"Home" churches

[IFB X-Files]

Not sure. I've been attending only a couple months. I do know they have a budget set up for "outsiders" who ask for help and that there is a screening process. Not sure how that screening process works.

The previous church I attended had what I thought was a pretty good policy.  If someone called for help they would be told to come to the service on Sunday morning and after the service they would be given a voucher for $x to the local grocery store - no alcohol, no tobacco.  About 5% of the people showed up.

Sounds like a good policy.  A local church that has a food bank will give out food to anyone after the morning service, but if you attend the service, you get a voucher that puts you at the front of the line.  All the gospel missions I've been to require those wanting to eat to attend service first.

 

[Smellin Coffee]

Not sure. I've been attending only a couple months. I do know they have a budget set up for "outsiders" who ask for help and that there is a screening process. Not sure how that screening process works.

The previous church I attended had what I thought was a pretty good policy.  If someone called for help they would be told to come to the service on Sunday morning and after the service they would be given a voucher for $x to the local grocery store - no alcohol, no tobacco.  About 5% of the people showed up.

I've got no problem with that. Weeds out for those who need a 'hand-up' vs. those looking for a 'handout'.

 

[groupie]

Some people have a home church because they are burned out or tired of being hurt at a traditional church.

 

[Bruh]

The church is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.  These are the commands given to the church.

And the job of individuals is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.

Separating the role of the Church and the role of the individual is putting up a false wall. What the individual does is an extension of what the Church does because the individual is part of the Church.

One cannot say the foot is moving but the body is not because the foot is attached to the body. One might say the hand is not moving and that is fine. Each part has its own role but that role is not separate from the body corporate.

So if someone called your home church and said, "Do you help pay electric bills?" you would say, "Yes, we do!  Please stop by the house and I will have a check waiting for you"??????

Actually the response should be, "Need help with your electric bill? Come over to the church and bring your budget with you. Let us help you review or set up your budget, show you how to keep it and help out where you most need it."

Is this what your church does?

(waiting for this debate to end so I know who to ask to pay my electric bill)

This guy!

Right! Because he is a Christian, because he "says" he is a Christ follower.

 

[16KJV11]

Some people have a home church because they are burned out or tired of being hurt at a traditional church.

What's the difference?  People are the same whether they are in a home or a church building.

 

[Smellin Coffee]

The church is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.  These are the commands given to the church.

And the job of individuals is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.

Separating the role of the Church and the role of the individual is putting up a false wall. What the individual does is an extension of what the Church does because the individual is part of the Church.

One cannot say the foot is moving but the body is not because the foot is attached to the body. One might say the hand is not moving and that is fine. Each part has its own role but that role is not separate from the body corporate.

So if someone called your home church and said, "Do you help pay electric bills?" you would say, "Yes, we do!  Please stop by the house and I will have a check waiting for you"??????

Actually the response should be, "Need help with your electric bill? Come over to the church and bring your budget with you. Let us help you review or set up your budget, show you how to keep it and help out where you most need it."

Is this what your church does?

(waiting for this debate to end so I know who to ask to pay my electric bill)

This guy!

Right! Because he is a Christian, because he "says" he is a Christ follower.

Oh. I didn't realize that only Christians are allowed to help the impoverished. My mistake.  :

 

[subllibrm]

I need God. I need the Scriptures. I need the care and concern of others. I don't need YOU pointing out my "screw ups". I can handle them. God can handle them.

Exactly! Just like King David said to Nathan!  8)

 

[subllibrm]

The church is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.  These are the commands given to the church.

And the job of individuals is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.

Separating the role of the Church and the role of the individual is putting up a false wall. What the individual does is an extension of what the Church does because the individual is part of the Church.

One cannot say the foot is moving but the body is not because the foot is attached to the body. One might say the hand is not moving and that is fine. Each part has its own role but that role is not separate from the body corporate.

So if someone called your home church and said, "Do you help pay electric bills?" you would say, "Yes, we do!  Please stop by the house and I will have a check waiting for you"??????

Actually the response should be, "Need help with your electric bill? Come over to the church and bring your budget with you. Let us help you review or set up your budget, show you how to keep it and help out where you most need it."

Is this what your church does?

I know of churches that have programs like that and I think it is a good idea.

 

[Smellin Coffee]

The church is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.  These are the commands given to the church.

And the job of individuals is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.

Separating the role of the Church and the role of the individual is putting up a false wall. What the individual does is an extension of what the Church does because the individual is part of the Church.

One cannot say the foot is moving but the body is not because the foot is attached to the body. One might say the hand is not moving and that is fine. Each part has its own role but that role is not separate from the body corporate.

So if someone called your home church and said, "Do you help pay electric bills?" you would say, "Yes, we do!  Please stop by the house and I will have a check waiting for you"??????

