We learn of this church when we spot their name in a local paper’s church directory. Still, we struggle to confirm their meeting time. We expect to experience a liturgical church service.
Consider these four discussion questions about Church #28:
1. We walk inside and a lady shares some basic information about the liturgy for today’s service. Without her help, we’d have been lost.
Whether you’re a liturgical church or not, how can you help people better navigate your service?
2. During the sermon the minister forewarns us we will greet each other later with a holy kiss. Though there’s only a handful of people, they’re all strangers. This is the creepiest of practices.
What does your church do that may cause people to squirm? (And before you say nothing, think harder.)
3. After the service they invite us to stay for fellowship. A neighbor and her dog join us. Though she missed the service, she’s welcomed anyway.
How do you feel about people skipping church and showing up afterward to hang out?
4. Even though it was hard to participate, some of this church’s strange worship traditions fascinate me.
Do your church practices and worship intrigue others or push them away? How can you make your liturgical churchservice more accessible?
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
The website of this church shows captivating photos of their worship team, implying high energy and an edgy sound.
Consider these four discussion questions for Church #25:
1. Everyone wears an adhesive nametag, and we make our own nametags. At some churches members wear permanent nametags and guests use temporary ones, which single them out.
If your church uses nametags, how can you best embrace others? If you don’t use name tags, why not?
2. Friends invite us to sit with them. Though we don’t need this comforting gesture to feel welcome, a typical newcomer might appreciate it.
In what ways can you help a person feel more comfortable?
3. The worship team is far different than their website portrays. Instead of a high-energy, edgy worship band, there’s a laid-back team of two. I’m disappointed.
Is your website an accurate reflection of your services? If not, what do you need to change?
4. However, this discrepancy between website and reality may be because in a few months this church will cease their Sunday meetings.
They’ll relaunch with another church to form a new group, with a new name, and a renewed focus. Change is hard, but these people anticipate it.
How can your church better deal with change? How can you help?
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
This church resulted when three dying congregations merged a quarter century ago, but with a worship team of teens brought in, today isn’t a normal gathering. I suspect it’s a more atypical church service.
Consider these four discussion questions about Church #24:
1. Most of the congregation are senior citizens, with few children. The sanctuary seats about four hundred, but it’s only one-fourth full.
If you have an aging congregation, what can you do to reverse the trend?
2. The absence of a cross is conspicuous. This isn’t an issue for me, but for many it is. The cross is a prime emblem of Christian faith, but we must remember it’s only a symbol.
What symbols are present or lacking in your church? What message might this convey?
3. Today’s sermon is about friendship. True friendship, the minister says, requires constancy, honesty, and wise counsel. Jesus is the ultimate friend.
How well do you do at being a true friend to others?
4. Both before and after this atypical church service, people thank us for visiting. Their conversations aren’t to share faith but to entice us back. They’re desperate to grow.
How do your efforts to grow your church come across? Are you willing to ask a visitor their thoughts to get a firsthand account?
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
What Scripture Teaches About Meeting Together Is Far Different Than Our Sunday Services
We talked about three options for a house church gathering: duplicate a typical service, participate online, or just hang out. Each of these three approaches have their strengths and weaknesses.
However, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul gives us some ideas of what we could do for a house church (1 Corinthians 14:26-27). He gives five activities that could take place: singing, teaching, sharing a revelation, speaking in tongues, and giving an interpretation.
But before we dig into these five
areas, let’s look at some other key items first.
When You Gather
Paul says when you gather, not if you gather. This reminds us that getting together with other followers of Jesus should be a regular occurrence, not random (check out Hebrews 10:25).
This idea of meeting together can occur on Sunday morning or can happen at any other time. The Bible doesn’t command the day or the hour when we should meet, nor is the timing sacred. Gathering Sunday morning is merely a practice that developed over the centuries.
Each Person
Next, let’s look at the phrase that
precedes Paul’s list. He says, “each of you.” This means everyone should
participate. The idea of all those present taking part suggests an egalitarian
house church gathering, where everyone contributes, and everyone ministers to
each other.
This instruction removes the divide
between leader and follower, which happens in today’s church services. On a
typical Sunday morning a few people lead, while most people watch. This means
that a few people are active during church, while most sit as passive
observers, as if going to a concert or attending a lecture.
Five Actions for House Church Gatherings
Instead Paul wants everyone
involved, where each person can minister to one another. He lists five
activities that should take place in our house church gathering.
1. Sing a Song
When we meet together, we should
sing a hymn or share a song—likely more than one. This could mean playing a
musical instrument so that others can sing along. For those who can’t play an
instrument or lead others in singing, a modern-day option might be to play a
recording of a song. Anyone can do that.
It could also mean—it probably does
means—launching into a song or chorus a cappella as the Holy Spirit leads. This
requires no preparation at all, just a willingness to listen to the direction
of God’s Spirit.
