The House Church Movement : Healthy? Unhealthy?
Here’s a video podcast on the topic of the house church movement. (If you are seeing this in your email, head on over to www.revolutionexperience.com)
I’m writing this as I’m hungering for a radical reformation in the church that will result in extreme power and revival and unstoppable Kingdom advance in our cities. The church as we know it is going to change, and many Christians are experiencing this deep craving… though, the advance toward reformation is taking people in many different directions. The emergent church, the organic church, the para-church and, of course, the house church.
My belief is that there are healthy house churches and there are also terribly unhealthy house churches that result from an Absalom spirit and a rebellious, or even simply, an impatient heart.
In Acts we don’t see a house church devoid of a greater corporate expression. It’s not either/or but rather, it’s both/and. They were in the house of prayer daily AND in homes. Strong apostolic leadership is critical as we advance as a city church, and those in house church leadership must be rightly aligned under apostolic leadership.
Rank and order are extremely biblical principles, and if we don’t understand this we will find ourselves presuming to have the right to become self-governing and lawless.
In regard to effectiveness, mega-churches, at least structurally, have much greater ability to ‘get the job done’. The question many have is, “what is the job?”
It’s to be a house of prayer for all nations, to be a unified army and to advance the Kingdom with power and precision.
Here’s a chapter from my book Covens in the Church that addresses this issue briefly:
Church Shopping
To further investigate this issue, allow me to make another critical statement: It is never appropriate to shop for a church! The American consumer mentality has delivered a devastating blow to the stability and growth of the Church. I’ve been in ministry for a long time, and I can’t count how many times I’ve heard statements like:
- “We’re going to attend ‘x’ church because it has a great youth ministry.”
- “I like the teaching much better at ‘y’ church.”
- “I disagree with the pastor’s position, so I’m leaving.”
- “I’m not being fed in my church.”
- “My current church doesn’t meet my needs.”
Oooooh! When did we start believing that the church’s primary responsibility is to meet our needs? It’s when the people embraced control and started making demands on the very church they are supposed to be receiving mission driven directives from! The church’s primary role IS NOT to satisfy us. It’s to equip us to do the work of the ministry. Thus, contrarily, we are called to satisfy the needs of the church and the corporate mission as the church enables us through challenging teaching and training in a Holy Spirit driven atmosphere. A church is a militaristic and missional organization that has been given an extreme vision by God.
Never choose a church based on its programs, its pastor or even its mission. Attend the church that God tells you to attend, and then serve there until you are released and sent by God and the pastor. Connect there for many years! Don’t put a time limit on your involvement! Don’t assume you are there to change things or teach the pastor all you know. Let your dreams die and allow the process of humility take root. God may take five years to bring you to the point where you can be broken enough to serve the pastor of a church of twenty-five effectively- so it can then grow into its destiny! Ask any pastor or ministry leader- they would take a mildly skilled and gifted person who is long-suffering, enduring and encouraging in the work over someone who is highly gifted with great aspirations.
I often discuss the principle of the money changers when I teach. The money changer’s tables were overturned by Jesus. It was a severe and necessary statement that we need to embrace today- The money changers went into the temple with the expectation of leaving with more than they entered with. The purpose of the temple is to bring offerings. To sacrifice. To expect to leave with less than we entered with. This is the heart we must see arise again in our churches. We don’t look for the church that will give us what we want, but rather we go where we can give. Of course, God being God, we continually grow and receive blessings so we can once again bring something to the altar. We are blessed to be a blessing. I also challenge people to be full of life, fire, fresh revelation and Holy Spirit birthed knowledge before they
come to a church service. Don’t come to fill up, but to pour out!
This mind-set requires a great reformation of understanding in regard to the purpose of our churches. We pray, study, fast and grow independently in preparation for the challenge and input we are about to receive on Sunday morning. Eager response to new opportunities in such an environment results in victory after victory! God’s leaders have been appointed to accomplish a mission- and God has appointed men and women to serve that leader’s mission. Throughout Scripture we see this. Joshua led willing servants. Gideon led. Paul led. It’s time the Church divorces the spirits of Control and Witchcraft, dissolves their coven and serve. What happens when people abort their missions due to dissatisfaction or disagreement? Many these days are arbitrarily divorcing their church families and pastors and starting illegitimate house churches or other ministries. I believe this scenario will exponentially increase in the coming decade. These particular ministries are unauthorized and non-ordained movements of rebellion. They pridefully feel they can do it better than the one they were serving under. They usurp their leader’s authority and draw people unto themselves. They are the epidemy of a coven meeting.
