Simply ChurchAccording to a good and informative 2013 year-end status report by Leadership Network providing statistics on the state of mega-churches in this country, almost 10 percent of Protestant churchgoers attend a mega-church. According to a Pew Forum report in December 2009, (if there is a more recent report, I am not aware of it), 9 percent of… Read More
On Friday evening, when the church that meets in our home met together, it was quieter than usual. We were a smaller group (the weather was terrible) but, as usual, the Holy Spirit showed up. Much of our time was spent around the Word, and what we learned together was truly relevant to the things… Read More
For some time, Tony and I were involved in a church plant in the low-income housing projects in our city. Each time we got together, we started with a meal; at times, it resembled a stampede to the table. On one particular occasion, we had barely finished the meal when a fight broke out between… Read More
Last Friday, everyone (no one was left out) in the church that meets in our home shared what is going on in their lives–not a casual, all is well with a bright and false smile, but an in-depth genuine sharing from the heart. To accomplish this, we used a tool that we’ve employed a number… Read More
Several years ago, in our book The Rabbit and the Elephant: Why Small Is the New Big for Today’s Church, I wrote a chapter on some of the potential pitfalls the house church movement might face as it became “fashionable.” Here’s what I said: Another hazard is that of becoming fashionable, the latest phenomenon in… Read More
I love the church that meets in our home. We are so blessed! How does one communicate the fun that we have just being together–the laughter and warmth as we share a meal? The joy in having visitors with us? Usually we start the “spiritual” part of our time together by asking a question: “What… Read More
The last few posts have been very heavy on theology, so a little light relief is in order. This video is a hilarious satire that packs a punch. Produced by some friends of ours in Kentucky, it even shows our book, The Rabbit and the Elephant, now available in paperback under the title Small Is Big! Enjoy! (If… Read More
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… Read More
On Saturday we held a party–a celebration of thanksgiving that Rosaura has been clean and sober for a year. After 30 years of alcoholism and drug addiction, including cocaine and crack, and many rehabs, she was instantly set free from her addictions–no withdrawal symptoms and no relapse. Prior to this, the longest time she had… Read More
Last Friday the church in our home had one of the most beautiful times together that I ever remember in more than 20 years of meeting in house-church sized groups. The presence of Jesus was so real, it was almost tangible. Young kids (three of them aged around five) were there, watching spellbound as things… Read More