The institutional churches in America have become settled in the world while the world has all but diluted the historic biblical faith with a Laodicean spirit of lukewarmness as foretold in the Book of Revelation. (Rev. 3:14-20)

House Groups in Century 21

House groups are not a new concept in the Christian Church. Whether one refers to small companies of believers meeting in homes or other facilities as “house groups” or “house churches” is secondary. In this booklet I am referring to these groups in both ways. Many Christians in what has become known as the house church movement give the impression that Christians must chose between being involved in a house group or involved in a more formally organized traditional institutional church. This, again, is of secondary importance.

The Strawberry House Church

My contention is that there is a place for both; the traditional church and the house group. Ideally house churches are the means by which vital relationships among the people of God can be developed, fos-tered, and maintained. Where the larger more formal church body is often not able to meet the needs of community – fellowship or koinonia, the smaller house group is able to meet this need to a greater degree. The leadership in the larger church setting is un-able to be as involved in the shepherding, disciplining, encouraging, teaching and shar-ing as fully as it is possible within the smaller company of believers. In fact, the biblical concept of discipleship would be far better accomplished if our traditional churches would foster the small group concept.

The house church that I am part of takes a non-denominational approach. It is our objective to simply be Christians, not the only Christians but Christians only! Those who are part of our Strawberry group are from various traditional institutional churches but in coming to our gatherings we are all simply disciples of Jesus Christ; not Baptist nor Presbyterian nor Pentecostal but Christians. We seek to avoid being labeled and/or associated with any particular part of the Body of Christ. We are a company of followers of Jesus Christ who have accepted him as Savior and Lord. We have placed our faith in our Lord’s death, burial and bodily resurrection. We are anticipating his return one day for those who personally know him. We believe that small groups such as ours have been raised up to love, glorify and serve God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We pursue fellowship with those who have by God’s grace been justified by faith in Christ. We are seeking to be obedient to the Royal Law spelled out by our Lord:

In the Gospel of John we read:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

This love (agape) is more easily practiced in a house group than it is in larger companies of believers.

Through the centuries churches have become institutionalized, settled for the status quo, and accepted the idea that to be a church they must meet in a structure mistakenly called a sanctuary. The concepts set forth in this booklet are foreign to most people.

During the sixteenth century some of the reforming groups met together as small companies of believers in homes. These Christians were dubbed Anabaptists by their enemies. They were forced to meet secretly during the days of the Reformation as they were often hunted down, imprisoned and killed for what many traditional Christians (both Catholics and Protestants) considered a radical faith.

Today the house church concept is best exemplified in China. When communism overwhelmed nationalist China Christianity had to go underground to survive. Yet, the Christian faith has exploded by millions of new believers in China largely through house churches meeting in secret. In our own country the small group movement has also exploded. These small groups feed many of the traditional churches who without them would have withered and died on the vine.

Though I am not a prophet and make no pretense of being able to see into the fu-ture, I believe that a new wave in this twenty-first century will be a rapid proliferation of house groups. Western Christianity appears to be in a downward spiral. The day may come when those Christians who are out-of-step with the religious system, as it is currently developing, will be forced to meet in homes. Don’t say or think that this can never happen in America. The house church concept is indeed very exciting and challenging as it may well be the future of authentic Christianity with the coming Antichrist. At this point in history many American Christians are being hoodwinked into accepting the American brand of politically-correct civil religion.

Ekklesia:
In all likelihood you are probably unfamiliar with the word “ekklesia.” This word is found throughout the Bible. It is rendered in Scripture, both testaments, in a number of ways such as: ‘assembly,’ ‘company’, ‘congregation’, ‘called-out’ but most frequently in the New Testament it is rendered as ‘church.’ Personally I think that it is unfortunate that ekklesia has been rendered church which in reality is a non-descriptive word.

What does it really mean? Let’s fact it, the word ‘church’ is meaningless to most people. To the majority of people it is a building. To others it is a denomination. To many people it is an organization, a sect or religious hierarchy. However, none of these definitions are accurate.

Throughout the centuries God has called-out companies of people to serve a specific purpose. This holds true both under the Old Covenant as well as under the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant God’s special call was to the children of Israel; the Jews. Under the New Covenant this special call is issued to Jews and Gentiles who come into personal belief and acceptance of Jesus Christ. This call is not an “easy believism” as tends to be popular in evangelical and charismatic churches in their quest for ever growing numbers and bigger campuses. Rather, God’s call to those who believe in Christ is to a life of discipleship. See: Mark 8:34-38. Remember, Christ is not only Savior but he alone is Lord of the life of the believer.

