Many churches today find themselves where we once were: carrying some kind of a burden that keeps them from being the living, breathing Body of Christ. For us, and I suspect for many others, it was our building that had become an anvil we drug around by our necks.
But God led us to ditch our steel and stone and become a church of flesh.
And He’s not done yet. Daily, The Well continues to grunt and grind, celebrating and submitting to the pains and pleasures of growth. We have only begun to discover what God intended for The Well when He led us to shed our building in 2005 and become a community of house churches.
And this is why we share our story with you. We are still openly learning what it means to be a community of house churches in Southern California, and we invite you to learn with us. You can follow this story and participate with us by subscribing to and reading this blog, following us on Twitter <nakedchurchnow> or joining us on Facebook <Ken Leavethebuilding>.
Perhaps God is writing a similar story for you…
Your testimony seems similar to ours. We also left the traditional congregational model in January of 2006 and have been in house churches ever since.
Let’s talk more. Email me at ccctr@cox.net or call me at (225) 505-0310.
Many Blessings,
Teryl Hebert
By: Teryl Hebert on May 8, 2009
at 11:06 AM
I was saved for just over a few years now and my growth was facilitated in a house church. (Body of Christ in the home). Personally for a new believer it’s like stepping into a close family rather than orphanage. I had many mother and fathers to grow and develop me, there were a few time when I went to a regular church but I just seemed to blend into the scenery. You can’t hide in a home! We, I believe can learn a lot from the house churches in China and the Middle East.
By: Leonard on May 14, 2009
at 6:51 PM
Brothers you are not alone, the Spirit is moving myself and Brother Troy to do something similar. You see since I was saved, I have never really been comfortable in monder churches, because they are mainly a buiseness, out to get as many people to their church, so as to bring in the money to pay the bills, and salarys. and thus adding on to the lukewarm ladioceans.The Holy Spirit has spoken to me since day one about this matter, and you see titheing has become giving 10% of your income to a church instead of to Christ. for JESUS said that when you help the least of them you help HIM. HE didnt say when you help your local church pay the rent and electricity and pastors salary, you help HIM. You know we dont need a big old building with big screen TVs and sound systems to worship and be in fellowship, all we need is our temples, the Holy Spirit, and our Bibles. Brother Troy and I have been going out to our local park and his house and being in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we get out in the park and worship, read, pray, and witness. we dont need a single penney to do that, instead our money goes to helping the least of them, and as a result witnessing to the least of them.We believe that GOD is breeding us for this very purpose. HE is also strengthing us in our gifts of the Holy Spirit. Remember brothers that there are multiple gifts that must be used together in harmony, like a bodys organs, for one purpose- furthering the Kingdom of GOD. in todays ladiocean churches the gifts of the spirit are being supressed, only the pastor speaks and teaches, which is so contrary to the Biblical example of how a church is to be run. Therefore I encourage you brothers to stay Biblical refer constanly to 1 Corinthians 14, Ephesians 4, 1 Timothy, ext. and follow as closley as possible GODs instructions of how a church should be run. “Everyon has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a toungue, an interpretation.all of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” “speaking in tongues 2 or 3 at the most should speak, one at a time. and someone must interpret. If there is no Interpretation, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and GOD.” “2 or 3 prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. and if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down the first speaker should stop.”
“women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home. for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.”
-1 Corinthian ch 14
make every effort to follow HIS word to the T, and do not pick and chose what best suits you, because that is idolatry, follow the Bible and only the Bible brothers, do not comprimise it so as not to offend someone because if GODs word offends someone then they are not truly saved, and you must bring them to salvation or cast them from you, for they will cause divisions among you. stay strong brothers and remember that you are hear to do GODs will, and constantly remember your first hope, your first love!!!!
By: Lucas Richard on May 19, 2009
at 5:11 PM
I yearn deeply for a church body like yours, but have found that most are wedded to buildings and man-made traditions, instead of Christ.
I’d be interested in your comments on a related post I did in April:
http://akagaga.blogspot.com/2009/04/word-for-wednesday-come-out.html
By: akaGaGa on May 27, 2009
at 9:53 PM