The following is an email from Bob Lupton of FCS Ministries (article published with permission). While not specific to house churches, it is a convicting word about taking an honest look at the current western approach to missions in poor countries.

After reading this, leave a comment with your thoughts. How can house church partner with locally-led economic development?

“They’re turning my people into beggars!”  It was a painful accusation for Juan Ulloa to make.  He was a churchman, after all.  An elder.  With loyalty to the household of faith.   But when asked the question directly, he could not lie.  I had pressed him on the relationship of his micro-lending organization to the churches of Nicaragua.  Juan was the executive director of a Christian micro-finance ministry that made many thousands of small loans to Nicaraguan peasants.  It seemed to me a reasonable inquiry to understand how they worked together with local churches.  Hesitantly at first, Juan explained that there were entire sections of the country where his loan officers could not make any loans at all.  These were the regions where a concentration of churches from the U.S. conducted their mission trips.  “People say ‘Why should we borrow money when the churches give it to us?’”   
The people were right, of course.  What peasant scratching out a bare existence could refuse suitcases bulging with new clothing for his family?  What struggling pastor could resist the temptation to accept a steady salary and generous church income in exchange for hosting visitors, organizing volunteer work, and staffing funded programs?  What village would borrow money to dig a well or buy books for their school library or save money to build a church if these things were provided for them free of charge?  If all they had to do was make their wish lists, show up for the schedule arranged by the donors, and smile graciously until their benefactors head back home, who would blame them for accepting this easy charity?

No, Juan was not blaming his people for becoming beggars.  He was faulting the affluent, well-meaning U.S. church for its unexamined generosity.  His accusations, now pouring forth with considerable force, were directed at naïve “vacationaries” who spend millions of dollars traveling to his country, perform work that locals could better do for themselves, and create a welfare economy that deprives a people of the pride of their own accomplishments – all in the name of Christian service.  The unintended consequences of such mission work was undoing the very vision Juan had given his life to – helping his people emerge from poverty through training, entrepreneurship, saving and hard work.

For some reason U.S. churches, filled with results-oriented members, seem oblivious to the abysmal outcomes of many if not most mission trips.  Perhaps because it feels so good to be giving to those so much worse off, or because unconditional serving seems so Christ-like, the Western church embraces with great pride an unexamined form of charity that our nation as a whole rejected with the passage of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996.  We know that welfare creates unhealthy dependency, that it erodes a work ethic, that it does not elevate people out of poverty.  Yet, in the name of Christ, we perpetuate this very welfare principle in the way we do missions.  And the trend is growing!

A Princeton University study found that in one year (2005) 1.6 million church members took mission trips – an average of eight days – at a cost of $2.4 billion.  And the number has grown every year since.  “Religious tourism” as some call it has become a growth industry.  The web is full of agencies (denominational and para-church) ready to connect churches to a “meaningful mission experience” in an exotic location rife with human need.  The Bahamas, for example, receives one short-term missionary for every fifteen residents.

More scornful critics point to the make-work nature of many missions trips.  Like the wall built on an orphanage soccer field in Brazil that had to be torn down after the visitors left.  And the church in Mexico that was painted six times during one summer by six different missions groups.  And the church in Ecuador built by volunteers that was never used because the community said it was not needed.

But in fairness to our U.S. churches, many of our motives are noble.  We want to excite our members about missions.  We want to expose youth and adults to the needs of a hurting world.  We want to engage our people in life-changing experiences.  We desire deeply to obey the teachings of Christ to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, show compassion to the oppressed and spread the Good News.  But because we view missions through the lens of our church – that is, what will benefit our people the most, what will be most rewarding for us, what will appeal the most to our members – we neglect to consider what is in the best interests of those we would serve.

How we serve is equally important to who we serve.  Take the well that my church dug for a rural Honduran village.  The remote peasant community needed water.  The obvious solution: dig them a well.  There was great celebration when the first water was pumped to the surface and villagers filled their jugs with cold, pure water.  But when our missioners returned the following year the pump was idle and locals were again carry water from a distant supply.  We repaired the pump.  But by the time we returned the following year it had broken down again.  This happened repeatedly year after year.  The village simply waited until their benefactors returned.

Compare this experience to the remote mountain village in Nicaragua where a different strategy was employed.  A community developer, recruited from the U.S. and supported by Juan’s micro-lending organization, assisted the residents in creating a plan for a much needed well.  She arranged financing conditional upon villagers investing their own money from their meager savings.  She then connected them with a reliable Nicaraguan engineer, and helped them organize a water commission to set fees, collect water bills, manage finances and maintain their new utility.  Village men provided all the labor, digging trenches, laying water lines and setting 250 meters.  When the pump was switched on and water surged to the homes, the village erupted with pride.  Their water supply, they soon learned, was abundant – sufficient to allow them to sell water to the adjacent village.  They now owned and managed a wealth-producing asset.  The lesson: never deprive people of the satisfaction of doing for themselves.
“Above all, do no harm.”  It’s the bottom line of the Hippocratic Oath that has guided the conduct of physicians for centuries.  It is time for the Western church to apply the same principle.

