The MicroChurch Movement
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Tue, November 29, 2005
- Viewed 174
- (52) comments so far
I'd love to hear your responses...
Todd
NBC News reports on the ‘MicroChurch Movement’... click here... Looks inviting. But more like what I experience in a small group setting…
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Kent on Tue, November 29, 2005
Depends on what’s going on inside. If they’re teaching from Bible, it would be very inviting. If they are teaching from another book rather than the Bible, as many churches and small groups do, I’ll pass.
Phil Hoover-Chicago on Tue, November 29, 2005
Depends on whether “microchurch” is really “micromanagement.”
In that case, I’ll pass. Been burned by the “micromanaging” ministers before.
A smart dog stays away from scalding water.
I have decided to get “smart.”
Finally.
Wendi on Tue, November 29, 2005
Looks much like small group within a large church, except that people don’t have to make room in their lives for two things (church AND small group). I know a number of people who have opted for this kind of “home church,” including quite a few seminary professors.
Advantages: The obvious, intimacy and relationships. Instead of having to give ministry time to keep church programs running, members could all be really released to significant ministry time in the community (para-church, schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, etc.). And, if there were 20 giving units who tithed to the home church, it seems that they should at least be able to support a bi-vocational pastor.
Disadvantages and cautions: I’m not one to insist on a seminary education for everyone in vocational ministry, but if no one in the group has biblical or theological training, how is orthodoxy protected? And . . . while church programming can take over ones life, there are advantages to what a large church can offer which would be missing in a micro church. For example, I could go to AA for recovery, but then I’d be told to recognize “the God of my understanding.” Christian recovery programs, just to name one type of specialized ministry, are very valuable. Plus, these offer natural tools for outreach.
I have a friend (actually my vet) who has been part of a home church for 5 years. It has grown now to 25 families. When I asked him about outreach, he indicated (as he cleaned my dogs teeth) that no one who was a new Christian or non-Christians has ever joined them. He admitted that they were really made up of Christians who had become fed up with the institutional church. Becoming ingrown is enough of a temptation in large churches, I think it might be more so for home churches.
Kent – I have a question, really I’m curious and don’t mean to criticize. Why do you (and others) always seem to add “like so many churches today . . . “? I’d understand your point completely if you just said “I’d be interested if this was a Bible study and not a book study.” Why isn’t that enough? It makes some of us want to jump in and defend – which is what often gets us off track (and that is our fault – not yours).
There are 400 churches in my community and having worked for years in para-church, I know many of the pastors quite well. I’ve been to many of the churches once or twice. It would never occur to me to assume the overall focus and direction of teaching and ministry unless I could attend for a least a couple of months consecutively. Generalizations seem presumptuous, critical and a bit arrogant – at least when I read the words through my computer screen. I’m doubting that you mean to come across that way.
So just wondering . . .
Kent on Tue, November 29, 2005
Wendi ask: I have a question, really I’m curious and don’t mean to criticize. Why do you (and others) always seem to add “like so many churches today . . . “
Wendi, Thanks for the question. I honestly have to say that it is out of frustration of of the direction the majority of the church today as a whole has taken.
I, and so many around me have been part of church families that have taken the road to de-emphasize Bible and emphasize books and methods. And when we voice our concerns, we are called intolerent or divisive for standing up for the Bible.
Saints are getting strong-armed into relaxing their beliefs, or at least voicing them and if they continue with standing up for truth, are being forced out of their body which they’ve help establish.
Evangelist Jeff on Tue, November 29, 2005
I could not play the video it would not allow me to. Can anyone help me here? Are they talking about Micro managing or are calling it MicroChurch movement because people are gathered in their homes to have Bible study.
Well any way… If it is the later then I reckon I am wrong, because we are starting this on Sat…
Kent, do you all use Sunday School books at your church or not? Oh yea, you better watch out, you better pout, you better cry I’m telling you why, Cause Jesus Christ is coming soon. He just may hang a sign around your neck for all eternity my friend that reads, “Kent, he does not play well with others.”
Wendi on Tue, November 29, 2005
Kent - thanks for responding. Assuming that you and those you know have voiced your concerns appropriately (directly to the pastoral staff and elders, and not in the hallways or around the water cooler - which would be divisive), then I’m really sorry that you’ve felt forced out and strong armed.
Perhaps the Lord is leading some in your community who are like-minded to establish a network of micro-churches like those in the news clip. It would give you a means to worship and study in a way that you find appropriate without always feeling frustrated that someone is relaxing beliefs or not standing for truth. Frankly, I think that is the appeal of the micro-church. At least I know it was for my veterinarian friend.
Since none of us here have strong armed you, it might be helpful to avoid generalizations ( . . .like so many churches today). That way those of us with very little willpower less prone to jump right in to defend because we assume that you are criticizing “our” church without knowing us. Just a thought.
