Are Home Fellowships
God's Will For You?
Many Christians today are leaving the traditional churches and establishing "home fellowships," also called house churches or home churches.
Are home fellowships biblical? Is it okay for Christians to meet in their homes?
Yes it is!
Meeting in the homes is the pattern established for believers by God himself, in his Word. This is the truth, and as such is part of the armor of God you must wear in your heart. The truth of this biblical pattern will give you positive motivation for real living!
You are now going to see for yourself what God says about all this in His Word.
But first, think for a moment about…
What Your Bible Does Not Say
If you check the Scriptures you will discover something interesting about the words "church" or "churches," which are used more than 100 times in the Bible.
The word church in the Scriptures never refers to a building. Never! The word church always refers to people. The original Greek word, which is usually translated "church," simply means "those who are called out" or those who are "assembled together." People!
You will also discover that the words "church building" are not in the Scriptures, either. God never says anything about his people meeting in "church buildings."
Not a word!
Interesting, isn't it? The mainline denominations around the world expect Christians to show up in their "church buildings," but this is not scriptural! A church is God's people, not a building you show up at on Sunday. In fact…
The word "Sunday" is not in the Bible either!
Look it up for yourself!
So, if the word church never refers to a building and the word Sunday is not in God's Word, then how can Christian leaders say "You ought to go to church on Sunday"?
Isn't this fascinating…how Christianity's "big deal" (going to church) is not even mentioned in Scripture.
Now, don't get upset at me for saying all of this…
Just check it out for yourself.
Be like those noble believers in Berea who were "examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11)
Grab your Bible and read it. Pull your concordance off of the shelf and look up the words "church building," and "Sunday." See if you can find them in God's Word.
You can't?
Well, while you are searching God's Word, see if you can find any mention of "pulpits, pews, worship services, etc." anywhere in the New Testament.
Surprised? They are not in there, either!
Now let's see what, if anything, the Bible says about…
Home fellowships…
What Your Bible Says
Take a look at the book of Acts. Notice carefully what it says…
The first Christians "broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts" (Acts 2:46)
These people were fellowshipping in their homes!
The apostles began teaching "Every day, in the temple and from house to house" (Acts 5:42).
When Peter was miraculously delivered from prison, he "went to the house of Mary…where many people had gathered and were praying" (Acts 12:12).
Again, you are witnessing teaching and fellowshipping in peoples' houses. Home fellowships!
When Saul began persecuting the Christians, he "ravaged the church, entering into every house" where the believers were meeting (Acts 8:3).
Later, after Saul's conversion to Christ, God miraculously delivered him and Silas from prison. They then witnessed to the jailor and "spoke the word lf the lord to him, and to all who were in his house." Paul and Silas then "went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them" (Acts 16:30, 40).
Again, fellowshipping with believers in the homes.
Paul met with the Christian leaders and said, "You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house" (Acts 20:20).
Acts also shows a fellowship in the home of Philip the evangelist (Acts 21:8-14)…
And the book of Acts also says large numbers of believers came to Paul's house, and "For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him" (Acts28:23, 30-31).
Home fellowships, even for the evangelists and apostles.
Meeting in the homes is the pattern for God's people in God's Word. The Scriptures do not mention any "church buildings" at all.
Are You Listening?
Is the Bible true? Does God mean what he says?
The record is crystal clear. The apostles in the first century were establishing a pattern of home fellowships!
Yes, for awhile Paul taught at the school of Tyrannus for the purpose of outreach (Acts 19:9). But his pattern of home fellowships continued.
Paul often speaks, in his epistles, of first-century home fellowships…
"Greet Priscilla and Aquila…greet also the church that meets at their house." (Romans 16:3, 5)
"Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus (Romans 16:10).
"Greet those of the household of Narcissus…" (Romans 16:11).
"Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, together with the assembly that is in their house" (1 Corinthians 16:19).
"Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the assembly that is in his house" (Colossians 4:15).
"To the beloved Apphia, to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the assembly in your house" (Philemon 1:2).
Your house!
Home fellowships! That is the biblical pattern. There is NO other pattern established in God's Word. And remember…
The apostle Paul says "Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example" (Philippians 3:17).
So, if God's Word sets the precedent and pattern for believers to meet in home fellowships, then...
What are we to think about Christians meeting in fancy man-made "church buildings?"
