-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Home churches
- Thread starter Pah
- Start date
muichimotsu
Holding All and None
Community can be found anywhere, so home church is just a much more accessible venue from which to do that. Same with sangha, covens, etc. Hell the Jewish religion has something quite similar to that in Exodus, I believe...or used to before they went into Canaan.
Linus
Well-Known Member
I think it's a great idea so long as people don't believe that it's some sort of command that we are required to fill as Christians. In other words, if they don't think it's a sin to do otherwise, I'm fine with it. I think a lot of people and churches put too much emphasis on the physical building as it is.
bigvindaloo
Active Member
As long as no-one uninvited turns up and put there foot in the door I'm OK with this idea. However, isn't there a danger here of denominations springing up all over the place. What will you do to control the spread of idiosyncratic belief. Even I could become Christian if the right set of assumptions were presented to me. Anyway this is life, its ok, God is organic.
Melody
Well-Known Member
I generally worship at home as well although I would love to find some others to do a home church with. There's just an energy that exists among a "group" of worshippers which sometimes drives me to seek out a church where I'm usually turned off by their politicized sermons.
beckysoup61 said:
I worship in a clearing in the woods five minute's walk from home. There's not a trace of concrete, no bricks, no other people (I make sure of that first!
). There's just me, the soil, the trees, and Mother nature...........and God.I am not alone, either; I am in the company of those who have died before me (including my little daughter who never made it into this world); the day I thought '.......when two or more of you are in my presence.....', I sensed my Mother run to my rescue, to let me know she was the "second one" there.
Scuba Pete
Le plongeur avec attitude...
The church is not a building: it is an organism.
As Pah indicated, this is merely getting back to our primitive roots. I like that as well!
As Pah indicated, this is merely getting back to our primitive roots.
I like that as well!I agree that it will most likely become very popular. It is even alluded to in the Bible.
(1 Timothy 4:1) However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons,
(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. 5 You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do [the] work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.
(Matthew 24:11-14) 11 And many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off. 13 But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.
(2 Peter 2:1) However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves.
(1 John 4:1) Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
(1 Timothy 4:1) However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons,
(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. 5 You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do [the] work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.
(Matthew 24:11-14) 11 And many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off. 13 But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.
(2 Peter 2:1) However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves.
(1 John 4:1) Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
Pah said:
I am not being sarcastic when I say to the both of you I would like to hear more from you about the original church structure and perhaps the original spirituality and also about getting back to our primitive roots. I sincerely wouldI think it would be a very interesting discussion.NetDoc said:
Mister_T,
You asked: How do we know those verses you quoted are not referring to modern day churches? That is a legitimate and good question, please consider this: THEY DO! As well as applying to those groups that do not meet in a church building just as NetDoc alluded to above. It is not the buildings that God is upset with as he looks down on all those that claim to be his Church.
You asked: How do we know those verses you quoted are not referring to modern day churches? That is a legitimate and good question, please consider this: THEY DO! As well as applying to those groups that do not meet in a church building just as NetDoc alluded to above. It is not the buildings that God is upset with as he looks down on all those that claim to be his Church.
Faint
Well-Known Member
If church people begin separating/cocooning themselves (spliting the congregations if you will) I think that it will ultimately serve to further weaken these religious superorganisms that have been running amok lately (or always have been perhaps). This to me is good news.
MidnightBlue,
Yes they did meet in homes but not homes ONLY!
(Acts 5:21) . . .After hearing this, they entered into the temple at daybreak and began to teach.. . .
(Acts 9:20) . . .and immediately in the synagogues he began to preach Jesus. . .
(Acts 18:4) . . .However, he would give a talk in the synagogue every sabbath and would persuade Jews and Greeks.
Even though that is the way they did it in the first century that does not mean that modern day Christians should do their evangelizing by entering the places of worship of Jews or Muslims or any other group, does it?? Nowadays that simply would not work. By the same token, nowadays meeting in a building does work pretty well but it is not a requirement, one way or the other.
There is nothing wrong with meeting in a buildingthat is how it is done in our time. Neither meeting in a building nor meeting in a home necessarily automatically bestows authenticity or Gods blessing. And so it was in the first century also for they often met regularly in places other than homes:
(Acts 16:13, 16) And on the sabbath day we went forth outside the gate beside a river, where we were thinking there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women that had assembled. . . . And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer
(Acts 17:17) . . .every day in the marketplace with those who happened to be on hand. . .
(Acts 17:22) . . .Paul now stood in the midst of the Ar·e·op´a·gus and said:. . .
(Acts 19:9) . . .daily giving talks in the school [auditorium] of Ty·ran´nus.
Yes they did meet in homes but not homes ONLY!
(Acts 5:21) . . .After hearing this, they entered into the temple at daybreak and began to teach.. . .
(Acts 9:20) . . .and immediately in the synagogues he began to preach Jesus. . .
(Acts 18:4) . . .However, he would give a talk in the synagogue every sabbath and would persuade Jews and Greeks.
Even though that is the way they did it in the first century that does not mean that modern day Christians should do their evangelizing by entering the places of worship of Jews or Muslims or any other group, does it?? Nowadays that simply would not work. By the same token, nowadays meeting in a building does work pretty well but it is not a requirement, one way or the other.
There is nothing wrong with meeting in a buildingthat is how it is done in our time. Neither meeting in a building nor meeting in a home necessarily automatically bestows authenticity or Gods blessing. And so it was in the first century also for they often met regularly in places other than homes:
(Acts 16:13, 16) And on the sabbath day we went forth outside the gate beside a river, where we were thinking there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women that had assembled. . . . And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer
(Acts 17:17) . . .every day in the marketplace with those who happened to be on hand. . .
(Acts 17:22) . . .Paul now stood in the midst of the Ar·e·op´a·gus and said:. . .
(Acts 19:9) . . .daily giving talks in the school [auditorium] of Ty·ran´nus.
Quiddity
UndertheInfluenceofGiants
I see no problem with home churches so long as it's not trying to replace the structure and organism of a traditional church. The early Church primarily met in homes and moved toward a more structured and organized church for a reason. Those who wish to replace it are well aware of their consequenses:
Just remember that the last prayer of our Lord was that of UNITY. The Church met in homes for logistical, economical, and persecutional reasons. Going back to that can serve a pupose. But it can also be very dangerous in my opinion. Disunity and interpretational anarchy is just one example. Those who oppose "superorganisms" fear them for a reason. Of course they will throw the typical lines of the Crusades and a herd of other things, but its all rather clear to me.Faint said:
I'm not a Christian, but here are my two cents... I feel the capacity for good or ill is held by the leaders and members, not the size of the group. A home church run by the late Dr. Martin Luther King would be very different than one run by Phelps. I feel that some people respond better to larger or smaller groups--it is good to have the choice. I feel that spirituality and religiosity are separate attributes and that one is not an indicator for the other; it is possible to have one, none or both.
cardero
Citizen Mod
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been conducting home book studies for years as part of their weekly programs and still maintain the faith and integrity of their beliefs. I was able to attend a few when I was younger and they are downright homey and comfortable.
The religion I have been ordained with also includes the same policy. Since the ministers outnumber the churches this is a workable alternative.
The religion I have been ordained with also includes the same policy. Since the ministers outnumber the churches this is a workable alternative.