How Does a Home Fellowship Function

I have been asked many questions about our home fellowship and will be putting together some articles in Q and A format. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comment section and I will answer them in upcoming articles. (Other home fellowships function differently and I'll be sharing more about that soon)

When and where do we meet?

We gather in my home on Monday nights. We rent a clubhouse for larger gatherings every so often. Where we live, we have access to a clubhouse with a deposit we get back the next day, so this really has no cost to do. We sometimes gather in other homes too. We each like to take turns hosting the fellowship.

How do you celebrate the Lord's Supper?

We have pot luck every Monday night and at the larger gathering. Some nights we do dessert and coffee only. We dine together at the table, if there are more people, we use TV trays in the living room to accommodate. We believe in the full feast style supper..imagine an Italian family dinner night..that's us. :)

How do you teach?

We have no hierarchy structure, only Christ is the Master of the meeting. He functions through various people through the night. His Spirit flows through each of us in a very spontaneous and loving manner. He edifies and encourages us through one another. If you can imagine a good peaceful ping pong table where no one has a desire to 'win'..just enjoy the game. The conversation style teaching goes back and forth. It's not a one way street here.

Do you believe in apostles, bishops, elders, pastors, and teachers?

Yes, but we do no use titles nor 'authorities' here. We are all equal in Christ. We believe in the function of the Spirit of these gifts, but not as a man made structure. We are in fellowship with people who function in all these gifts. As His Spirit guides, they function. No one person is more of a master teacher than another, Jesus is our master, his Spirit is our Teacher. All these functions are not always here every Monday. Sometimes we gather at one of their homes instead of here.

How do you handle the offering?

We don't mandate an offering. Since we own our home, we have no need to ask our guests to give us money just to host them for an evening in our home. We share in the meal by having it potluck. If someone has a need and they mention it, people will give as the Spirit guides them. No one has ever abused this by asking for handouts. People are generally quite humble and hesitant on even asking for financial help. We rely on the Spirit to speak to us about who needs assistance. We do get donations of nonperishable food so we do offer food boxes to everyone if they need it, all they need to do is ask. All the 'teachers' have their own income, so we have no need to pay them.

Do you have a nursery?

No. We allow the children to play all around the house. The older children play with them. Parents tend to their own children's needs.

Do you have a creed?

No, our gathering has no creed. Mostly it's just love Father and love one another. We believe each person has their own unique walkabout with Father and they are certainly free to hold to their own creed. As long as we each understand that we live in this life with love and mutual respect, then the fellowship is sweet. We welcome people of differing beliefs and encourage theological discussion. If they don't feel comfortable with fellowship with open minded people who question, then they may not like it here. We allow for all questioning. There is no spiritual tyranny here. We live in America where there is freedom of religion. We do not feel it's fair, spiritual healthy, nor Constitutional if we usurp their beliefs and make them believe as we do. You can believe in pre trib, post trib, tongues, healing, or women who teach. But also realize that if someone asks about these things, you'll be in for a long night. If a matter becomes a wall, we'll shelve the discussion until another time.

We are not out to get everyone to believe the same..we gather because of love for Father and one another. Bible study is challenging here. If one is not up for the challenges and study, they are free to depart peacefully after the meal. We still love them.

Do people commit to serving in your fellowship?

We don't see it that way. We believe in living the ministry life every day, not just on the day we gather. As we prepare the meal, people just naturally offer to help. There's plenty to do around here when a potluck meal for more than ten people is being prepared. We encourage people to participate in serving the community in whatever ministry they feel led to. Whether it's the homeless center, recovery homes, or day care centers for the disabled. We hold no 'positions' here. We are a family.

What about baptism?

We believe Jesus baptized us in His death. We believe that water baptism is a work therefore it is between the person and Christ if they want to do this. We are a very non traditional gathering here..and while we mean no disrespect, if someone wants to get wet as a celebration of their revelation of Christ, we'll have a pool party or go to the creek and we'll all canon ball together in celebration. I know this may sound silly, but we happen to think Jesus wants us to enjoy life and not be so stiff necked about rituals. If you want to get wet, we'll all get wet together and have fun doing it. With a huge barbecue of course. Can't leave out the Supper for such a momentous occasion as 'Christ in you'.