PS:  Some believe that short-term missions trips whet the appetite for long-term mission involvement.  Research does not support this claim however. In spite of all the moving testimonies of “life-changing experiences” by returning short-termers and the occasional example of full-time missionaries who point to a mission trip as the catalyst for their calling, there is no evidence that missions as a whole has benefitted.  As a matter of fact, while short-term mission trips have increased dramatically over the past two decades, support of long-term missionaries has declined.  Strangely, the correlation seems to be inverse.  Perhaps because we have spent so lavishly on “religious tourism” we feel that our financial responsibility to missions has been discharged. Or is it that long-term missionaries do not serve the immediate self-interest of our church?

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

Except for perhaps Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, looking in the mirror can be a bit unpleasant. Too many gray hairs or not enough hair, too many pounds or not enough muscles…a mirror is unbiased and unyielding.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have had the…well…privilege of having my simple church be an excellent mirror for the condition of my soul. I cannot say it has been entirely pleasant, as it revealed to me some beliefs and behaviors. However, knowing is…as they say…half the battle. I already feel God’s hand at work within me to heal and redeem these rogue areas of my life.

I do not believe these particular areas would have been so precisely revealed in what 21st century Americans consider “church.” I would venture to say that you are in good standing in most American churches if you are able to hold it together for an hour every Sunday morning and the occasional youth car wash or nursing home visit. This is a far cry from the controversial life alteration Jesus called each of His followers to.

In the past two weeks, our church network has been spending time together in our glorious mountains. People from our different house churches have met up for a picnic, hiking, camping, and just plain being together. It is this extended time together when the defenses come down and we are revealed for who we truly are.

I am blessed to have a community, an ekklesia, a church who helps serve as an incarnation of God’s word. They are God’s mirror to my soul.

What to do about giving?- How one house church sent out 8 people to 9 countries while helping start over a dozen house churches at home

When we started the adventure of house church 4 years ago there was a question of what to do with our finances. We wanted every one to pray and ask the Lord what we should do. Every one in our house church agreed that our giving should first and foremost go to me. The joy every one was getting from supporting me was humbling. It began with a small percent of a salary and within six months our one house church was giving me as much as 60 % of a salary. My ministry had already expanded way beyond our house church to coaching and helping others start house churches. Tina, my wife, and I felt that our personal giving should not go back to the same pot from which my salary came and we began to pray about where to give. There were opportunities for giving to the poor and those needing funds for counseling and other ministries. We had faithfully put our 10% in the offering plate with some sense of satisfaction all our Christian lives. Now, a sense of excitement began to take the place of mere satisfaction as we committed to sending our portion out. Once we began giving directly to people, we experienced more deeply than ever before that it is more blessed to give than receive. As for the whole group, when some one had a personal need, or was going on a missionary trip we found our selves giving beyond our normal portions. We found ourselves talking about how to come up funds, even selling things to help support the need/trip. Beyond giving me a good portion of a salary, helping each other and giving to the poor, we helped support 8 people to go to 9 countries for total of 28 weeks. All of this was in about 18 months. We were the missionary church. I remember thinking to myself that we could not have done this when I was pastoring a church of 120 people. I am still supported financially and this has allowed me to be a catalyst to over a dozen house churches in the Denver area. Meanwhile I have had the privilege of being part the Denver network of housechurch planters as well as having a role in seeing three different networks of housechurches from around the state. Not to mention a trip to Kenya training brothers and sisters that has resulted in 100’s of housechurches starting in the last 15 months. For more on information on Kenya click on http://www.simplechurchescare.com/reports.html. Lastly, because of being supported, we have been able to launch The School on the Way. School on the Way is a New Testament household community model of Education. We offer a high level of scholarship in a Hebrew style of dialogue and interaction with an emphasis on listening to and obeying what the Spirit is saying. At present we feel this is very strategic time for training others in the spontaneous expansion of housechurch. For Courses and more information – www.newwinecommunity.org It is simple math that when you reduce the expenses of running a church to zero, you have a ton of money to give directly to ministry and needs. Not only is this the New Testament model but it is a wise use of money.

Learning as we go,

Jan Cowles – House Church coach

This article is by a guest contributor, Greg. I met Greg at a gathering of house church leaders in Loveland who were getting together to discuss forming a network. I heard Greg’s story and wanted to share this story with you all.

