House Church Basics

In “I Corinthians 14:26-33”, remember they are meeting in Gaius Justus’ house, a Roman convert to Judaism and then Christianity. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue is mentioned as joining them along with many Jewish converts, and Corinth is a Greek city with many Greek converts. All 3 cultures are meeting together under one roof as Paul writes his first letter to the Corinthians. Also remember that historically, Jewish women in the synagogues were seated to the side behind a lattice work, and not allowed to participate at all. (Acts 18: 1-8)

“What then, brethren, is the right course? When you meet together each one has a hymn, a teaching, a disclosure of special knowledge or information (revelation), an utterance in a tongue or an interpretation of it (gifts of the Spirit), But let everything be constructive and edifying and for the good of all.” v26

This establishes the context. Anything that happens will fall under these 4 categories: Worship/prayer, teaching, revelation, gifts of the Spirit. The subject is order and how to meet for the good of all.

“If some speak in an unknown tongue, let the number be limited to two or at the most three, and each one taking his turn, and let one interpret and explain what is said.” v27

The message is be polite as you are a guest in someone’s home. Take turns.

“But if there is no one to do the interpreting, let each of them keep still in (the meeting) and talk to himself and to God.” v28

Sometimes in a home meeting a person will feel like they have something from the Lord that MUST be shared. This scripture says that is not the case. If there is no opportunity, if the timing is not right, even if they are being moved in the gifts of the Spirit, they do not have to share it. They have not sinned if there is no opportunity to share it, they are to speak to the Lord and use the opportunity as a matter for prayer.

“So let two or three prophets speak, those inspired to preach or teach, while the rest pay attention and weigh and discern what is said.” v29

In a home meeting it must be understood that while all may share given the rules of politeness as a guest in someone’s home if the opportunity is there; what is said will be judged, possibly with negative results. Often a person wants to talk and expects everyone to say yea and amen, but that may not be the case.

The principle Paul mentions here means a person does not have to allow someone to pray for them, speak a prophetic word over them, nor must they automatically accept anything said as from the Lord. And of course, whatever someone says may be accepted completely as well. His point is that no one may dominate, nor should anyone who speaks expect what they say to be accepted automatically – the relationships should be strong enough that what a person says may be challenged without developing into a heated arguement.

“But if an inspired revelation comes to another who is sitting by, then let the first one be silent.” v30

Here again is a reference to politeness and not having to share something you have from the Lord if there is no opportunity. Grace and deferring to another in love is greater than having to share that revelation, having to share that tongue & interpretation/prophecy, greater than you being moved by the Spirit. If another also feels they have something from the Lord to share, Paul says defer to the first and you be silent.

“For in this way you can give testimony, prophesying and thus interpreting the divine will and purpose one by one, so that all may be instructed and all may be stimulated and encouraged.” v31

His point: Politeness and courtesy, walking in love, leads to the whole group being built up.

“For the spirit of the prophets, the speakers in tongues, are under the speaker’s control and subject to being silenced as may be necessary.” v32

You are always in control. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and never presses someone to the point they must absolutely share what they have. Paul says you are still in control, thus if there is no opportunity to share, or if someone else has a word, wait your turn or even keep silent, speaking to yourself and the Lord (in prayer).

“For He Who is the source of their prophesying is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order. As is the practice in all the churches of the saints.” v33

Here again is the emphasis that meetings are to be a place of peace, of order and grace, and he lets them know what he is telling them is the way it (house church) is done throughout the body of Christ.

NOTE:

Verses 34-35 deal with the local issues of having 3 cultures thrown together in 1 house meeting. Greek and Roman women did not wear veils to the extent (or not at all) as the Hebrew women did. The Greek and Roman women were generally more educated than the Jewish women, who previously had been separated in the synagogue not allowed to participate. Now they may. Paul tells them here for the sake of order and the flow of a meeting to ask their husbands at home if they have questions.

In chapter 11 and verse 5 Paul says women may pray or prophesy as long as they are appropriately dressed (veiled), but in 14:34-35 he tells the wives that just in the event of questions, to ask their husbands at home, for the sake of order and flow.

He was not contradicting himself, telling them to pray and prophesy in 11:5 and then telling them to be quiet in 14:34-35. His concern in 14 is order, the flow of a meeting, and politeness, thus the instructions that rather than interrupting the meeting for questions, ask later at home until they are brought up to speed.

This is confirmed by verses 39-40, where he again mentions and closes the subject by restating that meetings are to be conducted with politeness, order, and for the benefit of all.

Blessings,

John Fenn

The first house church is actually the Garden of Eden, where you have Adam, Eve, and the Lord (where 2-3 are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them).

Genesis 18:17-19 the Lord reveals His plans to Abraham based on the quality of his family (home) spiritual life, showing us as in the Garden of Eden, revelation from the Lord flows first and best in the home: “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do…for I know him, that he will command his household and children after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord…”

Much of Jesus’ miracles and ministry were done in a home, from his first miracle changing water into wine, to meeting with the disciples gathered in a home behind locked doors on the day of his resurrection, to the day of Pentecost taking place in a home.

“And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house.” (Acts 2:46)

This is the only reference to Christians meeting in the temple after Pentecost. The temple area had ‘porches’ that could hold 20-50 people, which Jesus used to teach in the temple in the gospels. Going to the temple to learn of Christ in them lasted about 18 months, for Acts 18:1 tells us persecution was so intense from Saul of Tarsus that all the disciples moved out of Jerusalem except the apostles.

