Talk:The way
In home church group some one wrote:
... My family was deeply hurt in institutional Christianity when we took a stand for righteousness. This was after we had invested much financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We were involved in full time volunteer ministry. For many reasons, I have come to the conclusion that it is the system itself that creates a lot of problems like that we experienced. ...The grief we experienced was exactly like that you go through when someone close to you dies. The main pain for me was that the sense of community, honoring close relationships, was not there when push came to shove. ... When I was going through the intense pain, the word that kept coming to mind was ' marginalized'. .... Pain, disillusionment has led us here. I am trying to be open to anything the Lord has planned. Right now, my husband and I cannot imagine committing to a brick and mortar church. ... Like the cooks in the kitchen, we understand management, not just being in the pews ( not implying they are all bad, mind you).
I understand fully disagreement with what I said about women in leadership. I thought that way for many years. Before you dismiss Frank Viola, I would research more. I happen to like the video posted, but it wasn't what I was thinking of. Somewhere else, he breaks down the scripture about women and the cultural context.
Whether you agree or not, my desire is to be in authentic Christian community with others seeking the Lord.
My opinions then, come from researching the scripture, authors, and various experiences, not from a feminist viewpoint. If it is unbiblical for me to initiate a house group, then let me not violate scripture. On the other hand, if I am supposed to step out in faith, let me do that. .... Be blessed.
I understand many don't want to be part of any institutional Church.
They like to have a small group that provides a certain intimacy. That is one reason Christ command his disciples to 'make the people sit down in small groups of ten families' networked together in ten groups of ten families, which made what was called hundreds. They continued this pattern until every family (5000 ) was connected in this patterns of tens, hundreds, and thousands.
The reason "the system" we see as the modern Church seems to be the biggest hindrance to true discipleship is because it is neither doung what Christ commanded nor telling people what the early Church was doing and not doing or even what it was.
That pattern was essential in the practice of "pure Religion". They have decieved the people and changed the meaning of religion from what do in the performance of your duty to God and your fellowman into what you think about God. Faith is not an opinion.
They have also changed the meaning of the word Church from the "called out" into an institution of men.
I also think this generates the question about being in a position of "leadership". Leadership is another word that needs defining.
We are all to be led by the Holy Spirit both men and women. Neither the women nor the men are supposed to 'exercise authority one over the other.'
No one should be "committing to a brick and mortar church" for the church is not made with hands or by the opinions of men. It is made of "lively stones" called out by Christ and His Holy Spirit to be the servants of all who seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and follow The Way.
http://preparingyou.com/wiki/The_way
Some one mentioned the book:
- “Church Refugees - Sociologists reveal why people are DONE with Church but not their faith”. "Church Refugees" by Josh Packard, PH.D. and Ashleigh Hope. (2015).
Trying to find more about the book by reading articles I constantly ran into sites that required me to sign up and pay to read articles.
- "...articles, and blog posts about the nones and the SBNRs (spiritual but not religious). Sociologists Josh Packard and Ashleigh Hope focus on a smaller subset of those who have left organized Christianity—and who took a lot with them when they did: the Dones, whom the authors also call church refugees and the dechurched."
Someone wrote: "A house church is just as much an "institution" as one that owns property. This is just a reason for self righteousness. Baptists have immersion. Catholics have their papal "authority". Orthodox have their icons. Amish have their "Gemeinde" rules. Pentecostals have their version of "tongues". House church has the self righteousness of being the only "right" way to assemble. It's all BS, and simply not important for salvation. Faith is! The Holy Spirit is! Jesus' teachings are!"
Saying 'Faith is important! The Holy Spirit is important! Jesus' teachings are important!" Is true. But how do you know it is real Faith, The Holy Spirit, and Jesus' teachings'? I see nice Christian people "Organic cburches" and "institutional churches". But I do not see them doing what the early church did, I do not see them doing what Jesus said to do and see "many" of them doing what he said not to do, doing what Christ condemned the Pharisees for doing. There are tests to determine if the spirit leading people is the Holy Spirit. Modern Christians are not following The Way of Christ.
He went on to write: "I'm in a house church. I'm interested in living a good Christian life, and find this kind of self righteous twaddle highly offensive. There are plenty of good Christians in all kinds of churches. Mine is not perfect and no better or worse than others. We just happen to meet in a house."