HOME CHURCH OR SIMPLE CHURCH

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NUBIANQUEEN Nov 2, 2011

THIS WORLD DOES CHURCH ALL SO WRONG. NO WONDER CHURCH THE WAY IT IS DONE IS NOT WORKING. IT IS NOT THE WAY THE MOST HIGH GOD MEANT IT TO BE. MEMBERS ARE JUST MAKING PREACHERS RICH, AND DISHONORING THE WORD BY NOT GOING HOME AND STUDYING THE BIBLE, STUDYING HISTORY. IF YOU STUDY YOU WILL KNOW THE WAY CHURCH IS DONE IS ALL WRONG. CHURCH SHOULD BE AT HOME, A SMAILL GROUP OF PEOPLE, WORSHIPING, FELLOWSHIPPING WITH THE LORDS SUPPER AND I DONT MEAN A CRACKER AND GRAPE JUICE BUT A FULL MEAL. THE WHOLE TRADITONAL, INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH IS SOOOO WRONG WITH THE PLAN OF GOD AN THE WAY HE WANTS THINGS DONE. CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH WAS AT HOME. NOT IN A BUILDING WHERE YOU HAVE TO PAY A PREACHER, STAFF, AND FOR HUGE BUILDINGS. NO WONDER THERE IS NOTHING DONE FOR THE POOR AND THE UNDER PRIVILEGE AND MISSION WORK AND EVANGELISM...THERE IS NO MONEY...A TOTAL MESS! HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS?

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enid Nov 2, 2011

Please review and if necessary, edit what is written.

Thanks.

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

Nubie...

**sigh**... maybe if YOU went home and studied YOUR Bible and put down the Frank Viola books you would see more clearly.

Your post reads like the fly-leaf of one of Viola's books.

By the way, nothing wrong with churches meeting in homes as long as the governmental structure is set up Biblically (elders, deacons, etc), and it's done with the right heart.

You asked what I think... so here it is: I dont know what your church government structure is like, but your words on this forum demonstrate that your heart and attitude is all wrong.

You dont want to know what I would be capable of doing to someone if they threw mud at my wife... be careful because in your posts you could be throwing mud at the bride of Jesus Christ. Fear God.

Krispy

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

By the way... you're just trying to be provocative.

Krispy

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jimp Nov 2, 2011

dear ms.queen,you only have your own experiences to base your intense vitreol on. there are hundreds of churches that also have small groups meeting throughout the city that give to the poor that give to other ministries that give to missions that give to unwed mothers and new borns that give to other churches that train ministers that help the down trodden that feed the hungry that help house many after hurricanes and thaat lead hundreds to the saving knowlege of Jesus.i am describing a church that i have been around for over forty years.we have 7000 plus youth that meet all over the city here in small groups that evangelize and tutor and help in any way they can. we have started thousands of churches around the world in the last 10 years.no scandals,no publicity...what has your group done?jimp

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

Amen, jimp... right up until the last 5 words. :-)

Krispy

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Areadymind Nov 2, 2011

Did you read the forum rules before posting here?

He that is faithful in little, shall also be faithful in much.

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enid Nov 2, 2011

Nubianqueen,

I asked on another post, are you a Christian?

I ask the same here. Whether you answer or not, is entirely up to you. Neither do I care.

I'm suspicious of someone who can post such nonsense, and then disappear.

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

Nubie, you are not a credit at all to house churches. You just give them a bad name which is unfair. And it is unfair to judge all institutional churches.

I know a pastor in an institutional church that does not take a salary or tell anyone what his needs are. Never! He never talks about money, and doesn't pass the plate. He lives totally by faith. He is such a man of God that the police bring a lot of messed up kids and trouble makers to him and he never refuses to minister to anyone. The police don't bring these people to anyone else but him. His clothes are not the best, his house is a bit run-down but he preaches with power and conviction and never complains. There are gems in both systems (house church and institutional church).

The reason I say "systems", is because men have turned house churches into a system, too. Have you not noticed?

As soon as men take their eyes off of Jesus and glorify the works of their hands, they have made their own structure/system.

J

Joyful_Heart Nov 2, 2011

I love small groups, sitting at His feet and praying and lifting up Jesus. Even if it is on a prayer conference call, a home Bible Study or praying for my family with my dear sister in the Lord.

Personally, I dont care for large Churches although if I were in NYC I would do anything to attend TSC. A huge mega Church with a Pastor who walks, talks with the Lord and sits at His feet and hears from Him and who is so filled with the Holy Spirit that all he wants to do is love God and love people.

The most important thing is is that the Holy Spirit is truly the One who is allowed to be in control, no matter where the meetings are.

But on this site I would like to say that we need to find revival within ourselves. We need to ask God to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit in us.

We need to take a look at 1 Cor. 13 and ask God where we come short so that we can radiate the love of Jesus. That we can produce the fruit of the Spirit as in Galatians 5.

We need to know there are people from all over the world who are reading our posts. People who may not know the Lord, people who are on the edge of believing in Him or not. People who are looking for answers. This is not just about us. It is about lifting up Jesus to the world and praying that those who are looking and reading will be taken to Him. Will want to know Him from our posts. Let us ask God to forgive us and ask Him to change our hearts and then our posts will change also.

That we not have eyes on ourselves so much that our point of view is the most important but to lift up Jesus in the spirit of love and respect and think of what the lost will be seeing with our posts.

Change us O Lord from the inside out that we may produce the fruit of the spirit, so that 1 Cor. 13 would be in our minds so that when we are not living it the Holy Spirit will quickly convict us and forgive us and help us. You are an awesome God that loves to help us become more like You.

