PDF file entitled, "The Concept of Open Ministry".

The motives for opting for a home based church setting is wrong. We get together in our homes more because the days are evil and we need one another like never before. What the Churches are offering today is not enough, we need to be together more often than Sunday and Wednesdays. Our reasons for increased fellowship should be to do the will of God, whether that is in a Church building or in different homes throughout the week.

There is nothing wrong with a church building, it's who is Pastoring that church. Is his heart 100% sold out to God or is he just following the rest of the hirelings?