"Home" churches

[North]

Prophet, not that i disagree with your posts on this thread, but your generation of Christians will not fix 'it'. State persecution of religion has been a past time for the majority of history's nations.

If it happens here to the extreme you are predicting, going underground into house churches is the inevitable conclusion out of necessity. Not because your generation has become wiser than their spiritual ancestors.

 

[RAIDER]

One has to wonder, if the early church had not been persecuted, and if they had access to several buildings throughout the area, would they still have met in houses?

 

[IFB X-Files]

One has to wonder, if the early church had not been persecuted, and if they had access to several buildings throughout the area, would they still have met in houses?

My theory of them starting to meet in larger venues has to do with the invention of the "potluck".

 

[rsc2a]

My theory is that their exponential growth was largely due to their being intimately involved in each other's lives in a way that formed deep community and resulted in natural discipleship.

Is this possible in today's corporate church model? Sure...but it's much, much harder whereas in some other settings, this formation is intrinsic to the gathering itself.

 

[subllibrm]

Like much of the human condition we are looking at a two-edged sword. While their was great growth there was also great risk of false teaching and apostasy. And the size and location of the assemblies didn't seem to prevent such problems.

Consider that much of Paul's writing was to address errors that had crept into the churches. Not unlike today there was no shortage of bad theology and Paul found himself spending time refuting error that I would think he would have preferred to spend on head-on evangelism.

When persecution comes, the church will go underground. Until then I will be more than happy to worship with the folks that I know and love in the location where God has placed us together. I suggest that you all do the same and not worry about how, where or where other folk do it. 

 

[rsc2a]

Like much of the human condition we are looking at a two-edged sword. While their was great growth there was also great risk of false teaching and apostasy. And the size and location of the assemblies didn't seem to prevent such problems.

Consider that much of Paul's writing was to address errors that had crept into the churches. Not unlike today there was no shortage of bad theology...

...I suggest that you all do the same and not worry about how, where or where other folk do it. 

Of course, many folks (myself included) think the pastor as celebrity, Christianity as branding, entertainment driven service that is often synonymous with the Church in America is some of the error that has crept in, largely driven by bad theology.

 

[subllibrm]

Like much of the human condition we are looking at a two-edged sword. While their was great growth there was also great risk of false teaching and apostasy. And the size and location of the assemblies didn't seem to prevent such problems.

Consider that much of Paul's writing was to address errors that had crept into the churches. Not unlike today there was no shortage of bad theology...

...I suggest that you all do the same and not worry about how, where or where other folk do it. 

Of course, many folks (myself included) think the pastor as celebrity, Christianity as branding, entertainment driven service that is often synonymous with the Church in America is some of the error that has crept in, largely driven by bad theology.

And thankfully that does not describe my church family.

 

[RAIDER]

Like much of the human condition we are looking at a two-edged sword. While their was great growth there was also great risk of false teaching and apostasy. And the size and location of the assemblies didn't seem to prevent such problems.

Consider that much of Paul's writing was to address errors that had crept into the churches. Not unlike today there was no shortage of bad theology...

...I suggest that you all do the same and not worry about how, where or where other folk do it. 

Of course, many folks (myself included) think the pastor as celebrity, Christianity as branding, entertainment driven service that is often synonymous with the Church in America is some of the error that has crept in, largely driven by bad theology.

And thankfully that does not describe my church family.

Nor does it describe the majority of IFB churches.

 

[rsc2a]

Says the "world's biggest", Hyles as deity, promotion-driven poster....

 

[Bruh]

My theory is that their exponential growth was largely due to their being intimately involved in each other's lives in a way that formed deep community and resulted in natural discipleship.

Is this possible in today's corporate church model? Sure...but it's much, much harder whereas in some other settings, this formation is intrinsic to the gathering itself.

I would assume then that, your house church needs to move into 7 or 8 homes at this point.

 

[rsc2a]

My theory is that their exponential growth was largely due to their being intimately involved in each other's lives in a way that formed deep community and resulted in natural discipleship.

Is this possible in today's corporate church model? Sure...but it's much, much harder whereas in some other settings, this formation is intrinsic to the gathering itself.

I would assume then that, your house church needs to move into 7 or 8 homes at this point.

Why would you assume that?

 

[Bruh]

My theory is that their exponential growth was largely due to their being intimately involved in each other's lives in a way that formed deep community and resulted in natural discipleship.

Is this possible in today's corporate church model? Sure...but it's much, much harder whereas in some other settings, this formation is intrinsic to the gathering itself.

I would assume then that, your house church needs to move into 7 or 8 homes at this point.

Why would you assume that?

They met in houses and you do as well. And it seems as though u r saying that, that model is the reason for there growth.

 

[rsc2a]

I didn't say anything about meeting in houses.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

One has to wonder, if the early church had not been persecuted, and if they had access to several buildings throughout the area, would they still have met in houses?

I think you have a valid point.
The early church ultimately met in houses because of persecution but that had no aversion to corporate gatherings. There is NO biblical basis for Prophet's assertion.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Like much of the human condition we are looking at a two-edged sword. While their was great growth there was also great risk of false teaching and apostasy. And the size and location of the assemblies didn't seem to prevent such problems.

Consider that much of Paul's writing was to address errors that had crept into the churches. Not unlike today there was no shortage of bad theology and Paul found himself spending time refuting error that I would think he would have preferred to spend on head-on evangelism.

When persecution comes, the church will go underground. Until then I will be more than happy to worship with the folks that I know and love in the location where God has placed us together. I suggest that you all do the same and not worry about how, where or where other folk do it. 

Excellent post and points!
There have been a number of CPM's - Church Planting Movements - in the church's history and each of them were greatly diminished because of the proliferation of false teaching due to uneducated/unprepared leaders.

 

[Bruh]

I believe there growth was due in part to the persecution.

 

[Bruh]

I didn't say anything about meeting in houses.

Liar!

 

[rsc2a]

I didn't say anything about meeting in houses.

Liar!

How sweet.

 

[Bruh]

I didn't say anything about meeting in houses.

Liar!

How sweet.

 

[praise_yeshua]

One has to wonder, if the early church had not been persecuted, and if they had access to several buildings throughout the area, would they still have met in houses?

I think you have a valid point.
The early church ultimately met in houses because of persecution but that had no aversion to corporate gatherings. There is NO biblical basis for Prophet's assertion.

They were called synagogues. Read your bible again.