After that 18 month ‘transition time’ from temple to homes, we never again see believers going back to the temple for instruction. Today we often see people taking 18-24 months to transition from a temple mentality to home based context of the New Testament, just as they did here in Acts 2:46.

“And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared to you in the way as you came, has sent me that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 9:17

And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting…and I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing…” Acts 10:30

“And when he considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.” Acts 12:12

Here is a listing of house churches in the epistles. When you read the letters of the New Testament, remember those letters were delivered to the homes of these people and then read and copied and sent to other home churches in those cities, and that’s how we have them recorded for us today.

Philippi (Philippians)

“And when she (Lydia) was baptized, and her household, she urged us saying, if you have judged me faithful, come into my house and stay with me, and she persuaded us…And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, and your house (to the jailer). And they spoke to him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house…and when he had brought them to his house he gave them food…and they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia…” Acts 16:15.31-32, 34, 40

Thessalonica (I & II Thessalonians)

“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica…And some of them believed and joined Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews which believed not…attacked the house of Jason…” Acts 17:1, 4-5

Corinth (I & II Corinthians)

“After these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth…and entered into a certain man’s house named Justus (Gaius Justus), who worshipped God, whose house was joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed on the Lord with all his house…” Acts 18:1, 7-8

Ephesus (Ephesians)

“…and separated the disciples, teaching daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years, so that all they who lived in (the province of) Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” Acts 19: 9-10

“…and I have taught you publicly and from house to house…” Acts 20:20, speaking to leaders in Ephesus

“The churches of Asia greet you, especially Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, along with the church that is in their house.” I Cor 16:19 – Paul says he wrote to the Ephesians from Corinth in I Cor 16:8

Rome (Romans)

“And Paul lived two whole years in his own rented house, and received all that came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.” (in Rome) Acts 28:30-31

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus…Likewise greet the church that is in their house.” Romans 16:3, 5

Colossae (Colossians) and nearby Laodicea

“…whom I have sent with you…Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you..” Col 4:9

“Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon…and to the church in your house..”

(Philemon v1-2; The subject of Philemon is Onesimus’ return to him in Colossae, thus we know Paul’s letter to the Colossians included the house church of Philemon)

“Greet the brethren in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in her house.” Col 4:15

Letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippian’s, Colossians, Thessalonians, Philemon (and Laodicea) were all written initially (in part) to the people mentioned above. Additionally, Paul’s 2 letters to Timothy were to him in Ephesus, where he remained until his death in the year 97.

Historically we know for the first nearly 300 years believers met in homes until Constantine legalized the faith and called people out of homes and into (former) pagan temples and the auditorium style ‘church’ we have today.

The context therefore of the gifts of the Spirit, the 5-fold ministry gifts, and our whole New Testament is in the home – that is where they were designed to operate and flow.

Blessings,
John Fenn

John Fenn

Right after “How can I find a house church in my area?”, “How do I start a house church?” is the 2nd most common question I receive. There are several things to consider.

In scripture we have the names of several people who were the original hosts/leaders of their own house church; Lydia in Philippi, Jason in Thessalonica, Titus Justus and Crispus in Corinth, Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus (and at another time in Rome), Philemon in Colossae, a lady named Nymphas in Laodicea.
(Acts 16:15, 40; 17:5; 18:7-8; I Cor 16:19; Rom 16: 3-5; Col 4:15, Philemon 2)

The pattern is that usually the full burden does not rest on any one individual – they had help. For instance, we are told Lydia had employees and the Philippian jailer and family, Philemon had employees, and in Corinth the Jewish leader of the synagogue Crispus teamed up with the Roman, Titus Justus. Apparently though, Priscilla and Aquila, a husband and wife team, appear quite gifted with hospitality for they are mentioned as hosting the church in their homes both in Rome and Ephesus – wherever they went apparently they hosted the church.

We have found the same pattern to be true; unless really graced with hospitality, you will need to team up with someone at some point. Maybe at the start you can host and lead alone, but after a bit the Lord will usually bring someone alongside on the same spiritual page to bear the load. From there we’ve found that rotating homes and leaders each week shares the load and brings everyone up spiritually. If at some point you don’t start rotating leaders and homes each week, meetings become a miniature of what we left, with everyone looking to one couple or one leader for ‘the word’.

Intentional
Many house churches start by de-churched friends inviting other de-churched friends over for a meal, some prayer, worship, study in the Word – and talk of home based church. House churches differ from prayer meetings or Bible studies in that people who attend are serious and purposeful about why they are meeting on a regular basis.

We use the word ‘intentional’ in several applications here in our Tulsa churches. We are intentional about each other, intentional about how and why we meet, intentional neighbors and intentional about moving those we fellowship with ‘up’ in our priorities in life – in prayer, in fellowship, in communication between meetings.

One does not just start a house church without these careful considerations. This is not just another event to fill the week, it is intentional Christianity, relationship based faith and relationship based church.

Starting
Earlier in this series I spoke of following Jesus’ instructions from Luke 10 of finding people of peace. These are people who accept you for you long before they accept Jesus. They are family, friends/neighbors and those in the community, and co-workers. They are people within your existing sphere of influence. There are many people, believers and unbelievers, who prefer to come to a living room rather than a church building.

Thus hosting starts very small scale, often 1 or 2 others. Have a meal in your home, then have a time of worship and prayer and discussion…that’s how it starts. That said, I know one situation where a couple decided after a time of not going anywhere to church to invite everyone they knew that was de-churched. They started right off with 6 or 7 couples and families!