More to come. Feel free to ask about anything I have not covered in this post. Please refrain from trying to force me to adopt how your church functions. We are all unique and I hold firm to our soul liberty.

~Lisa

This article was published in 2011. Our lives have grown in different ways, as has our practice of gathering. The Spirit is always innovating and guides us to lean heavier into faith and is revealing greater horizons for how we reach out to and love others.

Rest

The winter season is a time of rest. Many animals go into hibernation to rest for the winter, while the storms of life howl past them. The cold wet weather causes us to draw back inside while we strike up a cozy fireplace and sip hot cocoa. There are benefits and drawbacks to this time of rest. We either use this time to focus on the home and enjoy the winter holidays or we isolate ourselves from the world around us. The winter months make it difficult to keep up with our local friends just as

storms in friendships causes us to lose sight of friendly communication. We need to be on guard to protect our friendships during these troublesome times.

The most common strategy a Christian attempts to initiate when a storm pours down is to isolate. Isolation causes bitterness to take root and hibernate in our hearts. The interesting thing is that even during hibernation, growth occurs. A hibernating bear does not cease from growing during the winter months, try to disturb their sleep and you’ll have an angry bear coming after you. We must resist the urge to isolate.

This is where the enemy likes to take his place. The enemy of the heart is like a dragon who wants to creep into your heart while you’re in isolation and dig his talons deep into your hearts and continue to twist that pain deeper into your chest. Keeping yourself in that cold and bitter place can cause ‘frostbite’, which is bitterness. We need to stoke up the fireplace and thaw out. Wrap yourself in the warm embrace of the ‘most comforting blanket’ you have and gather around the ‘glowing fire’. Keep your heart warm by the love of Christ our Lord. The best way to avoid bitterness is to pray for the friend who hurt you. 

We are told by our Lord that love covers a multitude of sins. His sacrificial love is what it takes to keep the heart warm while a cold winter storm is raging. We may think that isolating ourselves in the basement and boarding up the windows to avoid the storm will keep us safe, but that’s not entirely true. I do agree that sometimes injured friendships needs some breathing room. Sometimes a little time apart can do some good, but I don’t recommend we stay there. There comes a time when
sharing some ‘hot cocoa’ can help break the ice again.

The warm mixture of sugar, cream, and chocolate, topped with whipped cream and marshmallows can add a sweet delightful taste to a cold heart. In Proverbs we learn that “..a gift in secret pacifieth anger…” This means to offer a gift without bragging to everyone else that you’ve done that. Let it be between you and the friend. The gift may not always be accepted at first, but keep it before our Lord in prayer and commit the friendship to Him.

He will do his work in their heart and keep your heart protected from the cold bitterness that seeks to destroy the love of Christ within you. The frost that builds upon a cold heart will begin to thaw when we allow His love and warmth to embrace us and we need to embrace Him right back.

-Lisa

Change

Autumn is a season that brings change and each friendship has it’s Autumn. 

Where there was once a bountiful tree full of vivid green leaves, there now are limbs swaying in the wind with a new variety of vibrant colors. These beautiful colors that God paints on each and every tree throughout the world are what makes life worth gazing at. I love each yellow, gold, red, pink, burgundy and green tree all on their own and in the midst of a gorgeous hillside of splendor. Yet as we travel down the road of life we see different trees and different colors along the way.

Every bend in the road introduces a new breathtaking view. If we lived in a world filled with Evergreen trees, we would never experience the beauty of a Japanese Maple. If every tree was a Japanese Maple, we’d never enjoy the fragrance of the Cherry tree’s blossoms. Each tree on it’s own has a gift that it’s boughs bestow upon us in it’s due season. How dreary this world would be without the Apple tree. Each one is so unique and we can not live with only one, if we could God would

have left out all the many varieties we have today. 

