HOME CHURCH AND MY “ROOTS”

  After writing a Christian man who lays hardwood floors on his knees a family health plan.  I asked, “Anything else?”  He said, “Tell us about house church.”  I asked, “What?” He replied, “You mentioned something about house church in a radio add two years ago.”    

  What’s a house or home church?  It’s like home schooling as “we teach one another” (Colossians 1:16-17) and older than any book of the New Testament.  Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst,” Matthew 19:20.  His church began in a house and did well in homes for three hundred years.

  Many today have drifted or been driven from the sectarian church, visited many groups or denominations, and today are “home alone.”   They pray, read their Bible, but” dislike the “system.”  They’re tired the division, most of their $$$ going for buildings and salaries, and/or just got bored.  Many may not know I was a clergyman or holy man for twenty-five years and a “tentmaker” most of the time starting four congregations in four states mostly paying my way of the time.  I could hold my own with those you see on TV. 

  Here’s my story it may offend some of you and I’ll probably lose some business.  I’m old enough that people don’t have to like me.  So, here goes.  I met Betty who was sitting on a pew in a revival near Richmond, KY.   She was a beauty with big brown eyes and the longest black hair I’d ever seen.   We married a year or so later on 1/1/1960 in that  building.  We have one daughter, Dawn, who works with us and three grandchildren.

  We were saddened like many of you about the divisions in our and other groups.  We’ve seen the scars of the religious wars in Europe between those who called Him Lord.  I always knew something was wrong and wondered why people fell away.  I found out.  I met the enemy.  It was me and the clergy system.  I had a chance to sit on a pew for a month.  You might say I got the “view from the pew”  and like Hank Williams, “I saw the light.” 

    I tired of being lifted up above my brethren just because I had a Bible College degree and could speak without stuttering.  Parents who treat their children differently are condemned, but we can do it in the name of Jesus and it’s okay. Through a deeper study of the N.T and quite a bit of soul searching we came to some decisions for our home and His church.   We’ve been doing home church for over twelve years.  Jesus met mostly with twelve and often with three as so can we.  Bigger is not better.  Why and how we meet and who’s in charge is dead wrong according to I Corinthians 14:26 and you can prove it.

  Self appointed clergy leaders knew if the people heard and accepted the message of Jesus that they could “go direct” to God through Him they’d have to get honest work.  They cried for and got his blood, but He rose on the third day.  Everyone is clergy or chosen.

  Eleven of the twelve he chose, lived with, and taught got his message only after his resurrection and passed it on with many various temporary gifts to heal, speak in foreign languages, and prophesy (telling God’s word and will) Acts 8:18, 19:1-5. 

  Jesus prayed for unity (John 17:20-21) and division heresy for three hundred years, I Corinthians 1:10-13, 3:3-7.   Early Christians knew nothing of expensive church buildings, boards, popes, hired Pastors/Ministers, creeds, Sunday offerings, and their God did not live in temples made with hands, Acts 17:24-31.  Groups of a dozen or so met in homes for mutual edification and the New Testament is “shot through” with references about “house church,” Acts 2:1-4, 2:46, 5:42, 8:3, 12:12, 18:7, 20:7, 20:20, Romans 16:3-5, 16;19, I Cor. 16:19, Colossians 4:15, and Philemon 1:2.  How’d things get so complicated? 

  Constantine, a pagan Roman Emperor,  named every day of our week and called  the first day of the week Sunday.  He proclaimed himself the head of the church, and built many church building about A.D. 323.  Then came hired the pagan priest to replacing slain leaders, pews, sermons, pulpits, “orders” of worship, and we’ve been asleep on the pews since.  The reformation just increased divisions.  God has only one church.  I’d like to hear your ideas.  I plan make and put on this site a CD and DVD about home church.