2. Teach a Lesson
The same approach applies for
giving a word of instruction. We don’t need to preach a half-hour to an
hour-long sermon. In this case less is more. We can often communicate much by
speaking little. Saying something concisely in thirty seconds may be more
meaningful than droning on for thirty minutes. Again, no preparation required.
And everyone present can do this.
All we need is a willingness to
share something that God taught us during the week, or that we learned through
studying Scripture. In addition, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to tell us what
to share during our meeting. It can build off what someone else has already
said, or it may be a new topic.
3. Share a Revelation
The idea of having a revelation to
share will seem normal to some and a bit mystical to others. Think of a
revelation as special knowledge that God has given to us. He could do this
through a writing we read or an action we observe. And it can be through Holy
Spirit insight. Regardless of the source of our revelation, Paul wants us to
share these perceptions with those gathered.
4. Speak in Tongues
The last two items on the list may,
or may not, be a comfortable activity in our group, depending on our practices
and comfort level. The first of these two items is speaking in tongues.
The Bible talks about speaking in
tongues, and Paul instructs the people in Corinth to do it. It’s biblical, and
we should consider this for our house church gathering. But it may be optional,
because Paul later says, if anyone speaks in tongues. This implies it’s
not a requirement. But he does say that if people speak in tongues, only a few
people should do it and then one at a time.
5. Interpret the Tongue
After someone speaks in an unknown
language, someone must interpret it. Implicitly, if no one can interpret the
message, then the person shouldn’t share it. After all, how can words that no
one understands build up the church?
Holy Spirit at Our House Church Gathering
Much of the activity for a house church gathering means listening to the Holy Spirit and responding as he directs. Implicit in this we will encounter times of silence—sometimes lengthy—as we wait and listen. Silence unnerves some people, so if this idea of waiting for God to speak is new to you, move forward with care as you build up the ability to sit, listen, and share. Hearing from the Holy Spirit, however, is central to our house church gathering.
Build Up the Church
To conclude his list of five items,
Paul says everything we do at a house church gathering must be for the purpose
of building up the church, to strengthen the faith and community of those
present. Doing or saying anything to elevate ourselves or draw attention to our
abilities benefits our ego. This detracts from the group.
Instead we should humble ourselves and do things for our common good. This will advance the kingdom of God and the good news of Jesus.
Read more about this in Peter’s thought-provoking book, Jesus’s Broken Church, available in e-book, audiobook, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Most of this church’s ministry happens on Saturday. The Sunday service is for those they meet during their Wednesday evening street ministry.
Consider these four discussion questions about Church #21:
1. We turn to Hebrews 6, but as the pastor begins her message, the Holy Spirit sends her to Ephesians 4. We never make it back to Hebrews.
How much do you depend on the Holy Spirit to lead your meetings? How willingly do you follow?
2. Later, we discuss how the message applies to us. This mutual interaction is helpful, building community in the process.
What can you do to allow for more interaction to occur during church?
3. Ninety minutes later we move into worship. The first song lasts twenty minutes. I kneel in reverence and then bow in awe of God.
How often does worship cause you to bow in reverence and awe? What’s missing?
4. If you view church in a traditional manner, then we didn’t go today. If you understand church as two or more people gathered in the presence of God, then today offered much.
What are the essential elements for church to take place?
Overall, this was a great experience, and I wish more churches operated like this one.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
A minister in Africa passed out Bibles to his people so they could have their own copy and read Scripture in their native tongue. He said that “I see many believers crying and praying as they read the Word.”
This report makes my heart soar with joy, yet at the same time it gives me pause. I ask myself, “When does reading the Bible make you cry?”
Yes, I read and study God’s Word often. The Scripture fills me, teaches me about God, and draws me closer to him. But does it ever make me weep? I fear not.
Tears can come in two forms. We can have tears of joy. And we can have tears of remorse. Scripture can accomplish both. Scripture should accomplish both. But does reading the Bible make you cry?
Tears of Joy
It’s hard for me to conceive of not having a Bible. I have a shelf full of them. I can also access Scripture online through BibleGateway.com and the YouVersion app.
I use BibleGateway almost daily and YouVersion at church on most Sundays. My printed copies of the Bible don’t get that much use anymore. I take it for granted to have the biblical text readily available to me—anytime, anywhere.
But what if I didn’t have access online and didn’t own a copy of the Bible, not even one? The only way I could hear the Word of God would be for someone to read it to me.
I can imagine being spiritually hungry and not having my own Bible to read. I envision someone sliding a copy of the Scriptures into my hands. Tears well up in my eyes as I open its pages and began to read.
Does reading the Bible make you cry tears of joy?
Tears of Sorrow
Of course, the biblical text can also confront us. When this occurs, we have another reason to weep. This time it’s tears of sorrow. Though not pleasant, Scripture can bring about repentance. The most important one is to turn to Jesus and follow him as his disciple.