Just as He has a purpose for every tree on this gift he gave us called Earth, He also has a purpose for each and every friendship he brings along our path to walk with us. Imagine if we decided to stop on the road of life to enjoy just one tree. We would not be able to come in contact with the many other

beautiful trees God has created. I can’t imagine living my whole life and never seeing a Grand Oak tree or a Vermont Maple tree in Autumn. I certainly don’t want to imagine a life where I never got to taste authentic Maple syrup on my pancakes. Stopping along the way, to never continue down the road, limits our exposure to the other gifts God has waiting for us. Each tree has it’s own unique gift to this world, as does each friend. He’ll cross your path with the friend with large leaves to provide shade in the summer, another with fruit to provide nutrition, and sometimes a tree stump to give us a place to rest on a long journey. 

Not one tree is more important than another, each one has it’s time and purpose in our lives. The view along the way is gorgeous. Enjoy the view, but don’t forget there are other beautiful trees waiting to be discovered just around the bend. Keep focused on the road ahead of you, never take your eyes off of Jesus Christ. He is the road we follow and He will give you the trees you

need in this life, at his divine appointed time. Thank Him for each one and yield to Him if or when he decides to move you, or them, along when He so chooses.

~Lisa

Where My Walkabout with God Takes Me

Many of my online friends ask me about how we fellowship since we don't belong to a local building most people call 'church'. When God called us out of the 'church' He showed us what 'church' really was and how much freedom we really have in choosing where to fellowship and with whom.

It wasn't a denomination that established the church, it was Jesus Christ and He established that within the people. As a matter of fact, the word 'church' wasn't the original context of what He was referring to. Jesus called it the ekklesia, which is the Body of Christ, the people. He is very clear as to where the Temple is..we are the temple of the Holy Ghost.

He gives us the freedom to select where to gather and with who to gather with. For our family, we saw a need within ourselves and it was God who was revealing that to us. 

{The need was for simplicity}

Our lives were so wrapped up in full time ministry that we didn't have time for each other, nor for helping those who would call late at night or stop by with a crisis in the middle of the day. We had become too busy to serve and we cringed at having to ask people to make an appointment when they were experiencing tragic turmoil in their lives. When we followed God by faith to leave the church we were in, He revealed to us a group of wounded people that may never go back to a church ever again.

{Christians wounded by other Christians}

We have heard it before... "Well, they need to get over it and go back."

I just can't begin to tell you how extremely hurtful that kind of statement is to a person who has been deeply wounded by a group of believers. A local pastor took notice of this group of people over the last several years and commented to me about the ministry God put into our laps. He shared with me how so many times people would try coming to his church and testify of the pain caused by churches and pastors. It grieves him so much to see them hurting, but because of the past hurt being inflicted by people who call themselves 'pastor', these people were far more reluctant to ever trust the title ever again. He shared with me that he saw the need for our ministry to remain out of the box, away from titles, so that God could reach out through us to help these wounded families. Families looking for the same thing..simplicity.

For many people, church has become so large that they simply can't keep up with the amount of activities and meetings, let alone the financial burden a large church puts on the people. More often than not, the few who do serve became laden with a yoke they were not meant to bear alone. They become exhausted in their service, feel obligated to keep serving, afraid to step down, and eventually they crash. They can't even walk away, because they are so crushed under the weight that all they can do is crawl away. They feel utterly defeated. Serving God should not be like this. These are among some of the people we fellowship with. 

Sometimes we gather in our home and sometimes in others. Sometimes it's over dinner at a local restaurant or coffee at a local cafe. It doesn't matter where you gather, the point is to be together to encourage one another in the faith. My walkabout with God takes me wherever His Spirit guides me. He guides my husband, my family, and our friends all over the city and even on the internet to help lift up the fallen, the exhausted, and the wounded.

How shall the Body effectively invite others to believe, if we're too busy crushing our own with such burdens? How can we be an influence in the community when we're leaving our own kicked to the curb and dare tell them to 'just get over it'?

If the Body you gather with has wounded people fleeing from your churches, it's time to stop right there and pay attention to what's going on. How can we possibly be a Light to the unbelieving world when our own are lost and dying under the rubble? That's where our walkabout with God is taking us. To help dig them out, encourage them, support them, feed them, and see them heal.

Lisa