Two years ago, had you met me, I was busy. Busy doing what good Christians do. My wife & I had our two wonderful sons in an organized church, and we were working to “further the Kingdom.” You could tell how much we loved God, because we never said “No.” Andrea was the Vacation Bible School director, a Sunday school teacher, and was helping run a program for teenage girls based on the Proverbs 31 woman. I was co-leading the Men’s Ministry, serving as an usher/greeter, teaching Sunday school, and mentoring.

Just prior to that time, we had finally gotten to a place financially that we could build our dream home. That included getting out of the city and moving to the country. Over three years at that home we plodded along, and life seemed right, but we were detached. Fortunately the Holy Spirit isn’t lazy.

In January 2006, I went on my first mission trip to Juarez, Mexico. While there, I saw how little those people have, but how happy they are. If you’ve not been to a place where people struggle for their daily bread, you may not realize your own blessings. I was cut to the core as I realized that my family was not living beyond its means, but beyond its needs. We could be doing so much more with our time and resources. During that mission trip, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. I was changed. I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm to follow Him anywhere.

If you could meet my wife, you’d see the compassion of Christ. She loves everyone, and seeks to make a physical impact for those in need with love, resources, or money. She has shown this time and time again. She had been telling me that the Holy Spirit was pressing on her heart to change our lives, even to sell our home. I had not heard His whispers, and therefore was not convinced. I was too wrapped up on living in silence, living with antelope and deer wandering our property, and with the separation from society.

We both had friends recommend we read the book “Organic Church” by Neil Cole. As we read, these ideas seemed to jive with what we were hearing from the Lord. “Instead of bringing people to church so that we can bring them to Christ, let’s bring Christ to people where they live.” “We are as foolish as the farmer who builds a barn and then stands in the doorway calling all the crops to come in and make themselves at home.”

We had been longing for true closeness with other believers, longing for relationships with non-believers. Can’t you love a non-believer without an agenda to get them to church? Are there really people out there just as excited about Jesus as we are? How can so many people keep Him & His salvation to themselves? We also started to have thoughts that to be honest were not easy to swallow. Was it right to leave the organized church? Didn’t that make us backsliders who were open to Satan’s advances? What would people say? We had both been in the church since our childhood. Could we really leave everything we’d known (& loved) about church and follow God wherever He led? What would this new “church” look like?

We prayed like we have never prayed before. We felt the Holy Spirit tell us to move. Move from our dream home back into society. Move from our church home to follow Him wherever He would lead. But…but, it would be such a burden. We just got here. Financially it would be foolishness. And what about the peace we’d found there? What about our friends at church? Would anyone even understand? But prayer and submittal leads to a clearer view. And that’s what we found. We both heard it. It was time to sell the house, and find the community with God’s children that we left behind. It was not an easy decision. It’s hard to pray for His will when you know it might not be your will.

Following our decisions, we received much criticism. Then the waiting……..didn’t He put us on this path? We set the price on our home way below appraisal, but just enough to break even. But it wouldn’t sell. Two realtors and 11 months passed, and we prayed….a lot. Even though I knew God sometimes asks for our patience while He develops us for what is to come, I was impatient. What I didn’t realize was how invaluable that time truly was. Andrea & I grew closer spiritually. One of our sons decided to give his life to Jesus. Our home became a more loving place where God’s instruction was a way of life instead of an hour-long ritual once a week.

When an offer did come in on the house that we could accept, we were excited & all of sudden worried. Now was the test, are we following God, will we even hear Him? Will we choose His path even if it doesn’t fit our comfort zone? We had three weeks to find a place to live. For some this may sound pressed for time, but do-able. But remember, we were driven by where God wants to build His church not just a home. All of our prayers for the past year would be for nothing if we didn’t wait to hear His voice in this one big decision. Over the next two weeks, we feverishly looked for a home. We did not want to limit God, but we did have a couple things we could not negotiate on. My job requires that my home be within 15 miles of central Fort Collins, so we opened up to all surrounding areas. We did not limit our search beyond some specific rooms & price and we looked everyday. Nothing seemed right. Even what my wife and I felt led to were different. God, how can we be sure it’s Your voice if we’re hearing it differently? We went on prayer walks through the most likely neighborhoods, but the whisper wasn’t there.

We found ourselves sitting on a Sunday evening, just one week before our closing without a home to move to. Andrea had loosely looked into rental properties but now stated she would find one for us to move into. Again, I asked God if that was what He wanted. I felt the urge to drive around one more time. I loaded my tired family into the car and we set out praying for the Holy Spirit’s direction…..no destination, just praying.

