House Churches
After being the pastor of five "traditional" local churches, I have come to the realization that the house church was the simple, local church of the New Testament. This local church model ought to be given your serious consideration for these reasons:
• All New Testament local churches were house churches.
• The typical church building usually becomes the focus of the local church, not the people. Note that even under the Old Covenant, God only provided for ONE building (tabernacle or temple) for MILLIONS of people. In the New Covenant, church buildings did not exist until about 300 hundred years into church history when the false teachings of men influenced the church's spiritual decline.
• The expense of such real estate undermines the financial support of local church overseers as well as other ministers of the Word. The Bible does not teach us to spend our tithes on buildings but on God-called, gifted, full-time ministers of the Word of God.
• The traditional church's organizations, traditions, and programs have replaced the New Testament priorities of transparency, humility, and accountability.
How To Plant A House Church
• Keep the organization as simple as possible.
• Make sure your overseers (pastors, elders) are called by God in the ministry of the Word of God and demonstrate the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Support them with your tithes (in principle, not legalism).
• Try to limit the size of each house church to around 10 to 20 people.
• Start another house church if numbers increase.
• Feel no pressure to meet in a rented or purchased building. If you choose to also meet in such a building to gather multiple house churches together, wait until the expenses are within your means using offerings, not tithes.
• Be devoted to worship, the Word, prayer, and fellowship.
• Make missions a top priority.
• Stress evangelism and discipleship training.
• Fellowship regularly with other local churches. Build bridges of fellowship, not walls.
• All New Testament local churches were house churches.
• The typical church building usually becomes the focus of the local church, not the people. Note that even under the Old Covenant, God only provided for ONE building (tabernacle or temple) for MILLIONS of people. In the New Covenant, church buildings did not exist until about 300 hundred years into church history when the false teachings of men influenced the church's spiritual decline.
• The expense of such real estate undermines the financial support of local church overseers as well as other ministers of the Word. The Bible does not teach us to spend our tithes on buildings but on God-called, gifted, full-time ministers of the Word of God.
• The traditional church's organizations, traditions, and programs have replaced the New Testament priorities of transparency, humility, and accountability.
How To Plant A House Church
• Keep the organization as simple as possible.
• Make sure your overseers (pastors, elders) are called by God in the ministry of the Word of God and demonstrate the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Support them with your tithes (in principle, not legalism).
• Try to limit the size of each house church to around 10 to 20 people.
• Start another house church if numbers increase.
• Feel no pressure to meet in a rented or purchased building. If you choose to also meet in such a building to gather multiple house churches together, wait until the expenses are within your means using offerings, not tithes.
• Be devoted to worship, the Word, prayer, and fellowship.
• Make missions a top priority.
• Stress evangelism and discipleship training.
• Fellowship regularly with other local churches. Build bridges of fellowship, not walls.
