Showing posts with label find a house church in orange county. Show all posts
Showing posts with label find a house church in orange county. Show all posts
Saturday, March 17, 2012
NBC NEWS REPORTS ON HOUSE CHURCH
Want to join the movement of the Holy Spirit in Orange County?
Register for Momentum 2012 today and learn more about how you can "Be the Church" right where you live!
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Friday, March 16, 2012
MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER
Christians pride themselves on being people of the Book. By this we mean that we love the Bible and we strive to follow what’s written in the Word of God as closely as possible.
However, in practice we quite often fall very short of that mark. Strangely, one of the areas where we stray from the clearly written instructions of the New Testament is the practice of gathering as a Church.
Hear me out.
If we read the letters of Paul, Peter and James we'll see what they considered to be essential for the life and growth of the Church. Therefore, there's no reason for us to do anything other than exactly what the Apostles say when it comes to gathering together. In fact, the very word for "church" in the New Testament is "ekklesia" which means "sent ones" or "a gathering together".
In other words, it should go without saying that if Paul were to enter one of our Church buildings today he should expect to see us participating in the ways that he and the other Apostles commanded.
Let's look at what the Apostles considered normative ekklesia:
“What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:26
According to this verse, Paul considers the following things to be essential to the health of every Church:
Coming together (“When you come together”)
Open participation (“Everyone”)
People-led worship (“Everyone has a hymn”)
People-led teaching (“Everyone has...a word of instruction”)
People exercising their spiritual gifts freely(“Everyone has...a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation”)
How do we know that Paul considers these activities to be important and essential? Because he tells us: “ALL of these MUST BE DONE for the STRENGTHENING of the Church.”
If we ask Paul's opinion about church growth, he would tell us that it's vital that every believe participate in the leading of worship, the teaching of God's Word, and the sharing of the gifts of the spirit. Do we care what Paul's opinion is on this subject? Is it up to us to just decide for ourselves to dismiss Paul's instruction as mere suggestion and go with what we prefer?
Notice also that Paul's concern is for the Church to be "strengthened". His priority is for the believers to grow deeper, not larger in number. It's quality, not quantity that he is concerned with here.
But this isn't the only place where we find the Apostle's instruction regarding the activities of the Church.
According to the New Testament:
We should confess our sins to one another and pray for one another when we gather together: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
We should instruct one another when we gather together: “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” Romans 15:14
We should teach and admonish (gently correct and encourage) one another and sing together: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16
We should comfort and build up one another: “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
We should urgently warn one another to follow Christ: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
We should encourage good works in one another: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works" Hebrews 10:24
We should use our spiritual gifts to bless others: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10
Notice all the "one another's" here? The ongoing ministry of the members to one another was one of the fundamental elements of church in the New Testament.
There are 58 "one another's" in the New Testament. Twenty one of these verses (the vast majority) command us to love one another. Four of them command us to encourage one another. Three of them command us to serve one another and two of them remind us to forgive one another. The rest speak of instructing one another, being patient and kind to one another, submitting to one another, singing to one another, or putting the needs of others above our own.
Taken all together, these "one another's" remind us that we are responsible for one another spiritually. Helping our brothers and sisters move towards greater Christ-likeness is dependent upon our active participation as contributing members of the Body of Christ.
This means we cannot do it alone. We need one another. And that also means that you are an important part of this process. You are necessary. You matter. We cannot grow as the Lord Jesus intends us to grow without your willing obedience to God's command to love, serve, and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ.
My prayer has been that the Lord would help me to invest more of myself in the community of believers I find myself in today. Honestly, I've been holding back a little too much lately, and I know that I can only get out of the experience what I pour into it.
We are given as a gift to the Body and the Body is God's gift to us. Let us practice these "one another's" with all that is within us and trust Jesus to build His Church, just as He promised He would.
"But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." (1 Corinthians 12:18)
"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25)
**
Keith Giles is the author of "This Is My Body:Ekklesia As God Intended". He and his wife Wendy have been part of a house church in Orange, California where 100% of the offering is given to help the poor in their community and no one takes a salary.
Join Keith, along with Neil Cole, Ross Rohde, Ken Eastburn, Bill Faris, Scott Underwood, and many others at MOMENTUM 2012 on Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31st.
To find out more and to register online visit the main page at House2House.com
HERE>
However, in practice we quite often fall very short of that mark. Strangely, one of the areas where we stray from the clearly written instructions of the New Testament is the practice of gathering as a Church.
Hear me out.
If we read the letters of Paul, Peter and James we'll see what they considered to be essential for the life and growth of the Church. Therefore, there's no reason for us to do anything other than exactly what the Apostles say when it comes to gathering together. In fact, the very word for "church" in the New Testament is "ekklesia" which means "sent ones" or "a gathering together".
In other words, it should go without saying that if Paul were to enter one of our Church buildings today he should expect to see us participating in the ways that he and the other Apostles commanded.
Let's look at what the Apostles considered normative ekklesia:
“What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:26
According to this verse, Paul considers the following things to be essential to the health of every Church:
Coming together (“When you come together”)
Open participation (“Everyone”)
People-led worship (“Everyone has a hymn”)
People-led teaching (“Everyone has...a word of instruction”)
People exercising their spiritual gifts freely(“Everyone has...a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation”)
How do we know that Paul considers these activities to be important and essential? Because he tells us: “ALL of these MUST BE DONE for the STRENGTHENING of the Church.”
If we ask Paul's opinion about church growth, he would tell us that it's vital that every believe participate in the leading of worship, the teaching of God's Word, and the sharing of the gifts of the spirit. Do we care what Paul's opinion is on this subject? Is it up to us to just decide for ourselves to dismiss Paul's instruction as mere suggestion and go with what we prefer?
Notice also that Paul's concern is for the Church to be "strengthened". His priority is for the believers to grow deeper, not larger in number. It's quality, not quantity that he is concerned with here.
But this isn't the only place where we find the Apostle's instruction regarding the activities of the Church.
According to the New Testament:
We should confess our sins to one another and pray for one another when we gather together: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
We should instruct one another when we gather together: “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” Romans 15:14
We should teach and admonish (gently correct and encourage) one another and sing together: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16
We should comfort and build up one another: “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
We should urgently warn one another to follow Christ: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
We should encourage good works in one another: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works" Hebrews 10:24
We should use our spiritual gifts to bless others: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10
Notice all the "one another's" here? The ongoing ministry of the members to one another was one of the fundamental elements of church in the New Testament.
There are 58 "one another's" in the New Testament. Twenty one of these verses (the vast majority) command us to love one another. Four of them command us to encourage one another. Three of them command us to serve one another and two of them remind us to forgive one another. The rest speak of instructing one another, being patient and kind to one another, submitting to one another, singing to one another, or putting the needs of others above our own.
Taken all together, these "one another's" remind us that we are responsible for one another spiritually. Helping our brothers and sisters move towards greater Christ-likeness is dependent upon our active participation as contributing members of the Body of Christ.
This means we cannot do it alone. We need one another. And that also means that you are an important part of this process. You are necessary. You matter. We cannot grow as the Lord Jesus intends us to grow without your willing obedience to God's command to love, serve, and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ.
My prayer has been that the Lord would help me to invest more of myself in the community of believers I find myself in today. Honestly, I've been holding back a little too much lately, and I know that I can only get out of the experience what I pour into it.
We are given as a gift to the Body and the Body is God's gift to us. Let us practice these "one another's" with all that is within us and trust Jesus to build His Church, just as He promised He would.