Intentional prayer
When a house church actually meets varies, but a threshold is crossed when people realize the seriousness of what they are doing – mentally the jump is made that this is more than just friends having a meal and time in the Lord – this is their spiritual home and their spiritual family.

When that happens sometimes the switch is made to meeting Sunday mornings, sometimes Saturdays, sometimes a weekday night – but the mental change happens that this is church, this is my spiritual family.

So here is what happens typically, but not all the time, just a sample: People arrive and visit for the first 1/2 hour or so. (The host has put out some water and finger foods – maybe cheese and crackers and fruit – something simple.)

After the first 1/2 hour or so the host/hostess who may also be the leader(s) for the meeting, starts by asking for prayer requests…after a time of sharing those requests everyone starts praying for those needs. At this point anything can happen – people may want prayer personally, and people will lay hands on them and see what the Lord may say through the gifts of the Spirit, or just prayer.

Depending on the gifting of the leader, the group may start worshiping, or maybe just continue in prayer and the flow of the gifts of the Spirit, or right into a Bible study or hearing what is on the heart of the leader of that meeting.

Intentional worship
Worship flows from the heart, born from the existing intimacy and vibrancy of each person’s closeness with the Father and Jesus, and a true worshipper can at a moments notice break forth in their own words adoration and love for the Father and Jesus. They need no cd or instrument, or if there is such, those things merely accompany the existing melody in the worshiper’s heart.

God inhabits the praise and worship of his people, so if people in house church are not willing to worship vibrantly from their hearts (or not willing to learn to find their own words and melody) they’re not as likely to have the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit (and gifts of the Spirit moving) in that meeting.

When people want the baptism with the Holy Spirit but struggle speaking in tongues, in many of those cases they don’t know how, nor practice worship on their own – to truly get lost in the Spirit in their expression of love to the Father.

Side note: Most ‘big’ healings I’ve been a part of both personally and with others, involves the person receiving during worship, getting so caught up in expressing their love for the Father and Jesus that just being in the Father’s presence, where there is no lack, heals them.

Think of it; the Greek word for ‘worship’ is pros-kuneo, pros meaning ‘toward’ and kuneo meaning ‘to kiss’. Worship is therefore the intentional (“towards”) kissing of the Father God – a full on expression of love – and He is seeking those who will worship from their spirit and in truth (pure motives) to worship him.

But if you say ‘Let’s worship’ in most churches of any structure, and if you don’t have someone else’s music and lyrics, people don’t know how to express that kind of love to the Father. That’s one reason Paul says to “Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise and voices and making melody in your heart to the Lord. And in everything give thanks.” (Eph 5:19-20)

(So maybe a house church needs to purposely study worship a bit and not have a CD for a season until people learn how to worship, how to use their own words instead of a song writers to tell Father God why they love Him, and why they love Jesus?)

Intentional Word
The things of God involve the Spirit and the Word – both elements must be present. If you have the Spirit without the Word people get off balance. If you have the Word without the Spirit things are dry and boring.

If people in house church are not willing to move from their heart – if they haven’t mentally prepared to be active and go over and lay hands on someone and expect God to speak through them or give them a word for that person – then house church will stagnate.

In many meetings the vibrancy of prayer and worship lead naturally into a study and discussion of the Word, though in practice the Word and prayer and worship may follow any order, differing according to how the leader feels led for that meeting.

This is where people get nervous – the expectation that they will bring forth a study or message. In house church though everything is discussion oriented, not sermon oriented. Many excellent times in the Lord have started with merely a single verse, or a single thought about a single verse even. You’re among friends, others will fill in the gaps because it’s discussion oriented…relax, share what’s on your heart, it’s safe.

Paul told the Corinthians “When you come together every one of you has a psalm (worship/prayer), revelation (something God showed me, this week or another time), doctrine (something God taught me this week or another time), tongues/interpretation (freedom to move in the gifts of the Spirit).” I Cor 14:26

Depending on the way God created whoever is leading is how the meeting will go. A leader more graced in intercessory prayer may lead everyone in worship and prayer, a teacher may forgo worship in favor of a deep study in the Word, someone may just have one recurring thought that stayed with them all week they’d like to share (a revelation) – and it goes from there.

The point is that it is intentional. Whoever is leading is seeking the Father for the upcoming meeting. My pattern has been, and often this is the case with others I’ve discovered, is along about Wednesday (for a Sunday meeting) the Father starts putting a thought or verse or Psalm or revelation or subject on the leader’s heart – and they think on that for those several days before the Sunday meeting. It’s natural, flowing, and completely easy because a person can be themselves, as the Father directs them.

Intentional Relationships
A house church revolves around people as guests in someone’s home, getting to know one another. As such one of our founding verses is Galatians 2:9: “But when Peter, James and John…perceived the grace in Barnabus and me, they gave us the right hand of fellowship…”

Perceiving the grace is essential to knowing and loving people of varying ages, races, backgrounds, and life experience. Perceiving the grace in the verse above meant that though Peter and the others were called to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles, they were in fellowship and relationship. Peter would later write that some of what Paul wrote was hard to understand, meaning that even though he didn’t fully understand Paul’s call, teachings, or life experience, he perceived the grace and loved him. (II Pet 3:16)

This means we look for Jesus in another person – when you find Jesus in them and what He has done and is doing in them, their past, their race, their socio-economic standing falls into the category of irrelevance. This is how we walk in love with people who are very different from us – perceive in your spirit Jesus in them, and love Him in them.