There was nowhere new. We had seen all the neighborhoods and all the houses. As the sun dipped below the mountains, we turned down a street we had been on before. We actually looked at a house there when our realtor told us to open ourselves up to a higher priced house. I had refused to compromise then, believing God put us on a path to save money for His work. Then we saw a “For Sale” sign, six houses down. How had we missed it? “That is what I want,” I told my wife. She explained that it would definitely be out of our price range. So we sat in front of the house, longing just to know where we’d be going, exhausted, just ready to do God’s work wherever that would be…..now we would settle for just knowing, God, even if it’s not where we want. The flyer said the home was way above our top price, but everything else was perfect. We went home and prayed. “Lord, You lead. We’ll follow wherever You lead. Our lives are Yours; do with them as You will.”

The next morning, I told my wife to call the realtor and tell her that we wanted that house in our price range. The realtor laughed at us & said “It’s not possible. They’ve already lowered their price almost $100K.” We told her just to call and ask. A few minutes later, we got a frantic call from our realtor saying “They’re taking your offer if you can put it in writing by noon. So we better go look at the house & see if you even like it.” (Seems funny making an offer on a home we’ve never walked through, but we knew it was from God.) And as we walked through the house, we both sensed approval, a peace that this was where He designed for us to be all along. And strange, it felt right to both of us even though through this whole process we’d been looking for different things.

There are so many circumstances, events, and details that we could share to express how we KNOW without a doubt that only God could orchestrate such an elaborate plan with every single detail pointing to Him. But that is not the point of this posting.

Where are we now? We are closer to the Lord than ever. We love, worship, and serve as a family. Our home church is simply my family and my single brother. God has led people into our lives and we have invited them to be a part of our worship. We have also invited them to just be a part of our lives. No more seclusion. No one has taken us up on our invitation to come to our church, but I am now patient. This is not our group to build; it is His. As we think back over this journey, the hardest part was stepping out of the boat, trusting that we wouldn’t fall as long as we had our eyes on Him. It hasn’t been easy. But not everything in His plan is easy. We have been tested. Our resolve hasn’t always been so strong. There have been times we long for the organized church. There have been times when my wife and I hear His voice saying different things. How do you continue your journey when times aren’t so easy and the excitement is wavering…..you just pray and know that He is God.

Stapleton is a growing neighborhood in Denver, built on the former site of our airport. As you walk through the open air malls, there are young trees in the middle of large circles of soil. Three metal stakes surround the base, and strands from each stake connect to the diminutive trunk. Though the tree is young and no more than 8 feet tall, it is obvious what Stapleton intends for these saplings to become. Tall, strong trees providing shade in the summer, and beauty throughout the year.

Imagine now this same setting…a large circle of soil, three metal stakes, three strands…connected to a seedling about one foot tall. A bit odd you might say? Not only that, but the seedling would either be ripped out of the ground or choked to death. These growing organisms benefit from support that is designed for their stage in the life cycle of a tree.

In our church network, Ancient Paths Church, we have begun to multiply churches into several neighborhoods in Denver. As we grow, our need for support also has grown. We have begun a monthly leadership meeting for house church leaders and shepherds to share God stories, encourage one another, share church family needs, and share lessons learned. With almost a half dozen churches in existence or starting soon, there were about 15 people in the room. This monthly meeting will be essential for us to stay connected, encouraged, and focused.

In Colorado at large, we have begun to gather together from across the state to accomplish similar goals. Previous posts here on this website talk about the blessing it has been to share our challenges, blessings, and lessons learned. in the past months, opportunities have also begun to arise for training through several of the church networks. It has seemed good to the Spirit and to many of us involved in leading networks to begin praying about how we can grow churches, disciples, and leaders tall and strong.

All of this has happened….quite organically. As the need has arisen, the Head of the church has placed it upon the heart of individuals to exercise their gifts for the benefit of the church.

It is far too easy too look for hard and fast models. “If you want a healthy church network have 1 local leadership meeting each month with 3 leaders from each church, 6 community gatherings per year, attend 2 national conferences, read 8 books…” Too many of us have experienced the fruitlessness of building a house in vain, where the Lord has not been the builder. It is also seductive when experiencing growth to take too much credit for that growth. It is true that the skilled gardener deserves her due, but also the One who provided the sun, rain, seed, soil, and fertilizer.

Are you looking for wisdom in how to grow your church sapling into a tall, strong tree? The Lord knows better than any other the condition of the soil and those seeds that grow best. He knows the gifts His Spirit has given to the members of the body, and following His lead will provide the best context for those gifts to thrive.

Pray for wisdom to know what supports your community needs. If you don’t see those supports available, perhaps you are the one to begin praying for them, and initiate offering them to others!