The word “ekklesia” aka “ecclesia” reveals to us what the church is. It is not an organization nor is it a political or activist “do-gooder” society of people with a cause regardless of how just and righteous that cause may be. Rather, the original meaning and intent of what has been translated or mistranslated in our English Bibles as “church” is actually “a called-out company of men and women under the banner of Jesus Christ!”

The words “assembly”, “congregation”, and “company” are more descriptive than is the word “church”. Let me share my definition of an ekklesia:

“An ekklesia is a company of believers who have been and are being called-out by the Spirit of God to give their full allegiance to God in and through a personal relationship with Jesus the Christ as Savior and Lord.”

What Is Special About House Groups?
The Christians during New Testament days and shortly thereafter nearly always assembled together in homes. This was the rule, not the exception. As companies of believers outgrew a home they would divide and meet in additional homes. These were not competing groups of Christians. Rather they were but one church in a given geographical area assembling in numerous locations. As the ekklesia in Jerusalem grew the new Christians were assembling in many different homes. See: Acts 2:46; 5:42; 8:3; 12:5, 12. This was necessary because the number of people becoming Christians was rapidly increasing and the group quickly became too large for any one home. This also happened in other cities. See:Rom. 16:3-5, 14-16.

The concept of non-traditional revolutionary churches is not a new innovation but a return to the original practices of apostolic Christianity. Whether or not this is bet-ter than how the institutional churches have developed is open to discussion. I believe that house churches provide an alternative means for the Body of Christ to function effectively. It is interesting to note what the German Protestant Reformer Martin Luther said advocating a return to the house group concept: “They (the Evangelicals) should sign their names and meet alone in a house somewhere to pray, to read [the Scriptures], to baptize, to receive the sacrament [communion], and do other Christian works. According to this order, those who do not lead Christian lives could be known, reproved, corrected, cast out, or excommunicated according to the rule of Christ, Matthew 18. Here one could also solicit benevolent gifts to be willingly given and distributed to the poor, according to St. Paul’s example, 2 Corinthians 9. Here would be no need of much and elaborate singing. Here one could set out a brief and neat order for baptism and the sacrament and center everything on the Word, prayer, and love.”

Unfortunately Luther did not carry out his conviction. He bowed to the pressure from political leaders and continued the unscriptural practice that had developed in the organized Church since the union of Church and State under the emperor Constantine in the fourth-century.

Why have House Groups Today?
I’m sure that many people wonder why we should counter the commonly accepted institutional church concept when there is a church building on nearly every corner of many of our cities and villages. We are living in a day when there are increasing numbers of mega-churches. These are congregations that sometimes number into the thousands of members and attendees. They expend millions upon millions of dollars for their building programs, upkeep, salaries, etc.

I mentioned earlier that I believe that this concept can be a viable alternative to the traditional institutional church concept that is familiar to most people. I believe that there is a need for house groups today for a number of reasons. Let me share some of these with you.
“Turned-off”: It seems to me that an increasing number of people are being “turned-off” by the traditional institutional organizations that call themselves churches. Many people are “turned-off” by the political maneuvering, bureaucracy and ungodly, unchristian power plays that take place in many churches and denominations. Cliques that abound in institutional churches turn many people away not only from the church itself but from the Christian message. As churches grow there often is an increase in the backbiting, gossip, personality conflicts, back-stabbing, etc. These ungodly practices run rampant even involving some of the leaders of the churches. Such actions are far from Christian and are soundly condemned in the Scriptures. In the small group these conditions can also exist, however it is easier to deal with issues such as these as they pop-up in the small group setting and to implement the following biblical exhortation: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but en-couraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Structure: Much of what is accepted as natural and normal for the structure of churches is not based upon the New Testament. A limited degree of structure is necessary to any group that intends to function effectively. However, the people of God are encouraged to depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, illumine and empower. Church structure often gets in the way of what Christ intended his spiritual body to be. Non-traditional house ekklesias can be free of endless business meetings, rigid procedures, legalism, power and political struggles, etc.

