Make sure you watch the video interview that I did with Jim and Cathy the article. In it, they share one of the keys to seeing house churches multiply.
John
Back in the early 90's, Jim Mellon was on the eldership team of a megachurch with a $1 million a year budget. One Christmas, their church didn't have the funds to help a member's family where both husband and wife had lost their jobs. As he and his wife, Cathy, discussed it, they realized that church shouldn't be this way, that there should be resources available to help any members of the body in need (Acts 2:45, Acts 4:34-35).
As they searched the Scriptures, looking to see what the Bible had to say about church and finance, they came across the concept of church meeting in homes, and because of the financial implications, began a network of house churches.
From the start, finances played a big part in what they did. They now give to needs in their city, such as the local soup kitchen as well as to Christian ministries, and benevolence to people within the body has been a foundational principle too. They are known by their mayor and city council because of their faithfulness in giving. Their people not only give financially, they also involve on the ground in the places they help. They support church planting in India and Haiti and send mission teams out to these places.
After a while, they found that they were sometimes in the position of the megachurch–that in any given month they might run out of money before their financial obligations had been fulfilled, so they changed their pattern of giving. Instead of giving a set amount to a ministry, say $200, they now give a percentage, so they never run out of funds and there is always money available for benevolence.
They decided from the start that any leadership should be bi-vocational and to this day, only have very part time paid administrative help.
This network of simple/organic churches is profoundly effective with their finances.
Since their inception, they have given more than $1.5 million away to missions and benevolence.
In the video below, Jim and Cathy share about the importance of the 10:2b Prayer for their network. For more on the 10:2b Prayer, go here http://storiesfromtherevolution.blogspot.com/search/label/10%3A2b%20Prayer
That video is a lot of fun, John. A virus just keeps on spreading, doesn't it!
ReplyDeleteI have nothing quite like that to report from the UK, but there's a lot going on nonetheless. More and more people are starting to think outside the box. I'd say that the main thrust I'm aware of is not so much around house church as it is about unity in the body and cooperation between different groups.
I'm part of a home group out of a local New Frontiers church. I'm not involved on a Sunday morning but I've been accepted and loved and play a real role in the evening home meetings. It's been a wonderful experience and is just another part of what Father is doing with me.
Don't you just love it when the Lord moves in our lives!
Thanks for the update, Chris! Good to hear from you.
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