Is this okay with God?
Let's see…
What God Thinks About All of This
First of all, the Bible says…
"We must obey God, rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
Our faith and practices must be based upon God's Word, not man's traditions.
Jesus says we are to live "by every word that comes out of the mouth of God," not the mouths of religious men.
(Matthew 4:4)
In fact, Christ rebuked the religious leaders of his day who got this backwards. Listen to Jesus' stinging rebuke …
"Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition" (Mark 7:9).
Wow, Jesus really lets those religious leaders have it. He rebukes those Pharisees and scribes for holding onto their traditions and rejecting God's Word. He even said some of them were of their father the devil! (John 8:44).
The cosmic battle between good and evil is most often fought out on the religious front. Where men reject God's Word in favor of their traditions.
And you know what?
There are multitudes of Christians today who reject the biblical pattern of home fellowships. Why? Because they love their man-made traditions.
Some church-goers love "their way" of doing things. Their so-called "worship services," pulpits, pews, etc. all taking place within the four walls of their "church buildings."
But, is this okay with God? Is it okay to do things our way, instead of God's way? Is it okay to "add to" God's Word?
"Whatever thing I command you, that shall you observe to do: you shall not add to it nor diminish from it" (Deuteronomy 12:32)
God forbids us to "add to" his Word. And remember, you just read where Jesus rebuked the religious leaders for clinging to their traditions.
God's warning…Christ's rebuke…
So, what does God think about our man-made religious systems? Listen…
"My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13).
God says turning away from him and cranking out man-made "cisterns" (religious systems) is evil. Look up this passage and read the context. In fact, read the entire books of Isaiah and Jeremiah and you will see that God is 100% serious about His Word. He issues stern warnings against turning to pagan customs.
In fact, God says "Bring no more vain offerings…I cannot stand your evil assemblies" (Isaiah 1:13)…
"My people, those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths" (Isaiah 3:12).
Remember, God says "I the Lord do not change."
(Malachi 3:6).
If God hated man-made religion in Isaiah's day, He still hates it today.
In fact, should man venture out toward Mars to establish colonies, God will still hate all our man-made traditions.
God does not change.
And if home fellowships are God's pattern for his people meeting together, then we need to line ourselves up with what God says. That's why we are producing the Super Heart Living DVDs for God's superheroes!
God's Word means what it says and says what it means.
Always.
And meeting in the homes is the very best way for God's superheroes to fellowship together and grow strong in the Lord. It is in the home setting that we can strengthen our true identity in Christ, stand up for truth, justice and the biblical way of life. Plus, learn to minister divine healing to one another.
So then, with all these benefits let's find out…
How to Maximize Your Home Fellowships
God told Joshua to meditate on his Word. Why? So that "you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success" (Joshua 1:9).
Do you and your Christian friends want to prosper and succeed in life? Do you want to have God's best?
Then study and meditate on God's Word!
Get together, hang out together and encourage one another! Invite them over to your house, go over to theirs…get together and build one another up! Do things together! Share the Word with each other.
After Christ's resurrection he shared the Word with two believers as they walked along the highway. They got excited and later said, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:13-32)
God's Word gets you excited! God's Word will make you a hero with an unstoppable attitude toward life!
When you find out God has made you a super-conqueror in Christ, you'll really begin to live. That's why we are filming our Super Heart Living DVD series. We are sharing more than 35 years of research with you in a new action-oriented presentation of God's Word. One lady's children got so excited watching our first episode, they forgot to eat their dessert!
God's Word will do that to you! Discover the answers to your questions:
You will find the answers to these questions and much more in our Super Heart Living DVD series. We have already finished filming our first episode, The Self-Esteem of Sonship. And you have never seen anything like it. I teach full-blast and show you who you REALLY ARE as a believer.
If you love the James Bond and Star Wars movies you are going to love these DVDs! We'll journey through space and take you around the world, opening up God's Word to your heart and mind.
One of our friends in the communications industry says, "This thing is BIG. Really big!"
You can see for yourself by watching an exciting demo of our first Super Heart Living DVD, The Self-Esteem of Sonship, here…
“My son, give me your heart; And let your eyes keep in my ways.”
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Proverbs 23:26
All the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.”
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1 Kings 10:24
“Set your heart and your soul to seek after the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build you the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord.”
