The LORD be with you….
There is no “Top Ten List” re this; found in any one place in Scripture So, anyone’s answer to this question is going to be subjective.
Here is a list that I came up with yesterday. There are others I could have added and on another day, it could easily change.
1. Share the good news. HouseChurch is all about reflecting Christ in our relationships with others.
2. Offer worship options. Sunday morning doesn’t always work with people’s schedules. For example, in a fully mature House Church; we offer Communion in worship; so being able to receive Christ’s body & blood for our forgiveness; even if we can’t make it on Sunday morning is a good thing.
3. Develop the Priesthood of the Baptized. Planting House Churches provides a path for our members to be trained not only in some of the best outreach techniques; they also receive a distinctly LCMS presentation of Scripture.
4. Know and serve our neighbors. A fully matureHouseChurch builds time into it’s schedule for Prayer Walking it’s community. Through Prayer Walking, we learn the needs of our neighbor. As Christians, we don’t just pray for our neighbor, we then follow up with care for their needs as the Holy Spirit & Scripture leads us.
5. Increased rate of Spiritual growth. By gathering more frequently for Bible study & reflecting on our Pastor’s teaching/preaching; believers will grow in their faith. If we only ate one dinner every week; we would be pretty weak; the same is true Spiritually.
6. Fellowship. HouseChurch is fun! It is great to get together with other believers / visitors for food & fun Sometimes aHouseChurch will simply have a gathering to enjoy each other; often, this is a great time to invite the neighbors you have been praying for; to come and join.
7. More frequent communion. I love communion. I always have. I desire communion. I know I am a sinner; I want to hear & taste God’s grace. Hebrews 12:24closeHebrews 12:24 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (ESV) closeHebrews 12:24closeHebrews 12:24 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (ESV) 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (ESV) says that we are coming to the blood of sprinkling. The tense is continuous; it is present.
8. Caring for church members. Our Pastors can’t be everywhere at the same time and they need our understanding and support in the ministry of caring for our fellow Church members. HouseChurch is a great way to make sure that those in the family of believers- Galatians 6:10closeGalatians 6:10 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (ESV) closeGalatians 6:10closeGalatians 6:10 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (ESV) 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (ESV) are cared for.
9. Singing songs. I am not a very good singer; but I love to sing I love being with others who enjoy singing Christians songs. It probably goes back to my childhood in Africa; sitting around with other Christian missionaries; singing songs & fellowshipping.
10. Good children for my children to know. My wife & I have been blessed with five healthy, happy, good looking & most importantly- Godly children. We have always felt one of the benefits of House Church was that our children were bonding with other children who we knew were being raised with similar values.
So, there are ten of the reasons why I loveHouseChurch.
I would love to hear your reasons
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All the best!
Jim Buckman; sinner saved by Grace
Jim Buckman
Hey Jim,
I’m sort of wanting to know more about house churches. Is this cell ministry just another name? I used the Shepherding Book about 10 years ago and tried to get something like this started with the mission plant I was at, but my Peter, John and James were not quite ready for it. However, my Silas and Luke have been and off and on they do some small group things but not really house church, though I think I could try this again. I’m wondering of stepping out in faith and making this happen, becaue I’ve been here11 years in June, and believe the Lord is with me to just go for it with people that want house churches (cell groups during the week that works for them. Do you have any fellowship house churches that are of different varieties? Like some that would be a small group and not house church? Difference I would see that small groups get together for more fellowship without having the Lord’s supper, deeper bible study and outreach goals and intentional prayer and inviting others to the house church. Small group would be a group for introduction like a seeker group and have prayer and a devotion or perhaps a focus on an area like marriage communication and growth; or parenting, etc… Now a house church could have those, but even more, worship and the Lord’s supper, and intentional Bible knowledge and spiritual growth through in depth Bible study and daily reading program and probably a sort of training of theology with goals of birthing new shepherds and house groups (cell ministry again and Shepherd’s Book planning strategy – I think the church is from Houston that does this; Another one in Dallas or Grand Praire that I attended a workshop on.)
Anyway. I’ll probably copy this and email too as I’m very new to facebook and have no idea what I’m doing! Thanks Jim. I’m in a TCN learning group that is getting my jets warmed up to start flying again! They had been burned out and in need of an overhaul. LOL!
God’s blessings,
Jimbo Jobst
Trinity Lutheran
16928 Evans Rd.
Bonner Springs, KS. 66012
cell phone 913-219-0022
Jimbo
Good to hear from you again :>) It has been a while.
You had a couple of questions- so let me take them in order :>)
1. Is this cell ministry (with) just another name?
Great question. There are similarities to be sure; but the differences run deeper than the name. As Lutherans, we believe that there are 7 marks to the Church (Vol 71; LW). Cell groups can have several of them; but they do not have all of the marks & I believe that this reflects their theological underpinnings- which of course would also be different from ours.
2 & 3. Do you have any fellowship house churches that are of different varieties? Like some that would be a small group and not house church?
More great questions :>) And the answers are, “Yes” to the first question; we have House Churches which are focused on the military; Spanish Language; W. African; E. African; targeting a Business District in a town; Young Couples. In the past week, I have talked w Pastors who want to start House Churches for Cancer Survivors / the Hearing Impaired; one of the real strengths of the House Church approach is that you can “go after” specific “micro targets”.
The answer to question #3 is that we plant House Churches; not small groups. However, having said that, most House Churches are not ready to start celebrating Communion when they first start; because they will have new Christians / non Lutherans whom the Supervising Pastor of the House Churches will want to catechize. So, during this initial stage; the truth of the matter is that the House Churches are not yet fully developed and so look like Bible Study/Prayer groups. But, because these are House Churches which are in the process of being planted; they still have a different identity.
Hope this helps. These are great questions. I am going to post them; with my answers in my column on the home page of the web site.
I pray God’s richest blessings on you, your marriage & your ministry :>)