The House Church Movement

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The House ChurchMovement
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What is the House Church?

• It is NOT the fact that we meet in a house!
• Romans 1651 Cor. 1619Philemon 2Colossians
  415

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What is the House Church?

• A movement seeking to reform the traditional
  structure of the church!
• It all but condemns authority for owning a
  building
• Found in many denominations

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What is the House Church?

• Influenced by brethren
• This book challenges traditional thinking,
  calling brethren to throw off the denominational
  thinking which obscures our historic commitment
  to biblical restoration,

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What is the House Church?

• Influenced by brethren
• and to consider how wonderfully revitalizing
  true restoration might be, as he proposes
  vibrant small group fellowships, weekly love
  feasts, informal and spontaneous mutual ministry
  in the word

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What is the House Church?

• Influenced by brethren
• and radically-motivated, counter-culture
  disciples of Christ.Radical Restoration,F.
  LaGard Smith, Scholar in residence for Christian
  Studies at David Lipscomb University

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True Gospel Preaching
What Happens in a House Church?

• They meet in homes in informal and casual
  setting.
• HOWEVER, not uncommon for churches in a city to
  occasionally come together. (Houses that Change
  the World, pg. 27-28)

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True Gospel Preaching
What Happens in a House Church?

• Worship is spontaneous ANYONE can speak up
  anytime (men and women)Upbeat songs (camp style)
  with hand clapping, etc. Usually associated
  with a social gathering (a potluck).

- Was priesthood spontaneous? - 1 Cor. 1427,
33-34
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True Gospel Preaching
What Happens in a House Church?

• The Lords Supper centered around a fellowship
  meal
• a regular shared meal
• with a loaf of bread and jug of juice in middle
  of table.

1 Cor. 1120-22, 34 Do you not have houses to
eat and drink in?
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True Gospel Preaching
What Happens in a House Church?
What about the specific foods for
Passover(bitter herbs, lamb, etc.) Luke 2220,
1 Cor. 1125 After Supper
The Lords Supper is a memorial to be observed
with reverence1 Cor. 1127-29

• Argued that Lords Supper was part of the
  Passover meal and therefore to be taken with a
  common meal of remembrance

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True Gospel Preaching
What Happens in a House Church?
Located Preachers 1 Tim. 13, Ac. 840, 218,
1910, 1811, etc. Elders as shepherds (leaders)
Ac. 2028, 1 Pet. 52-3
As to preaching see Positive Preaching
Movement! 2 Tim. 42-4

• NOT real and substantive preaching POSITIVE
  preaching, shallow and informal(anyone can speak
  up)
• Elimination of traditional leadership roles
  (elders, located preacher, etc.)

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True Gospel Preaching
Justification for House Churches

• Churches met in houses in first century.
• Yes they did, but also in the temple (Acts 246,
  512), in a school (Ac. 199), etc. Where is NOT
  the emphasis of scripture
• 1 Cor. 1122, Do you not have houses?
• Heb. 1025, 1 Cor. 1117, 20 authority for
  bldg.

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True Gospel Preaching
Justification for House Churches

• Traditional church model has become ineffective
• Emphasize problems boring, not emotionally
  stimulating, not relevant, Im not getting
  anything out of it., bickering among brethren,
  legalistic, too formal,

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True Gospel Preaching
Justification for House Churches

• Traditional church model has become ineffective
• Are local churches perfect? NO!
• But that does NOT justify throwing out the
  pattern!
• DEAL with the problem! REPENT! (Rev. 25, 33,
  319),

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True Gospel Preaching
Justification for House Churches

• Everything we do is worship!Worship is
  uninterrupted.
• Romans 121, Text used to justify this I beseech
  you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that
  you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
  acceptable to God, which is your reasonable
  service.

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True Gospel Preaching
Justification for House Churches

• Various translations lend to this idea. Romans
  121
• which is your reasonable service (KJV, NKJV)
• (which is) your spiritual service (ASV)
• which is your spiritual service of worship
  (NASU)
• this is your spiritual act of worship (NIV)

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True Gospel Preaching
Justification for House Churches

• The word service while at times is INVOLVED in
  worship does NOT always mean worship!
• Matthew 410
• Romans 125
• Hebrews 1310

Worship is something we INTEND to do!John
423-24, Acts 207, 1 Cor. 1426
- In ALL we do, we SERVE God, but NOT everything
IS worship! RESPECT HIS PATTERN!
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True Gospel Preaching
Why House Church Movement is Wrong
These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are
an abomination to Him One who sows discord among
brethren.Prov. 616-19

• It is divisive! 1 Cor. 110
• How does a house church begin?
• 2 or 3 spiritual families move in
• They question preacher elders
• Attack worship service
• They attack the elder and preacher
• Disseminate literature
• Draw members away!

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True Gospel Preaching
Why House Church Movement is Wrong

• It is unscriptural
• Rejects Gods pattern for the church AND her
  organization (weakens eldership if any women
  take leadership roles, no preacher allowed, )

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True Gospel Preaching
Why House Church Movement is Wrong

• Perversion of N.T. Worship
• Spontaneous and NOT according to Gods pattern
  (Lords Supper a common meal, camp songs, hand
  clapping, What is your experience?, etc.)
• 1 Cor. 1440

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True Gospel Preaching
Why House Church Movement is Wrong

• It is Man-CENTERED!
• More about what man wants than what God expects
  and commands.NOT directed toward God as HE
  commands it!
• Sure one goes away feeling good, but why?
  Emotion driven!

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The House Church Movement is another product of
weak preaching and man-pleasers
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May we NEVER neglect our assemblies to WORSHIP
Him as He asks us to!