INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
HOME / CELL VISION
MY THOUGHTS
NEW THIS MONTH PRAYER & PRAISE REPORTS
STUDY GUIDE: LOVE
E-mail : jeff@bbmin.com
HOME CELL CHURCH VISION
A CELL/ HOME CHURCH IS A CHURCH THAT MEETS IN HOMES INSTEAD OF BUILDINGS. ALL MINISTRY FUNCTIONS TAKE PLACE IN THE HOME (CELL). THE CELLS THEN NETWORK (INFORMALLY) TO FORM THE BODY OF CHRIST.
Greetings in Christ’s name,
This quarter I want to share some random thoughts on my mind.
I find it strange that many Christian "organizations" debate and vote on such subjects as women’s ordination, welfare, homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, taxes, and who should be president. Jesus told us to proclaim the kingdom of God to all who would hear. This was a simple message of love, forgiveness, sharing, and righteousness. We are then to live among all people as peacefully and quietly as we can while we tell those we befriend of the forgiveness Christ offers. This is the witness that draws people, the one that will bring them to Christ. As dual citizens (of earth and heaven), we have a responsibility to participate in the political arena, but as citizens of Heaven, not to swear our lives or allegiances to any man made organization. All the debate on "church rules" or "sins of government" (women’s ordination, welfare, taxes, dress, divorce and remarriage, and who should be president) misses the real point. The bible told us to boldly stand against biblical sins and refuse to compromise our stand, but we also need to stop attempting to make our rules equal to Gods. Because we are against things doesn’t mean it is scripturally wrong or a sin. Stick to the Book!
Racism is one of the ugliest blights in Christianity today. We speak of equality in Christ but do not practice it. Our groups (congregations) are almost totally segregated and we say little if anything of substance about how to erase it. To have true integration, you must start at the top. You cannot preach integration, while you segregate the leadership. It starts there!
While we go on about worldly issues, the true sins like racism, hate, greed, covetousness, taking care of the homeless, the hungry, the widows and orphans exists undercover. These are the issues that God will judge us on, and not whether our "hands are washed when we eat". A home church has the advantage in this area. We are not denominationally organized, so we can remain true to Christ’s message. Where there is no massive structure or machine to fund, there can be a body of believers true to the gospel who do not compromise the faith.
Have you noticed how people who "religiously" go to church every Sunday cannot discipline themselves to become involved in a house church? I believe this is caused by:
1) Tradition This is hard to break. People think a church has to be in a building. Storefront buildings have torn down the concept that the building had to have stained glass and a steeple, but all still have to have a building.
2) Fear This is a fear of a new way of doing things. Remember, todays Protestant church was birthed out of a reformation that was rejected by many then out of fear! At that time, Catholicism was the only way. Fear keeps many from "stepping out of the boat".
3) Isolation This is when a person wants to be left alone, to fade into a crowd and not to be called on or held accountable. A large church is just the place to "get lost in" and a small group is to be avoided. Fellowship, intimate group settings, and accountability are how the early operated, but are foreign to this mass marketed, CEO led monstrosity of a church. Come, give, support, and go are their mottoes.
The house Church movement will be the reformation of the 21st century. The institutional Church has failed in all areas. There is a Church on every corner in America but while 70-80% believe they are Christians and those Church buildings are full, we have one of the most immoral. self centered, hedonistic and humanistic countries in the western world! The Churches have reproduced Christians after their own kind, which is weak, vacillating, and driven by the views of society. The church system is so corrupted from the biblical pattern that nothing short from a clean break and meeting in homes can free us from the pollution.
People say that all that is needed is a revival or new, contemporary ideas like "dress down Sunday". Others say that the Holy Spirit needs to make us laugh, shake or prophesy. All of us want to make changes but we all seem to miss the point. Putting a fresh coat of paint on rotting wood gives the appearance of soundness while hiding decay! Jesus spoke of "whited sepulchers" full of dead mens bones.
The system of NT Christianity that promotes sharing, accountability, love, and the fruit of ministering (read giving) one’s time, money, and self will only come when we scrap man’s system copied after corporate America and reinstitute the home based, low overhead, fellowship based Christianity that "turned the world upside down"
In Christ’s service always,
Jeff