House groups are better able to promote the biblical concept of Christian com-munity than are traditional institutional churches with their rigid structure. The New Testament emphasizes the fact that the church is “the family of God.” A small com-pany of believers is like a family. To further develop community Christians must have a biblical understanding of the family if it is to function in this manner. An ekklesia is a family that is an extension in some respects of the household families that we come from. In other words the same dynamics of communication, commitment, intimacy, growth, participation, caring, sharing and responsibility of our household family overflow into our small Christian group relationships. If our relationships with our spouse, family members and friends are not what they should be, our small group family will not be able to function properly nor effectively. Because the small Christian group acts like a family, it is easier to recognize and correct problems as they arise.

One of the greatest challenges to institutional churches is good communication. In the small group it is expected that communication will be practiced. It is not easy to hide from someone if you have to sit directly with them in the same room and pray together, participate in worship, Bible study and group discussion and eat at the same table. If a disagreement occurs we often have a natural tendency to harbor bitterness and anger. In the traditional church setting one can just go to another part of the building and not have to see or deal with that other person. In the house church the relationships in the group are greatly affected if divisions aren’t bridged. The Bible teaches that God expects his adopted family to be a loving, caring community. Christians are exhorted to: “grow up in every way into Him who is the Head, into Christ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and builds-up itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)

In a small company of believers, good communication among those who are part of the group illustrates loving relationships with each other in the Lord and love for God.

What takes place in a House Group?
Each group is a unique and distinct entity unto itself. No two groups are exactly the same. What I am sharing here is what takes place in our Strawberry house group. We normally gather together each Sunday evening. However, this is not written in stone. Originally the group met each week in my home. Now it rotates to various homes of our house group attendees. Most of our number attend traditional churches on Sunday mornings but some of us view our “real” church experience when we gather in each other’s homes on Sunday evenings. Our gatherings normally include:

	A time of praise and worship
	Sharing blessings and answers to prayer that we have experienced the past week
	Prayer requests with a time for prayer
	Healing prayer which may include anointing

We gather around the table:

	We observe table communion each time we gather
	We break bread by eating a meal together
	We feature Bible Study (not lecture) but have free-flowing discussion, and Fellowship (community) takes place throughout our time together.

To acquaint you in more detail as to what takes place in our gatherings let me go into further detail:

A time of praise and worship:
In our gatherings we usually begin with a time of singing. We include both choruses as well as hymns for a well-rounded experience in our ministering unto the Lord and to each other through music. We take Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians seriously: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:16)

In our gatherings we have no musical instruments to accompany our singing except a tambourine. Praise should not have to depend upon instruments although we are not against using instruments to accompany our singing. As believers God puts a song upon each one’s heart. We are open to having instrumental accompaniment if and when the Lord brings such into our group. Until then our unaccompanied voices will do in our praise to God.

A time of sharing our blessings and concerns:
We seek to let anyone who desires to share with the group blessings they have been experiencing since our last get together, concerns that they may have, and/or challenging, exhorting and encouraging one another.

A time for praying:
Praying is like spiritual breathing. One cannot continue to live without air and the process of breathing. In like manner the disciple of Christ cannot continue to grow in his or her walk with Christ without prayer. In our house gatherings we solicit prayer requests from each other. We pass out slips of paper to enable each one to write down the various requests that are expressed to remind each one to pray for these requests during the ensuing week. When one of our members has a personal prayer request, we pray right then for that sister or brother. If a need for sharing a prayer request comes up during the week we call one another and request prayer. We take prayer seriously believing that God does answer prayer.

Healing prayer with anointing with oil:
Some small groups will undoubtedly be more comfortable with this practice than will larger groups. In our group we never “tell” or “command” God as to what to do in the area of healing. We view healing as physical, emotional and spiritual, i.e., wholeness. We always seek to pray that God’s will will be done whatever that may be. In our Strawberry group we also lay hands upon and anoint those requesting healing prayer with oil. This is new to some in our group. We use regular olive oil which was undoubtedly used by the early believers when they anointed those of their number who requested healing prayer. It is not the oil that heals. There is no magical power in the oil, it is simply a symbol of the anointing of God’s Spirit upon us when we pray for one another’s healing. We take the exhortation and example of James literally:

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:13-14)

You might be asking, “Is your group really a church?” We sure are. Wherever and whenever a group of believers assemble together beseeching Christ to be in their midst, there you have church. Remember, a church is not an organization. It is an organism. It is a manifestation of the spiritual body of Christ in the locale where a company of believers assemble. Even as all believers are part of the royal priesthood of believers, it is incumbent that each believer take his or her priesthood seriously. When such prayer is being offered everyone in the group is invited to lay hands upon the individual requesting healing prayer. As to who the elders are we view elder not as an office holder but as those believers who are spiritually minded and mature. Therefore any such believer may pray for and anoint others.