"But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." (1 Corinthians 12:18)
"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25)
**
Keith Giles is the author of "This Is My Body:Ekklesia As God Intended". He and his wife Wendy have been part of a house church in Orange, California where 100% of the offering is given to help the poor in their community and no one takes a salary.
Join Keith, along with Neil Cole, Ross Rohde, Ken Eastburn, Bill Faris, Scott Underwood, and many others at MOMENTUM 2012 on Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31st.
To find out more and to register online visit the main page at House2House.com
HERE>
Thursday, March 15, 2012
10 THINGS I'LL DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME WE PLANT A CHURCH
Over the last five years, my wife and I have been helping to facilitate a church which started in our home and has now begun to grow outward into various other expressions recently.
Like most people, what I've learned has mostly come from making mistakes. So, while I'm certain that I'll make more than my own share of new mistakes the next time I plant a church, here are the things I've learned from our first time around. Hopefully this will encourage some of you as you consider planting a house church.
1. Don’t call yourself the pastor.
If you're "the pastor" of your house church this means everyone will look to you for everything and it will paralyze the Body life of the Church. Instead, identify yourself as one of the functioning members along with everyone else. Involve others for sharing, teaching, testimonials, etc.
2. Don’t host every single meeting in your own home.
For most of the last five years, my wife and I have hosted a meeting in our home twice a week. That's a lot of meetings. We've only recently started rotating our Sunday gatherings. This allows others to share responsibility and to practice hospitality. The next time we plant a house church (assuming there is a next time), I will encourage others to open their homes as early as possible. As new people join, I will invite them to consider hosting as well. Sharing the hosting responsibility also reinforces the concept that anyone can facilitate the gathering and that they don’t need you to be present in order to gather as a Body.
3. Involve the children more.
In our group, the children have always shared scriptures alongside the adults and many of the greatest insights have come from elementary-age children. Even so, I wish we had involved them even more in our conversations, in prayer times for one another, in the communion of the Lord’s table, etc. I don’t think it’s really possible to have too much involvement from our kids. House Church provides the perfect opportunity to give our kids a hands-on experience of what it means to “be the Church” every single time we gather.
4. Have more fun together.
Over the last five years we’ve had occasional game nights and a couple of afternoons in the park, but I wish we had scheduled even more times to come together and just be the family of God. No songs, no teaching, no liturgy, just laughing and food and genuine intimacy with one another. Sharing life together is huge and later on as you grow deeper into Christ, those relationships will become even more important and necessary for keeping one another accountable and for loving correction. It's also important to reinforce the idea that we are the Church all the time, not just when we're reading scripture or praying out loud.
5. Talk less, question more.
I am plagued by a disease which compels me to answer every single biblical or theological question that anyone asks. I wish I had just shut up whenever a Biblical question came up. Instead of attempting to stun the inquirer with my Biblical expertise, I wish I had turned to the group and said, “I don’t know. What do you guys think?”
6. Emphasize the Gospel of the Kingdom more.
In my experience, people who really understand the Gospel of the Kingdom are able to grasp all the other concepts of the Kingdom more easily. I wish I had spent more time emphasizing that in our fellowship, and I know I will major on this more and more in the future.
7. Major on practicing our faith and less on theorizing.
Being the Church is so much more necessary than attending one. Because this is one of the core values of New Testament Church life, I would encourage everyone to live out their faith in more practical ways in the future – and make more room for sharing testimony and for continually challenging everyone to do so daily.
8. Pray more.
Jesus said that His house would be a house of prayer. If we are His Body, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit, then we should be on our faces before God more and more. “An open meeting requires more time in prayer together, not less.” That’s why I would encourage every home church to gather for prayer as often as possible. Jesus is our Head, without Him we can do nothing. That's why we need to be on our knees, seeking His leadership and listening for His voice.
9. Confess my own weaknesses more.
For too long I’ve kept my own personal struggles to myself instead of opening up to the rest of the Body whenever I felt hurt, or depressed, or discouraged. My wife knew when I was having a hard time with things, but the church was mostly oblivious. In the future, I will openly confess my struggles and allow the Body to comfort me and to heal me and to strengthen me.
10. Share the duties of sacrament with the priesthood of all believers.
In our next house church, I will not perform the baptisms. Instead, I will encourage the Body to operate as equals and to baptize one another and to take turns leading all of us in Lord’s Supper together. Again, if I am the one doing these things, I am behaving like the “pastor” or the spiritual superior and that's the last thing I want to communicate. Instead, I'd want to emphasize the truth that any follower of Jesus is already ordained by the Holy Spirit of God to preach the Gospel, baptize new believers and administer the Lord's Supper to the saints - among other things. The less I am up front, the more the Body can be empowered to step into their priesthood and utilize their gifts in love.
Of course, all of this presumes that I will ever help to plant another church in the future. I'm not sure if I ever will, but if not, perhaps some of this advice can encourage those of you who are feeling called to step out in faith and follow God's calling on your life to do so.
The single best piece of advice I can offer is this: Stop trying to grow the Church on your own. That's not your job. Jesus said that He would grow His Church, and over the last five years I've learned that this is exactly what He will do...if we can get out of His way.
In fact, if you have a question about anything, stop and ask Jesus. It's His Church after all, and the good news is, He will actually answer you.
Peace,
Keith Giles
**
JOIN US FOR MOMENTUM 2012 FOR MORE PRACTICAL ADVICE, AND YOUR OWN ORGANIC CHURCH COACH. FIND OUT MORE AND REGISTER TODAY>
Like most people, what I've learned has mostly come from making mistakes. So, while I'm certain that I'll make more than my own share of new mistakes the next time I plant a church, here are the things I've learned from our first time around. Hopefully this will encourage some of you as you consider planting a house church.
1. Don’t call yourself the pastor.
If you're "the pastor" of your house church this means everyone will look to you for everything and it will paralyze the Body life of the Church. Instead, identify yourself as one of the functioning members along with everyone else. Involve others for sharing, teaching, testimonials, etc.
2. Don’t host every single meeting in your own home.
For most of the last five years, my wife and I have hosted a meeting in our home twice a week. That's a lot of meetings. We've only recently started rotating our Sunday gatherings. This allows others to share responsibility and to practice hospitality. The next time we plant a house church (assuming there is a next time), I will encourage others to open their homes as early as possible. As new people join, I will invite them to consider hosting as well. Sharing the hosting responsibility also reinforces the concept that anyone can facilitate the gathering and that they don’t need you to be present in order to gather as a Body.
3. Involve the children more.
In our group, the children have always shared scriptures alongside the adults and many of the greatest insights have come from elementary-age children. Even so, I wish we had involved them even more in our conversations, in prayer times for one another, in the communion of the Lord’s table, etc. I don’t think it’s really possible to have too much involvement from our kids. House Church provides the perfect opportunity to give our kids a hands-on experience of what it means to “be the Church” every single time we gather.
4. Have more fun together.
Over the last five years we’ve had occasional game nights and a couple of afternoons in the park, but I wish we had scheduled even more times to come together and just be the family of God. No songs, no teaching, no liturgy, just laughing and food and genuine intimacy with one another. Sharing life together is huge and later on as you grow deeper into Christ, those relationships will become even more important and necessary for keeping one another accountable and for loving correction. It's also important to reinforce the idea that we are the Church all the time, not just when we're reading scripture or praying out loud.
5. Talk less, question more.
I am plagued by a disease which compels me to answer every single biblical or theological question that anyone asks. I wish I had just shut up whenever a Biblical question came up. Instead of attempting to stun the inquirer with my Biblical expertise, I wish I had turned to the group and said, “I don’t know. What do you guys think?”