Do you have training opportunities or support ideas gained from your church networks? Leave a comment to this post and share how God is working.

Friends,

All of us have been drawn into simple/house churches believing that Jesus had more in mind for church than what we had been experiencing in the institutional church. At this present moment, we have the opportunity to explore more deeply Jesus’ idea of church by partnering with simple churches in Kenya in this time of their desperate need.

Let me give you some background.

In the Fall of 2006, three of my friends Greg Strand (Indianapolis) and Jan and Tina Cowles (Denver) were asked to come to Kenya by church leaders there to teach on simple church. What they found during their 16 day stay was a situation prepared by God. They ministered in several different cities but here is a comment from Greg following their 4 days of training in one of those cities called Kitale:

“Incredible conference! God has been moving powerfully. These men and women have been prepared by the Spirit with the same message we have been learning… The major training in listening to the voice of Jesus, Luke 10 teaching, community and doing life together has been readily accepted. They have a renewed vision to reach this area as the Spirit guides each one.”

Since that trip, scores of simple churches have been planted by the Kenyans in their own country and in surrounding countries. Greg and Jan and Tina have continued to stay in regular contact with the Kenyan leaders through email and phone (Skype).

In November of 2007, my friends, Roger and Brooks Thoman (Central California) traveled to Kenya to further encourage the leaders of the growing simple church movement there. Here’s what Brooks reported:

“But what I saw in Kenya, I also see in America and other parts of the world…The Reformation of the 21st Century, led by the Holy Spirit, is taking Christianity out of containers into the open spaces of the neighborhoods and nations of the world.”

Then, this last December, shortly after Roger and Brooks returned to the US, widespread violence broke out in Kenya as the result of a disputed presidential election. Thousands have been killed, hundreds of thousands have lost their homes. Many of our new simple church friends have been deeply affected. Here’s an email from Isaac Cheduke to Roger just a couple of days ago on 1/31/08:

“So far since you left us I and my wife Colleta had managed to teach and multiply our Nakuru house church membership to thirty houses which has total number of 100 people. From these houses being the meeting points, people were being mentored to go and begin more house churches and continue multiplying in other surrounding areas.”

Roger – Obviously, the situation has now greatly changed and the following report is hard to even imagine:

“It’s unfortunate for us that in our process of the Good News spreading to broaden our Nakuru House church network in Kenya calamity has befallen us. All of us are displaced and our houses looted from, our businesses closed down, our women and girls raped, our members killed. Right now as I speak we need to bury ten of our members killed in this violence. Some of us have received death threats, but in the camp where we are, we have learned to stick together as a family. We pray together, read and discuss the word, sing praise and worship songs. We share our experiences and put all our trust in God. Surprising, for when we begin our services many people are joining us and we are telling them we are Nakuru House church and teaching them the gospel of multiplication. So far we have ten families which have joined us right in this camp.”

Isaac goes on the describe some of their imminent needs:

“I personally need to move my family to safety. My wife is being threatened to be raped and I have also received death threats. My two boys are not going to school anymore.” (Note from Roger: money we are sending this week has been partially earmarked specifically to get Isaac and his family to safety).

We need to bury our members who have been killed as a result of this violence. Currently there are ten bodies: 4 women, 3 men, and 3 children.

We have had three girls and five of our Nakuru house church women raped before their husbands and children. Three of them were raped with more than ten people and two of them with more than seven people. These women have not been thoroughly examined by a doctor and treated for lack of finances.

I need to move our members who are not the tribe of this place (Nakuru) to western Kenya. Otherwise they will be killed. There are ten families. What they need is only transport and Police escort. Here we pay police escort. These ten families are all numbering 30 people. Transport which includes police escort fee is KSH 3000($50) per person. Without police escort here traveling is like committing suicide…

Even though we are weak now but we are strong. Some of us have never been in such a situation, sincerely we don’t even know what to say or how to act. The more days go by the more it sinks in for us that it’s happening.”

This is where simple churches in North America and the rest of the world come in.

A number of us have felt that we are to present this situation to the simple churches here so that they can ask Papa how we are to partner with the simple churches in Kenya.

Here’s what we have done…

1. A Kenya Listening Team has been assembled. This is comprised of Greg Strand, Jan and Tina Cowles, Roger and Brooks Thoman and Dawson Mudenyo (a house church leader in Kenya). Their mission is to listen to what is going on in Kenya and to listen to what God is saying about what to do about it. Specifically, they will direct whatever funds are contributed to help in Kenya.

