So You Want To Start A House Church

Article # two: Me, Us

To know what works for a group, determine what works for you the individual.

For a house church to be successful the group must regulate themselves in the same manner an individual is to regulate him/herself. This is simple and this is important and this is the topic of this article.

The answer to “How should we do this?” is the same as “How should I do this?” The answer to “What does the Lord want us to do?” is probably the same as “What does the Lord want me to do?” An example….

Some have an aversion to organization, perhaps a backlash against the OC (organized church). Should the house church adapt this same attitude? The answer is the same for us as it is for me. God is immutable. Holiness doesn’t allow a double-standard. Wisdom doesn’t have opposing solutions. All are called to build on the words of our Christ. God’s ways do not change when one becomes two, when two becomes three, when three becomes a multitude. Because He changes not, neither do we.

Should you the individual be disorganized? Of course not. Therefore, applying the above logic, a group of individuals should not be disorganized. The OC did not invent organization. The opposite to organized is disorganized. God seems to be a very organized person. It’s hard to think of Jesus being disorganized. Perhaps organization isn’t so bad after all. Organization should not be a god to be served but an instrument to utilize. The goal is to tap into the order of the Holy Spirit. Lord, should we meet at seven or eight? Tuesdays or Sundays? Here or there?

Another question: Should we, as a group, be casual and spontaneous? The answer is the same as the answer to the question, Should I be casual and spontaneous, go wherever, do whatever, whenever? We take the me answer and apply it to us.

Jesus was not casual. And Jesus certainly was not frivolous. He set His face like a flint. He had a cup to drink, a course to complete, a job to do. The individual is His disciple, serious because He is, focused because He is, determined because He is. ‘My’ calling is to pursue Christ, my passion pleases Him. Likewise we are His disciples, we are to be focused, and our passion pleases Him. A group cannot gather unto Christ casually, we can only be casual when He is far from our thoughts, more infatuated with each other than with Him. Save casual for heaven. We live in a war zone. Planet earth needs earnest warriors.

One more: What makes a house church successful? Only a healthy attachment to the Vine makes the christian healthy, and only a healthy attachment to the Vine will make a house church healthy.

C h a l l e n g e : Is Jesus lord in fact or lord symbolically? Submitting to the leadership of the Holy Spirit is submitting to the lordship of Jesus in fact.

P r a y e r : Father, may we be good for each other. May we each be warmed by the glow of our love for Your Son. Father, anoint these words. (And hopefully the reader responds, “Amen!”)