Being a home church scares me because it’s weird. It is…it just is and you all know it. Even those people who read this blog that do the home church thing know it. You know it’s weird.
It’s weird for me because it’s so far outside of how I was raised. Church was a PLACE, not a PEOPLE. Church was a denomination, an institution, bingo, raffles and long sermons.
I’ve been looking into other “home churches” and some sites are cool and interesting. I think to myself, “I’d like to join THEM” but then I see they are in New Zealand. It’d be cool if someone read this blog and thought, “gee, they look good, I’d like to join THEM!” Of course, those people are all in NEW ZEALAND probably…so, no dice.
It’s not about the numbers…it’s not about the numbers….
It’s hard to be doing a home church because we live in the middle of nowhere. It’s hard to get here from, well, just about anywhere. If someone wanted to come here they’d have to really want to be here, cause it’s a commitment, at least it’s a gas commitment.
So, there are a TON of days when I think…”WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? It’s weird and we don’t live near anybody.”
But we just keep doing it. And we keep getting blessed.
A couple of weeks ago during our church time we each picked up a heavy rock and talked about things that burden us. Each of the kids took a turn which was cool. My oldest, who is 10, said something about being afraid she wouldn’t find another book to read that she likes now that Harry Potter 7 is out and she’s finished it.
So we all nodded…and prayed that God would guide her to another book or something to that effect…and then later, she pulled me aside. She said, “there’s something else that burdens me but I was too shy to say it.” I asked her what it was and she said, “I’m afraid of growing up. There is so much responsibility that comes with growing up and I just want to keep being a kid as long as I can…so that’s a burden I have.”
Ok, how awesome is that?
So, in essence, that day, I GOT what we were doing here. We’re creating space for God to speak and for us to get our focus right and we get to do that together and I like that.
Is it enough? Is it church? Is it weird?
YES
August 29, 2007 at 11:02 am
That is so cool–especially about your daughter. =)
August 30, 2007 at 10:16 am
Thanks Travis…are you in New Zealand? LOL
September 2, 2007 at 10:08 am
Nope, Baltimore! (Which is far enough away from Franklin that I might as well be in N.Z.)
September 2, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Ah, gotcha! See, this BLOWS my whole New Zealand prophetic thing, ya know…dang.
July 24, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Hi! I read your blog. I myself am trying to start a Home Church Fellowship from scratch. No easy task. I have a few members, but it would be nice if we could advertise. I would love to build that fellowship leading the stray back to God. It is cool to find another who is starting a home fellowship. Is yours like a Bible study or is there no theological structure?