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Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Original Post deleted

I deleted this post due to some changes in my beliefs regarding the issue I addressed here.


_________________
Oracio

 2010/11/4 23:24Profile
jimp
Member



Joined: 2005/6/18
Posts: 1481


 Re: Home-Based Church Gatherings Pamphlet

hi, as part of a 3campus church we have over 100 small adult home groups and hundreds of youth groups in baton rouge.i find it very biblical and rewarding. it is hard to fellowship with the back of someones head.bethany.com for contacts and info to help.jimp great church

 2010/11/5 7:35Profile
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

post deleted


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Oracio

 2010/11/5 9:10Profile









 Re: Home-Based Church Gatherings Pamphlet


Hi Oracio,

Interesting idea. Certainly, it may be an encouragement to some.

I would like to suggest you consider not using numbers (1, 2, 3 etc) but bullet points, simply because everything you've mentioned is important.

Most of your wording is fine (imho). There is a small number of changes you might make.

 2010/11/5 13:21
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re: Suggestions from Alive-to-God

post deleted


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Oracio

 2010/11/5 14:46Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

Our church meets in small groups Wednesday evenings. We sing, take prayer requests, pray, and have Bible Study. Presently we are studying the life of Joseph.

Then after we are done, we do like all good church folks do, we eat! Simple snack which usually includes pop corn, cookies, fresh fruit and beverage. I love this informal time of sharing, and fellowship.

Just thought I would share my testimony concerning this issue.

ginnyrose


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Sandra Miller

 2010/11/5 19:28Profile









 Re: Home-Based Church Gatherings Pamphlet


At Oracio's request, I'm posting from a PM from me to him, for discussion, maybe?



I have more to say by way of background, than needs to be reflected in the tract. I'll just put it all down, and leave you to figure out what you want to change, if anything.

This, if God is asking you to do it, is your obedience. I am merely offering thoughts which I hope will enable you to divide succinctly between what must, and what need not, be said.

(3) 'Temple and Church' or 'Church and Temple', is confusing. The Church IS 'the temple made without hands' 'lively stones' being 'built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit'. Please decide what you want to convey, and use just one term. The 'Temple', was the Jewish temple - a building complex - a different word in Greek.

The word translated 'temple' in the NT of the Church, is a reference to 'the Holy of Holies' of the old Temple (capital T).

It could be confusing too, to people from non-Jewish backgrounds, who may also have worshipped in temples, before they were Christians. It's surprising how little many Christians know about what is in the Bible.

(4) God's Family. I do know what you're trying to say here, but you are going to offer this to strangers. There are great dangers attendant on people meeting in homes, unless they are ALL baptised in the Holy Spirit.

There are assumptions which you may be making, without realising it, which cross over into matters like, if the meeting is in your house, are you in charge of it (spiritually), or are you only the host? How would a group of people know who to look to in spiritual matters as an elder, or, would that take time to figure out, and, teaching about how to recognise a man who is submitted to God?

How does one deal with the people who have a lot to say? And so on. It's a can of worms, which is why many people are MORE than happy to go to a church. They would be out of their depth trying to lead a house group, and might be in spiritual danger if they even attended one which was being led by the flesh rather than the Spirit.

House group is not an easy option for families with children, for all sorts of reasons.

'Functioning as a family' is a double-edged sword. It's fine if everyone has a home to go to, and does go home afterwards, but how does a house-group deal with enquirers, or hangers-on, or the poor (and so on)?

I heartily agree that CHRISTIANS should be knit together in love, taking on each other's concerns in prayer and practical help, but it takes a very light touch from the leaders, to give everyone room to be themselves, in God, and that may not come naturally. 1 Cor 14 is quite a challenge, even when filled with the Spirit.


Salvation: There is an absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit because of the exceeding sinfulness of the human nature. By God's grace, on the ground of the shed blood of Christ, His death and resurrection, we are justified through faith alone.


Resurrection of Mankind: There will be a resurrection of all people; they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28, 29)


Your paragraph Christian Love made me look up the end of John 17, following: 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.


I think 'without which we have no right to call ourselves Christians' closes the door before even Christians have come in, especially if they've never been in a house-group before, and have no idea what it is to receive that love, let alone give it.


To be honest, (again), I wonder if you'd find the Apostles' Creed useful. Have you ever read it? It seems to cover some of what you want to say, and would be helpful for people to have anyway, as an affirmation of faith when they meet, as well as the Lord's Prayer.

God will come where people are earnestly seeking Him, of that we can be sure. And He often rewards our initial enthusiasm with His manifest presence, only to withdraw somewhat, while He causes us to deal with the next tranche of the inherent resistance of the flesh to be subdued by the Spirit.


I really hope I haven't put you off completely. But, please do think carefully about how you present house-church to the uninitiated, because it can be a heavy burden to those who know the Lord, if they find themselves meeting with people who don't. It quickly leaves 1 Cor 14 behind, and becomes a recipe for many hurt feelings.

 2010/11/5 22:41
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

post deleted


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Oracio

 2010/11/5 23:09Profile
Oracio
Member



Joined: 2007/6/26
Posts: 2094
Whittier CA USA

 Re:

post deleted.


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Oracio

 2010/11/6 3:23Profile









 Re: Home-Based Church Gatherings Pamphlet

Quote:
Also, if one is a true believer and happens to visit a heretical or fleshly house church, the Spirit will tell him/her and will lead them out.

A verse comes to mind:

Acts 18:26
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto [them], and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.


I have been one of the folk abandoned in a 'fleshly' situation by every Spirit-filled believer who knew about it. I would hope something better would come of a 'true believer's input, in such a situation, amongst 'Christians' - but I take your point that it may not be their responsibility to fix things, but rather, it is God's.

 2010/11/7 14:12





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