House churches do go through stages though. We’ve found that for the first 90 days all are on best behavior. In the 3-6 month time frame (if they stick around), personality conflicts arise and people have to learn to perceive the grace in others. In the 6-9 month time frame they work through it all, learning how to be proactive in meetings and walk in love, and by 12 months a core group of friends has worked through personality conflicts and grown to truly enjoy each other’s company. Somewhere in the 6 month to 18 month time frame a house church starts turning outward to invite others – though this varies widely.

Intentionally connected
Lastly, there are no stand alone house churches in the New Testament. Many start off as individual house churches, all alone, like in Acts 11 in Antioch, or Acts 16 in Philippi. But at some point each house church sought to be connected to an apostle and a larger network of house churches. From those relationships people wrote back and forth, traveled back and forth, sent money back and forth – they were connected to each other.

It must have been some discussion in Corinth, for according to I Corinthians 3 they were acting like un-born again people, so caught up in strife were they over this issue – some said they wanted to be associated with Apollos, some with Paul – he told them it shouldn’t be a point of strife and they were acting like babies. Later in chapter 9 he told them he was the most instrumental in their spiritual life and they should be supporting him, but the point is they wanted to be connected.

In Antioch, once connected to the leaders in Jerusalem, they sent an offering to help against a prophesied famine, and Paul thanks the churches in Philippi (which started you’ll recall in Lydia’s house) for sending support twice while he started the house church in Thessalonica – they wanted to help start other house churches by extension through Paul’s ministry. (Acts 11:29, 16:40/17:1-8, Phil 4:15-16)

And in II Corinthians 8 Paul is receiving an offering for the leaders and believers in Jerusalem from the Corinthians and once again mentions the house churches of Philippi and area (Macedonia) giving as well – so Philippi was connect to Thessalonica and also to Corinth and all were connected to Paul who was also connected to Jerusalem….and on it goes.

We try to emulate Paul – he sought to build relationships not a network. Networking and those relationships developed naturally over time, but relationships were the point.

And that is why this second foundational verse is so important, from II Corinthians 1:24: “Not that we would have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy, for by your own faith you stand.”

Neither Paul nor we have dominion over someone’s faith – each house church is an independent, real church. Our part as leaders, and as others in a network, is to be helpers of joy. And there is great peace in that.

Be intentional, you can do it, you’re not alone!

Blessings,
John Fenn

John Fenn

For the first 300 years the body of Christ met only in homes. When Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the 300’s, he and his successors began a process of calling people out of homes as they took over former pagan temples.

My wife and I were visiting Pompeii, Italy, and the secular tour guide brought us to the temple of Apollo, mentioning that originally it was a temple to Apollo. She shared what happened was that when the faith became legal, they realized the temple format of pews, platform, pulpit and 1 leader they had in the temple to Apollo, would work for Christianity…and people moved from their homes to the temple, and the gift called ‘Pastor’ became the 1 voice heard weekly. It was necessitated because of the move to a building.

Scripturally of course, we know the faith spread from Pentecost’s gathering of about 120 to the whole Empire, going from house to house. (Acts 2:42, 46)

When they would outgrow a house they multiplied out, but stayed related. We know they rotated homes and with that rotation, and also rotated who led each meeting. That is how the faith permeated Roman culture, by spreading family to family, home to home.

In that way they grew from house to house, and with the home and leaders rotating, all were comfortable leading, so when they multiplied out due to outgrowing the homes they met in, everyone was used to it already.

All they had to do was begin rotating among themselves and the original church they multiplied from rotated among themselves. We do that today in CWOWI, but in staying related have a monthly or quarterly ‘all church’ gathering of related house churches, thus friendships and spiritual connections are maintained.

That is how CWOWI functions in our house churches. Usually the host/hostess will lead, but not always – sometimes they can open their home but someone else will start the meeting and share briefly what is on their heart. This works especially well when someone attends whose home is too small to host, or the rules where they live do not allow that many people gathered, or there is no parking for extra vehicles, or something like that – they may lead in a rotation though the meeting is in someone else’s home.

As Paul noted in I Corinthians 14:26, when you come together every one of you has a Psalm (prayer/worship), teaching, revelation, tongue/interpretation (gifts of the Spirit in operation). But the decently and in order he shares there and in the following verses have to do with politeness, taking turns, keeping quiet, realizing anything you say will be judged. He is telling them there they are guests in someone’s home, be polite – which if you read Acts 18:1-9 you’ll see 3 cultures suddenly thrown together under Justus’ house – Jew, Greek, Roman – what a mess!

What we see quite often are key homes that seem to be the ‘go to’ home just like in the NT – people are mentioned by name in the scripture as hosts and these original ‘go to’ homes, like Chloe in Corinth as well as Justus is mentioned in Acts 18, Lydia in Philippi, a woman named Nymphas in Laodecia, Aquila & Priscilla in Rome and later, Ephesus, Philemon in Colossae, and so on – all singled out by Paul for greetings or admonishment ‘and the church that meets in your house’ is his greeting in a few places. (I Corinthians 1:11, Acts 18:1-9, Acts 16, Colossians 4:15, Philemon v2)

We see that in our network as well, very often 1 couple and their home become the ‘go to’ home, no matter the rotation, this couple takes the lead on a day to day basis, cares most about everyone, communicates, spends time with people and their troubles….these become the pastors, though we do not use labels – in the NT those words were verbs, action words, but sadly, today they have become nouns, titles. We recognize the spiritual grace, but don’t use labels or titles.