6. Emphasize the Gospel of the Kingdom more.
In my experience, people who really understand the Gospel of the Kingdom are able to grasp all the other concepts of the Kingdom more easily. I wish I had spent more time emphasizing that in our fellowship, and I know I will major on this more and more in the future.
7. Major on practicing our faith and less on theorizing.
Being the Church is so much more necessary than attending one. Because this is one of the core values of New Testament Church life, I would encourage everyone to live out their faith in more practical ways in the future – and make more room for sharing testimony and for continually challenging everyone to do so daily.
8. Pray more.
Jesus said that His house would be a house of prayer. If we are His Body, and the Temple of the Holy Spirit, then we should be on our faces before God more and more. “An open meeting requires more time in prayer together, not less.” That’s why I would encourage every home church to gather for prayer as often as possible. Jesus is our Head, without Him we can do nothing. That's why we need to be on our knees, seeking His leadership and listening for His voice.
9. Confess my own weaknesses more.
For too long I’ve kept my own personal struggles to myself instead of opening up to the rest of the Body whenever I felt hurt, or depressed, or discouraged. My wife knew when I was having a hard time with things, but the church was mostly oblivious. In the future, I will openly confess my struggles and allow the Body to comfort me and to heal me and to strengthen me.
10. Share the duties of sacrament with the priesthood of all believers.
In our next house church, I will not perform the baptisms. Instead, I will encourage the Body to operate as equals and to baptize one another and to take turns leading all of us in Lord’s Supper together. Again, if I am the one doing these things, I am behaving like the “pastor” or the spiritual superior and that's the last thing I want to communicate. Instead, I'd want to emphasize the truth that any follower of Jesus is already ordained by the Holy Spirit of God to preach the Gospel, baptize new believers and administer the Lord's Supper to the saints - among other things. The less I am up front, the more the Body can be empowered to step into their priesthood and utilize their gifts in love.
Of course, all of this presumes that I will ever help to plant another church in the future. I'm not sure if I ever will, but if not, perhaps some of this advice can encourage those of you who are feeling called to step out in faith and follow God's calling on your life to do so.
The single best piece of advice I can offer is this: Stop trying to grow the Church on your own. That's not your job. Jesus said that He would grow His Church, and over the last five years I've learned that this is exactly what He will do...if we can get out of His way.
In fact, if you have a question about anything, stop and ask Jesus. It's His Church after all, and the good news is, He will actually answer you.
Peace,
Keith Giles
**
JOIN US FOR MOMENTUM 2012 FOR MORE PRACTICAL ADVICE, AND YOUR OWN ORGANIC CHURCH COACH. FIND OUT MORE AND REGISTER TODAY>
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
REASON NUMBER 2 WHY MOMENTUM IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER CONFERENCE
YOUR OWN DEDICATED ORGANIC CHURCH COACH
Each small group at the conference will have their own organic church coach who will work with you throughout the event and will continue to be available after the conference to answer questions, provide support and help with the development and growth of your organic church.
For the rest of the year you'll have direct access to your organic church coach, and our Momentum Leadership team, whenever you have questions, need prayer, or want insight into a specific challenge related to planting or growing your organic church in your community.
Find out more and register for MOMENTUM 2012 today.>
Each small group at the conference will have their own organic church coach who will work with you throughout the event and will continue to be available after the conference to answer questions, provide support and help with the development and growth of your organic church.
For the rest of the year you'll have direct access to your organic church coach, and our Momentum Leadership team, whenever you have questions, need prayer, or want insight into a specific challenge related to planting or growing your organic church in your community.
Find out more and register for MOMENTUM 2012 today.>
Monday, March 12, 2012
Meet: Jeanne O'Hair
Jeanne has been involved in Church Leadership for almost 20 years. She served in the traditional church as a deacon, leader of prayer groups, hospitality coordinator, counseling ministry and personal mentoring. Her love for the Church and deep desire to see the Body of Christ built to become the great and glorious Bride for Jesus propelled her out of the "traditional western Church model" to pursuing an Organic/Simple Church expression. "We don't go to church, we ARE the Church!" She inspires and motivates others to tap into their spiritual gifts and walk in their calling to the fullest. Her home has been a meeting place for Organic/Simple Church for the past two and a half years. In the past year two churches have been planted out of the gatherings from her home.
REGISTER FOR MOMENTUM 2012 TODAY>
Monday, March 5, 2012
MEET YOUR FACILITATORS: NEIL COLE
Neil Cole was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. While studying at CSULB he encountered the Good News of Jesus Christ and turned his life over to Him, never looking back. His journey in God's kingdom brought him to serve in a mega church, a local community church and now small rapidly multiplying organic churches that meet in homes, campuses and places of business all over the world. Neil travels around the world sowing the seeds of God's kingdom, catalyzing the development of organic church networks and coaching leaders. He has been married for over 27 years to Dana and has three adult children--Heather, Erin and Zach.
Neil is the author of Organic Church, Church 3.0 and his most recent book, Journey's to Significance.
Neil will join Ken Eastburn, Ross Rohde, Bill Faris, Bob Sears, Scott Underwood, Keith Giles and more at MOMENTUM 2012 on March 30 and 31.
REGISTER NOW FOR MOMENTUM 2012>
Find out more about Neil at CMAResources.org>
Thursday, February 23, 2012
AN ORGANIC CONFERENCE FOR CHURCH PLANTERS
Momentum West Coast 2012: Organic Church Conference
Unleashing Your Missional Potential
March 30-31, 2012 ▪ Southlands Christian School ▪ Walnut, CA
PURPOSE
To train, equip and send out mission-oriented disciples of Christ to plant organic churches in the mission fields where God has placed you (neighborhoods, workplaces, and families).
EVENT
Attend Momentum West Coast to obtain tools, insights and resources to plant an organic church in your own home or community.
At Momentum West Cost you'll spend a day and a half learning, practicing, and discussing issues critical to making an impact in the mission field where God has placed you.
Obtain practical training, tools, techniques, and support for planting and growing
your own organic church from leaders in the field with decades of experience.
Meet your personal organic church coach who will continue to provide insight and support beyond the conference.
Interact with other organic church practitioners to discuss challenges, solutions, and new ideas for planting and growing the Body of Christ.
FORMAT
Momentum is like no other conference you've attended before. We've uniquely designed this event to maximize input from all participants and facilitate discussion in both large and small group formats.
Our facilitators will briefly share insights on critical topics for about 30 minutes, and then participants will share their perspectives and ask questions within their small group.
Each small group will have their own organic church coach who will work with you throughout the event and will continue to be available after the conference to answer questions, provide support and help with the development and growth of your organic church.
REGISTER ONLINE NOW> - ONLY 100 SEATS AVAILABLE!
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Friday, March 30, 4:30pm – 9:15pm
Saturday, March 31, 8:00am – 6:00pm
LOCATION
Momentum West Coast 2012 will take place at
Southlands Christian School
1920 S. Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd.
Walnut, CA 91789
FACILITATORS
Neil Cole (Organic Church)
Ken Eastburn (House2House)
Keith Giles (This Is My Body:Ekklesia as God Intended)
Bob Sears (The Well OC)
Bill Faris (Homegrown)
Joe Chebat (The Well OC)
Jeanne O'Hair (The Well OC)
REGISTER ONLINE NOW> - ONLY 100 SEATS AVAILABLE!
