After my post on July 18th (below) to Laura, it seems she did not have the liberty to respond and so the topic seems to have been dropped for a time.
You wrote: "Bruce, regretfully we seem to have gotten off the issue of home churches. To me they are the ideal, but not easy to find (impossible?)."
Dear sister, churches are simply gatherings of saints in homes! If there is ever a gathering of 2 or 3 believers in your house you can pray together, sing together, break bread together, worship the Lord together, edify one another in the scriptures.
You continued:"So many "home churches" are run by kooks (I won't mention the one I have in mind at this moment, but you know who he is!), making it hard to discern whether it is even safe to try one out."
Izzy, if you simply allow the Holy spirit to "run things", the "kooks" will have no opportunity to do so! BTW, how do you think that I know who you have in mind? I have no idea even where in the world you are located!
You continued:"Meantime, I think it is better to worship in an organized setting than not at all. It isn't all bad, either--lots of good stuff happening! We worship at a non-denom on Sunday, and a Messianic synagogue on Saturday.
Izzy, who says that attending a service in an "organized setting" (a distinct "holy" building, with a distinct "holy" priesthood, who derive a distinct "holy" salary, taken from distinct "holy" fees, taken from common ordinary "lay people" who are generally expected to sit down, shut up, stand up, sit down, pay up, stand up and go home) is worship??? One can do that every Sunday for 80 years straight and still never obey the command of God in Hebrews 10:24,25!!!
Who says that that if you don't worship in such a setting,"no worship at all" is the only other option??
Finally you asked:"Do you think it was wrong of Jews to have temples (other than the one in Jerusalem?). Do you think they should have confined themselves to home churches? Don’t you think the Original, 1st Century Believers worshipped in temples/synagogues? "
Izzy, the old Covenant was established at Mount Sinai. The New Covenant was established by the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. From that time on (demonstrated by the rending of the vail in the Jerusalem temple and clearly taught by Stephen in Acts 7:48 and by Paul in Acts 17:24) God no longer dwelt in temples mmade with hands. Since the new covenant made the first old, decayed and ready to vanish away (Heb.8:13) neither Jews nor Gentiles have any direction from God to construct any sort of "temple" or "sanctuary" for gatherings of new covenant saints! Nor do they have any direction to pay salaries to a distinct clergy class of priests!
Relative to your last two questions there is a truth in the new covenant scriptures which many (even some house church folks) seem to have missed. It is this: there are two kinds of new covenant church gatherings. One is the "whole church" gathering, the multitude of the saints in an entire city gathering together. The other is the "church in the house" gathering.
The large kind of gathering is found in such passages as Acts 2:46a; 5:42a; 6:2-5; 15:4,12,22,25; Romans 16:23.
The regulations for such large whole church gatherings in one place are found in I Cor.14:23-40.
The circle of fellowship in such a gathering includes "all them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus" in that particular city. Such a gathering is a testimony to the fact that God is NOT the author of any denomination but stands in opposition to such sectarian divisions among His people! See I Cor 1:2 and 10-13.
The small kind of gatherings is found in such passages as Acts 1:13-2:4; 2:46b; 5:42b; 8:3; 12:12; 16:34,40; 18:26; 21:8,9; Romans 16:5; I Cor.16:19; Col.4:15; Philemon 1:2 etc.
The regulations of such assemblies in homes are found in Heb.10:24,25.
If you read all of the above scriptures you will observe that there are a number of clear contrasts between these two kinds of gatherings. Some of the major difference are these:
(1)In the whole church gathering only one man could speak at a time so all could hear and be edified. But in the small house gathering, there may be much conversation, interaction and "one anothering" ministry.
(2)In the large gathering there can only be tongues speaking if there is an interpretter, there can only be one speaker at a time, and no more than 3 people can speak in tongues. But in the smaller gatherings the Holy Spirit sometimes lead number of people to speak in tongues without interpretation.
(3)In the large gathering only males are permitted to speak and they are to let the women be silent. But in the smaller gatherings both men and women freely participate in one anothering ministry according to their gifts.
(4)There is no scriptural record of breaking bread in a whole church gathering. Every reference to breaking bread is in the smaller gatherings.
I trust, dear sister, that a careful look at what scripture actually says will help you to see that you have probably particpated in house church meetings far more often than you realize!!! Why not go in for making it a purposeful act whenever you are with other saints???
Your brother in Christ,
Bruce
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bruce Woodford
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 5:32 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Practical Issues relative to House Churches
Hi Laura,
You wrote:"Believe me if my church taught false doctrine I'd be looking for another place to worship."
Dear Sister, does your church teach and ractice:
-that the church is to be lead by the pastor?
-that the pastor is hired and paid by the church?
-that the church building is to be maintained from the collection which scripture says is to be for poor saints?
-that believers are to tithe to support the pastor and the church programs?
-that in regular church gatherings the congregation is to be silent and listen to sermons from the pastor?
-that church members are to be accountable to the pastor or other church leaders?
If any of these doctrines are believed and taught in your church, there is very prominent false doctrine. (All of these practices are not only unscriptural, they are contrary to scripture!)
The church is to be lead by Christ, the Head.Shepherds are never hired, paid nor fired by the sheep! Shepherds are appointed by the Owner of the sheep and their needs are met as they labour with their own hands. Acts 20:28-35
New covenant saints have no sanctified buildings to maintain! Collections are for poor saints. I Cor.16:1,2 and II Cor.8 and 9
Tithing has absolutely nothing to do with new covenant saints or new covenant churches!
When new covenant saints assemble together they are NOT to be silent, but are rather to provoke one another to love and to good works, they are to exhort one another, they are to edify one another etc. Heb.10:24,25
All believers are accountable to God alone for their assignments and for the evaluation of their service. Rom.14:12. Even those who lead are accountable to God and must give account to Him. Heb.13:17
But sister, please do not go looking for another "place"!!!! We are not called to find a "place"! Old covenant woship HAD to be in the right PLACE because God put His name in ONE PLACE and if you didn't worship there you were in the wrong PLACE!
But new covenant worship is not in places. God no longer dwells in temples made with hands. He now dwells in PERSONS. He dwells in His people and they dwell in Him! Christians do not GO TO CHURCH, we ARE THE CHURCH where ever we go! Our responsibilility is to recognize other believers and build relationships with each other in our normal activities and normal gathering places. That is why new covenant believers gathered in homes! There was a church in Aquila and Priscilla's home, a church in Philemon's home, a church in Nymphas' home, prayer meetings in homes, breaking bread from house to house etc etc.
Far better to simply look for other believers who live within a few blocks of your home (or if you live in the country- within a few miles of your home) and seek to build relationships with them. Pray with them, eat with them, sing with them, encourage each other in the Word, when you find some among them who are in need, give to them. " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another."
The hallmark of new covenant ministry of saints is reciprocal "one anothering"! Loving one another, praying for one another, confessing faults one to another, edifying one another, exhorting one another, bearing one another's burdens etc etc.
Your brother in Christ,
Bruce
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