Actually the response should be, "Need help with your electric bill? Come over to the church and bring your budget with you. Let us help you review or set up your budget, show you how to keep it and help out where you most need it."

Is this what your church does?

I know of churches that have programs like that and I think it is a good idea.

The church I am attending has a "Quad" budget specifically for outreach based on Acts 1:8 (in addition to a separate "Evangelism" budget). Each quad is not to exceed 30% of the budget nor take in less than 20%. They identify the Quad as:

Jerusalem: Area within a 5-mile radius of the church
Judea: United States
Samaria: The "unsafe", impoverished areas; inner city (mostly Charlotte since the church is in Charlotte)
Uttermost parts of the earth: World (this is not technically 'evangelism' so missionary support comes from the evangelism budget)

So locals near the church who need help will receive approximately 25% of the funding, inner city aid (school supplies, homeless shelters, private tutors to the poor, etc), 25%, US (hurricane damage, Habitat for Humanity outside local areas, etc.), 25% and the world (Compassion International, water well digging in Africa, Russian orphanages, etc.), 25%

Anyway, I thought this was a different way of meeting the needs of others.

 

[praise_yeshua]

I need God. I need the Scriptures. I need the care and concern of others. I don't need YOU pointing out my "screw ups". I can handle them. God can handle them.

Exactly! Just like King David said to Nathan!  8)

You're not Nathan.  8)

 

[praise_yeshua]

The church is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.  These are the commands given to the church.

And the job of individuals is to carry the gospel, see people repent and come to Christ, baptize and disciple them, care for and love one another.

Separating the role of the Church and the role of the individual is putting up a false wall. What the individual does is an extension of what the Church does because the individual is part of the Church.

One cannot say the foot is moving but the body is not because the foot is attached to the body. One might say the hand is not moving and that is fine. Each part has its own role but that role is not separate from the body corporate.

So if someone called your home church and said, "Do you help pay electric bills?" you would say, "Yes, we do!  Please stop by the house and I will have a check waiting for you"??????

Actually the response should be, "Need help with your electric bill? Come over to the church and bring your budget with you. Let us help you review or set up your budget, show you how to keep it and help out where you most need it."

Is this what your church does?

I know of churches that have programs like that and I think it is a good idea.

The church I am attending has a "Quad" budget specifically for outreach based on Acts 1:8 (in addition to a separate "Evangelism" budget). Each quad is not to exceed 30% of the budget nor take in less than 20%. They identify the Quad as:

Jerusalem: Area within a 5-mile radius of the church
Judea: United States
Samaria: The "unsafe", impoverished areas; inner city (mostly Charlotte since the church is in Charlotte)
Uttermost parts of the earth: World (this is not technically 'evangelism' so missionary support comes from the evangelism budget)

So locals near the church who need help will receive approximately 25% of the funding, inner city aid (school supplies, homeless shelters, private tutors to the poor, etc), 25%, US (hurricane damage, Habitat for Humanity outside local areas, etc.), 25% and the world (Compassion International, water well digging in Africa, Russian orphanages, etc.), 25%

Anyway, I thought this was a different way of meeting the needs of others.

Well.... they have to do something with all that tithe money!!!

 

[subllibrm]

I need God. I need the Scriptures. I need the care and concern of others. I don't need YOU pointing out my "screw ups". I can handle them. God can handle them.

Exactly! Just like King David said to Nathan!  8)

You're not Nathan.  8)

Didn't claim to be.

 

[prophet]

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.

Of course, necessity has bred this.
I wasn't claiming any superiority of my generation, just a different perspective.

A prudent man sees the coming evil, ahead of time, and hides from it.

The generations before mine went along when they thought they had to, rather then fight, because times were good.
My generation is different.
We, that grew up in the 80's, saw something that hadn't been seen since ,arguably, prior to the Wilson administration.
We saw an outsider take on the establishment, and win.
We saw worldwide Communism derailed.
We saw Tiananmen tank-man.
We saw the Berlin Wall fall.

You see, we actually would rather die, than give in, and would rather fight, then go along with wrong, because wrong leads to tyranny.  We get it, because it was played out in front of us.

We know that this country is full of cowards, and will never over throw its tyrannical government.  We know that everyone will sell out his neighbor, to buy a little time.
We know that nuance has replaced truth.
We know that no one will advocate for us.

So, we aren't painting a target on ourselves.

For some reason, the cowards are offended by this, but for us, it is just reality.


Haklo

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

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.

Of course, necessity has bred this.
I wasn't claiming any superiority of my generation, just a different perspective.

A prudent man sees the coming evil, ahead of time, and hides from it.

The generations before mine went along when they thought they had to, rather then fight, because times were good.
My generation is different.
We, that grew up in the 80's, saw something that hadn't been seen since ,arguably, prior to the Wilson administration.
We saw an outsider take on the establishment, and win.
We saw worldwide Communism derailed.
We saw Tiananmen tank-man.
We saw the Berlin Wall fall.