When a house church outgrows the homes they’ve been meeting in, we’ve found if a group of at least 4 families or individuals multiply out and begin rotating among themselves, hosting duties only occurs about once monthly or less. Especially if they meet with the church they multiplied from in a monthly or every so often ‘all church’ gathering.

On the gift of pastor

In Acts 20:17 and 28 Paul lays out the qualities of the heart and life of those leaders in Ephesus, and we see the same in our network today – it is also good as it describes perhaps future leaders as well.

In Acts 20:17 he calls for a meeting of the elders from Ephesus – it isn’t safe to meet there, so he meets with them about 5 miles outside of town, in Miletus.

They are called ‘elders’, in the Greek ‘presbuteros’, literally ‘old men’. We see from passages like I Timothy 3 the qualities of these men are three-fold: Stable in life, godly in character, and have a heart naturally caring for the saints.

In Acts 17:28 Paul brings out these elements: “Take heed to yourselves and to the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.”

These elders, these people, are ones who naturally ‘take heed to themselves’ – they are serious about their walk with God. As you know, not all who called themselves Christ are like that – but these leaders are.

Then he says ‘and to the flock’ – which tells us the qualities of their hearts are not only serious about their own walk, but they naturally care for the people. Again, not every believer is serious about their own walk, let alone interested in the lives of others.

Those rare people who are serious about their faith and naturally have a heart towards others, IF they are stable in life and character as well, are what Paul calls ‘pastors’ – as a verb, not a noun. These become leaders.

Then Paul says ‘..over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers’. The word overseer is ‘episkopos’, which is ‘bishop’ in English. These elders are not just serious about their walk, not just naturally caring for the flock, but they also know it is the Holy Spirit calling them, at work in them, to do this – that is important, that awareness that they are with the Lord in this and He is the one guiding them.

So now we have all the elements of a leader: Stable in life, godly character, watch over their own walk with God, have a heart for others, and finally, they know it is the Holy Spirit leading them in all these things.

Paul says to ‘feed the flock’. That word feed is ‘pastor’. It is a special use of the word, meaning ‘tend’ not just feed – it means tend from birth to death, not just give a meal to. These are the people who willingly help others with their walk in the Lord.

So right here these men are called old men, pastors, bishops – as Peter described himself in I Peter 5 as an apostle, elder, and pastor joined to the Great Pastor.

Historically we know these were not just men, but also women, both the wives of these men but also single women. I mentioned above several women Paul mentions who hosted and led meetings in their homes, and even a husband and wife, Andronicus and Junia, are called apostles in Romans 16: 7.

(If interested in learning more about the role of women and wives in the NT and how we see the Holy Spirit leading today, and how Paul balanced the spiritual truth that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, bond nor free” in Christ with Roman culture that didn’t recognize that equality between genders, races, and society, please get John’s series about women in the New Testament.)

I’ve also observed elders among children, among teens – that is elder teens, elder children. I’ve seen a group of 8-10 year olds playing, and 1 child will be the one who has a heart for what is going on and for the others – they are the ones to include others, to run and get the mom and dad if someone gets hurt, and so on.

Among teens I’ve seen the elders be the ones more spiritually mature, have a heart for their peers, often eager to invite other teens to their home for pizza and fellowship, and eager to share among adults or teens.

So the principle is that elders can be among various groups, the key is ‘elder among peers’. These people no matter their age, are serious about their own walk with God, stable for their maturity level at their season of life, and they have a heart for the flock – I’ve seen that among 8 year olds, 16 year olds, and 75 year olds, lol.

For us, that is how we function. We look for those, and believe me they stand out as they did in Acts, for they come to the top of a group right away – those stable in life, mature in character, and naturally caring for the flock. They stand out. They are outwardly focused.

These are the people who naturally say “I can host in my home” – and so the rotation is quite often the elders, who are spiritually the pastors and bishops – though again we in CWOWI don’t use titles for many reasons – but that is the spiritual gift.

And as they rotate homes and people lead, share, participate – though there may be a short teaching, it is not sermon oriented, but study and discussion oriented. A host may have a time of nothing but prayer. Or they may have a time of all worship with the gifts flowing – each meeting is according to the gifts of the host/hostess – but as these meetings happen over time, others rise to the top as potential elders and leaders…and given the opportunity when they outgrow that home, they step up into their gifts to host…and new leaders are born.

It works!

John Fenn

1) What are the benefits of becoming a CWOWI affiliate?

Some of the practical benefits:

1. a) Giving to CWOWI is tax deductible.
2. b) Ordination for leaders, which facilitates ministry in prisons, hospices, hospitals, and so forth.

Some of the spiritual benefits:

1. a) You are not alone. You are linked with an international network of house churches, and this support and friendship offers a tremendous sense of belonging and camaraderie.
2. b) Monthly newsletters (via regular mail) that offer teaching and articles and news from affiliates.
3. c) Web site offering articles and information about house church.
4. d) Email newsletters, regular mail newsletters, special offers on cd series, Webinars, Weekly Thoughts email, teaching, and contact with leaders from around the globe through our Community Without Walls section, skype – whole new set of friends!
5. e) Free use of CWOWI’s host home or staying with other families when visiting Tulsa.
6. f) Conferences in Tulsa and regionally around the US and Europe bringing affiliates and those interested in house church together. These conferences offer workshops, teaching, question and answer times, food, fellowship and friendships!
7. g) Leaders from CWOWI Tulsa and affiliates who are available to come to you, to help you walk and talk through the process of starting and growing a house church. This is done on a love-offering basis.
8. h) CWOWI practices with balance, the 5-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit. Balance is the key word. Our members and affiliates regularly report the moving of the Gifts of the Spirit, sensing and seeing what God is doing in the Spirit, and learning how to allow the Lord to do what He wants to get done in a meeting.