2. A website has been set up. Roger has set up a website to keep us informed on what is going on and what the Listening Team is hearing. http://www.simplechurchescare.com

Make sure you look at the short video at http://www.simplechurchescare.com/learn.html

Information on contributing finances is at http://www.simplechurchescare.com/donations.html

Here’s what we are asking you to do…

1. Look at the website. Take a look at the website to see what is happening. Share the info with your simple church.

2. Ask Papa. As a church, ask Papa what He want you to do.

3. Pass this on. Send this email on to other simple churches that you are in contact with.

So, here’s the bottom line.

This is an opportunity for us to step up and partner with brothers and sisters who are on the same journey we are on. We are not working through huge organizations or ministries here. We are working through relationships. I know the people on the Kenya Listening Team and I trust them. They know the house church leaders on the ground in Kenya and trust them.

Isn’t this the way we pictured simple church working?

Your brother,

John White

“The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gifts to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.” Acts. 11:29,30.

We are excited to see you all at the gathering this Saturday night at 5pm!

This morning church leaders from around Denver gathered to pray, share, and rejoice at what God is doing. A common theme was difficult times over the holidays, how much more important that we gather to comfort and encourage one another.

Here are final details

• Food: Brown bag it! Bring your own brown bag dinner, or you can always stop at Chipotle on the way and grab a burrito (carnitas of course . Bring your own drinks, basically bring a self contained dinner. The coffee bar will probably be open as well.
• Musicians: Anyone wanting to help with music (musicians, singers) come at 3:30 for practice.
• Childcare: will be provided for children 8 and under. Please bring a few dollars to give to those who are watching the children
• Help Setup: to help setup, come at 3:30 and we will setup tables and chairs
• Topic: we are going to be discussing the question What have you been learning about how to listen to God as a group/church?
• The general schedule for the night:

5pm: Sharing a meal around the tables. Bring your own meal.
5:45pm: a few songs from the worship team
6pm: “World Cafe” We will have some key questions prepared about what God is doing in your house church, obstacles for growing healthy churches, and more. Around our tables, we will share with each other from our hearts and experience. Call it eavesdropping on the Spirit of God, it is going to be an awesome time of sharing.
7:30pm: worship through some amazing music. If you were there last time, you will remember how wonderful it was to be in the midst of 100′s of brothers and sisters praising the Lord. We are going to sing until people don’t want to sing anymore. So stay as long or as short as you want!

• The location is the same as last time: Hillside Community Church, 103 N Ford St, Golden, CO. However, we will be in the big room this time to avoid standing room only like last time!

The season leading up to Christmas, which has already begun for this year, is an opportunity to celebrate, ponder and engage a little-talked-about Truth. In our dash toward Christmas, we race right on by a power-full rest stop – one that is good for our entire life. This is the Truth of the Incarnation!

IN-CAR-NA-TION: (noun) “assuming human form or nature”

As Followers of The Way, we do not accept just any “incarnation.” A careful reading of the key teachings of other worldly religions reveals an awareness of “incarnation,” often under the idea of “reincarnation.” In fact, not long ago, because of the power of incarnation to move people, the Chinese government passed a law that no one can be re-incarnated without their permission! Tibetan Buddhists acknowledge incarnation. You’ve probably heard that various factions of Islam are also awaiting yet another “incarnation” of one of their great teachers.

As Jesus-followers, we believe The Incarnation. This is the teaching, or doctrine, that the second Person of the Holy Trinity assumed human form in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He is the God and man – fully God and fully human – a Divine Person intimately and permanently united to a human nature with a human body. And, he needed no one’s permission to be so!

For years, I have quietly pondered the Nicene Creed’s confession: “Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man.” Too bad we read this so quickly thinking we have confessed this transforming Truth. Here, we believe The Incarnation is for the purpose of our salvation – rescue.

The Incarnation of the LORD causes me to pause for it speaks of the condescending nature of our God: “he came down from heaven.” So many want a God who is larger, bigger, stronger, above it all, what we call “transcendent.” Yet, in The Incarnation, He comes to us! He enters into the world he made! He takes on the human form designed to bear the Image of God! He becomes the servant among us … living as we live … speaking as we speak … learning as we learn … working as we work … laughing as we laugh … crying as we cry! In a specific place and within time, God the Son empties himself, submitting to all things and everything human – being tested in every way as we are – even to death. Too many people still overlook this mystery of Grace; this God-coming to us as we are – and for our benefit!

What could happen today if Christians believed The Incarnation? I know, many read the Nicene Creed and claim to agree with what it says. Others will take the less-than-thoughtful position “the Bible teaches it; I believe it; that settles it.” Still others will say “I’ve been to pastor’s bible study on incarnation and I believe what he taught” or “I’ve read the textbooks on the topic.” My question is “So?”

