THE SUBTLE HERESY. “It’s a church without a name, without a building, without a pastor, without a program, without even an address… being more like Jesus

THE SUBTLE THE SUBTLE HERESYHERESY

“ “It’s a church without a It’s a church without a name, without a building, name, without a building,

without a pastor, without a without a pastor, without a program, without even an program, without even an address… being more like address… being more like Jesus does not mean being Jesus does not mean being

a super-involved church a super-involved church member…member…

“ “It’s a church without a It’s a church without a name, without a building, name, without a building,

without a pastor, without a without a pastor, without a program, without even an program, without even an address… being more like address… being more like Jesus does not mean being Jesus does not mean being

a super-involved church a super-involved church member…member…

THE HOUSE CHURCH THE HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENTMOVEMENT


““Before real progress can be made, Before real progress can be made, we will have to undergo a pivotal we will have to undergo a pivotal

paradigm shift in the way we paradigm shift in the way we perceive even the notion of perceive even the notion of

“church” itself…Our concept of the “church” itself…Our concept of the church typically tends to suggest church typically tends to suggest

organization, complete with organization, complete with hierarchy and dogma. By contrast, hierarchy and dogma. By contrast, the early church…was far closer to the early church…was far closer to being an organism—less dependent being an organism—less dependent

upon formal structure and more upon formal structure and more spontaneous in action”spontaneous in action”

““Before real progress can be made, Before real progress can be made, we will have to undergo a pivotal we will have to undergo a pivotal

paradigm shift in the way we paradigm shift in the way we perceive even the notion of perceive even the notion of

“church” itself…Our concept of the “church” itself…Our concept of the church typically tends to suggest church typically tends to suggest

organization, complete with organization, complete with hierarchy and dogma. By contrast, hierarchy and dogma. By contrast, the early church…was far closer to the early church…was far closer to being an organism—less dependent being an organism—less dependent

upon formal structure and more upon formal structure and more spontaneous in action”spontaneous in action”



✓Believe that smaller groups are Believe that smaller groups are essential for true worship and essential for true worship and fellowshipfellowship

✓Believe that smaller groups are Believe that smaller groups are essential for true worship and essential for true worship and fellowshipfellowship



✓Stress that “house churches” are Stress that “house churches” are the pattern of the New Testamentthe pattern of the New Testament

✓Stress that “house churches” are Stress that “house churches” are the pattern of the New Testamentthe pattern of the New Testament

✓Define essential size as limited by Define essential size as limited by the number who can eat a common the number who can eat a common meal togethermeal together

✓Define essential size as limited by Define essential size as limited by the number who can eat a common the number who can eat a common meal togethermeal together

✓Incorporate “communion” into Incorporate “communion” into those common mealsthose common meals

✓Incorporate “communion” into Incorporate “communion” into those common mealsthose common meals

✓Accept and welcome a broad range Accept and welcome a broad range of doctrinal diversity and religious of doctrinal diversity and religious practicepractice


✓See the “house church” as See the “house church” as necessary for evangelismnecessary for evangelism

✓Advocate a less formal atmosphere Advocate a less formal atmosphere (clothing, behavior, teaching)(clothing, behavior, teaching)

✓Reject the notion of Located Reject the notion of Located PreachersPreachers

✓Reject weekly contributionReject weekly contribution


“HCC is non-denominational and an effort is made to

accommodate Christians of many backgrounds. The

house church movement is an attempt to get away from the institutional

church, seeking instead to return to the small

gatherings of peoples that constituted all of the churches of the New

Testament era.”www.hccentral.com

http://www.hccentral.com/


“Authority. House church advocates reject any human authority other than the very

real and present rule of Christ, who was inaugurated the king

of his church at the first Pentecost (Acts 2). The house church assembles to know the

will of its king through the Holy Spirit and to be obedient

to that will...”

www.hccentral.com



www.hccentral.com

“Heresy. Others argue that house churches, due to their

lack of seminary trained clergy, might follow the

examples of Jonestown and Waco. In this they have a

point, as the New Testament is full of epistles that attempt to correct a legion of heresies in various churches--and all of

the New Testament churches were, in fact, house

churches...”



www.hccentral.com

“One might say that the relationships in the

institutional church excel in quantity and the house church provides a chance for better quality. But when Jesus said "the two or three gathered

together" (Mt. 18:20), it seems that he had the house church

in mind. One can hide in a large church--going week after week and never really building a relationship with anyone..”.



www.hccentral.com

“Infant baptism was a hot button for the historical

anabaptists and baptists. It was seen as the very symbol of church-state collaboration,

and many of the early confessions anathematize the practice without mincing any words. Modern house church theologians, however, are not

nearly as dogmatic on this issue--some are, and some are

not...”



