January 11, 2010

• House Church, chapter 6

  Reading notes on Chapter 6 , of "House Church" edited by Steve Atkerson

  The author of this chapter (Stephen David) presents 10 reasons for house churches.

  1. "One another ministry" - i.e. everybody ministering to everyone else as in 1 Cor 14, not just a few clergy ministering to the lay people

  2. "Intimacy and accountability" - i.e., it happens best in small groups, not large church settings

  3. "The Lord's Supper" - as a full meal.   The author says "It is difficult to have the Lord's Supper as a family meal in a large impersonal gathering and formal structure."   I'm not sure if I fully agree.   I've been to church potlucks that have more than 100 people present, and it's possible to have good fellowship with the small group around your particular table.  But I certainly agree that the "sit-in-your-pew-and-silently-drink-the-little-plastic-cup-of-grape-juice-and-little-cracker" thing as is more typical of Lord's Supper observation is pretty far removed from the full-fellowship-meal paradigm of the NT.

  4. "Simple Church" - far less money and time-overhead is required to maintain the church meetings, and it is far easier and cheaper to multiply house churches than modern/expensive/separate-building churches.  Also he mentions the difference he's seen firsthand between overseas church-planting that relied on incoming international donations to build church buildings in the cities to be reached, vs others that were self-supported and met in houses.  The ministries supported by foreign money were viewed with more distrust by the locals and were targeted during times of unrest.

  5. "Bi-vocational leaders" - He mentions that apparently the NT house church elders were mostly bi-vocational (having some job other than church leadership which provided for their families).  Exceptions included Paul once in a while, but he was more of a church-planting missionary than a church elder rooted in one city, and even Paul worked as a tentmaker many times.  The author suggests that elders are worthy to receive voluntary financial gifts from the people they minister to, citing 1 Tim. 5:17-18 "The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages.""  He suggests that "traveling elders" who minister to a large area as special teachers (or missionaries, going into areas in which there are no churches) would be most suited for full financial support.
  He also quotes Acts 20:33-35 where Paul is talking to the Ephesus elders: "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'""

  6. "Ease of access for unbelievers" - i.e. unbelievers feel more comfortable coming over to a home for dinner and discussion than they would feel going into a "church sanctuary".   I'm not sure if I agree that all unbelievers would feel more comfortable...   Some might want to sit unnoticed in the back!  But surely the friendly fellowship of a home environment would be a good and helpful dynamic for unsaved visitors.
  The author reminds that we, the people of God, ARE the sanctuary of God nowadays (1 Cor 3:16, 1 Pet. 2:5-9, etc).

  7. "Persecution" - i.e., church buildings are an unnecessary "target" in hostile lands.  Houses are lower profile.  For example, there are some 80 million Christians meeting in house churches in China these days.

  8. "Nourishment and Multiplication of churches" - i.e. it's easier to plant new house churches than to plant big building-based churches.

  9. "Discipleship and multiplication of leaders" - the author notices that discipleship in traditional large-building churches is often relegated to specialized "leadership training centers or bible colleges".  On the other hand, "quality mentoring and overseeing is manifested more in such small gatherings [of house churches], thereby identifying and motivating more potential leaders." (p. 107)   I agree that it COULD work that way, but I think the mindset of the leadership is key in either large-church or house-church settings... i.e. if leaders are actively looking for younger folk to mentor and disciple, then either large- or small-churches could be effective in this, and vice-versa: even in house churches, mentoring doesn't happen automatically.  But small churches / house churches are probably an easier setting for discipleship and getting to know people.

  10. "The poor, the needy, and missions" - related to some of the earlier points about money, and quoting many scriptures from the NT about the importance and practice of the CHURCH helping the poor and needy.   Obviously, if there is no church building costs and maintenance costs, and fewer or no staff salaries, all this money could go toward supporting missionaries in places where there are no churches, and toward helping the poor ("especially those of the household of faith" Gal. 6:10) in one's local community.

  
  Overall, a good roundup of reasons, in my opinion, why the house church paradigm is actually "better" than the large-church-with-separate-church-building paradigm in most cases.   I like part of his ending summary on page 109 -- "There is so much good to speak about the modern day church.  Yet a reformation is needed to help God's people function more effectively and biblically.  Gathering in houses is not a perfect solution wherein we don't have any problems at all.  It is only a better and more effective approach.  In saying this, I mean it has more advantages and less disadvantages.  Of course the problems that occur, based on different situations, places and culture, must be dealt prayerfully and wisely according to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and with the counsel of experienced godly people."

  
  (next chapter:  "Children in Church"   !  )
  

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