This is one of the most important benefits to being a CWOWI affiliate. The balanced teaching with genuine apostolic and prophetic influence and ministry lead to a dynamic in house church that makes it exciting to see what the Lord will do next!

Also, in the NT we see Paul visiting churches, and he sent people to the churches, as well as receiving people from the various churches. Following this pattern, CWOWI advocates the traveling of CWOWI members between affiliates. As in Paul’s time, we are all strengthened when we visit each other and develop friendships from this ‘cross pollination’.

As of the date of this writing, teams from CWOWI Tulsa have been to at least 8 states, 3 nations, and we’ve hosted visitors from at least 6 states and several countries in our Retreat Center.

Additionally, this is what John and Barb Fenn do full time, as founders of CWOWI. Often people starting a house church hesitate at the thought of someone visiting them, in large part because of concerns about money or because they are just in the process of starting and don’t want to involve others when firm directions hasn’t yet been established. However, this is exactly the purpose for the visits! We come to help you walk and talk through the process. Additionally, most of the time we stay in someone’s home, and offerings are received as well. So concerns about money or how far along in the process you are should not be an obstacle; this is what we do for a living!

2) How much does CWOWI control at the local level?

Each affiliate is independent and self-governing. We look at affiliation as a mutual relationship. We are affiliating with you as much as you are affiliating with us. We choose to affiliate with each other out of friendship, love, and being on the same page spiritually. Therefore, John Fenn and CWOWI are here to help, rather than dictate.

In Paul’s letters we see him writing to the churches outlining the essence of the Christian life, giving advice on issues, and teaching, but those churches were self-governing. The same for CWOWI affiliates. We stand by as friends, shoulder to shoulder, not ‘top down’ rule. However, both CWOWI and the affiliates reserve the right to withdraw from the relationship. On CWOWI’s part, it would generally be in the event of a moral or doctrinal error on the part of the affiliate in which reconciliation is not possible.

3) Are we required to pay tithes to CWOWI?

No, we do not require the paying of tithes to CWOWI.
Why? Because we can’t find any example in the NT where Paul, Peter, James or John (the writers of the NT letters) required the giving of tithes to themselves.

In II Cor 11:8 using sarcasm, Paul says he ‘robbed other churches, taking wages of them.’ Vine says of the word ‘wages’ here: “Material support which Paul received from some of the churches he had established and to which he ministered in spiritual things; their support partly maintained him at Corinth.” These were free will gifts given by individuals and churches to help support Paul. Similarly, CWOWI receives freewill tithes and offerings from our affiliates, and their leaders and members.

4) How is the network supported financially if you don’t require tithes & offerings?

Through the freewill tithes and offerings that come from members of CWOWI affiliates. We aren’t here to grow our own kingdom, therefore the network will grow as God’s people respond to His leading, giving and participating as the Lord is directing them.

Though nothing is required, most of our leaders and many members of affiliate churches do give tithes and offerings to CWOWI. We are content to grow at a pace dictated by the quality of the relationships and the giving of CWOWI members as they are led.

5) Can we establish our own financial accounts if we become an affiliate?

Yes, by all means. The example in scripture is that the people gave between themselves, as well as gave offerings to the apostles. The churches of the NT certainly had a means by which to manage their own tithes and offerings, and it indicates they gave to Paul and others as well. Affiliates are encouraged to establish a means by which to receive moneys so they can give amongst themselves and others.

6) What do the tithes and offerings go to?

The financial gifts that come in from affiliates primarily support:

1. a) Office expenses
   b) Insurance
   c) Web site
   d) Salary
   e) Travel expenses
   f) Retreat Center expenses

7) What is the difference between a house church and a cell church?

There are many differences, but three main ones are listed below. For more information read “Return of the First Church” by John Fenn, and other articles on this web site.

1. a) A cell church meets first and foremost as a whole congregation. A house church meets first and foremost in homes in small groups.
2. b) A cell group is most often structured as a mini-church, with a leader and assistant leader, with the format and often the subject for each meeting predetermined. A house church is usually flexible in format and content, and the general sharing of leadership responsibilities.
3. c) A house church is independent and autonomous; a cell group is regulated from above, by the pastor.
   I like Larry Kreider’s analogy in his book ‘House Church Networks’. He says a modern ‘mega’ church is like a Super Wal-mart, with everything under one roof, whereas a house church is like one store in a mall. In a mall setting, each store is dependent on the other. Separate, but interconnected.

8.) What do you do about flaky people or dominating people?

I refer you to my teaching from the January 2004 CWOWI newsletter below:

Unruly or Flaky People

One of the most common questions I hear is: What do you do about someone who dominates the meeting?

The short answer is to privately talk to them, pointing out that the structure of a home meeting is to offer participation by all. How they react is their business whether they get offended and leave, or meekly receive your word of instruction. Don’t feel guilty about protecting the right spirit in a meeting. But the long answer is more involved.

You see, most people who dominate the conversation, or insist on speaking, reading, singing, or playing something to the exclusion of others, are people who lack basic social and interpersonal skills.

