“Cornelius, the Proto House Church Planter”
On Sunday, May 13th, I was scheduled to preach for a congregation; at the last minute, this was rescheduled (which happens from time to time). So, having a free Sunday, I took my family to St. Peters Lutheran Church in Hopewell, NJ. I was blessed to hear a very solid, Law/Gospel sermon from Pr. Gewecke. After his service, I shared with Pr. Gewecke my appreciation for his solid preaching and that his mention of Cornelius and sparked some thoughts re House Church Planting which I would want to follow up.
The following are the beginning of my thoughts re "Cornelius, the House Church Planter". This document is a “work in progress”. I stand by my statements, but want you to know that I am sharing them as I put them to paper & am not taking the time to make them “air tight” from the attack of any doctrinaire cynic.
For me, a House Church Planter is a believer who calls together those they know (Acts 10:24closeActs 10:24 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. (ESV) closeActs 10:24closeActs 10:24 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. (ESV) 24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. (ESV) ) in order that they might hear from the man of God, appointed to preach & teach (for our church body, today, these are our regularly, called & ordained Pastors/Missionaries). We believe that Cornelius was the first named Gentile convert of the NT Church; I would argue, he also became the first House Church Planter To be clear, Jesus planted aHouseChurchministry. Acts 8:3closeActs 8:3 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (ESV) closeActs 8:3closeActs 8:3 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (ESV) 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (ESV) reveals that Saul understood the organizational nature of the church. These Acts 8:3closeActs 8:3 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (ESV) closeActs 8:3closeActs 8:3 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (ESV) 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (ESV) house churches were planted by Jesus/the Apostles; what makes Cornelius unique is that he is “just a layperson”.
Cornelius is working to bring those he knows, to hear from the Apostle; this is the essence of our model ofHouseChurchplanting today- laypeople gathering those they know to hear from our regularly called & ordained Pastors.
2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
-He and his family were of the same faith; implicit in this verse is the acknowledgement of his headship.
-He was not “off doing his own thing”; a man with true faith wants his family to be saved also.
-They were “God fearing”
-This describes Gentiles who believed in YHWH
-But had not taken up all the Jewish ceremonial laws (ie circumcision)
-He has two characteristics: generous w those in need & prayed regularly
*Should this be an attribute we look for in House Church Planters?
-God considered Himself to be in relationship with Cornelius
*Would the established religion have “counted” Cornelius on their guess list of who is saved?
-His outward actions were not in conformity w the religious way of counting
-He still had his foreskin
-“God fearers” were not accepted as full “members” in the synagogue/temple
-He would have been in the nude, at least an hour a day in the gym. *Are “these kind of people” good enough for our church pews?
-He would have eaten porky the pig
-Would not have agreed with all of the religious teachings re social values/norms
*Are we looking for “God fearers”?
-Do we understand that God shows no partiality?
-How many people can they instantly connect us with?
-In our Confessions, we say that Cornelius was saved prior to Peter’s visit:
“Cornelius (Acts 10:1closeActs 10:1 Peter and Cornelius 10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, (ESV) closeActs 10:1closeActs 10:1 Peter and Cornelius 10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, (ESV) Peter and Cornelius 10:1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, (ESV) ff.) had long since heard from the Jews about the coming Messiah through whom he was justified before God, and his prayers and alms were acceptable to God in this faith (Luke calls him “devout” and “God-fearing”),2 but he could not have believed and been justified if the Word and his hearing of it had not preceded. However, St. Peter had to reveal to him that the Messiah, in whose coming he had previously believed, had already come”[1]
* Do we understand what it means when we say that the Holy Spirit, “calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church”?
As Luther said, “Cornelius was a righteous and holy man in accordance with the Old Testament on account of his faith in the coming Christ, just as all the patriarchs, prophets, and devout kings in the Old Testament were righteous, having received the Holy Spirit secretly on account of their faith in the coming Christ.”[2]
-What is interesting about Cornelius of course is the fact, that Christ had come.
* Perhaps even more necessary of study, is the statement, “Cornelius had long since heard from the Jews…” The Apostle Paul freely used a pagan god & pagan poetry (now incorporated into Scripture!); in order to communicate the Gospel.
-Are we only comfortable with God working in certain ways?
-Can God still use other religions to help people be ready for a Gospel presentation?
God has been at work long before we show up to “save the day”
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More to come
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[1]Tappert, T. G. (2000, c1959). The book of concord : The confessions of the evangelical Lutheran church (The Smalcald Articles: 3, VIII, 8).Philadelphia: Fortress Press.
[2]Luther, M. (1999, c1963). Vol. 26: Luther's works, vol. 26 : Lectures on Galatians, 1535, Chapters 1-4 (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (Ga 3:3).Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.