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1 Chronicles 22:19
“In every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.”
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2 Chronicles 31:21
“Why does the wicked person condemn God, And say in his heart, "God won't call me into account?"“
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Psalms 10:13
“My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.”
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Psalms 45:1
“Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, How I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,”
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Psalms 89:50
“He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
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Psalms 112:7
“His heart is established. He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries.”
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Psalms 112:8
“I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart, When I learn your righteous judgments.”
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Psalms 119:7
“With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don't let me wander from your commandments.”
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Psalms 119:10
“My heart isn't haughty, nor my eyes lofty; Nor do I concern myself with great matters, Or things too wonderful for me.”
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Psalms 131:1
“I will give you thanks with my whole heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.”
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Psalms 138:1
“Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.”
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Proverbs 4:21
“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it is the wellspring of life.”
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Proverbs 4:23
“The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouths of fools feed on folly.”
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Proverbs 15:14
“All the days of the afflicted are wretched, But one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.”
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Proverbs 15:15
“The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.”
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Proverbs 17:3
“One who has a perverse heart doesn't find prosperity, And one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.”
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Proverbs 17:20
“A man's heart plans his course, But the Lord directs his steps.”
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Proverbs 16:9
“The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, And adds learning to his lips.”
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Proverbs 16:23
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.”
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Proverbs 21:2
“He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully Is the king's friend.”
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Proverbs 22:11
“He shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.”
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Ecclesiastes 5:20
“I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.”
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Ecclesiastes 7:25
“Then the Lord said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I didn't send them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.”
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Jeremiah 14:14
“But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.”
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Jeremiah 18:12
“These are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
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Luke 8:15
“But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.”
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Romans 2:29
“Seeing it is God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
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2 Corinthians 4:6
"Greet...the church that meets at THEIR HOUSE."
Romans 16:5
“If you put a small value on yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.”
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Anonymous.
“This is where we are now—in the midst of battle without the training we really need.”
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John Eldredge
“I take care of me. I’m the only one I’ve got.”
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Groucho Marx
“How many therapists does it take to change a lightbulb? One, but the lightbulb’s really got to want to change.”
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Internet Joke
Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip. --Will RogersIt is time for a new generation of leadership, to cope with new problems and new opportunities. For there is a NEW WORLD to be won.
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John F. Kennedy
When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
My life is my message.
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Mahatma Gandhi
There's nothing written in the Bible, Old or New testament, that says, ''If you believe in Me, you ain't going to have no troubles.
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Ray Charles
To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives.
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Denis Waitley
"One good volcano can produce more greenhouse gases in a year than the human race has in its entire history."
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Ray Bradbury.
If God exists and we are made in his image we can have real meaning, and we can have real knowledge through what he has communicated to us.
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Francis Schaeffer
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
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Mahatma Gandhi
Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence; Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.
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William E. Gladstone
To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.
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Mahatma Gandhi
Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
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Ralph Waldo Emerson
Faith must be enforced by reason. When faith becomes blind it dies.
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Mahatma Gandhi
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
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Redd Foxx
Health is worth more than learning.
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Thomas Jefferson
“Quackery has no friend like gullibility.”
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Proverb
“Some remedies are worse than the disease.”
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Publilius Syrus
Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence.
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George F. Will
"Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can."
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Richard Bach
"Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment."
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Thomas Carlyle
“It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it.”
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John Wooden
“It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.”
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Albert Einstein
“Champions keep playing until they get it right.”
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Billie Jean King
“Your biggest break can come from never quitting. Being at the right place at the right time can only happen when you keep moving toward the next opportunity.”
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Arthur Pine
It is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by preparing for war.
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John F. Kennedy
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shinning.
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John F. Kennedy
“Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.”
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Christopher Morley
“Boys, there ain't no free lunches in this country. And don't go spending your whole life commiserating that you got the raw deals. You've got to say, ''I think that if I keep working at this and want it bad enough I can have it.'' It's called perseverance.”
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Lee Iacocca
“Where there is a will, there is a way. If there is a chance in a million that you can do something, anything, to keep what you want from ending, do it. Pry the door open or, if need be, wedge your foot in that door and keep it open.”
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Arthur Pine
I just wake up and say, You're a bum, go do something worthwhile today.
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Garth Brooks
It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?
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Ronald Reagan
By Rick Josey