What this exposes is a faulty understanding of “believe.” To “believe” something – like The Incarnation, let’s say – is not so much being able to agree with the doctrine, studying it, intellectually assenting to the teaching or even accepting it as true for those who believe it. When I listen the conversations many “believers” have nowadays, I regularly hear “belief” is what I can agree with, understand. Too many overlook this mystery of Grace because they think they “believe” it.

Here is where it is helpful to move beyond the Hellenized world of our culture and enter into the Hebraic world of the Incarnate One. Jesus did not live in a world where to “believe” something primarily meant you agreed with it. He served in a world where “to believe” meant you drew strength from what you “believed.” Since words tell stories, the Scriptural words for “believe” tell the story of “one who is weak drawing on and from the strength of one who is strong.” In other words, what you “believe” is fully relational and life transforming!

Consider the man whose son is healed and blurts out “I believe, help my unbelief.” This grieving father’s confession rarely impacts our lives. Most of us think the man was saying to Jesus “I agree with what you’re saying/doing, please help me to overcome my ignorance.” That, to me, would seem an odd way of hearing what this father was crying out for. Consider the alternative: “I have drawn strength for living from you, but I still need your help in drawing strength further so that I can continue to live.” I like that a lot better!

OK, so you say “I believe in the Incarnation.” My question is “really?” Do you mentally assent to the doctrine or do you draw strength for daily living from this even-now Reality? Do you claim to know what this means or do you recognize the Life-Changing Truth offered to you? Just imagine, if we “believed” The Incarnation, how this transforms everything about the world in which we each live. The Living God has honored my human nature, my human body, my human vocation, my human living of life! And, “Faith” is not so much agreeing with the teaching of such-and-such or so-and-so, but is the daily drawing of breath and strength, vitality and hope from the One who knows – really knows – what it is to live in this world!

So, back to my question, what could happen if Jesus-followers “drew strength for living” from the Incarnation? While I suspect there is likely a multi-faceted response to this question, let me suggest at least one opportunity: Jesus-followers would themselves be “incarnational.”

IN-CAR-NA-TION-AL: (adjective) “the act of assuming the form or nature of a local neighborhood.”

I so appreciate the paraphrase of John 1:15 from The Message: “The Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood.” That Jesus – the fully Incarnated Son of the Living God – “moved into the neighborhood” is a pretty good understanding of what the Spirit moved John to record for our learning. The original text says that The Logos came to “tabernacle” among us. He was the mobile Presence of the Living God! This highlights that Jesus lived the human life as we do, that he used human language, that he developed human relationships, that he learned to speak, read and write as we learn, that he faced temptations as we do, being as we are. To meet Jesus is to meet the Living LORD!

This short verse unites the reality of the Incarnation (the Word became flesh) with the life-focus of being incarnational (moved into the neighborhood). As I suggest, to “believe” the Incarnation leads to incarnational living. We draw from Jesus the pace and direction of our lives as his apprentices.

Jesus-followers are like a van load of people on tour observing him in the local culture while learning to live as he says is best. We “move into the neighborhoods,” placing our lives alongside the mission of Jesus to the people of the world in the places where they live, work and play. This is certainly a multi-faceted, life-on-a-mission approach. Using our sanctified imagination, engaging our creative gifts with a life toward loving God and our neighbor, the incarnational life opens many possibilities for Jesus-following in the local places of life where he is already active.

Consider: “as the Father has sent me (Incarnation), so I am sending you (incarnational).” Suddenly, Immanuel – God with us – is real! Being incarnational is stepping out of our safe places and engaging people and neighborhoods around us as Good News. Francis of Assisi reminds us: “preach Christ often, sometimes use words.”

“Drawing strength” from The Incarnation makes possible the life that is Incarnational. Not automatically, however. Sure, you can agree with the doctrine of Incarnation, you can even know what “incarnational living” might look like in your community. There is no end to the conversations that could be had if all you do is talk about what Jesus says is best. What must take place at some point in your journey with Jesus is choosing to become an “incarnationalist.” And, as part of your choice, you must take action – “you” being plural!

IN-CAR-NA-TION-AL-IST: (noun) “one living an incarnational life”

Frankly, I’m not even sure if that is a word regularly used by Jesus-apprentices, but it does seem to capture one aspect of our privilege in life today. Being an incarnationalist asks that we move from our understanding of Incarnation and beyond our agreement with incarnational living to the actual, everyday being with Christ and living along the relational contours He offers. Up to this point, learning to live as Jesus says is best keeps us in the house with our buddies doing the necessary study to make sure we’ve got it right. Becoming an incarnationalist moves us from being a living-room learner to one who lives what we believe (remember what “believe” means?) in the places where people live, work and play – where Jesus already is.