Unleashing Your Missional Potential
March 30-31, 2012 ▪ Southlands Christian School ▪ Walnut, CA
PURPOSE
To train, equip and send out mission-oriented disciples of Christ to plant organic churches in the mission fields where God has placed you (neighborhoods, workplaces, and families).
EVENT
Attend Momentum West Coast to obtain tools, insights and resources to plant an organic church in your own home or community.
At Momentum West Cost you'll spend a day and a half learning, practicing, and discussing issues critical to making an impact in the mission field where God has placed you.
Obtain practical training, tools, techniques, and support for planting and growing
your own organic church from leaders in the field with decades of experience.
Meet your personal organic church coach who will continue to provide insight and support beyond the conference.
Interact with other organic church practitioners to discuss challenges, solutions, and new ideas for planting and growing the Body of Christ.
FORMAT
Momentum is like no other conference you've attended before. We've uniquely designed this event to maximize input from all participants and facilitate discussion in both large and small group formats.
Our facilitators will briefly share insights on critical topics for about 30 minutes, and then participants will share their perspectives and ask questions within their small group.
Each small group will have their own organic church coach who will work with you throughout the event and will continue to be available after the conference to answer questions, provide support and help with the development and growth of your organic church.
REGISTER ONLINE NOW> - ONLY 100 SEATS AVAILABLE!
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Friday, March 30, 4:30pm – 9:15pm
Saturday, March 31, 8:00am – 6:00pm
LOCATION
Momentum West Coast 2012 will take place at
Southlands Christian School
1920 S. Brea Canyon Cutoff Rd.
Walnut, CA 91789
FACILITATORS
Neil Cole (Organic Church)
Ken Eastburn (House2House)
Keith Giles (This Is My Body:Ekklesia as God Intended)
Bob Sears (The Well OC)
Bill Faris (Homegrown)
Joe Chebat (The Well OC)
Jeanne O'Hair (The Well OC)
REGISTER ONLINE NOW> - ONLY 100 SEATS AVAILABLE!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
WELCOME TO THE OC HOUSE CHURCH NETWORK
If you're looking to join a house church, or to start your own group, please contact any of the house church groups listed at the left-side navigation, or email us here at the OCHouseChurch.com website for assistance.
You can reach us at OCHouseChurch@gmail.com.
You can reach us at OCHouseChurch@gmail.com.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
INTRODUCTION TO ALT. CHURCH - OCTOBER 8TH
Vineyard at Home is excited to announce a one day conference on House Church / Alternative Church to be held on Saturday, October 8th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The location for this event will be on the campus of the Anaheim Vineyard Church in Anaheim, California.
“Introduction to Alt-Church” will be an opportunity for you to learn about – and share about – simple churches, house churches, hybrid churches and other non-traditional church structures that focus on bringing the ministry of Jesus deeper into the lives of believers and deeper into the fabric of the neighborhood, nation, and world.
* Being Church: Discovering Your Mission in Your Community
* Leadership in the Alt-church milieu
* Biblical principles of Alt-church ministry
and much, much more.
The cost for this event is only $10 per person (cash or check) and will include a light lunch. Mainly, we just want to gather people who are interested in starting Alt-churches, joining them, learning about them and sharing about their experiences with them. Let’s see what God will do!
Please watch this space – and Facebook – for more details and make plans to join us.
The address of the Anaheim Vineyard is:
5340 East La Palma Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92807-2021
TO FIND OUT MORE CLICK
HERE
“Introduction to Alt-Church” will be an opportunity for you to learn about – and share about – simple churches, house churches, hybrid churches and other non-traditional church structures that focus on bringing the ministry of Jesus deeper into the lives of believers and deeper into the fabric of the neighborhood, nation, and world.
* Being Church: Discovering Your Mission in Your Community
* Leadership in the Alt-church milieu
* Biblical principles of Alt-church ministry
and much, much more.
The cost for this event is only $10 per person (cash or check) and will include a light lunch. Mainly, we just want to gather people who are interested in starting Alt-churches, joining them, learning about them and sharing about their experiences with them. Let’s see what God will do!
Please watch this space – and Facebook – for more details and make plans to join us.
The address of the Anaheim Vineyard is:
5340 East La Palma Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92807-2021
TO FIND OUT MORE CLICK
HERE
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM - SAT. JUNE 25TH
Our next OC/Organic Church Forum will be on Saturday, June 25th from 9am to 11am at Fuller Seminary in Irvine.
THIS IS A FREE EVENT!
Our special guest will be Dr. Norman Whan, founder of Canning Hunger
OC/OCF - Saturday, June 25th, from 9am to 11am
at Fuller Seminary California Coast
2021 Business Center Drive, Suite 115
Irvine, CA 92612
Need more info? Reply below or email: ochousechurch@gmail.com
ABOUT THE OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM
"We are an unincorporated association of different organic, simple and house church families throughout the Orange County area who are working together to encourage one another, share ideas and resources and help others who feel called to this way of "being Church".
Hope to see you there!
THIS IS A FREE EVENT!
Our special guest will be Dr. Norman Whan, founder of Canning Hunger
OC/OCF - Saturday, June 25th, from 9am to 11am
at Fuller Seminary California Coast
2021 Business Center Drive, Suite 115
Irvine, CA 92612
Need more info? Reply below or email: ochousechurch@gmail.com
ABOUT THE OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM
"We are an unincorporated association of different organic, simple and house church families throughout the Orange County area who are working together to encourage one another, share ideas and resources and help others who feel called to this way of "being Church".
Hope to see you there!
Friday, May 6, 2011
USA TODAY FEATURES: Simple Church
This article includes an interview with our very own Ken Eastburn of The Well, one of our OC/Organic Church Forum friends, so I had to share this here.
**
Simple Churches Find a Foothold Across the U.S.
By Cathy Lynn Grossman
USA Today
(RNS) This weekend, Jeanne O'Hair, her friends and family will raise their voices in Easter hymns "as the spirit leads us," she says, in her "house church" -- O'Hair's living room in Brea, Calif.
In a metal outbuilding at a shuttered horse track near San Antonio, Jeff Bishop says he will celebrate at his "simple church" under a rough-hewed cedar cross, with "folks who speak 'cowboy' like I do."
In Washington, D.C., at the Saturday night Easter Vigil, "we'll keep it casual and focused on Christ," says William D'Antonio, a member of a network of Catholic-style house churches called "Intentional Eucharistic communities."
No matter what you call them, house churches, or "simple" or "organic" churches, have long thrived in Third World countries where clergy and funds for church buildings are scarce. Now, however, they are attracting a small but loyal following across the U.S.
It's not that Americans can't find a conventional church congregation. Rather, millions of believers are leaving the pews for small, regular weekly gatherings where they pray, worship, study Scripture and support each other's spiritual lives.
These groups operate without a building, a budget, an outside authority or, often, even a pastor. Many are lay-led groups where they like to say they "do church," rather than "go to church."
Participants are not "Christmas & Easter Christians" -- folks who pour into the buildings on peak holy days and fade away a week later. Instead, "they're intensely active believers who want to take charge themselves and find something that feels more authentic," said Christian
research expert George Barna, author of a new book, Maximum Faith.
"If you look at the Bible, the church we have today is nowhere to be found. The original form of church was the house church. Older people want to find a more personal experience of God and young people don't want the congregational structure or process. People don't want to just read the responsive reading when they are told to," Barna said.
A January 2011 survey by Barna Research (the firm that Barna founded and later sold) found that 5 percent of Americans -- about 11.5 million American adults -- say they attend a "house church or simple church, which is not associated in any way with a local, congregational type of church," at least weekly or monthly.