You see, we actually would rather die, than give in, and would rather fight, then go along with wrong, because wrong leads to tyranny.  We get it, because it was played out in front of us.

We know that this country is full of cowards, and will never over throw its tyrannical government.  We know that everyone will sell out his neighbor, to buy a little time.
We know that nuance has replaced truth.
We know that no one will advocate for us.

So, we aren't painting a target on ourselves.

For some reason, the cowards are offended by this, but for us, it is just reality.


Haklo

Basically your generation is like every other generation preceding them.
They were partially shaped by their experience and think they are smarter than the schumcks that came before them.
When they are younger, they are young skulls full of mush, as they age, they get wiser...or many of them do.

 

[prophet]

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.

Of course, necessity has bred this.
I wasn't claiming any superiority of my generation, just a different perspective.

A prudent man sees the coming evil, ahead of time, and hides from it.

The generations before mine went along when they thought they had to, rather then fight, because times were good.
My generation is different.
We, that grew up in the 80's, saw something that hadn't been seen since ,arguably, prior to the Wilson administration.
We saw an outsider take on the establishment, and win.
We saw worldwide Communism derailed.
We saw Tiananmen tank-man.
We saw the Berlin Wall fall.

You see, we actually would rather die, than give in, and would rather fight, then go along with wrong, because wrong leads to tyranny.  We get it, because it was played out in front of us.

We know that this country is full of cowards, and will never over throw its tyrannical government.  We know that everyone will sell out his neighbor, to buy a little time.
We know that nuance has replaced truth.
We know that no one will advocate for us.

So, we aren't painting a target on ourselves.

For some reason, the cowards are offended by this, but for us, it is just reality.


Haklo

Basically your generation is like every other generation preceding them.
They were partially shaped by their experience and think they are smarter than the schumcks that came before them.
When they are younger, they are young skulls full of mush, as they age, they get wiser...or many of them do.

Again you prove my point, by being rubbed the wrong way at my practical outlook.
Why is this?

Haklo

 

[Smellin Coffee]

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.

Of course, necessity has bred this.
I wasn't claiming any superiority of my generation, just a different perspective.

A prudent man sees the coming evil, ahead of time, and hides from it.

The generations before mine went along when they thought they had to, rather then fight, because times were good.
My generation is different.
We, that grew up in the 80's, saw something that hadn't been seen since ,arguably, prior to the Wilson administration.
We saw an outsider take on the establishment, and win.
We saw worldwide Communism derailed.
We saw Tiananmen tank-man.
We saw the Berlin Wall fall.

You see, we actually would rather die, than give in, and would rather fight, then go along with wrong, because wrong leads to tyranny.  We get it, because it was played out in front of us.

We know that this country is full of cowards, and will never over throw its tyrannical government.  We know that everyone will sell out his neighbor, to buy a little time.
We know that nuance has replaced truth.
We know that no one will advocate for us.

So, we aren't painting a target on ourselves.

For some reason, the cowards are offended by this, but for us, it is just reality.


Haklo

Basically your generation is like every other generation preceding them.
They were partially shaped by their experience and think they are smarter than the schumcks that came before them.
When they are younger, they are young skulls full of mush, as they age, they get wiser...or many of them do.

I agree with this. The 'wrongs' are cyclical, not necessarily worse than in day's of yore.

 

[prophet]

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.

Of course, necessity has bred this.
I wasn't claiming any superiority of my generation, just a different perspective.

A prudent man sees the coming evil, ahead of time, and hides from it.

The generations before mine went along when they thought they had to, rather then fight, because times were good.
My generation is different.
We, that grew up in the 80's, saw something that hadn't been seen since ,arguably, prior to the Wilson administration.
We saw an outsider take on the establishment, and win.
We saw worldwide Communism derailed.
We saw Tiananmen tank-man.
We saw the Berlin Wall fall.

You see, we actually would rather die, than give in, and would rather fight, then go along with wrong, because wrong leads to tyranny.  We get it, because it was played out in front of us.

We know that this country is full of cowards, and will never over throw its tyrannical government.  We know that everyone will sell out his neighbor, to buy a little time.
We know that nuance has replaced truth.
We know that no one will advocate for us.

So, we aren't painting a target on ourselves.

For some reason, the cowards are offended by this, but for us, it is just reality.


Haklo

Basically your generation is like every other generation preceding them.
They were partially shaped by their experience and think they are smarter than the schumcks that came before them.
When they are younger, they are young skulls full of mush, as they age, they get wiser...or many of them do.

Again you prove my point, by being rubbed the wrong way at my practical outlook.
Why is this?