As I consider this call upon our lives, I realize the unique way each of you will bear witness to the Incarnate One. It is within this marvelous diversity of living that the “nations” (local cultures) of our world can be shown a glimpse of the Life our Lord gave his life for us to have. My dream is for this “glimpse” to become an “apprentice” of our Master, and a community without walls.

Enjoy your time with family and friends, with your local church as you are equipped, graciously living with gratitude “for you and for your salvation.” Then, quietly ask for guidance as you’all “draw strength” to live as an incarnationalist in the coming … If we can help, let us know.

Craig W. Henningfield, M.Div., D.Min.
Missionary – Coach
The Church Without Walls
craig(AT)thechurchwithoutwalls.info
303-725-6760

A Miracle is something only God could do, and I can confidently say I have been blessed to be a part of a very unique one.

    Over a year ago, my family left our traditional church, feeling the call of God to start gathering from house to house in Aurora and east Denver – just as the believers did in the New Testament. When we first started, we did not know that there were so many others doing the same thing all over the place! A few months later, through a series of God-ordained events, we made our first contact with another “Simple church” in the five points area near downtown Denver. I remember emailing Desi Starr (I had found him by chance through house2house.org) and going over to their home a couple nights later to meet and share what God had been doing with us. This began a close friendship between us and our house churches, which shortly thereafter included a meeting with John White, local DAWN associate and house church friend.

    Well 4 or 5 months ago Desi, myself, and another brother started talking about the need for holding a larger gathering of simple churches every few months for support, fellowship, and a larger vision. We proceeded in presenting the idea to a few other simple churches we knew around here, and it seemed that nearly everyone was feeling the same desire to be connected to other simple churches around the front range. So back in October, on a Saturday evening we gathered for the first time in Golden, CO for an evening of sharing food, testimonies, and fellowship. We weren’t sure how many would show (at least 50 would’ve been nice!) but when the event arrived there were an estimated 150 or more people (not counting the kids) packed into this fellowship hall from house/simple churches all over the front range (from down in Pueblo all the way up to up in Fort Collins!). People from different denominations, different backgrounds, different beliefs – but all gathering with one purpose - to love Jesus and love and build up one another.

    What’s the miracle? The Christian church here in America has been segregated by denominations for so long, it is hard to see how it will ever regain its original unity (remember the wonderful diversity and unity of the “love feast” gatherings of the early church?)… Personally, in all my life I’ve never been a part of a church gathering with such incredible diversity and such incredible unity at the same time - but God is doing it, right here and now!  In our planning sessions alone between gatherings (of 8-12 people), we have at least 8 different denominational backgrounds represented (Lutheran, evangelical free, southern baptist, foursquare, presbyterian, campus crusade, grace brethren and united pentecostal). Imagine how many denominational backgrounds are represented when we come together in our larger gathering of 150+ people! What could people from such different backgrounds and belief systems possibly have in common? Well, at least 2 things: A sincere love for Jesus Christ, and a burden to see simple churches of all kinds in every neighborhood along the front range.

    You can experience this miracle as well.

Our next Colorado house church gathering is Saturday, January 12th at 5pm! (see below)

Much love to all the brethren :) 

-Sean Hyatt, Aurora CO, 303.523.2315

________________________________________________________        As always, we seek to keep the Head of the Church (Jesus) at the head of our gatherings, but here are the general details:

Come one, come all to the next Colorado House Gathering!

Some background…
House church network leaders from around Colorado gathered this week to share what God is doing in our lives and our churches. We rejoiced at a variety of stories from the revolution, stories of the kingdom of God at work here in Colorado. It was truly breathtaking.

We also marveled at the amazing encouragement and fellowship in our last gathering. It seemed good to us and to the Spirit to get another such gathering on the Calendar!

As always, we seek to keep the Head of the Church (Jesus) at the head of our gatherings, but are the general details

5pm: Sharing a meal around the tables. Bring your own meal.

5:45pm: a few songs from the worship team

6pm: “World Cafe” We will have some key questions prepared about what God is doing in your house church, obstacles for growing healthy churches, and more. Around our tables, we will share with each other from our hearts and experience. Call it eavesdropping on the Spirit of God, it is going to be an awesome time of sharing.

7:30pm: worship through some amazing music. If you were there last time, you will remember how wonderful it was to be in the midst of 100′s of brothers and sisters praising the Lord. We are going to sing until people don’t want to sing anymore. So stay as long or as short as you want!

The location is the same: Hillside Community Church, 103 N Ford St, Golden, CO
However, we will be in the big room this time to avoid standing room only like last time!

***Have suggestions of questions you want us to discuss? Leave a comment to this post with your ideas!

Look forward to seeing you there!