Bill on Tue, November 29, 2005
Jeff,
Brother that was totally uncalled for my friend. I can relate to what Kent is talking about because I too have been and have seen close friends who were ostracized from churches for holding strong to their defense of the Bible. There is a call to be submissive to the pastor as the leader of the flock, which I am 100% in agreement with - unless it contradicts the scriptures which is the case in so many Evangelical churches today who have gone PD or WCA or Emergent. They are ignoring the Biblical mandate for a church to be for edifying and equipping the saints and have turned them into evangelistic churches with a weekday minor in discipleship. Therein lies the problem many have with the PD movement and the WCA mini-reformation of church services.
As for Micro-Church - I happen to be a member of 2 churches and my primary church is a micro-church that saw a membership of 70-100 drop to a remnant of 6 with regular visitation of around 8 to 14 others. I have to tell you there is no comparison between the presence of the Holy Spirit among the small remnant and that of my former church which is a WCA church and has a mambership that numbers in the thousands. I assemble the worship for this small group but there is nothing that comes close to the intimacy and presence of the Holy Spirit when you have a group in 100% accord with the will of God. You see the fragmenting was God’s work much like Gideon’s army was a fragment of his initial numbers. When you are obedient to the call of God at all times and at all costs you will lose members - but that is what God calls us to - obedience. When you have that mindset about your relationship with God, obedience above all else, then you have no problems with even the harshest commands of our Lord Jesus.
As for the other church I am a member of it is around 100 current members and both churches share the same facilities at present. Both pastors are preachers or the Word, not simply pastors who “can work a crowd” as I saw recently in an article about Willow Creek and other mega-churches. I grieve for those who spend their life sipping on milk when we are called to grow in our faith and knowledge of Him and His word. I know the experience of sitting in services where there is no solid preaching of the word and I always walk away with knots in my stomach as if I’ve been starved of the feeding of the word of God. Once you’ve experienced the difference you’ll understand its impact on your life.
Anyway, that’s my 2 cents on Micro-churches from one who is a part of one.
BTW the pastor of the smaller church is a Pastoral Minister at a medium sized church during the week and we meet on Sunday nights and Thursday nights. The Thursday night Bible Study being some of the best Bible studying time I’ve ever experienced.
In Christ,
Bill
As for
Evangelist Jeff on Tue, November 29, 2005
Well howdy Bill? How are you man? I was just kidding around with Kent brother… I didn’t mean anything by it brother… Of course you know I did ask you all to explain to me what this meant I am like a softball in tall weeds dude, because I could not listen to the video…
Kent on Tue, November 29, 2005
Jeff,
If that sign you refer to is caused by not being a friend “Of the World” or for not tolerating the “Slaughering of Truth” for self gain, well, then I’ll where the sign with honour.
Evangelist Jeff on Tue, November 29, 2005
Kent, I did it mean brother.. I was just being factitious dude… I do hope I did not harm you in any way man. I love you guys
Bill on Tue, November 29, 2005
Jeff,
Have you ever heard the phrase “Love means never having to say you’re sorry!”? Well that is because love considers the impact of words before saying them rather than saying them and having to apologize for them afterwards.
What was said above was an exhibition of the Proverbs 11:12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. or Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
Consider what you’re saying before you say it. This forum offers you the chance to re-read what you’re posting before you post it and when there are serious discussions going on, indicate your jesting by identifying it rather than leaving it out there to cause offense.
Food for thought.
In Christ,
Bill
Evangelist Jeff on Tue, November 29, 2005
Thank you Bill. I stand corrected…
Kent on Tue, November 29, 2005
Just for discussion sake, which church do you believe is more likely to speak the “whole truth” before a Sunday morning congregation, the large church or the small church?
I personally am a member of a 500+ church, yet the pastor is not afraid of speaking Truth, even when it is culturally or politically incorrect. I believe a large church “can do this”, but find it harder for the flesh to do so, when you they are woried about losing their crowd.
Wendi, I assume you are a part of a large church? For just an example of Biblical Truth that runs against the grain of our culture and is often silent in today’s church, when was the last time your Pastor taught that women were to be submissive and obedient to their own husbands?
Evangelist Jeff on Tue, November 29, 2005
Kent, I am a member of a church that has 1300+. I was talking to my pastor last night about the plans that I have of having church in my house on the weekends. He was elated about the idea and he told me that later on we could gradually graf them into coming to our church. But if they did not feel comfortable doing that, then they would help give us a bigger place to meet when it does grow. And if they wanted to be baptized without going to a big church then I could do it in the tub at home. Whenever and wherever we meet we are the church. Whether it is a Large building, a house, or a little tent.
Wendi on Tue, November 29, 2005
Kent,
Why would size have anything to do with truth? A small church could be heretical and a large church sound in its doctrine.
Yes, I’m part of a large church which MY HUSBAND and I find it to be orthodox, biblical sound with truth proclaimed as a regular part of the preaching and teaching. You wouldn’t agree with us (we did 40-Days of Purpose and sponsored the Willowcreek Summit), but that’s fine, cause we wouldn’t be comfortable as part of your church either. There is room for all types and sizes. Our pastors could preach a different sermon every Sunday for 5 years, and never cover all the breadth of “truth.”
Want me to have my husband log in to tell you if I’m submissive? That was a low blow, and after what I thought was a respectful discussion - I’m surprised at you.
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