Home Churches

Well, it could look like the inside of your home. Seriously, a home church could look like anything. Remember, the word “church” never refers to a building of any kind. Jesus always used the word “church” to refer to a gathering of people. These people believed in him, followed him, were filled with Holy Spirit, and were gathered to advance the kingdom of Heaven. Where they met was not really very important.

It would be a much better question to ask: “What does a gathering of people who believe in Jesus, follow Jesus, are filled with Holy Spirit, and are gathered to advance the kingdom of Heaven look like?” I highly suggest you pick up your Bible and read 1 Corinthians right about now. This was written by a man named Paul.

Paul of Tarsus was a Hebrew scholar and follower of Jesus. He went to many cities and started churches in them. One of these cities is called Corinth.  ater, after hearing the many problems they were facing, Paul wrote the people of Corinth two letters. These letters became 1 & 2 Corinthians in our Bible. In fact, I think it is important for you to read both of these letters.

Continuing on, let us explore what the purpose of a house church is. The house church is to be the main gathering of believers.  (Yes, sometimes larger gatherings of many people can happen for special purposes.)   From house churches can come smaller gatherings of a few people to disciple, plan, or deal with a specific issue.

No matter how large the “house” is, there should not be so many people that everyone does not have a chance to share. I would estimate a gathering should be between 5 and a dozen people. Too few people does not allow for differing opinions and growth of the people in the group. Too large of a group will mean the less bold to speak will be left out. 

There should be a person or two in leadership. This leadership should be organic - meaning it should grow out of the maturity of the person. Just because someone opens up their home for a gathering does not mean they are mature enough to lead.  The Bible tells us there should be order and everything should be done with respect.

The biggest differences between a modern church and a house church are as follows: Most people who attend a large church are spectators. They do not participate, and they are not reliant upon Holy Spirit. Few, if any, people have a message or a tongue. When they leave church, they leave God until next week.

On the contrary, a well run and well sized house church will leave room for everyone. People are participants.  Holy Spirit is welcome and has the room to move. People can be encouraged to (and are more noticed if they do) continue with their relationship with Yahweh throughout the week. Instead of a “professional” choir, different people can lead the worship each week. There is no professional pastor who has to visit all of the 297 people in the hospital in one week. Everyone cares for each other’s needs.

Each gathering should include prayer, learning the truths of the Bible, worship, an openness to Holy Spirit’s leading, gifts of Hol Spirit, etc. Very often a meal is shared. People tend to bond when they eat together.  Ministering to each other should happen as well. Again, there must be an emphases that this gathering should not be the people’s only time with Yahweh.

A question would seem appropriate here. “If there are no paid staff or paster, and no buildings are needed, what should I tithe for?”  hat is a very good question. It will take some time to answer. Let us proceed slowly and carefully.

First of all, tithing appears under the Law of Moses. “Tithe” simply means one tenth. It is not mentioned in the New Testament (except for when referring to the Law of Moses). Yahweh commanded the Israelites to bring in a tenth of their increase in order to provide food for the Levites, the poor, the widow, etc.  John the Baptist does not mention tithing as a requirement.  owever, he does mention a fifty percent giving.

Luke 3:11

“John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.’”

Anyone who wants to deny their responsibility for tithing and rests on the New Testament should consider this passage carefully. How would you like giving away half of your clothes?

So far, we can say “church” was never meant to be massive buildings that required huge payments to build, operate, and maintain. Nor was it ever meant to operate under paid leadership. I would say most churches maintain the “requirement” of the tithe because they would collapse and many people would lose their jobs if they did not. I would also say making the poor, the elderly, the widow, etc. tithe is an unbiblical and ungodly act.

“So, how much should I give?”

2 Corinthians 9:7

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

How many of you have ever heard those words quoted before an offering was taken? On the contrary, I have been in churches where they share a mini sermon about giving just before the offering is taken. They do this every week. Once the money is collected, the main sermon is preached.

Once again, we are moving from a mentality of being a spectator Christian and being told what to do from the pulpit, to a participating Christian and listening to (and obeying) Holy Spirit. The Bible also gives us general guidelines.

The Bible makes the following clear:

• We are expected to work for a living

• We are to manage our finances well

• We are to care for our families

• We are to care for the poor, the widow, etc

• We are supposed to care more about people than our luxury

I want to emphasize that last bullet point.  Read what Jesus said.

Matthew 6:19

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I want to close this section with a testimony that brings me great joy. I was in a church service many years ago.  A small group of people were going to a distant country to do ministry work. This country was small and poor.  All of their ministry needs were met. Nobody asked for money. They just asked for prayer.

Even so, Holy Spirit told me to give one person twenty dollars. When I did, he told me he had no idea what he could use it for. All of their needs were covered, and there was not much to spend money on where they were going. Still, he took it with him. He also promised to tell me what it was used for. A few weeks later, he returned.

My heart danced and laughed with joy at what he told me. Apparently, there are many people in that part of the world who are born with birth defects. My friend met such a man. This man had worked hard to get everything aligned so he could have corrective surgery. Everything was set up, but he had no bus fare to get to the hospital. Guess how much the bus fare was. Yahweh is so funny.

Somewhere, on the other side of the world, a twenty dollar bill is floating around with my fingerprints on it. I cannot think of a single thing that $20 could buy me which be more valuable to me than that.

Listen to Holy Spirit. Give generously, in doing so, you will really live!