For Those Who Home Church
Materials and resources for home church groups.
From the book
SETTING IN ORDER
Basic instruction Booklet
For Home Church Fellowships
Dear Saints & Co-Laborers,
I am so very proud of the stand that each of you arc taking in the “work” of the Lord.
To let you know that I can send via email attachments or by regular mail
(hand-out sheets) that were given to the students here when we presented to them this series from Watchman Nee's book, “The Normal Christian Church Life" These while reading perhaps together, will help you to understand will explain a lot of perhaps questions that one(s) may have.
Other good books on the subject of Home Churching are called, “According To The Pattern” Written by Edwin Stube. It is also a manual for Church planting. It may be that it would be easier to comprehend for some. Also The House Of His Choosing by Jim Wies and again “Rethinking The Wineskin,” There are others by Frank Viola. Write me for information.
I am so very proud of the stand that each of you arc taking in the “work” of the Lord.
To let you know that I can send via email attachments or by regular mail
(hand-out sheets) that were given to the students here when we presented to them this series from Watchman Nee's book, “The Normal Christian Church Life" These while reading perhaps together, will help you to understand will explain a lot of perhaps questions that one(s) may have.Other good books on the subject of Home Churching are called, “According To The Pattern” Written by Edwin Stube. It is also a manual for Church planting. It may be that it would be easier to comprehend for some. Also The House Of His Choosing by Jim Wies and again “Rethinking The Wineskin,” There are others by Frank Viola. Write me for information.
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Well, perhaps some of what I speak of here you no doubt are aware of and then perhaps not. The biggest thing is to be led by the Holy Spirit in ALL matters and to agree and walk in unity!
Seek out the “core” of your group and go to payer and agree as to who the Apostle of the “work” is. To make all minds clear now and for the future this is good to have in writing. Please feed this back to me if you will please yes so I can keep on file. Understanding some problems in past years we want all minds clear in all matters.
At this time of prayer as well listen to the voice of the Lord as to who He wants for “elders” there. I will in turn and since I live so far away will be in prayer with you as to confirm your hearts. I will be coming beck to you in order to appoint the elders in the future.
We need “one” primary communicator for the "work" there. I feel this is vitally necessary due to my being so far away. All can and will hear from me but I need one source to transmit information, ideas etc.
Decide too how often to meet. Some home churches meet weekly especially when they are getting started. Some go to every two weeks. Some do the once a month. This will depend on your own group, jobs, needs and time involved.
It is good as stated already not to have a “leader” per se but that each one can learn to operate in their own anointing and calling. Others in turn will respect that in their brother and sister.
My recent trip to you was defiantly an Apostolic gesture as you got together with other called out ones. Your group is very fortunate as none of you presently are new converts therefore or on the other hand you have much work ahead of you. Be sure you know your calling and walk in it so the Body doesn't hurt or lack. Remember that several of you already know your calling(s) but realize and know which one you are operating in for that time and season. Like Sis B you learn to change hats often. Ha!
READ together 1 Cor. 14:26-33 and Acts 14:21-23
THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER
MOSTLY FROM THE BOOK
“According To The Pattern”
THE APOSTLE
Reading in Jn 12:49 we know that Jesus Christ was THE APOSTLE sent forth to do the will of the Father.
The apostle is one sent by God to begin a new work. The apostle Paul went from place to place, led by the Spirit, evangelizing and establishing congregations in places where there were formerly no Christians. An apostle must be able to manifest all the gifts of the Spirit-prophecy, heal the sick, cast out demons, proclaim the Gospel—because in a new place there are no others to do those things. The apostle does the works of Jesus and reveals Jesus’ power. This means he/she must minister with prophecy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, and the like. Preaching the Gospel and demonstrating its power.
Remember it's the anointed Word. (Sis B’s thots) The Word of the Lord is powerful. When you speak the Word, its the Word that performs the miracles.
The responsibility of the apostle is to bring people to repentance. Then as quickly as possible to baptism in water (by immersion and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Then these new converts are gathered into fellowships where they begin to learn to walk in the Spirit and minister to one another in the Spirit.
Read 1 Cor 14:26-33 again. The apostles aim must always be to work himself/herself out of a job by building Christian communities which can stand on their own. People will rapidly come to maturity when and as they start to minister one to another. (Sis B’s thots)
After a while, the apostle can visit the congregation(s) again to exhort encourage and strengthen them further. At that time, he/she appoints elders in each congregation with prayer and fasting. Then he/she commits the congregation to the Lord with the leadership of the local elders. The apostle does not control or govern that congregation again except trough exhortation and prayer. Letters of encouragement and instruction are proper. According to Acts 14:21-23 the apostle believes that God is able to lead them and their elders. When apostles have begun a work, the Lord needs prophets to build it up.
