Prevenience in Albuquerque

The email below from Peg Batcheller illustrates prevenience - God motivating this woman to call Peg.

This lady believed that if their house church "leader" left that the church could no longer function. (Sounds like traditional church thinking!) I love that Peg and Richard have been captured by a whole different way of thinking and are teaching it to many. The new paradigm is that every believer is truly a priest and that every household is a church. And, from those households, the Kingdom begins to flow into every neighborhood.

Way to go, Peg! We pray that the Lord will motivate many more calls just like this one.

Tell us your story of God taking the initiative.

John

I received a call from a woman who has been in a house church setting with a few others for the past few years. Their "leader" had to move out of town, so they were wondering if there were other HCs they could 'join' to continue receiving teaching. When I shared my heart about each household becoming a 'vital family of Jesus within close access of each neighborhood', she came alive again with a refreshed hope of revitalizing her group of friends. We'll be getting together soon, and I'm sure God will do a new and refreshing work in their circle of friends. Coincidentally, my ex-husband & I attended their house church gathering about 6 years ago, and she remembers me. It will be interesting to see how God has worked in my life over the years, and to see how God has been preparing them as well.

Small group vs house church (3)

Our conversation about small groups vs house church was provoked by some excellent questions by Marty Reiswig (Denver): "...how is leading a small group different from leading a house church? What kind of transition coaching will we need to provide? What training is needed?"

One major difference we have identified so far is that house church is fully church. Not just one program of a larger church. Something to go along with men's groups, women's groups, choir, missions committees, etc. Because a house church is a "real" church, it follows that the sacraments (or ordinances) take place there - the Lord's Supper, baptism, etc. The "priesthood of all believers" can blossom in this context.

I want to introduce another distinction between typical small group thinking and what house church is supposed to be. (Obviously, we are generalizing here because some small groups within traditional churches are much more vibrant and transformational than some house churches.)

Small groups are often seen as a program. A meeting that occurs one a week. And, so, to respond to Marty's question, we teach people how to "lead the meeting". (How to construct the "program", how to welcome visitors, how to lead the Bible study, what to do if someone talks too much, etc.)

House church, on the other hand, in Scripture, is seen as family. Here's a simple equation that explains a great deal. Church = family. This is a major paradigm shift from traditional thinking about small groups.

Your thoughts about passages of Scripture that bear on this? And, if it is true that "church = family", what are the implications for leadership? For training?

John

Small groups vs house churches (2)

Twenty years ago, I was one of six ordained pastors on the staff of an Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) of about 3,000. In addition to the six of us who were called "Teaching Elders", there were another 12-15 lay people who were called "Ruling Elders". According to the Book of Order of our denomination, we, as Elders, were the only ones who were allowed to officiate or serve communion. If a small group wanted to take communion, they would have to invite one of us to come to their group.

So, this is another way that small groups and house churches are often different. (Although, not every denomination or traditional church has these same "rules") A house church is fully "church" and not just one of the ministries of the larger church. That is, it's members are free to do everything that a "real" church does - including communion and baptism.

Take a look at the video below about college students planting churches on their campuses. About a minute and a half into the video, one of the leaders makes a very important comment: "The moment the works of the Scriptures are taken out of the hands of common people and put in the hands of trained professionals the movement ceases to move forward."

In house churches, "the works of the Scriptures" are placed in the "hands of common people". The priesthood of all believers moves from a theological concept to everyday reality.

What kinds of thoughts and feelings do you have as you watch this video? Pay close attention to the students doing the baptizing.

John