We praise You, worship You, thank You, adore You, that we may bless you by being the branch that is connected to the Vine and produce beautiful fruit for Your Name sake - for You are so worthy our awesome and mighty Savior. Amen and Amen

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

Nubie is probably a "hit & run" poster. We get them now and then. They post something in order to sow discord and provoke arguments, and then get a kick out of watching what develops. Not usually interested in anything constructive. Some of them view themselves as prophets, and will not be accountable to anyone.

I'm willing to give Nubie the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully this is not the case with her. We will see.

Krispy

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

Hi Joyful,

My preference is small groups, too. Where everyone has freedom to share. But we must keep our hearts in such a place that we can go in and out of any religious setting just like Jesus and the Apostles did.

We may not like the doctrines and traditions of man and certainly don't have to accept them, but we cannot close our hearts off to people or we become ineffective ministers of Christ.

sermonindex Nov 2, 2011

Julius... right on, bro!

I made that mistake when we were house churching. Had a real "us against them" mentality. Many people that house church have been burned before, and rather than forgive and be healed by the Holy Spirit they begin to join together with people who have been hurt before too. Rather than heal, many fester.

Of course, that can NOT be said of all house churches. Some are run very Biblically and done for the right reasons! But my experience has been that that is the exception, and not the rule.

Krispy

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Sree Nov 3, 2011

Nice Post, instead of Judging your attitude like those who did here. I appreciate the truth in your post. It is true that God wants Church to be like this and I am fortunate that God has blessed me with such a church. All CFC (bother Zac teaching based) chuches are like this. We meet at home or in a prayer hall and food is served to all. It is great to fellowship with people and sitting and eating with them, forgetting your social differences.
But saying this the role of Big churches cannot be ignored. I asked Borther Zac about this and asked him why God has still let such big churches to survive. He answered -all these Churches have their roles, they are evangelical meetings where anyone can walk-in and hear God's word. Though it is being preached for money, it is still God's word. If the heart of the listener is true then he/she will turn away from evil and one's they are born again they will realize this church where they heard the truth is actually not practicing truth. So they will move to a true fellowship.
It happened to me and God led me to a wonderful home fellowship because I longed for truth.
Bothers and sisters please do not condemn this poster though by accepting him you may think that you are going against your big denomination churches. One day you will know the truth and turn to a true church where people share the word of God not for money but to save souls for God.

J

Joyful_Heart Nov 3, 2011

Totally agree Jilius.

sermonindex Nov 3, 2011

You can't really say which one is better or more useful, it depends if the church is seeking the Lord truly and honestly is worshipping the Lord rightly biblically following the scriptures or desiring honestly to honor God from his word as much as they possibly can or that to be their goal.I just read a book by Mark Dever which was called 9 marks of a healthy church, was a short bok, but it definitely was helpful. Some of those marks were 1. expositional preaching, biblical theology, knowing the good news or gospel,biblical church membership, church discipline, biblical evangelism, knowing true conversion, church leadership, discipleship. That list is not in order, but it was very helpful in reflecting from God's word a biblical church not a perfect church, but close to it. It would definitely be helpful in many of the churches house or building or whatever to run the churches not by their denominational constitution, but by the biblical command and ways of the early church and jesus words.

sermonindex Nov 3, 2011

Bothers and sisters please do not condemn this poster though by accepting him you may think that you are going against your big denomination churches. One day you will know the truth and turn to a true church....

Boy we sure have to be careful with this. There are as many problems in a small house church as there are in "the big denominations". The #1 problem in house churches is PRIDE.

Let me say something here to everyone: if you have to justify the way you "do" church by tearing down others who do it differently from you... you're doing it for the wrong reason.

Scripture tells us plainly how to meet together as a church. It does not tell us to meet in homes, and it does not tell us to meet in cathedrals. It does tell us how to set up the authority structure (authority is a word most house churchers HATE)... which is a group of elders. It tells us how to choose and utilize deacons. It tells us how those within the church should treat one another, and how to treat those outside the church.

Beyond that... meet wherever you wish. If you belong to a big ol' church or you meet in someone's basement it does not matter.

The amount of haughtiness demonstrated by some of you house churchers (not all!) is shocking to me, and is the main reason my wife and I ceased with the house church movement. The Lord convicted me of my pride and my haughty attitude toward those who I viewed as "blindly going to the denominations".

Well guess what... denominations are not evil! Those who go to big churches are YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS if God has truly saved them.

So get over yourselves, house churchers.

As for you who attend "regular" churchers, you can get over yourselves too.

Meet where you want, obey Jesus and love the brethren. If you meet in a house and you are proud of it... then may... well, er... just get over yourself.

Krispy

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savedtoserve Nov 3, 2011

Thanks for the breath of fresh air, Krispy!

God bless!

savedtoserve

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Sree Nov 3, 2011

If you see Revelations, God spoke about 7 Churches and out of those only 2 were pleasing God. Which means roughly only 20% of Churches were true to God in 1st century with Apostles directly governing them.
Now we are in 21st century, what do you think the percentage of Churches will be?
One needs to examine oneself to see whether they are becoming more like Christ by being in one Church. If you stay with a Church for many years and are still struggling with same sin then there is something wrong with you or your church.
If you seek God earnestly he will definitely put you in right church. I agree that home churches can get into pride and legalism, but in most of the Big denomination churches the preachers are already preaching for money and compromising on the word of God in order to not offend people.

sermonindex Nov 3, 2011

but in most of the Big denomination churches the preachers are already preaching for money and compromising on the word of God in order to not offend people.

You dont think that happens in the house churches too? I can tell you... it does!

The rest of what you said was true. Good word.

By the way, it's not "RevelationS"... there is only ONE Revelation... and thats Jesus Christ. Singular. (Sorry, thats a pet peave of mine... drives me nuts)

Krispy