How to find a simple/organic/house church in your area

October 22, 2012 in House church, Organic church, Simple Church, Simple/organic church with 6 Comments

One of the most common communications I get is this: “I live in ——. Do you know of a house church in my area?”

It can be difficult to find a simple/organic church. We don’t put a sign outside our house saying “Church Meets Here.”  We’re not listed in the Yellow Pages under “Churches.” Contact usually happens by word of mouth.

The best way I know to find a simple/organic church in your area is via House2House. It has a “find a church” map where if you type in your zip code it will list the simple/organic churches near you. If you already have a church, why not submit your church’s information?  You’ll find people contacting you who are looking for fellowship.

But I think there’s a better way.

Most of the people who contact me with that request have been Christians for years. They don’t need to find a simple/organic church where their needs will be met and where they will be well taught. They are mature believers. They have much to give. Why don’t they pray about starting a church themselves?

Don’t know how to start a church? Go to one of CMA’s Greenhouse conferences. Or go through this online 6 week church planting course. The House2House site is full of useful resources and are always ready to help anyone who contacts them.

Anyone interested?

 Photo Credit: Arty Smokes (deaf mute) (Creative Commons)

  • unkleE

    Do you not think it also requires certain gifts, which many people don’t have strongly?

    • felicitydale

      I think the problem is more likely to be that many Christians don’t have non-Christian friends. If you’re talking about starting a fully-formed house church, that may be a challenge to some people but it depends on your definition of church. Almost anyone can get together with a friend over a cup of coffee to do an interactive Bible study with them. Who knows where this will lead.

      • unkleE

        Yes I agree with you that it is easy to start small. But (1) most of my non-christian friends were from my work, so now I am retired, I don’t have so many, and (2) even when I did, I found few who were ever interested in finding out more, even though most of them knew I was a christian and respected that. I think finding interested people and knowing how to talk to them initially is also a gift, and one I don’t think I have very much. Yet I know other people who do this very naturally.

  • Bruce

    It is not so much a matter of one person having exceptional gifts. The gifts come together where two or three meet to pray, encourage each other, share a meal, look at some Scripture, and let the Holy Spirit show you where to go from there.

    The early gatherings of the followers of Jesus (Acts 2.42) were simple, and required no special gifting or long training. These gatherings took place as part of life, among people who had become family. When the Holy Spirit is in control, and we do not try to steer things in a particular direction, a simple gathering can be very powerful, and become a church.

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