After learning about a September 2004 house church conference in Denver, Colorado, I asked five other people from my congregation to make the trek with me, including my wife Ali, youth pastor Craig, and a few other key members. We did the conference thing, and I held my breath.
But after every seminar and general session, the response from our team members was the same: “We HAVE to do this!” “I love the community-focused mindset. What a better way to live out our faith!” I think I even heard one person say, “That building is standing in the way. It’s inhibiting our church from actually being the Church.”
I was blown away by their responses.
So without a clear roadblock from the five, I took a deep breath and decided to propose to the board the idea of leaving the building to begin meeting in houses. I had prepared myself for a violent storm, but was met with what felt like the first warm day after a harsh winter.
Perhaps beaten down after years of struggle and lack of leadership or just eager to follow something, the board seemed to like what they heard. Our little congregation agreed.
Over the next four months, we prayed, fasted, researched, and dreamed together about what a house church model might look like. I felt like I had fallen backwards into something that was never on my radar. But around every corner, it became more obvious that God had been orchestrating this movement long before I came on the scene.
Is God doing the same in your church? If you’ve been in a church for any length of time, you’ve likely experienced difficult situations or dysfunction within the Body of Christ. But could God be using these situations to help you move forward as a church and a Christian?
Hey!! You guys are such an inspiration to me. I have developed a plan to bring up to my pastor for a movement like you have done. I am a student and the assistant pastor is my mentor and he likes the idea of a street ministry, but I am not sure of what he will think about this radical idea. Over the past few weeks I have asked believers and nonbelievers about the idea of a nontraditional church/ community outreach church and it is an overwelming majority believe that will serve God well. Thanks again for being an inspiration. GArrett from TX.
By: Garrett Stewart on June 6, 2009
at 2:38 PM
There were quite a few questions that came to my mind. How does the pastoring work when I see clearly in Scripture that this office is spoken of. Does each home have someone that is called to be a pastor? What qualifications are needed to be in charge of a home church?
My other question is accountability. During the current time in church history where apostasy can be seen in so many churches, how do you effectively keep this from popping up in one of these home churches? Who is ultimately responsible before the Lord, if anything were being taught that is contrary to God’s Word?
Also, how are you accomplishing baptisms? Pools at different homes I assume? A nearby lakes? The ocean?
By: Catherine on June 8, 2009
at 8:51 PM