That's up from 4 percent (about 8.8 million adults) in 2006. Although the increase is slight, it's clearly "more than a passing fancy. It has staying power," current Barna Research President David Kinnaman says.
Before moving to California, O'Hair was on the staff of an Oregon megachurch that pulled out all the stops with Easter pageantry -- and later disbanded.
"We just weren't seeing any fruit, any new members, for all that huge expense of time and effort. I love Jesus and I love the church, but I think the way we do institutional church in America will be extinct before long. It will just crumble," O'Hair said.
Now, she says she's happier celebrating her Christian faith with Sunday morning house church meetings and pot-luck breakfast with her spiritual family.
"We believe this is what Paul meant by the priesthood of believers, something that's increasingly missing in the modern, hierarchical church," said O'Hair, who works in accounting at a private Christian school.
Bishop, a retired fireman and acting director of the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches, is not seminary trained or ordained, but has a license to conduct weddings.
"We're not affiliated with any denomination, but we are affiliated -- we're affiliated with Christ," he says, using a favorite expression.
Bishop had taken the traditional church route, but said "I don't miss a thing about it. This is church for people like me -- rural folk who speak my language."
Ken Eastburn, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, checked out of traditional church a decade ago and jumped into a church without walls. Now he works with The Well, a network of eight groups like O'Hair's.
"The whole point is not to be passive about your faith," Eastburn said. "Groups might meet on Sundays or on a weeknight but the constants are that there's always a meal together, a time of sharing, a time of prayer and Bible reading, and listening to each other and God, not a pastor."
Traditional churches have taken note of the growing desire for more simple ways to worship.
"Every large church I know is looking for ways to get small, to provide intimacy that may be missing," says Kevin DeYoung, senior pastor at the 500-member University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Mich., and co-author of Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion.
"Christians can meet anywhere from a cathedral to a storefront to a basement. There's no one perfect model," DeYoung said.
One drawback, he said, is that alternative congregations may drift away from church doctrine: "One of the main jobs of the church is to be the pillar of the truth, and its leaders are there to shepherd and guard it. It can be dicey in these small groups."
Catholics like D'Antonio remain tethered to the historic church through the volunteer priests who serve the Eucharistic communities, even if many don't ask the local bishop for permission.
"People are weary of all the constraints," says D'Antonio, a sociologist at Catholic University and co-author of a study, "The Catholic Experience of Small Christian Communities."
"We may have about 45 people at Easter vigil, but when we light the Easter candle and march into worship, we'll make as much noise singing as they will at any big parish."
Cathy Lynn Grossman writes for USA Today.
*See original article
HERE
**
Simple Churches Find a Foothold Across the U.S.
By Cathy Lynn Grossman
USA Today
(RNS) This weekend, Jeanne O'Hair, her friends and family will raise their voices in Easter hymns "as the spirit leads us," she says, in her "house church" -- O'Hair's living room in Brea, Calif.
In a metal outbuilding at a shuttered horse track near San Antonio, Jeff Bishop says he will celebrate at his "simple church" under a rough-hewed cedar cross, with "folks who speak 'cowboy' like I do."
In Washington, D.C., at the Saturday night Easter Vigil, "we'll keep it casual and focused on Christ," says William D'Antonio, a member of a network of Catholic-style house churches called "Intentional Eucharistic communities."
No matter what you call them, house churches, or "simple" or "organic" churches, have long thrived in Third World countries where clergy and funds for church buildings are scarce. Now, however, they are attracting a small but loyal following across the U.S.
It's not that Americans can't find a conventional church congregation. Rather, millions of believers are leaving the pews for small, regular weekly gatherings where they pray, worship, study Scripture and support each other's spiritual lives.
These groups operate without a building, a budget, an outside authority or, often, even a pastor. Many are lay-led groups where they like to say they "do church," rather than "go to church."
Participants are not "Christmas & Easter Christians" -- folks who pour into the buildings on peak holy days and fade away a week later. Instead, "they're intensely active believers who want to take charge themselves and find something that feels more authentic," said Christian
research expert George Barna, author of a new book, Maximum Faith.
"If you look at the Bible, the church we have today is nowhere to be found. The original form of church was the house church. Older people want to find a more personal experience of God and young people don't want the congregational structure or process. People don't want to just read the responsive reading when they are told to," Barna said.
A January 2011 survey by Barna Research (the firm that Barna founded and later sold) found that 5 percent of Americans -- about 11.5 million American adults -- say they attend a "house church or simple church, which is not associated in any way with a local, congregational type of church," at least weekly or monthly.
That's up from 4 percent (about 8.8 million adults) in 2006. Although the increase is slight, it's clearly "more than a passing fancy. It has staying power," current Barna Research President David Kinnaman says.
Before moving to California, O'Hair was on the staff of an Oregon megachurch that pulled out all the stops with Easter pageantry -- and later disbanded.
"We just weren't seeing any fruit, any new members, for all that huge expense of time and effort. I love Jesus and I love the church, but I think the way we do institutional church in America will be extinct before long. It will just crumble," O'Hair said.
Now, she says she's happier celebrating her Christian faith with Sunday morning house church meetings and pot-luck breakfast with her spiritual family.
"We believe this is what Paul meant by the priesthood of believers, something that's increasingly missing in the modern, hierarchical church," said O'Hair, who works in accounting at a private Christian school.
Bishop, a retired fireman and acting director of the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches, is not seminary trained or ordained, but has a license to conduct weddings.
"We're not affiliated with any denomination, but we are affiliated -- we're affiliated with Christ," he says, using a favorite expression.
Bishop had taken the traditional church route, but said "I don't miss a thing about it. This is church for people like me -- rural folk who speak my language."
Ken Eastburn, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, checked out of traditional church a decade ago and jumped into a church without walls. Now he works with The Well, a network of eight groups like O'Hair's.
"The whole point is not to be passive about your faith," Eastburn said. "Groups might meet on Sundays or on a weeknight but the constants are that there's always a meal together, a time of sharing, a time of prayer and Bible reading, and listening to each other and God, not a pastor."
Traditional churches have taken note of the growing desire for more simple ways to worship.
"Every large church I know is looking for ways to get small, to provide intimacy that may be missing," says Kevin DeYoung, senior pastor at the 500-member University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Mich., and co-author of Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion.
"Christians can meet anywhere from a cathedral to a storefront to a basement. There's no one perfect model," DeYoung said.
One drawback, he said, is that alternative congregations may drift away from church doctrine: "One of the main jobs of the church is to be the pillar of the truth, and its leaders are there to shepherd and guard it. It can be dicey in these small groups."
Catholics like D'Antonio remain tethered to the historic church through the volunteer priests who serve the Eucharistic communities, even if many don't ask the local bishop for permission.
"People are weary of all the constraints," says D'Antonio, a sociologist at Catholic University and co-author of a study, "The Catholic Experience of Small Christian Communities."
"We may have about 45 people at Easter vigil, but when we light the Easter candle and march into worship, we'll make as much noise singing as they will at any big parish."
Cathy Lynn Grossman writes for USA Today.
*See original article
HERE
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
NEXT OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM - SAT. JAN. 29TH
OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM
SATURDAY, JAN. 29TH, 9AM TO 11AM
FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, IRVINE, CA
FEATURING: STEVE GREGG - "Some Assembly Required"
Steve Gregg is a Bible Teacher and Host of "The Narrow Path" radio program airing in Orange County on KBRT from 9:30am to 10am weekdays.
Steve will be sharing from his lecture series, "Some Assembly Required" and will answer questions and take comments on the topic of New Testament Ekklesia.