It is interesting that Paul’s instructions for conducting a home meeting fall along the lines of social and interpersonal etiquette first and foremost.

Remembering that all churches in the NT met in homes, in I Cor 14:26-33 Paul writes some guidelines for the way a meeting should be conducted. In verse 26 he says essentially that all may participatexhe mentions Psalms (worship), doctrine (a teaching), revelation (a new thing the Lord has shone you), and tongues/interpretation (the moving of the Gifts of the Spirit) may all have a place in a meeting. Everything done in the main ‘service’ will fall under one of these categories, and therefore, anyone who dominates a meeting will dominate in one of these categories. After listing areas of participation in verse 26, Paul proceeds to give some guidelines, which are really just basic social courtesies:

V27: If anyone speaks in a tongue, two – or at the most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.

Notice that his instruction to limit the moving of a single gift to two or three people and telling them (and us) to take turns is nothing more than exhorting them to be courteous and non-dominating.
He continues in this vein in verse 28:

But if there is no one to interpret, let him be quiet and speak to himself, and to God. And again in verse 30: And if anything is revealed to someone sitting near, let the first one hold his peace. (Notice how he instructs them to defer to one another)

Notice again, he’s just stating basic social courtesy that is required when you are a guest in someone’s home. Essentially he is saying, “If you feel you have a word from the Lord, but there is no opportunity, then keep quiet and speak it to yourself”. And in verse 30 he is saying to take turns, deferring to one another. It’s not a sin to get a word from the Lord and not give it. This comes as a huge revelation for some, and for the person used to insisting they give their word, it runs contrary to what they think. But it is scripture.

You do this all the time and don’t even realize it. When you are thinking about someone and praying for them, often the Lord will give you insights or words of knowledge about them or their situation, and all you do is lift it up in prayer. You don’t run to that person and tell them what you think the Lord showed you in prayer, you keep it to yourself as a matter of prayer. The same rules apply when you come together in (house) church. If you get a word, but there isn’t the time or flow or it’s not good manners to share it, keep it between you and the Lord.

Paul goes on to say in versus 29-33 that people with prophetic words should speak ‘two or three’ and let the others judge. The instruction of ‘letting the others judge’ is again, nothing more than social courtesy. With the open format of verse 26 of having everyone sharing, there must also be mutual accountability, or else confusion will reign. The dominating person wants to talk, but they don’t like their ‘word’ questioned.

In verse 32 Paul says: “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
Again, Paul is saying that you may feel you have to give that word, but in fact, what you have in your spirit is subject to you. You don’t have to give that word if there is no interpreter, or someone to ‘bounce it off’ to be sure it’s right on, or if the timing is wrong. Paul concludes in verse 33 saying that God is not the author of confusion, but of peacexand he wants a home church meeting to be dominated by peace, not confusion.

So what do you do? Realize that the person who dominates or is flaky lacks social skills for a reason. Either a medical/mental condition, emotional hurts, fresh from a hurting situation in their lives, self-image, or something else, they need tolerance and understanding at first. When the time comes, Paul said to instruct people in meekness (Gal 6:1).

When you instruct them one of two things will happen, either they will accept it, or they will be offended and leave. We’ve found that when a house church follows the basic social courtesies Paul set forth, these guidelines don’t allow a person to manifest a dominating manner or be flaky, and they either grow into maturity in this area or leave.

You don’t want to pounce on someone if you feel they are dominating or flaky, but as a leader you may need to step in and redirect the meeting. Remember that house church is based on relationships. Therefore wait, be patient, look for God’s timing. Don’t look for the slightest wrong, but look for progress in their lives. We so often want to run to scripture for the answers, which is right of course, but in this instance, scripture indicates the foundational rules for conducting meetings in the home rests upon social courtesies. Someone who dominates a meeting isn’t walking in love, for love doesn’t push itself forward or insist on having it’s own way (13:4-8). Make sure you address the issue in love, showing them the way.

9) What do you do about children and teens?

The traditional style church is structured that someone else teaches your children about Jesus. The pattern set forth in the Bible is that the parents and a community of people raises up the children.
We have found that usually, families with small children tend to gravitate towards one another in house church, and empty nesters or singles tend to gravitate towards one another as well. The result is one house church will be young families, while another has no small children in it.

That said, the basic issue of what to do with small children is answered in one word: Nothing. Children are a part of the family event of having church in the home. They sit with the adults until their attention span dictates they need to do something else, and then they often go play in another room, or on the floor in the middle of church.

We did have one mother who took the kids for part of a meeting to teach them out of a curriculum and that worked well for that church. Other churches let the kids come and go in and out of the room throughout the meeting.

The issue really isn’t distraction as much as it is inclusion. We find that there is a little adjustment at the first for small children, especially those in public school. Home-schooled kids just seem to be able to sit still and participate better. Either way, once the concept of house church becomes a regular pattern, the church takes on a dynamic that is very family like. Babies get passed around, toddlers toddle to everyone, 4 & 5 year olds and other children participate in laying hands and praying for peoplexit’s one big family, and any distractions during a meeting become minor and hardly noticed.

Teens should be able to participate with the adults, taking part in discussions and prayer. Some house churches may want to have an all teen house church that meets either at the same time as the adults, or perhaps a Wednesday night or some other night.

Many of us who were a product of the Charismatic Renewal of the late 1960’s and early 70’s were discipled in teen and young people prayer meetingsxessentially house church. There is nothing better than letting the teens lead the teens in the Lord! (For legal and other reasons, you may want to have at least one adult on premises)

10) What does a house church meeting actually look like?

