The House Church Movement

The House Church Movement

Over the last several years – a religious movement called the Home Church movement has sprung up. It has a specific agenda & theology. They claim to experience: intimacy with God; personal discipleship; and mutual support from the family of God. Home Church advocates within churches of Christ want to “turn back the clock & restore a style of worship more in line with NT practice.” So…what’s wrong with that? On surface this movement may appear to be a good thing. But there are some things you need to be aware of.

I. Definitions.

A. Any group of believers who gather on a regular basis in 1 or more homes & see these home meetings as their primary place of fellowship in the body of Christ.

II. Is this an exclusive apostolic pattern?

A. True that no mention of ___________ _____________ in the NT.

B. True that NT churches often met in houses.

1. Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19 – ___________ & Aquila’s house.

2. Col. 4:15 – Nympha; Philemon 2 – _________________

C. The FC Church also met in:

1. Acts 2:46 – the temple; Acts 16:13 – by the ______________

2. Acts 19:9 – school of Tyrannus – met here for _____ years.

D. Conclusion: ___________________ determined where they met.

III. Home Church Proponents are attracted to informal worship practices.

A. Advocates believe church meetings need to be held in spontaneous, ___________________ manner.

B. Spontaneous worship is what Paul wrote the church at Corinth to correct.

1. 1 Cor. 14:26-35; 40 – their worship had become ______________.

2. 14:27-28 – not all tongue speakers allowed to speak.

3. 14:34 – women not to speak out in the assembly in a teaching manner.

C. 14:33, 40 – there was to be some structure & ________________ in worship.

IV. House Church Proponents seek to change the Lord’s Supper.

A. HC movement says that the Lord’s Supper observed w/a ___________ meal.

B. While the Lord’s Supper was instituted during the Passover meal…

1. Jesus did not _______________ it. How?

2. Neither he, nor His disciples could memorialize an event that had yet to take place.

3. Mt. 26 – Jesus gave instructions to his disciples on how to observe it.

C. The Passover was anything but ordinary or ___________. Ex. 12:8-11

D. 1 Cor. 11:20-22, 34 – Paul condemned any attempt to combine the Lord’s Supper w/a __________ ___________.

E. 11:22 – Corinthians were ___________ meeting in a home.

V. Home Church Proponents seek the change the role of women in the church.

A. Home Church movement is advancing error in this area.

B. Scriptures on this are plain: 1 Tim. 2:11-12; 1 Cor. 14:34-35

Conclusion:

A. We need to move away from the idea that if something is old, traditional, that it needs to be discarded.



The House Church Movement Over the last several years – a religious movement called the Home Church movement has sprung up. It has a specific agenda & theology. They claim to experience: intimacy with God; personal discipleship; and mutual support from the family of God. Home Church advocates within churches of Christ want to “turn back the clock & restore a style of worship more in line with NT practice.” So…what’s wrong with that? On surface this movement may appear to be a good thing. But there are some things you need to be aware of. I. Definitions. A. Any group of believers who gather on a regular basis in 1 or more homes & see these home meetings as their primary place of fellowship in the body of Christ. II. Is this an exclusive apostolic pattern? A. True that no mention of ___________ _____________ in the NT. B. True that NT churches often met in houses. 1. Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19 – ___________ & Aquila’s house. 2. Col. 4:15 – Nympha; Philemon 2 – _________________ C. The FC Church also met in: 1. Acts 2:46 – the temple; Acts 16:13 – by the ______________ 2. Acts 19:9 – school of Tyrannus – met here for _____ years. D. Conclusion: ___________________ determined where they met. III. Home Church Proponents are attracted to informal worship practices. A. Advocates believe church meetings need to be held in spontaneous, ___________________ manner. B. Spontaneous worship is what Paul wrote the church at Corinth to correct. 1. 1 Cor. 14:26-35; 40 – their worship had become ______________. 2. 14:27-28 – not all tongue speakers allowed to speak. 3. 14:34 – women not to speak out in the assembly in a teaching manner. C. 14:33, 40 – there was to be some structure & ________________ in worship. IV. House Church Proponents seek to change the Lord’s Supper. A. HC movement says that the Lord’s Supper observed w/a ___________ meal. B. While the Lord’s Supper was instituted during the Passover meal… 1. Jesus did not _______________ it. How? 2. Neither he, nor His disciples could memorialize an event that had yet to take place. 3. Mt. 26 – Jesus gave instructions to his disciples on how to observe it. C. The Passover was anything but ordinary or ___________. Ex. 12:8-11 D. 1 Cor. 11:20-22, 34 – Paul condemned any attempt to combine the Lord’s Supper w/a __________ ___________. E. 11:22 – Corinthians were ___________ meeting in a home. V. Home Church Proponents seek the change the role of women in the church. A. Home Church movement is advancing error in this area. B. Scriptures on this are plain: 1 Tim. 2:11-12; 1 Cor. 14:34-35 Conclusion: A. We need to move away from the idea that if something is old, traditional, that it needs to be discarded.