Address Info:
Fuller Seminary California Coast
2021 Business Center Drive, Suite 115
Irvine, CA 92612
SPACE IS LIMITED: MUST RSVP TO ATTEND!
RSVP TO: OCHOUSECHURCH@gmail.com with Name, and number attending.
SATURDAY, JAN. 29TH, 9AM TO 11AM
FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, IRVINE, CA
FEATURING: STEVE GREGG - "Some Assembly Required"
Steve Gregg is a Bible Teacher and Host of "The Narrow Path" radio program airing in Orange County on KBRT from 9:30am to 10am weekdays.
Steve will be sharing from his lecture series, "Some Assembly Required" and will answer questions and take comments on the topic of New Testament Ekklesia.
Address Info:
Fuller Seminary California Coast
2021 Business Center Drive, Suite 115
Irvine, CA 92612
SPACE IS LIMITED: MUST RSVP TO ATTEND!
RSVP TO: OCHOUSECHURCH@gmail.com with Name, and number attending.
Monday, January 10, 2011
NUMBER ONE QUESTION: "What To Do With The Kids?"
Without a doubt, the number one question on the lips of almost every organic church planter is, "What do we do with the kids?"
The answer is: You have a variety of options.
Our house church family has always had an open participation policy from the very beginning when it comes to children. Anyone who is a follower of Christ is free to share a testimony, a scripture, a question or an encouragement to the entire church, no matter how young or how old.
However, I know of other organic church fellowships where adults take turns teaching the kids in another room, or on the front yard, each week.
Still others pop on a Veggie Tales DVD in the TV room and let the kids entertain themselves while the adults share in the main room. (Our group alternates between this for the younger children and the open participation for older kids).
If your group does something interesting, share it here on the comments section.
Erik Fish has a great idea about what your house church can do to involve the kids more in your weekly gatherings called "What Do You Do With The Kids?" over at CMAResources.
Read the full article
HERE
The answer is: You have a variety of options.
Our house church family has always had an open participation policy from the very beginning when it comes to children. Anyone who is a follower of Christ is free to share a testimony, a scripture, a question or an encouragement to the entire church, no matter how young or how old.
However, I know of other organic church fellowships where adults take turns teaching the kids in another room, or on the front yard, each week.
Still others pop on a Veggie Tales DVD in the TV room and let the kids entertain themselves while the adults share in the main room. (Our group alternates between this for the younger children and the open participation for older kids).
If your group does something interesting, share it here on the comments section.
Erik Fish has a great idea about what your house church can do to involve the kids more in your weekly gatherings called "What Do You Do With The Kids?" over at CMAResources.
Read the full article
HERE
Saturday, November 6, 2010
NEXT OC/ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM - NOV.14TH
The next OC/Organic Church Forum will be on Sunday evening, November 14th at 215 s. glenview place, Orange, CA 92868, from 7pm to 9pm.
The topic will be: "Moving On: What do to after you've decided what you're not doing."
Details:
OC/Organic Church Forum
Sunday, Nov.14th
7pm to 9pm
215 S. Glenview Place, Orange, CA 92868
RSVP: elysiansky@hotmail.com (before Friday, Nov.12th)
As usual, this will be a dialog-driven discussion and not a presentation by experts. Everyone is invited to come and share their thoughts and experience with the group and to learn from, and listen to, others as well.
Please, please, please, RSVP if you are planning to join us by sending an email to:
elysiansky@hotmail.com by Friday, November 12th.
Hope you can be there!
The topic will be: "Moving On: What do to after you've decided what you're not doing."
Details:
OC/Organic Church Forum
Sunday, Nov.14th
7pm to 9pm
215 S. Glenview Place, Orange, CA 92868
RSVP: elysiansky@hotmail.com (before Friday, Nov.12th)
As usual, this will be a dialog-driven discussion and not a presentation by experts. Everyone is invited to come and share their thoughts and experience with the group and to learn from, and listen to, others as well.
Please, please, please, RSVP if you are planning to join us by sending an email to:
elysiansky@hotmail.com by Friday, November 12th.
Hope you can be there!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
OC ORGANIC CHURCH FORUM
On Monday, October 11th from 7pm to 9pm you're invited to join with many different house, organic and simple church members for the next Organic Church Forum.
Our topic will be, "Gathering Together Around Jesus".
This will be an open dialog and discussion with members of many different local organic church practitioners.
Details:
215 S. Glenview Place
Orange, CA 92868
YOU MUST RSVP TO ATTEND THIS EVENT!
So we will know how many people to prepare for, please send an email to elysiansky@hotmail.com if you plan to join us for this event.
Our topic will be, "Gathering Together Around Jesus".
This will be an open dialog and discussion with members of many different local organic church practitioners.
Details:
215 S. Glenview Place
Orange, CA 92868
YOU MUST RSVP TO ATTEND THIS EVENT!
So we will know how many people to prepare for, please send an email to elysiansky@hotmail.com if you plan to join us for this event.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
ORGANIC CHURCH SUMMIT - SATURDAY, SEPT. 11TH
YOU'RE INVITED - ORANGE COUNTY ORGANIC CHURCH SUMMIT
On Saturday, Sept.11th, you're invited to gather and share ideas, ask questions and fellowship with others who are either currently involved in an organic/simple/house church, or are curious to learn more about what it is and how it works.
This free event will be an open dialog style meeting. No speaker or experts will be taking the stage. Instead, we will sit in a circle and allow everyone to interact with one another.
Our topic will be, "One Size Does NOT Fit All: Different Models of Organic Church".
Various members of local organic churches will be invited, including our brothers and sisters from The Well, Vineyard at Home (VCMN), Soul Leader, The Mission, and others.
Details:
OC Organic Church Summit
Saturday, Sept.11th, 2010
From 2pm to 4pm
At St. Matthew's Catholic Church
1111 West Town and Country Road
Orange, CA 92868-4615
Hope you can join us!
For more info and to RSVP:
e-mail: elysiansky@hotmail.com
On Saturday, Sept.11th, you're invited to gather and share ideas, ask questions and fellowship with others who are either currently involved in an organic/simple/house church, or are curious to learn more about what it is and how it works.
This free event will be an open dialog style meeting. No speaker or experts will be taking the stage. Instead, we will sit in a circle and allow everyone to interact with one another.
Our topic will be, "One Size Does NOT Fit All: Different Models of Organic Church".
Various members of local organic churches will be invited, including our brothers and sisters from The Well, Vineyard at Home (VCMN), Soul Leader, The Mission, and others.
Details:
OC Organic Church Summit
Saturday, Sept.11th, 2010
From 2pm to 4pm
At St. Matthew's Catholic Church
1111 West Town and Country Road
Orange, CA 92868-4615
Hope you can join us!
For more info and to RSVP:
e-mail: elysiansky@hotmail.com
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
OC ORGANIC CHURCH SUMMIT - SEPT. 11TH
Make plans (if you can) to join us and many other house church groups in Orange County at the OC Organic Church Summit.
On Saturday, Sept.11th, a free open forum will be held for those who want to learn more about organic church. This will be a time to gather and share ideas, ask questions and fellowship with others who are either currently involved in a new testament, (organic), church, or with others who are curious and want to learn more.
This will be an open dialog style meeting. No speaker or experts will be taking the stage. Instead, we will sit in a circle and allow everyone to interact with one another as the Spirit leads.