Haklo

You illustrate my point by taking the its us against the poor dumb schumcks in previous generations who aren't as smart as we are. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel...I was a child of the 60's. 

I didn't call you any such thing.

I called you cowards.

Haklo

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

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.

Of course, necessity has bred this.
I wasn't claiming any superiority of my generation, just a different perspective.

A prudent man sees the coming evil, ahead of time, and hides from it.

The generations before mine went along when they thought they had to, rather then fight, because times were good.
My generation is different.
We, that grew up in the 80's, saw something that hadn't been seen since ,arguably, prior to the Wilson administration.
We saw an outsider take on the establishment, and win.
We saw worldwide Communism derailed.
We saw Tiananmen tank-man.
We saw the Berlin Wall fall.

You see, we actually would rather die, than give in, and would rather fight, then go along with wrong, because wrong leads to tyranny.  We get it, because it was played out in front of us.

We know that this country is full of cowards, and will never over throw its tyrannical government.  We know that everyone will sell out his neighbor, to buy a little time.
We know that nuance has replaced truth.
We know that no one will advocate for us.

So, we aren't painting a target on ourselves.

For some reason, the cowards are offended by this, but for us, it is just reality.


Haklo

Basically your generation is like every other generation preceding them.
They were partially shaped by their experience and think they are smarter than the schumcks that came before them.
When they are younger, they are young skulls full of mush, as they age, they get wiser...or many of them do.

Again you prove my point, by being rubbed the wrong way at my practical outlook.
Why is this?

Haklo

You illustrate my point by taking the its us against the poor dumb schumcks in previous generations who aren't as smart as we are. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel...I was a child of the 60's. 

I didn't call you any such thing.

I called you cowards.

Haklo

Again, you illustrate my point.
Skulls full of mush have always grown older and wiser...so all is not lost. 

 

[prophet]

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.

Of course, necessity has bred this.
I wasn't claiming any superiority of my generation, just a different perspective.

A prudent man sees the coming evil, ahead of time, and hides from it.

The generations before mine went along when they thought they had to, rather then fight, because times were good.
My generation is different.
We, that grew up in the 80's, saw something that hadn't been seen since ,arguably, prior to the Wilson administration.
We saw an outsider take on the establishment, and win.
We saw worldwide Communism derailed.
We saw Tiananmen tank-man.
We saw the Berlin Wall fall.

You see, we actually would rather die, than give in, and would rather fight, then go along with wrong, because wrong leads to tyranny.  We get it, because it was played out in front of us.

We know that this country is full of cowards, and will never over throw its tyrannical government.  We know that everyone will sell out his neighbor, to buy a little time.
We know that nuance has replaced truth.
We know that no one will advocate for us.

So, we aren't painting a target on ourselves.

For some reason, the cowards are offended by this, but for us, it is just reality.


Haklo

Basically your generation is like every other generation preceding them.
They were partially shaped by their experience and think they are smarter than the schumcks that came before them.
When they are younger, they are young skulls full of mush, as they age, they get wiser...or many of them do.

Again you prove my point, by being rubbed the wrong way at my practical outlook.
Why is this?

Haklo

You illustrate my point by taking the its us against the poor dumb schumcks in previous generations who aren't as smart as we are. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel...I was a child of the 60's. 

I didn't call you any such thing.

I called you cowards.

Haklo

Again, you illustrate my point.
Skulls full of mush have always grown older and wiser...so all is not lost. 

Would you take up arms against the U.S. Gov?

I'll answer: No, you wouldn't, because the time is past when it would have done any good. And you didn't, then.

The generation before you gave it away.

If you can't picture U.S. Christians hiding in the woods, like the escaped slaves of 160 years ago, then you are in full possession of your mushy skull still.
I'd quote somebody other than the man who payed Elton John a million $ to sing at his wedding, if I were you, you are so making my point.


Haklo

 

[subllibrm]

Would you take up arms against the U.S. Gov?

I'll answer: No, you wouldn't, because the time is past when it would have done any good. And you didn't, then.

The generation before you gave it away.

If you can't picture U.S. Christians hiding in the woods, like the escaped slaves of 160 years ago, then you are in full possession of your mushy skull still.
I'd quote somebody other than the man who payed Elton John a million $ to sing at his wedding, if I were you, you are so making my point.


Haklo

I agree with Prophet on this. The "culture war" has already been lost. 

When the church turned to the Republican party to do for them what they should have done themselves all hope of divine spiritual intervention was lost. We are reaping what has been sown. The cycle of the book of Judges repeats itself and we are living in the front end of the oppression stage. It will get worse before it gets better because we will deny that it was actually us who sinned and refuse to cry out for deliverance. Until the church repents and cries out to God in honest confession, we will not see the redemptive judge.

While the above is written in metaphor, for those who want to see it, the truth is as clear as can be communicated.