At CWOWI a typical house church meeting is on Sunday mornings. We moved to Sunday mornings (in Tulsa) as our primary meeting time as a matter of culture, though some in the network meet other evenings. We are flexible though, often meeting on a Saturday for special events or other times. Early on, we had a CWOWI affiliate meeting on Thursday nights and we found that people were going to one church on Sunday morning, and CWOWI on Thursday night. This set up a conflict both for them, and their Sunday morning pastor. So we made the change to request (not require) that affiliates consider Sunday morning as their primary meeting time. Each affiliate is free to do so or not, depending on their city’s church culture.

For a Sunday morning, we start at 10am. For the next 30 minutes people come in, catch up with each other, chat and visit. Around 10:30 the leader will start asking for prayer requests and praise reports. After that, usually we open with prayer for the requests, and individuals as needed. This is open-ended depending on the needs present.

There have been times that we’ve never gotten past morning prayerxthe needs were there and the gifts were in operation. We go with how the Lord seems to be leading.

After prayer there is either a time of worship, or the leader will go directly into a teaching or Bible study. This depends on how the leader(s) feel led, and upon their individual gifting. Someone who is a teacher will often just go directly into a teaching, and end with worship, or have little worship. Others may put in a CD, ask someone to lead worship on the guitar or piano; it varies. We have had times in which we’ve never gotten out of worship. It varies from time to time. The key is that the leader has something to share going in, or is open to an open format and seeing how the Lord will lead that day.

Often there is finger food if no potluck is planned. We do plan a potluck the first Sunday of each month, but often people will bring finger food at other times.

It’s not unusual to go until 12 or 1pm either way, although when there is a potluck we try to end the main meeting at 11:30 or so and just change format to lunch and keep fellowship and prayer going as needed. Often, through conversations during lunch, needs come to the surface and it’s not unusual to see people get up from lunch or dessert and circle around for prayer.

Because church is the people, we are the church, we have church whether we’re worshipping the Lord or eating lunch together, so the freedom to minister and be ministered to, remains.

11) How are leaders for the next meeting chosen?

The question is two fold: Who wants to host, and who will lead? Sometimes the host and the leader are the same, other times someone might host but have someone else lead. When a church first gets started, there may be just a few people with the knowledge and maturity to lead a meeting. But after a few months, the maturity and knowledge level of everyone is raised, so that anyone may lead.

We try to keep in mind that leadership, according to I Cor 14:6, may come in various forms. Paul said it would not profit them unless he came offering either/or: Revelation (something God has shown him for them), knowledge (his knowledge of the ways of God in and through life experience), prophesying (moving of the Gifts of the Spirit), or by doctrine (teaching).

Therefore, one leader may be more apt to have a time of prayer and letting the Gifts flow, while another may have a teaching to share, and yet another might share a testimony of what God’s been doing in his/her life.

On a practical side, we try to set the hosting and leading responsibilities during our potluck lunch on the first Sunday of each month. Who will host is thrown out to everyone and there is no problem with people volunteering. Often, hosting is decided later, as two or three people discuss who wants to lead when.

We do not advocate having no leader. There are times when there is no agenda or teaching, and the Lord seems to take over as the Gifts flow or a Spirit of Worship takes over, but it is clear in the NT that there was always a leader.

There is a stream in house church circles that says no one should lead, that “Jesus is the agenda.” We agree that the Lord is, and sets, the agenda, but we believe the Lord intends to move through the grace(s) given to his Body. This is why Paul said in I Cor 14:6 that “it will not profit you unless I come to you by revelation, prophesying, knowledge, or doctrine.” Paul did not teach them to have no leader; by contrast, he acknowledged that God moves through His gifts placed in His people.

We never see Jesus, anyone in Acts, or the epistles in a meeting, or advocating a meeting in which no one is in charge. This is why we ask someone to lead, which means being in charge of getting the mind of the Lord for that meeting.

12) How do you do praise and worship?

It depends on the giftings of the members, but often the leader will ask someone to bring a CD or tape to lead worship. Sometimes there is neither tape/CD nor musician and worship goes straight to singing familiar choruses or in tongues. Other times someone may be musically inclined and play an instrument. We have found that usually, no matter by tape, CD or live accompaniment, true worship comes forth from the spirit of man, so the goal is to set the atmosphere for true worship to come forth.

13) How do you do communion?

We have done communion in numerous ways. Loaves of bread and juice as part of a separate ordinance, and also bread and juice immediately preceding a potluck meal, recognizing that the first Last Supper was an actual meal, not a separate ordinance. We have communion as often as someone feels led to do so. Usually they will then lead.

14) What happens when you need to divide, or what is the right size for a house church?

We’ve found that the best group dynamics are when a church is in the 8-12 person range. Once a church gets above 15 or so, people’s needs aren’t met as well and the relationships aren’t as strong.

Once a church grows to 15 or so, everyone there will be able to tell the dynamics have changed. At this point, when the need is seen by all, discussion needs to be held about planting a new church. Our policy is that no one starts one by themselves that the burden not rest solely on them. A group of 2-4 singles, or 2 or more couples may then begin meeting in a new church plant.

I know the tendency while you’re contemplating house church is to nail as much down in your mind as possible, with every option planned out. But the reality is that relationship based Christianity is very organic, and planting a church from another is a very natural thing that flows naturally along established friendships.

Blessings,
John Fenn