Our topic: "One Size Does NOT Fit All: Varieties of Organic Church"
Details:
OC Organic Church Summit
Saturday, Sept.11th, 2010
From 2pm to 4pm
At St. Matthew's Catholic Church
1111 West Town and Country Road
Orange, CA 92868-4615
Various members of local organic churches will be invited, including our brothers and sisters from The Well, Vineyard at Home (VCMN), Soul Leader, The Mission, and others.
For more information please e-mail:
ochousechurch@gmail.com
Hope to see you all there!
On Saturday, Sept.11th, a free open forum will be held for those who want to learn more about organic church. This will be a time to gather and share ideas, ask questions and fellowship with others who are either currently involved in a new testament, (organic), church, or with others who are curious and want to learn more.
This will be an open dialog style meeting. No speaker or experts will be taking the stage. Instead, we will sit in a circle and allow everyone to interact with one another as the Spirit leads.
Our topic: "One Size Does NOT Fit All: Varieties of Organic Church"
Details:
OC Organic Church Summit
Saturday, Sept.11th, 2010
From 2pm to 4pm
At St. Matthew's Catholic Church
1111 West Town and Country Road
Orange, CA 92868-4615
Various members of local organic churches will be invited, including our brothers and sisters from The Well, Vineyard at Home (VCMN), Soul Leader, The Mission, and others.
For more information please e-mail:
ochousechurch@gmail.com
Hope to see you all there!
Monday, July 26, 2010
OC ORGANIC CHURCH SUMMIT - SATURDAY, SEPT. 11
On Saturday, Sept.11th, a free open forum will be held for those who want to learn more about organic church. This will be a time to gather and share ideas, ask questions and fellowship with others who are either currently involved in a new testament, (organic), church, or with others who are curious and want to learn more.
This will be an open dialog style meeting. No speaker or experts will be taking the stage. Instead, we will sit in a circle and allow everyone to interact with one another as the Spirit leads.
Our topic: "One Size Does NOT Fit All: Varieties of Organic Church"
Various members of local organic churches will be invited, including our brothers and sisters from The Well, Vineyard at Home (VCMN), Soul Leader, The Mission, and others.
Details coming soon.
This will be an open dialog style meeting. No speaker or experts will be taking the stage. Instead, we will sit in a circle and allow everyone to interact with one another as the Spirit leads.
Our topic: "One Size Does NOT Fit All: Varieties of Organic Church"
Various members of local organic churches will be invited, including our brothers and sisters from The Well, Vineyard at Home (VCMN), Soul Leader, The Mission, and others.
Details coming soon.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The House of Eleven Windows
The wife’s name was Ethel. She and her husband were once missionaries to Mexico, many years ago. Ethel was one of the few people I’ve ever met who had a genuine prophetic gifting. This means she would often have words of encouragement for people that included details only God would know. One evening, as we were having dinner in her home, Ethel told us why she had invited us over to her house.
“I have a Word for you,” she said.
After dinner she began to tell us about a vision God had shown her several months earlier on a Sunday morning. It happened when we were still on staff at the Vineyard church in Tustin – before we left to start our house church. In fact, at the time of her vision, no one knew were leaving, and no one knew we were thinking of planting a house church where 100% of the offering would go to help the poor in our community.
Ethel started by telling us how her vision began. Wendy and I had come and sat down in front of her and her husband during worship. She told us how, during the worship, she kept seeing a large, three-story house with eleven windows all over it. She kept seeing it in her mind every time she closed her eyes and so she started to pray and ask God what this picture meant. God spoke to her heart and said that it was because Wendy and I were going to be leaving and that we were going to start a house church.
Sitting there at her dinner table, Wendy and I slowly turned to look at each other in amazement. No one was aware that we were leaving to start a house church at this point in time. This was quite an on-target word of encouragement to us.
She wasn’t finished. She said that she then asked God why there were eleven windows on the house. God spoke to her heart again, as we were standing in front of her worshipping, that the eleven windows stood for eleven windows of opportunity that He was about to open up for us in this new ministry.
At the time of this dinner with Ethel, Wendy and I didn’t know where we would end up living. We had just been told by our then-current landlord that we needed to move because they wanted to sell their house. Ethel’s word of encouragement meant a lot to us because it meant that God had confirmed our calling and that He intended to bless us in this new adventure.
Soon enough we moved out of our old house, stored our belongings in a storage unit, and began searching for a new house. In a few weeks we moved into our new house in Orange, a few miles away from our old house. After a few more months we began our first house church meetings and called it “The Mission”.
After being in that new house only a few months, my family and I were leading a “Kids Club” in our home to reach out to the children in our neighborhood. We were having Thursday evening house church meetings with a handful of others and things were going pretty well.
One night, I couldn’t sleep and I got up to pray. It was about three o’clock in the morning. I went into the den where we normally host our house church gatherings and I began to pray about that word He gave us through Ethel months before. I prayed and asked God to show me more about what those “eleven windows of opportunity” really meant.
Suddenly, I realized something amazing. I started to mentally count how many windows there were in this new house we were now living in. I counted eleven windows. I mentally did the count in my head again, adding up the windows in each room one more time to be sure. Again, the number was the same. Eleven windows.
The simplicity of this realization washed over me like a flood of emotion. I sat on my couch, in the dark and began to shake my head in wonder and disbelief. All those months ago, long before anyone knew we were even thinking of starting a house church, long before we ourselves even knew where we’d end up living next, long before we’d ever started to walk out our calling to be missionaries in our city, God had this house in mind. God held this place for us. He intended for us specifically to be in this neighborhood, to minister to these children, to lead the house church in this very place. He even counted the windows and told us about it months in advance so that we’d know we were in the right place at the right time.
As I sit here writing this, in the house with eleven windows, I do not know what God is about to do next. But I do know that God has us in the right place. I do know that God has seen the end from the beginning and I know that He will carry us in His arms, as He always has before.
Just this morning, I got up to pray again. I went into the den and knelt in front of the same sofa to pray. I again remembered the word about the eleven windows. Then I started to count the doors in our house, just out of curiosity.
Can you guess how many doors there are in this house?
Keith Giles
www.KeithGiles.com
“I have a Word for you,” she said.
After dinner she began to tell us about a vision God had shown her several months earlier on a Sunday morning. It happened when we were still on staff at the Vineyard church in Tustin – before we left to start our house church. In fact, at the time of her vision, no one knew were leaving, and no one knew we were thinking of planting a house church where 100% of the offering would go to help the poor in our community.
Ethel started by telling us how her vision began. Wendy and I had come and sat down in front of her and her husband during worship. She told us how, during the worship, she kept seeing a large, three-story house with eleven windows all over it. She kept seeing it in her mind every time she closed her eyes and so she started to pray and ask God what this picture meant. God spoke to her heart and said that it was because Wendy and I were going to be leaving and that we were going to start a house church.
Sitting there at her dinner table, Wendy and I slowly turned to look at each other in amazement. No one was aware that we were leaving to start a house church at this point in time. This was quite an on-target word of encouragement to us.
She wasn’t finished. She said that she then asked God why there were eleven windows on the house. God spoke to her heart again, as we were standing in front of her worshipping, that the eleven windows stood for eleven windows of opportunity that He was about to open up for us in this new ministry.
At the time of this dinner with Ethel, Wendy and I didn’t know where we would end up living. We had just been told by our then-current landlord that we needed to move because they wanted to sell their house. Ethel’s word of encouragement meant a lot to us because it meant that God had confirmed our calling and that He intended to bless us in this new adventure.
Soon enough we moved out of our old house, stored our belongings in a storage unit, and began searching for a new house. In a few weeks we moved into our new house in Orange, a few miles away from our old house. After a few more months we began our first house church meetings and called it “The Mission”.
