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| PentecostalTheology.com
Should I Join a Home Church?
5 Reasons You Need to Join a House Church
1. FOR ASSURANCE 2. TO EVANGELIZE THE WORLD. 3. TO EXPOSE FALSE GOSPELS. 4. TO EDIFY THE CHURCH. 5. TO GLORIFY GOD
5 Reasons Why You Should Not Join a House Church 1. It’s so much easier. 2. It’s less “judgmental.” 3. It’s closer to New Testament Christianity. 4. It’s less expensive. 5. You just “click” better with the people at a house church you tried.
John Kissinger [02/02/2016 8:47 AM]
that’s a good question – what do you think about House churches?
Roger David [02/02/2016 10:40 AM]
I love house churches. They are a tighter knit community where you can serve more effectively…evangelize more effectively and build each other up more effectively than you can in a larger church.
Less cracks to slip through…more personalized attention if there is a need that arises. You can spend more time ministering and being ministered to than you can in a larger church.
The only concern I have about house churches is the accuracy of the teaching and the possibility of turning into a little cult.(I’ve seen it happen)
John Kissinger [02/02/2016 1:14 PM]
They are UN-biblical
Roger David [02/02/2016 3:41 PM]
Depends on the size of the house I guess. :p
Vlad Stepanov [02/02/2016 8:19 PM]
That’s a no no.
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Roger David [02/02/2016 8:23 PM]
House churches is assembling together.
John Ruffle [02/03/2016 2:59 AM]
The building block of the Church universal is the house church, aka the family: the ‘church in the home’.
House churches, however, seem to mimic the values that should be in – and remain within – the family. It’s the relationship dynamic that draws the lucky few into so-called house churches. I find them inturned and with an air of exclusivity that’s hard to break into and also usually led quite dictatorially.
However the DYNAMIC of small groups is vital for discipleship and also the seed-bed for revival. Small groups that work and that are sustainable in my experience in USA and England are made up of people who have a commitment to a larger congregation – often crossing denominational divides. This is the direction I do believe we MUST develop more and more.
But autonomous, totally non-accountable groups that stand against established churches – such house “churches”? No. Definitely not.
John Ruffle [02/03/2016 3:13 AM]
PS: The OP and its link are both confusing and not thought through. But the issue is a relevant one. I think the MOTIVE behind any house church vision is important. If it’s based on a dissatisfaction on what the “other” churches are doing then it’s the wrong foundation and ultimately cannot avoid sectarianism and is doomed to fail over time.
John Kissinger [02/03/2016 6:27 AM]
OP presents 2 sides of one very controversial issue for the church today. Did the house church movement intend DEATH OF DENOMINATIONS? http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/death-of-denominations-are-denominations-biblical/
Vincent Christina Young
Church is good. we can be around other followers but do you have to go to the specific building every weekend no. You can be anywhere and follow Jesus Christ and our heavenly father and talk to him. I like hiking into the mountains turning off all my electronics and just sitting in the middle of the forest and just talking to my heavenly father telling him how much I am so thankful for everything he has provided me. So just get up out of your bed and just walk. Just keeping our heavenly father in our minds and when we sin ask for Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Don’t hide yourself from others it’s important to share the word to others that don’t know of Jesus.
Dan Irving
I am convinced the best model is a regular assembly led by spiritual elders, who each lead a home-group. I sincerely believe BOTH are necessary for a healthy, enduring, maturing body of believers.
Varnel Watson
Small home groups are also assemblies but it seems the NT model from ACTS required one large Sunday assembly for all groups. Problem with home groups or so called cell churches in most cultures, the group leadrs soon begin wanting the lead pastors position cause they can do it better and the model causes church splits
Dan Irving
Church splits are always caused by carnality, somewhere. Frankly, if someone is power-hungry, it may be best for the flock they separate. Cell groups, I believe are essential. And we know they operated like that in the first century.
Wayne Scott
Troy wrote //Small home groups are also assemblies but it seems the NT model from ACTS required one large Sunday assembly for all groups.//. I do not believe this is true and need scriptural support.
Varnel Watson
Book of Acts?
Acts 1 – small group
Acts 2 – small group / then large
Acts 3 – small group going to larger meeting
Acts 4 – small group
Acts 5 – larger group with central leadership
Acts 6 – large group with social ministries, etc.
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Join a House Church 1. It’s so much easier. 2. It’s less “judgmental.” 3. It’s closer to New Testament Christianity. 4. It’s less expensive. 5. You just “click” better with the people at a house church you tried.
Link Hudson
You do not want to becloser to Biblical Christianity?
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson I dont find this model in the BIBLE – do you?
Link Hudson
Troy Day I see in the Bible that the Jerusalem church met in homes and Solomon’s porch. Outside of Jerusalem they met in homes.
The Bible uses ‘church’ to refer to all the saints in a city that assemble and an assembly that occurs in a home.
The Bible indicates early church meetings involved members of the assembly speaking exhorting one another (Hebrews 10:24-25) edifying one another with spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 14:26.) i do not find the one-man pastor-pulpits model in scripture.
The Bible indicates the Lord’s supper was an actial meal-e.g. Matthew 26 and use of “Lord’s Supper’ in I Corinthians 11.
The apostles appointed more than one elder to pastor a church, appointed from among members of that assembly. E.g. Acts 14, Acts 20:28, Titis 1.
I do not see evidence of churches constructing special purpose worship facilities or of having a prayer place called an ‘altar’ in the assembly in scripture
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson you dont see them meeting in the Temple and the synagogues 🙂 I often wonder if we read the same BIBLE ? Must be some new translation
Link Hudson
Troy Day James 2:2 mentions synagogues. That could have been a home meeting too. Did synagogue buildings have footstools?
Some Christians may have continued in the synagogues but they had their own meetings too. What see are examples of Paul evangelizing in the synagogues. There is no clear Biblical evidence for converting synagogue buildings to Christian buildings in scripture. You could argue from James 2:2 but that would be conjecture. Meeting in houses is clear. We might have some archeological evidence for one Christian synagogue building around that time but not scripture.
Would you care to share some of the scriptures that you think teach this?
Daniel J Hesse
Many home groups are routinely stuck.
Joseph D Crews
Tried to open link. FB shows site blocked. Liked the comments.
Varnel Watson
every one else opened it – which Link exactly ?
Link Hudson
Troy Day not me
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson you have filtered google bad connect