www.hccentral.com

“Are the Bible and the Word of God really the same? Most

evangelicals today will usually answer "Yes" to this question,

but one must ask whether such an answer is really

biblical. The Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8 was struggling to understand Isa. 53 and was making no headway. He was reading the Scripture, but he was not getting the Word of

God...”



www.hccentral.com

“Along came Philip, who was sensitive to what God was

doing and who "preached" to him. Suddenly the Eunuch

understood the Word of God with clarity and was baptized

on confession of faith. Put another way, the Eunuch

actually come to know God because he had encountered

the transforming power of the Word of God. This example

tells us that the "Word of God" was not the Isaiah text

itself...”



www.hccentral.com

“Yes, the Scripture was the center of the narrative, but the

presence and work of the evangelist (Philip) and

the Holy Spirit (who appears repeatedly in

this passage) were also necessary for the Eunuch to appropriate the Word

of God in this case.”



www.ethoslove.com

“...comfortable...”

“...uncomplicated environment...”

“...diverse...”

“...casual...”


The New Social GospelThe New Social Gospel

www.northsidecofc.com

““What Makes a Good Church?What Makes a Good Church?So, So, what do you think makes a good what do you think makes a good church? Although many answers church? Although many answers

could be given, several things come could be given, several things come to mind. First, it needs to be one to mind. First, it needs to be one

that uses the Bible for all its that uses the Bible for all its decisions (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If decisions (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If

you were given instructions on how you were given instructions on how to bake a cake would you skip any to bake a cake would you skip any

steps? In the same way, a good steps? In the same way, a good church follows the “recipe” very church follows the “recipe” very closely. In the Bible, a church in closely. In the Bible, a church in

Berea searched the Bible daily to Berea searched the Bible daily to find the truth about Jesus and His find the truth about Jesus and His

church (Acts 17:11). A good church church (Acts 17:11). A good church would do exactly the same today.”would do exactly the same today.”




““Second, a good church is one Second, a good church is one that is safe to ask questions (Acts that is safe to ask questions (Acts

2:37)... Asking questions is a 2:37)... Asking questions is a great way to get answers and to great way to get answers and to feel a part of the group. As a by-feel a part of the group. As a by-product, diverse answers are OK product, diverse answers are OK

too. Although every church too. Although every church usually has a particular answer usually has a particular answer

for most questions, a good for most questions, a good church realizes we are all still church realizes we are all still

growing in knowledge and growing in knowledge and maturity in God’s Word. maturity in God’s Word. A good A good church recognizes the value church recognizes the value

in diversity and thrives on itin diversity and thrives on it.”.”




““Lastly, a good church loves people (1 Lastly, a good church loves people (1 John 4:7). Since the church is John 4:7). Since the church is

described like a family we should love described like a family we should love one another as if we were actually one another as if we were actually

related. related. That means helping, That means helping, calling, hugging, talking, giving calling, hugging, talking, giving and sacrificingand sacrificing. Loving people also . Loving people also means we get into the community means we get into the community and volunteer our time, effort and and volunteer our time, effort and talents. Loving people doesn’t just talents. Loving people doesn’t just mean loving the lovable. mean loving the lovable. It means It means loving all people regardless of loving all people regardless of race, color, gender, past sins, race, color, gender, past sins,

current sins or anything else that current sins or anything else that we aren’t proud of.we aren’t proud of. A good A good

church gladly invites everyone church gladly invites everyone everywhere to come be a part of everywhere to come be a part of

God’s family.God’s family.””




Our prayer is that Our prayer is that you believe you believe this church is a good church. Our this church is a good church. Our leadership believes leadership believes our churchour church

VISION & GOAL help keep us VISION & GOAL help keep us focused on our task on hand as a focused on our task on hand as a church; to glorify God and help church; to glorify God and help people get to heaven. Being a people get to heaven. Being a good church doesn’t happen good church doesn’t happen overnight. It takes dedicated overnight. It takes dedicated

people willing to give whatever is people willing to give whatever is needed to improve the group. If needed to improve the group. If YOU want a good church YOU YOU want a good church YOU

need to be a good church.need to be a good church.



✓Not about the misuse of Not about the misuse of the church treasurythe church treasury

✓About the focus of the About the focus of the teaching, preaching and teaching, preaching and leadershipleadership

✓About man centered, About man centered, casual, comfortable casual, comfortable religionreligion

Documents

THE SUBTLE HERESY. “It’s a church without a name, without a building, without a pastor, without a program, without even an address… being more like Jesus