After being in that new house only a few months, my family and I were leading a “Kids Club” in our home to reach out to the children in our neighborhood. We were having Thursday evening house church meetings with a handful of others and things were going pretty well.
One night, I couldn’t sleep and I got up to pray. It was about three o’clock in the morning. I went into the den where we normally host our house church gatherings and I began to pray about that word He gave us through Ethel months before. I prayed and asked God to show me more about what those “eleven windows of opportunity” really meant.
Suddenly, I realized something amazing. I started to mentally count how many windows there were in this new house we were now living in. I counted eleven windows. I mentally did the count in my head again, adding up the windows in each room one more time to be sure. Again, the number was the same. Eleven windows.
The simplicity of this realization washed over me like a flood of emotion. I sat on my couch, in the dark and began to shake my head in wonder and disbelief. All those months ago, long before anyone knew we were even thinking of starting a house church, long before we ourselves even knew where we’d end up living next, long before we’d ever started to walk out our calling to be missionaries in our city, God had this house in mind. God held this place for us. He intended for us specifically to be in this neighborhood, to minister to these children, to lead the house church in this very place. He even counted the windows and told us about it months in advance so that we’d know we were in the right place at the right time.
As I sit here writing this, in the house with eleven windows, I do not know what God is about to do next. But I do know that God has us in the right place. I do know that God has seen the end from the beginning and I know that He will carry us in His arms, as He always has before.
Just this morning, I got up to pray again. I went into the den and knelt in front of the same sofa to pray. I again remembered the word about the eleven windows. Then I started to count the doors in our house, just out of curiosity.
Can you guess how many doors there are in this house?
Keith Giles
www.KeithGiles.com
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
LET US BE ONE
In the Gospel of John, we get to eavesdrop on the intimate conversation between Jesus and the Father. In this prayer Jesus prays for us and his prayer for us is that we would be one:
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message that all of them may be one, Father, just as you and I are one....May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." - John 17:20-21
Unity in the Body is essential. According to the prayer of Jesus, our unity is a proof of the messianic identity of Jesus and of the love of God for us:
"May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (v. 23)
Hopefully in your experience as a follower of Jesus you have had the opportunity to meet another believer in Christ and fall in love with them immediately. I don't mean that in the romantic sense, but in the sense that you feel as if you have known them all your life even though you've only just met them.
If so, what you're experiencing is a kinship of faith with another member of your family - the Family of God. Regardless of whether or not that person is a member of your denomination, or whether or not this person agrees with you about specific points of doctrine, you have an undeniable feeling of brotherly (or sisterly) love for this individual. You are recognizing the Christ in them and you are responding to the love of Jesus shared between you both.
Whenever we experience this we are bearing witness to the unity of the Body of Christ. There is only one Body and if we have loved Jesus and put our faith in Him, we are members of His Body.
Whenever we make a decision to love the Jesus in another person - and to overlook the doctrinal points of disagreement - we are keeping the unity of the Body of Christ.
A good friend, and brother in Christ, recently pointed out to me that throughout Christian history, when christian leaders gathered to nail down points of doctrine the result was never unity - it was always more division.
Our little house church, the Mission, is comprised of a variety of different people who are all from extremely divergent streams of faith. In our house church there are former Calvary Chapel pastors and youth leaders, former Vineyard members, former Southern Baptists, former Bretheren, former Church of Christ, former Lutherans, and former independent, non-denominational, "whatchamacallits".
On paper our house church has no business surviving for over 4 years as a family of God. Yet, somehow we manage to love one another, to serve one another and to consider one another as dear brothers and sisters in Christ in spite of our obvious doctrinal differences.
How do we do it? Well, mostly we've done it by choosing to see and love the Jesus in one another. We've made a choice to overlook those doctrinal differences in favor of learning from the experiences - and varying perspectives - of others in our Body.
Now, to be honest, our house church if far from perfect. We are people, just like everyone else. We're human. We're sinners. We're just as foolish and fickle as you are. And most of all, we all recognize our intense daily need for more of Jesus.
What blesses me, however, is how God called each of us to be part of this Body. I did not recruit anyone. Most people who currently attend our house church each week found us and sought us out. I did not find them. God touched their hearts and called them out and lead them by His Spirit to join this church family. I love that God would call former Lutherans and Baptists and Church of Christ and Vineyard and Calvary Chapel, etc. members to join hearts and hands and lives and become one fellowship of saints together. I love that He would allow us to learn to forgive one another, and to honor one another, and to lay down our denominational and doctrinal identities to embrace membership in the Body of Christ.
We are part of your church. You are part of our church. All of us are members of one another. Because there is only one Body, and one Church, and One Lord.
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." - 1 Cor 12:12-13 -kg
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message that all of them may be one, Father, just as you and I are one....May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." - John 17:20-21
Unity in the Body is essential. According to the prayer of Jesus, our unity is a proof of the messianic identity of Jesus and of the love of God for us:
"May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (v. 23)
Hopefully in your experience as a follower of Jesus you have had the opportunity to meet another believer in Christ and fall in love with them immediately. I don't mean that in the romantic sense, but in the sense that you feel as if you have known them all your life even though you've only just met them.
If so, what you're experiencing is a kinship of faith with another member of your family - the Family of God. Regardless of whether or not that person is a member of your denomination, or whether or not this person agrees with you about specific points of doctrine, you have an undeniable feeling of brotherly (or sisterly) love for this individual. You are recognizing the Christ in them and you are responding to the love of Jesus shared between you both.
Whenever we experience this we are bearing witness to the unity of the Body of Christ. There is only one Body and if we have loved Jesus and put our faith in Him, we are members of His Body.
Whenever we make a decision to love the Jesus in another person - and to overlook the doctrinal points of disagreement - we are keeping the unity of the Body of Christ.
A good friend, and brother in Christ, recently pointed out to me that throughout Christian history, when christian leaders gathered to nail down points of doctrine the result was never unity - it was always more division.
Our little house church, the Mission, is comprised of a variety of different people who are all from extremely divergent streams of faith. In our house church there are former Calvary Chapel pastors and youth leaders, former Vineyard members, former Southern Baptists, former Bretheren, former Church of Christ, former Lutherans, and former independent, non-denominational, "whatchamacallits".
On paper our house church has no business surviving for over 4 years as a family of God. Yet, somehow we manage to love one another, to serve one another and to consider one another as dear brothers and sisters in Christ in spite of our obvious doctrinal differences.
How do we do it? Well, mostly we've done it by choosing to see and love the Jesus in one another. We've made a choice to overlook those doctrinal differences in favor of learning from the experiences - and varying perspectives - of others in our Body.
Now, to be honest, our house church if far from perfect. We are people, just like everyone else. We're human. We're sinners. We're just as foolish and fickle as you are. And most of all, we all recognize our intense daily need for more of Jesus.
What blesses me, however, is how God called each of us to be part of this Body. I did not recruit anyone. Most people who currently attend our house church each week found us and sought us out. I did not find them. God touched their hearts and called them out and lead them by His Spirit to join this church family. I love that God would call former Lutherans and Baptists and Church of Christ and Vineyard and Calvary Chapel, etc. members to join hearts and hands and lives and become one fellowship of saints together. I love that He would allow us to learn to forgive one another, and to honor one another, and to lay down our denominational and doctrinal identities to embrace membership in the Body of Christ.
We are part of your church. You are part of our church. All of us are members of one another. Because there is only one Body, and one Church, and One Lord.
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." - 1 Cor 12:12-13 -kg
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