Many house church leaders were once appalled that their pastor wasn’t held accountable, yet now as a self-appointed ministry leader, they themselves have nobody leading them. They are self-governing and independent. Many wonderfully healthy and mission critical house churches do exist- but they understand their role in the city church. They serve and support their appointed leaders- other pastors and apostles in the city church. They are not independent or autonomous or islands to themselves.
Ephesians 2:19-20 (NKJV) Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
You can order Covens in the Church on line at www.praytherevolution.com/resources.
11 Responses to “The House Church Movement : Healthy? Unhealthy?”
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The church is considered as the home for our spirit,,
It serves as a catalyst for heaven seeking and spiritual belief.
The church is considered as the home for our spirit,,
It serves as a catalyst for heaven seeking and spiritual belief.
You have one side of a truth. You have deakt admirably with the heart attitude which every christian should, indeed, have but you have taken the metaphor too far in the other direction.
If a christian goes to the church building and does not get fed then the sheep/shepherd metaphor breaks down. And no matter how much we submit to others, it has to be mutual in nature. For instance, if a pastor did not release me to leave their church and yet God was telling me to go, who do you think I would listen too?
There will always be a divine tension between sunmission and the priesthood of all believers.
You have one side of a truth. You have deakt admirably with the heart attitude which every christian should, indeed, have but you have taken the metaphor too far in the other direction.
If a christian goes to the church building and does not get fed then the sheep/shepherd metaphor breaks down. And no matter how much we submit to others, it has to be mutual in nature. For instance, if a pastor did not release me to leave their church and yet God was telling me to go, who do you think I would listen too?
There will always be a divine tension between sunmission and the priesthood of all believers.
A key reason I wrote the book was to dispel the wrong idea that you mention. “What if God tells me to leave and my pastor tells me to stay?”
It's a trust issue. Do we trust God, who established all authority, to work it all out? Or must we take matters into our own hands, violate God's protocol and refuse to submit?
If we only submit to the point where we don't want to submit it's not submission at all.
I'd encourage you to read the book and let me know what you think.
A key reason I wrote the book was to dispel the wrong idea that you mention. “What if God tells me to leave and my pastor tells me to stay?”
It's a trust issue. Do we trust God, who established all authority, to work it all out? Or must we take matters into our own hands, violate God's protocol and refuse to submit?
If we only submit to the point where we don't want to submit it's not submission at all.
I'd encourage you to read the book and let me know what you think.
Dear Friends,
I tend to agree w/both Bro(s) John and Gary we must remember a coin has two sides, but if its a quarter then its still a quarter and remembering what Solomon said there is a time for everything. Before one leaves there church home they must ask themselves why? Is it for selfish reasons such as, “I'm not being used”, “the praise and worship is not to my liking” etc., we must understand the church is going to have issues because we have issues, the church is not going to be perfect because were not perfect. No the church is not there to make us feel comfey and coozey, but it is there to serve the needs of the brethren and the heathen, which all of us once were and the needs that “MUST” be meant aren't always going to be comfortable we must understand the difference between “satisfying” and “needs.” And yet a person cannot be expected to stay at a church where blatant heretical teaching is being displayed or the leadership is not leading but being tyrannical and or being totally unaccountable or reponsible. Both pastor and sheep are accountable to one another, the Word of God is clear on this. Those who would lead after Christ are not to lead or display leadership in the “worlds” way ever remember you are a servant of Christ and to those you shepherd. The church body is not to establish cliques and fan clubs the pastoral are not to establish sorieties. Both fanctions are not always going to agree but mutual love and respect is to be rendered to both once again the bible is clear. God's word will always give us a balance on these type of subjects, but however we only gleam that which our own opinions are based and if that opinion is challenged even w/the truth of scripture we react, how can I say, unhealthy. Furthermore I'm inclined to believe the problem in the church is not “authority” but “love” for if I love then I'll have no problem submitting to authority and if I love those whom I serve, then they will love me, does that mean we won't have healthy not rebellious disagreements of course, but we will love one another. Lets not be biased and partial in our view points, but base our view points off of the Word of God, even if it means were wrong or unclear. Loving you.
