Danger Signs for House Churches
Here are several pitfalls that you'll want to avoid.
| posted 4/13/2009
| Topics: | Heresy, House churches, Pride, Problems |
| Filters: | Group Leader, Pastor, Start |
| Purpose: | Discipleship |
| References: |  |
| Date Added: | April 13, 2009 |
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A common pitfall in any new, radical effort to do church differently is pride. Pioneers of new church communities may tend to view their way of doing church as the one and only solution for today's ailing Christian culture. If we are doing church differently because it is novel, because it is trendy, or because it meets some personal need or preference, we are doing it for the wrong reasons. Simple church communities are only one of many ways the Lord is calling the Church to rise up and be unleashed in the world today. One model does not fit all.
As soon as we think our group is the only "right" group around town, we're in trouble. Pride always comes before a fall. We must learn to follow the path the Lord has laid out for us with great conviction and, at the same time, honor what He is doing through others walking a path that looks different from our own.
The Pitfall of FearAnother trap to avoid is fear, particularly fear of what people think. House churches are largely unproven entities in today's church world. They are new to many people and depend upon sometimes-inexperienced people to provide leadership. Despite these challenges, house-church leaders must act in faith, not in fear. They must build what God has called them to build and gain the courage to press on even when they encounter people who question their nontraditional approach to church. Even though house churches may lack credibility, what they lack in status can be made up for by courage and vision.
Fear of our own mistakes is another thing that can hinder us. Bible teacher Bob Mumford once said, "I do not trust anyone unless he walks with a limp." He was referring to Genesis 32, when Jacob, after wrestling with the Lord and demanding His blessing, was touched in his thigh and from that day forward walked with a limp. When God lovingly deals with us through difficult times, we walk with a spiritual limp the rest of our lives. This is the stuff of which true spiritual fathers and mothers are made.
Jacob's example testifies to the fact that we all make mistakes. It also teaches us that we must not give up. We may be doing all the right things, but problems will still arise. Or we may be tempted to go back to something easier than dealing with the shortcomings of humanity. Being a spiritual parent to believers in a house church is not easy. But it is rewarding.
The Pitfall of an Independent SpiritStill another hidden danger is developing an independent and isolationist spirit. Sometimes those who do not want to be under any type of spiritual authority gravitate toward house churches because they believe they can do their own thing without having to answer to anyone. There are also house-church groups that are reactionary against the institutional Church, often indicative that people have been hurt or abused in traditional churches by controlling leaders.
Through this kind of disillusionment and disappointment, believers may totally isolate themselves from the greater Church. This kind of independent spirit is a form of pride, and it is very unhealthy. In contrast, the Lord's plan is to use the local church to protect us, help us grow, and equip us to be all that we can be in Jesus Christ.
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