THE PROPHET
I, personally (Sis B) commend over to the prophets in your midst to “build up” the work and “strengthen” it.
Reading 1 Cor 12:28 and Eph. 4:11, Paul always lists “first apostles, second prophets.” The apostle is a pioneer who goes in and begins a new "work." Prophets are also needed from the beginning as a foundation.
Why prophets? Because prophets deliver God's Word directly. Read 1 Cor. 14:2 New converts especially need edification and exhortation directly from the Lord.
Lets not speak from ourselves thinking that the new convert needs the entire Book taught to them delivering a lecture from Adam to the Second Coming. Let the Lord speak into these hearts. (Heb 4:12)
This ministry not only includes prophesy, but also words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and other manifestations of the Spirit. All people can prophesy, but the prophet continually acts as God's mouth.
There are prophets that travel and visit churches, like Silas and Agabus. There are also prophets in the local congregation, as we read in Acts 13:1-3. When you have a new congregation the people are not yet accustomed to delivering prophecy and other gifts of the Spirit.
The Lord can appoint people in the local congregation to act as prophets. For this, we need the same foundation of the early Church had. We need a Church founded on the apostles and prophets.
THE TEACHER
Paul said”.. third teachers” (1 Cor 12:28). As soon as the apostles and prophets have laid a foundation, the teachers begin to build upon it. Remember, Christian teachers do not use the same methods as ordinary school teachers. Jesus is our model teacher! Jesus chose and called twelve men, and they began to travel with Him. He did not build a school building or hold classes. You see the disciples watched His ministry as He healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, taught the crowds, gave the Pharisees a hard time etc. As stated all Jesus teaching was done in context of fellowship. Indeed, fellowship with His disciples is the basis of Jesus’ method of teaching. Jesus teaching was always done informally by discussion or question and answer method. Always practical and adjusted to the level of His disciples’ development.
In every New Testament congregation there must be teachers, not to give lectures, but to teach, as Jesus did, in fellowship. The teacher really has to live a sanctified life, because he/she is teaching by example. (As Sis B would say with character and integrity)
When there are new converts let the teacher(s) gather them together and form a fellowship or group, in which they can minister to each other and heal the sick etc.
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We could talk about Miracles, Healing, and Helps but feel we need to move on to what is on my heart Most are familiar with those anyway or else can do up something (short) about each one.
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GOVERNMENTS
Government in the New Testament congregation is normally in the hands of elders (presbyteroi). When Paul formed a new congregation, he appointed elders to govern that congregation with the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 14:21-23) In the New Testament, a congregation was never governed by a single minister or priest, but by several elders.
In I Timothy we can find the qualifications for elders. PLEASE READ.
The job of the elder is to govern, teach in the congregation, and keep the sheep from going astray. Paul exhorted the elders from the church in Ephesus to “Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock.. .etc.. (Acts 20:28) The elders themselves need not to do much of the actual ministry, but rather set in order and lead those who are in the other ministries. Elders or pastors do not lead meetings in New Testament type worship, with the exception of the sacraments. Leading a service is the work of the Holy Spirit. If a congregation has teachers, healers, prophets, and other ministries, all the elders have to do is oversee and keep everything running smoothly. If problems do arise the elders can step In to settle them. When sheep fall or wander astray, the elder or shepherd goes out and brings them back.
It is not always easy to bring a church into divine order. The traditions of almost all churches are against it.
In I Timothy we can find the qualifications for elders. PLEASE READ.
The job of the elder is to govern, teach in the congregation, and keep the sheep from going astray. Paul exhorted the elders from the church in Ephesus to “Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock.. .etc.. (Acts 20:28) The elders themselves need not to do much of the actual ministry, but rather set in order and lead those who are in the other ministries. Elders or pastors do not lead meetings in New Testament type worship, with the exception of the sacraments. Leading a service is the work of the Holy Spirit. If a congregation has teachers, healers, prophets, and other ministries, all the elders have to do is oversee and keep everything running smoothly. If problems do arise the elders can step In to settle them. When sheep fall or wander astray, the elder or shepherd goes out and brings them back.
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It is not always easy to bring a church into divine order. The traditions of almost all churches are against it.
Would you like more to learn more?
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