Showing posts with label home church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home church. Show all posts

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Concerning Home Churches: Part III

This is our last part of the series about the Spiritual Temple that Christ Jesus established for us, and introducing home churches. Click to read PART 1 or click to read PART 2 of our series.

We also strongly recommend two books that are very informative and interesting concerning churches and organized religion. One is called Pagan Christianity and Reimagining Church, by Frank Viola and the other one is called Beyond Radical by Gene Edwards. It shows a historical depth of how each organized section of church originated and it's very roots. Those books are eye opening experiences.




Here, we begin and conclude with this:


Who is the Body of Christ?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Key Points:

-There is one body, many members, different purposes.
-Jew, Gentile, Bond, Free, ALL in one Spirit.
-Each member needs to contribute, all are necessary.
(have churches become a one man show?)
-Members are to care for one another and suffer with one another.
-Each member has a gift from God to contribute.

*Question: Did God reveal his Word to one man to write one book, or many men into 66 books for the Bible?


"Now ye are the Body of Christ and members in particular." 1 Corinthians 12:27

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?"1 Corinthians 3:16


The Body of Christ needs to be a living sacrifice, holy and unconfirmed to this world. Read Romans 12:1-2.

There is ONE body, not varied by denomination or building. Read Ephesians 4:4-6.


"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and in prayers."Acts 2:42.


Please take the time to read Hebrews chapter 9! Hebrews shows the before and after parts of the creation of the church. We will read in Hebrews 9:1-10 that it describes the "worldly sanctuary" and how the old way of having church were physical things of the flesh. When we continue to Hebrews 9:11-end which shows how Christ has established a "perfect tabernacle" within us, not in a building made of hands. He made a Spiritual one within us and established a new covenant. We no longer need to observe these things in the flesh or in the physical way, but now we can have church wherever we go because he dwells within us.


We see the believers after Jesus' death meeting in homes, assembling together and even Paul went and had "church" with some women by the river as he was passing by (Acts 16:13). We are free, for Christ has made us free indeed!


"For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant." 1 Corinthians 7:22









A Voice in the Wilderness



Monday, January 11, 2010

Concerning Home Churches: Part II

This is the second part of a three part series on the Spiritual Church and introduction to home/organic churches. Click HERE to read the first part.

A Voice in the Wilderness wants to use this as a reference guide for us to read this information from our own Bibles directly. We will list some key points as well. It is important for us to read from the Word in it's full context for ourselves. Never just take any man's word for it.



We are the body of Christ and there is only one head. The head belongs solely to Christ Jesus. The body has many parts and members with different purposes yet all contribute. Every member is different but none is above another (1 Peter 5:3).

The Lord told us to be Godly examples. He appoints Godly men to be Elders and for older women to be examples & mentors. Those are roles in the body explained in Titus 2.


The Head of the Church

The head of the Church is Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22, 23)

Key Points:
-Jesus is the Head of all things in the Church.
-We are His body.


We are His body. We are His flesh and bones (Ephesians 5:30)

Christ is the Preeminence (Colossians 1:18)
*Heed the warning of leaders who want to claim the preeminence for themselves (3 John 1:9, 10)

Christ is the High Priest for us (Hebrews 4:14, 15)
* The veil was rent, so there no longer needed to be a man to stand before us to God, but Christ alone. (Hebrews 7:26)

Christ is the Chief Shepherd and Bishop (1 Peter 2:25, 1 Peter 5:4)



Jesus Christ is the head of our church, and he dwells in our bodies. Every man in Christ is a priest, and we are to go to the Father directly through his son, Jesus Christ. We do not need any other authority or "shepherd" but Christ alone. We are to be accountable to one another, exhorting one another and suffering with one another. The Bible says we are to especially do that as we see the day approaching. Beware of any man or spiritual leader who seeks to place himself higher than the body, high as if he was a high priest or a man with authority, and has no accountability but "unto God alone."






A Voice in the Wilderness



Sunday, January 10, 2010

Concerning Home Churches: Part I

This is a beginning to a small series on home churching. It is also widely known as organic church. This will be the first part to a three part study. Our goal today is to show that churches are no longer a building of bricks and stone, but the body of Christ. Many have heard this before, but not many have learned this to an extent. We will show you that Jesus destroyed physical churches so He could establish His Spiritual church on Earth. We will show that home churches aren't a radical or new thing, but that it has been around since Paul's time.

So many of us associate the word "church" with a building, and we hope to show you that the true definition of a church is not of a building. Jesus Christ has established liberty for us in the ways we assemble together and worship. Please keep in mind that none of this is a condemnation for traditional churches that many of you may still attend. We only hope this enriches you and even broaden your horizons. For some of you, this may be exactly what you need to find.

We want this to be a reference guide to your own study on this subject. We will list verses to find and some key points. We strongly encourage all of you to find it in your own Bible and double check everything!


The Corner Stone and Living Stone

Jesus announced that he was going to destroy the temple and raise it up in three days (found in John 2:19-21). We see that after Jesus was crucified, He was in the grave for three days.When He rose, He established a new temple. It was not made of bricks and stone, but of his body as seen in verse 21.

We are the House of Christ (Hebrews 3:6)

We are a Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9)

We are the living stones in Christ's new Church (read 1 Peter 2:4-7)

Key Points:

-Living stones in the spiritual house
-Chosen of God, disallowed of men.
-A holy priesthood.
-Jesus is the Cornerstone, (also in Matthew 22:42, Psalm 118:22, Acts 4:11)




There are to be NO Lords over God's flock, only examples (1 Peter 5:3)

(Note: Jesus is our authority and the head of the church. We are all an equal body of believers with different roles. There is not to be an authority or Lord over God's own flock, but Godly examples. Beware of those who seek to be an authority or a 'high priest' above God's people. Beware of a false leader who makes you believe that He is in higher standing with God, or that you need to go through him to connect with God.)

In Our Assembly:

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20

"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


*Question to Ponder: Are these verses saying we have to assemble together in a physical building, or is it calling us to simply gather together?




Home Churches in the Bible:

The Bible lists there were churches taken place in people's homes multiple times in the New Testament. Paul and the disciples visited people often in diverse places and taught them this new way of churching. Paul was an Apostle and his role was to build churches. Did he work away with a hammer or a nail? No, but instead, Paul found likeminded believers and gathered them together in each town. Here are home churches in the Bible listed below:

-1 Corinthians 16:19 (House of Aquila and Priscilla)
-1 Corinthians 1:11 (House of Chloe)
-1 Corinthians 1:16 (Household of Stephanas)
-Romans 16:5 (House of Epaeneties)
-Romans 16:10 (Aristobielus' Household)
-Romans 16:11 (Narcissus Household)
-Phillippians 4:22 (Caesar's Household)
-Phillippians 4:15 (Nympha's House)
-2 Timothy 4:19 (Household of Onesiphorus)
-Philemon 1:2 (Apphia and Archippus Church at thy house)

This concludes the first part of studying the roots of home church, and the new spiritual temple. There will be a second part coming soon. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment!






A Voice in the Wilderness



 

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