Dear Friends,
I tend to agree w/both Bro(s) John and Gary we must remember a coin has two sides, but if its a quarter then its still a quarter and remembering what Solomon said there is a time for everything. Before one leaves there church home they must ask themselves why? Is it for selfish reasons such as, “I'm not being used”, “the praise and worship is not to my liking” etc., we must understand the church is going to have issues because we have issues, the church is not going to be perfect because were not perfect. No the church is not there to make us feel comfey and coozey, but it is there to serve the needs of the brethren and the heathen, which all of us once were and the needs that “MUST” be meant aren't always going to be comfortable we must understand the difference between “satisfying” and “needs.” And yet a person cannot be expected to stay at a church where blatant heretical teaching is being displayed or the leadership is not leading but being tyrannical and or being totally unaccountable or reponsible. Both pastor and sheep are accountable to one another, the Word of God is clear on this. Those who would lead after Christ are not to lead or display leadership in the “worlds” way ever remember you are a servant of Christ and to those you shepherd. The church body is not to establish cliques and fan clubs the pastoral are not to establish sorieties. Both fanctions are not always going to agree but mutual love and respect is to be rendered to both once again the bible is clear. God's word will always give us a balance on these type of subjects, but however we only gleam that which our own opinions are based and if that opinion is challenged even w/the truth of scripture we react, how can I say, unhealthy. Furthermore I'm inclined to believe the problem in the church is not “authority” but “love” for if I love then I'll have no problem submitting to authority and if I love those whom I serve, then they will love me, does that mean we won't have healthy not rebellious disagreements of course, but we will love one another. Lets not be biased and partial in our view points, but base our view points off of the Word of God, even if it means were wrong or unclear. Loving you.
Corporately meeting in the temple as well as the house? Brother, I have no doubt in my heart that you are a christian and love the LORD, you are my brother…but your views betray a great lack of understanding of the history of the very subject that you are obviously quite keen to teach about – the purpose of the church itself. To be sure, the Organic Church Movement is nothing like how you have desribed it. It seems you have a gross misunderstanding of both the purpose of the church, the function of all gifted believers in the church, and a somewhat blurred view of what you term “hierarchy” inclusive of your comment regarding how you see “the church as an organisation” et. al. The church is not an “organisation”, or an “institution”. You've obviously derived your views from the less than comfortable (or bad) experiences of many who no doubt have rejected authority/leaders. The Organic church movement is NOT against spiritual authority or leadership…not sure where you got that from. For the record, I am very missional, sent via a traditional church that meets in a building back home. I'm sent out to serve cross culturally and plant churches. Churches, where yes, there is spiritual authority, yes, believers are functioning (with no hierarchy, as elders are a function not an office) and where all are able to partake and give of Christ Himself. There is prayer, intercession, miracles, witness, teaching, spiritual authority, love, song, joy, mutual edification, praise, adoration of Jesus Christ, the Father, The Spirit. So, I'm not hurt, rebelling, anti-traditional or anything like that – but have re-read Scripture in light of facts – which are there if ever one decides to accept them – that most contemporary church practices are simply derived from what was actually quite pagan. On that note, I recommend that you read, “Pagan Christianity” and “Reimagining Church” both by Viola F. Cheers and God Bless, John
Corporately meeting in the temple as well as the house? Brother, I have no doubt in my heart that you are a christian and love the LORD, you are my brother…but your views betray a great lack of understanding of the history of the very subject that you are obviously quite keen to teach about – the purpose of the church itself. To be sure, the Organic Church Movement is nothing like how you have desribed it. It seems you have a gross misunderstanding of both the purpose of the church, the function of all gifted believers in the church, and a somewhat blurred view of what you term “hierarchy” inclusive of your comment regarding how you see “the church as an organisation” et. al. The church is not an “organisation”, or an “institution”. You've obviously derived your views from the less than comfortable (or bad) experiences of many who no doubt have rejected authority/leaders. The Organic church movement is NOT against spiritual authority or leadership…not sure where you got that from. For the record, I am very missional, sent via a traditional church that meets in a building back home. I'm sent out to serve cross culturally and plant churches. Churches, where yes, there is spiritual authority, yes, believers are functioning (with no hierarchy, as elders are a function not an office) and where all are able to partake and give of Christ Himself. There is prayer, intercession, miracles, witness, teaching, spiritual authority, love, song, joy, mutual edification, praise, adoration of Jesus Christ, the Father, The Spirit. So, I'm not hurt, rebelling, anti-traditional or anything like that – but have re-read Scripture in light of facts – which are there if ever one decides to accept them – that most contemporary church practices are simply derived from what was actually quite pagan. On that note, I recommend that you read, “Pagan Christianity” and “Reimagining Church” both by Viola F. Cheers and God Bless, John