Table Communion:
In our group we brake the bread and share the cup remembering our Lord’s death, burial, resurrection and anticipating his return each week. Communion should never be taken lightly. We do not seek to delve into the theological concepts of the meaning, methodology and practices associated with communion. Rather, we simply do that which Christ commanded of his followers. We believe that each time we gather around the table we are to remember our Lord in the sharing of bread and wine. This sharing is beautiful and meaningful in its simplicity.

We break bread by eating together:
Personally, I do not believe that the host home should go into debt nor spend an exceedingly great amount of time and work in preparing this meal as some will eventually come to resent having the house church gather in their home. Normally the meal should be kept simple. It can be a pot luck or have a pre-determined menu. The group itself needs to make this determination. Sitting at the table while eating the discussion flows freely covering many subjects. . .not all “religious.” We enjoy one another’s company.

When the meal is completed the dishes and other items are removed from the table and in our group we usually continue to sit around the table for our:

Bible Study & Discussion Time:
This should not be a lecture time. Rather, it should focus attention on God’s written Word providing opportunity for free-flowing discussion. In our group I’m usually the facilitator of the Bible Study and Discussion Time. However, it could be any biblically-sound person who leads. We usually put our attention on some particular series of Bible studies. I’ve developed a number of biblical studies that are available to any group interested in these. These cover sundry subjects.

We assemble together on Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m. and try to end no later than 8:30 p.m. However, this does not always work out in our group as some like to remain for conversation following our Bible Study-Discussion time.

What I’ve spelled out here in not written in stone. We often change. We have no written format. In our group we set aside every fifth Sunday evening as game night. In lieu of our study-discussion we play games that evening. Periodically at other times we may go to some event together as a group.

What about money?
We never pass an offering plate. There are no dues, no fund raisers, no pledges, no embarrassing anyone to give. Periodically we have projects. These are determined by the group itself. There is an offering receptacle available where anyone who wants to give an offering is free to do so. One of our number holds these funds. We are not incorporated nor do we believe that a Christian group needs to become subject to the government in this manner. We keep no record of anyone’s giving. The individual holding the funds is expected to keep track of what comes in and what is expended.

What About the Size of the Group?
As its name suggests it is vital that the small group remain small. What has happened within traditional churches ought not to be allowed to happen in small groups. Size is a real issue that must be dealt with. The small group of believers should be relational, personal, intimate, and committed to God and to one another. This is imperative if the group is to make it. As already mentioned the group should be like a family; a loving family not one filled with division, conflict, and personality clashes as often is the case in institutional churches. It is no coincidence that the New Testament uses family terms to describe our relationships to God and with each other. Size definitely affects a small group. Social scientists have shown that smaller groups encourage more participation, closer interaction, more accountability, and closer relationships. This is nothing new when we consider that Christ while on earth worked most closely with a small group of twelve that he could build into community. Spiritual growth happens best in an intimate environment.

How tragic that in our traditional churches we often sit in the same pew week after week and yet never get to know one another beyond the superficial “Good morning, how are you today.” Seldom do the pew sitters get to know the inner feelings, the hurts and joys, the problems, etc. being faced by their fellow Christian who is expected to put on “a happy face” among the saints when inside the individual may be crying out for love, help and understanding.

In the house ekklesia if one person is not present or leaves for some reason or another, the entire group feels that individual’s absence. This is a positive factor – every person is crucial. People are not mere numbers nor mere spectators in house groups. Everyone becomes a participant because every person is so important to the community as all are responsible to minister to each other. When this kind of commitment is not sustained, the small group goes out of existence quickly and rightly so. Growth is also frustrated if the group is exclusive, self-satisfied, or becomes apathetic. It is imperative that each member of the group reach out in love, concern and compassion to each other. It often takes time to develop this concept because most of us have become so conditioned to the traditional accepted concepts and ways of “doin” church.