Yet the Bible can also convict us of a need to make changes in our life. This could be to stop doing something we shouldn’t do or start doing something we should.
These changes aren’t an effort to get God’s attention or to earn anything from him, but the result of us wanting to better offer our life as an act of worship in appreciation for what he’s done for us.
The book of Nehemiah records a time when the people hear Scripture read and explained to them by the Levites. The words convict them, and they weep and mourn over their many shortcomings (Nehemiah 8:7-9).
Does reading the Bible make you cry tears of sorrow?
Reading the Bible
We should praise God for providing us with his written Word. For those of us with ready access to the Bible, we should pause to appreciate him for providing it to us—even to the point of producing tears of joy. God is good and Scripture confirms this.
As we read and study the Bible, we should invite the Holy Spirit to speak to us and teach us. Sometimes his insights will produce joy and other times we may face a tearful conviction for change.
These are the reasons why we should read the Bible.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
After God finishes with his amazing creation he takes time on the seventh day to rest. He declares the day holy. Later in the Old Testament, God reminds his people to keep the Sabbath holy and to not work.
How should this inform our worship of our creator?
Yea, a day off. In the early church the first day of the week becomes their special day, and many Christians today apply the Old Testament commands for Sabbath rest and holiness to Sunday.
As we rest on God’s holy day and worship him, what’s God doing?
Our Worship
I always assumed God was resting along with us, sitting back and receiving our worship.
I imagined him being recharged by our adoration of him, even to the point that the more engaging our worship, the more energized he would become.
That just as we needed to take a break, I thought he did, too. He, along with us, would take one day out of seven for a mini re-creation. Then we would both be ready for Monday.
Although that is an imaginative idea, none of it is supported by the Bible.
Jesus, after he heals a man on the Sabbath, is confronted by his detractors. Jesus tells them plainly that just as his Father God is always at work, so too he is always working.
God’s Work
There’s no mention of Jesus and his Father resting on Sunday, basking in the glory that results from our worship. No, as we rest and worship, God is working. And I’m okay with that.
If God were to rest, just for a day, what would become of us? I need him every day, so I’m glad he doesn’t take a break, even though that is exactly what he tell us to do.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
The word praise occurs in more than 360 verses in the Bible. Most of these refer to praising God. They tell of people who praise God and their need to do so. Consider the short, six-verse Psalm 150. It’s filled with praise.
The word occurs thirteen times. In fact, 15 percent of the words in the Psalm are the word praise. That’s a lot of praise.
Psalm 18:3 reminds us that God is worthy of our praise. And it’s a good reminder. At least it’s a reminder I need.
Though I talk to God daily, and on some days more than others, our conversation sounds like a monologue with me asking for stuff.
Yes, my requests have a noble motivation—most of the time. And I strive to thank him for each answer he provides.
Yet thanking God is not the same as praising God. Praise is largely missing in the time I spend with him. At least in the verbal sense.
Praise God in Our Spirit
Yes, sometimes I sit in awe of his presence, and this is a form of praise. Perhaps it’s the best praise I can offer. Though sometimes I’m moved to praise God with words, I too often find that my vocabulary falls short.
My words are inadequate or even nonexistent. And for a writer, not being able to find the right words is most frustrating.
It’s easiest for me to praise God when I’m in the middle of his creation, far away from other people and our creations. It seems he’s all around me.
My mind floods with an attitude of praise. Even though specific words evade me, it could be I’m praising him in my spirit.
Yet in my normal prayers, I fail to offer my appreciation to the Creator. This is the praise God is worthy to receive. The praise he deserves. The praise I fail to give. Ouch!
Though the Almighty is worthy of my praise, fortunately my relationship to him isn’t contingent on me remembering to praise him every day.
He loves me the same, regardless of what I do or don’t do. And he loves us the same, regardless of what we say and do.
Even so, I can’t escape this feeling that when I neglect to praise him—the praise he is worthy of—that I’m letting him down. Maybe I’m letting me down.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.” Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.
This church’s Facebook page—they have no website—says their “services are informal with a blend of hymns and contemporary music.” I expect service melding contemporary and traditional aspect of worship.
Consider these four discussion questions about Church #4:
1. I suspect the service will match what I see in the facility, a merging of traditional and contemporary, just as promised online.
Does your church deliver what you promise? If not, what needs to change?
2. We sit only a third of the way in, yet most people pack in behind us.
Where do you sit in church? Why? Many visitors like to sit toward the back to remain anonymous. What can you do to leave room for them?
3. Some people raise their hands in worship as we sing, yet most don’t. I want to, but I fear calling unwelcomed attention to myself if I do.
How can you help people feel comfortable in worshiping God at your church?
4. Afterward, they invite us to stay for coffee and cookies. So many people talk to us that snack time is over before we reach the fellowship hall.
How can you avoid being in such a hurry to pick up that guests feel rushed or shortchanged?
Overall. I’m excited at their melding contemporary and traditional in their church service.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