Leadership:
Few institutional churches follow the New Testament apostolic pattern of leadership. The teaching of the priesthood of all believers has been largely abandoned in favor of a system that is out-of-step with the New Testament. As to the leadership within the house church, this needs to be determined by the group itself. When gifts of leadership are in evidence they should be recognized. There is no room for competitiveness or jealousy in a home fellowship. Those facilitating Bible Study must be students of the Word, sound in their doctrine and filled with the Holy Spirit. They may or may not be “ordained” in the traditional sense. This does not matter. Actually ordination as we know it and as it is practiced in the institutional churches is of humanly devised origin, not based in the New Testament. The group may want to designate someone as its Coordinator-Facilitator in order to practice good order. See: 1 Corinthians 14:33 and 40. Some groups may also want to recognize any of their number who meet the Scriptural requirement set forth for elders and deacons. See the letters of Paul to Timothy and to Titus. However, such designations of individuals is optional and needs to be determined by the group. Any and all such designations that are made by the group should be by consensus, not by majority rule. Christ alone must be the head of every company of believers:

“And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” (Col.1:18)

The Need to Work Together is Critical:
It is imperative that each person who is part of the group work together in developing and nurturing a healthy Christian community. Promoting unity is based upon our Lord’s prayer recorded in John 17. It is the responsibility of each one in the group to shepherd (pastor) each other keeping in view that shepherding is not an office but is the ministry of serving. The entire group must lend support to those who struggle, to those who are wounded, to those who are lonely and to those who desire to grow in the Lord. Those who are part of the group must be willing to give and receive admonition. Each person can thus be assured that even in the worst of times others will remain committed to loving and caring for them. These relationships will not be shattered and split apart by conflict, but remain glued together as each person needs to know that in spite of difficulties others will remain faithful to them. The matter of discipline must be in accord with the biblical precepts.

Because a house ekklesia is small, people are able to develop meaningful relationships more easily as they care for each other like they’re members of the same family. This encourages each one to take part in all the chores. There are no observers in a household nor in a small group, not only does each one observe and receive instruction, but everyone actively participates in the ministry of the group. The house group normally develops a higher commitment level than takes place in institutional churches. Participants quickly become seriously involved or they drop out. The small group fosters mutual commitment as well as mutual ministry. In this environment people minister to each other without intruding into each others privacy.

Within this framework there can be a unique opportunity to discover and develop each person’s spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows a gift-mix upon groups of believers who are open to receiving, nurturing and sharing spiritual gifts. When believer’s gifts and ministry are developed it is then that the biblical concept of every Christian is a minister becomes reality. It is in this setting that true “ordination” takes place. Note what Christ said as recorded in John 15:16 (KJV): “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

The newer translations do not use the word “ordained” but “appointed.” However, both mean the same. Every follower of Christ is ordained or appointed to do the work that God entrusts to them. This does not take special credentials of education, degrees, professionalism, etc. rather it takes an open and willing heart and life to be used by God.

Does this concept totally rule out public ordination? I part company with those house church folk who oppose any form of public ordination. I am convinced that it has a rightful place just as long as it is not intended to develop a form of hierarchy or give undue power to a member of the priesthood above the other members of the priesthood of all believers. Being recognized by public ordination can be helpful in certain situations. In fact, Olive Tree Ministries, the para-church ministry that I founded, offers public ordination and covering for specially called-out servants of God. See – Eph. 4:11-12.

You may be asking yourself, “But why should ordination in the more traditional understanding of it be a part of the house church movement?”

The only reason I see a need for such a procedure is that by having some who are “ordained” in the understanding of the outside community provides a degree of legitimacy that is often lacking without it. For instance to have “an ordained” brother or sister officiate at a wedding or a funeral is better understood by the institutional church world, though it adds no degree of validity in the biblical sense.

What about baptism and communion?
Our group does not view either baptism nor communion as having any sacramental value attached to them. The majority of institutional churches reserve administering baptism and communion to those who are ordained and authorized to do these tasks by the bylaws of their particular denomination or church body. In the priesthood of believers there is no group of believers that are set apart as “the priestly class”. Any believer has the authority to administer the ordinance of baptism and communion.

At our Sunday evening gatherings any brother or sister may oversee by offering thanksgiving, breaking the bread and sharing the cup with those at the table. According to the individual it may take on various ways of doing it. As to believer’s baptism we have at this point had no baptisms. When and if a sister or brother desires to be baptized (by immersion or pouring in special cases) the individual will make the decision as to who they want to baptize them.

Fellowship:
Closely tied in with the “one another” passages is what we Christian often refer to as fellowship. Christian fellowship appears to have fallen by the wayside in most institutional churches. Not so with the house group. Fellowship is vital within the small group setting. In traditional institutional churches it is often reserved for what takes place in what they call “the fellowship hall” and/or having coffee and donuts together. But is that really fellowship? Personally, I think not! Observe the what is called the fellowship hour in most churches and watch. You will see clusters of people with the same people week after week while others are largely excluded for whatever the reason. To some people the so-called “fellowship” time is the most difficult time for them as in the midst of the crowd they feel lonely, out-of-place, or totally excluded for the regular cliques that every congregation has. Acts 2:42 reveals that one of the ingredients of the first congregation after Pentecost was “fellowship.” “Koinonia” is the Greek word that is often used in the New Testament that is translated as “fellowship.” Christian fellowship is an important part of every house church. It must never deliberately or unknowingly ignore any brother or sister for whatever the reason.

A World-wide Move of God:
The house church concept is rapidly growing becoming a world-wide phenomenon; China, North Korea, the Middle East, Vietnam, etc. Many believe that through such companies of believers, communities can be reached for Christ much in the same manner that communities were reached in the first century.

This is what we advocate:
We’ve just touched on a number of aspects of who and what we are striving to be. Whether we are part of a house group of Christians or involved in a more traditional group or both we are disciples of Jesus Christ. Too many Christians and companies of believers never fully understand who they are or what they are really all about. To help determine the direction of the assembly it is important that it knows where it is heading. This applies to both house groups as well as to the more structured traditional concept of church.

Our Lord’s Ministry Modeled the above Instructions/Purposes [See - John 17:1-26]

A House Ekklesia Exists to:

	Celebrate God’s Presence in WORSHIP (exalt and glorify God)
		“O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together.” (Ps. 34:3) - RSV “I was glad when they said to me,’ Let us go to the Lord’s house.’” (Ps. 122:1) - GNB
	Communicate God’s Word through EVANGELISM (our local mission field)
		The most important thing is that I complete my mission - the work the Lord gave me to do – to tell people the Good News about God’s grace. (Acts 20:24) - NCV “You will be My witnesses...” (Acts 1:8) - NIV
	Incorporate God’s Family through COMMUNITY (fellowship - encourage one another)
		“You are a member of God’s very own family and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” (Eph. 2:19) - LB
	Challenge and encourage God’s people in DISCIPLESHIP (on to maturity)
		“...building up the church, the body of Christ, to a position of strength and maturity ... until all become full grown in the Lord.” (Eph. 4:12b-13) - LB
	Demonstrate God’s love in MINISTRY (equip for ministry) Always keep before the group that every believer is a minister (servant), therefore every believer is en-trusted with servant ministry (serving). There are no exceptions, no exclusions from this.
		“...to prepare God’s people for the work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12a)

Be Biblical:
If in fact we are living in the closing days of the Church Age prior to the Call of Christ for His Bride, the believing Church we need to be aware that there will be a falling away and an increase in unbelief and apostasy. A house group should be biblical in all aspects of belief and practice. It is imperative that a biblical fellowship of Christians hold firmly to the basic foundational tenets of the historic faith.

Warnings are given in the New Testament that need to be heeded:

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By cov-etousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)

The following biblical passages warn believers. You may want to check out the following exhortations.

One of the reasons that many traditional institutional churches are in trouble is that many of them have become lukewarm filled with apathy, bound by tradition, and indifferent to the so-called “clergy” that have been allowed to “take over”. This class tends to dominate making the majority of the congregation spectators. The twentieth-century saw a rapid erosion of sound biblical teaching in the churches of all denominations. This is continuing into this twenty-first century. The orthodoxy that remains is often cold, harsh, calculated and resembles the attitudes displayed by the Pharisees of our Lord’s day. See: Matthew Chapter 23. Skepticism, doubt and at times outright unbelief is filling some churches as new heresies are introduced. The personality cult seems especially strong in many of the mega-churches but filters down to other groups as well. The biblical references listed above are but some of the many passages warning believers to be on their guard.

We invite you:
If you believe that the Lord may be leading you to get a house group going or being a part of one we would like to hear from you. We are developing additional material to aid new groups. Let us know if you would like to be placed on our mailing list to periodically receive material as it is published.

If you are beginning a house group or are already a part of such a group we invite you to network in fellowship with us: no organization, no joining anything, no structure, simply getting to know one another and periodically getting together for sharing the things of God, praise and worship, prayer and fellowship.

In addition to the workshop/seminars we also have a number of booklets available.
Contact us for a listing of what is available.

Strawberry Views
HC 1, Box 1529
Strawberry, AZ 85544-9740

E-mail Us:

Back to the Top