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EDMONTON HOUSE CHURCHES
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Edmonton House Churches are believers in Jesus Christ (the Church body) who meet in houses or small gatherings to fellowship and worship God together in simplicity, in the Edmonton, Alberta area. The House Church (the Church body meeting in houses) also known as Simple Church, Organic Church, Open Church, Fellowship Ring, MetaChurch, and New Testament Church is a return to the simple New Testament model where believers gathered in houses to fellowship and make disciples from house to house (AC 2:1-4; 5:42; 8:3; 12:12; 16:40,18:7-8; 20:20; 21:7-8; 28:30-31; RO 16:3-5; 1 COR 16:19-20; COL 4:15; 2 JN 1:7-11). It is a return to the way that the church body functioned in the New Testament which is very different than the way the conventional church functions today. Jesus said that when two or more gather in his name, he will be with them (MT 18:19-20). Edmonton House Churches are a part of the citywide Edmonton Church body of believers and a part of the worldwide Church body of believers. 

The reason for many leaving the conventional church is due to the problems caused by traditions and teachings in the church that are not based on the New Testament. People are hungering for real fellowship, a reality of God's presence, and the ability to participate with their Spiritual and ministry gifts but instead are finding only closed programs and religious practices.

Jesus gave the church body of believers two main purposes:
1) The Great Commandments - to love God with all of their heart and to love others, especially one another.
2) The Great Commission - to go into the world, share the good news of the Kingdom of God, make disciples - teach them to obey what Jesus commanded, baptize new believers, heal the sick, and release the oppressed.
We cannot properly fulfill the Great Commission unless we first fulfill the Great Commandments.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about House Churches: 

Why House Churches?
What is the difference between House Churches and Cell or Home Groups?
What kind of activities happen in House Churches?
Who goes to House Churches?
Who leads House Churches?
Who are House Churches Accountable to?
What denomination do House Churches belong to?
How do House Churches grow?
How big can a House Church grow?
What about kids in a House Church?
What about a Youth Group for teens?
Who can start a House Church?
Why a House Church network?

Other Information:

Guidelines for networking with Edmonton House Churches on this WEB site
Biography of Ron and Sharon Fischer
Some reasons why Ron and Sharon have gotten involved in the House Church movement
Resource WEB links for House Churches
Recommended Reading for House Churches
Other Recommended WEB Sites
Other Recommend Reading

Why House Churches?

  • The New Testament believers gathered together in houses for the first few hundred years which enabled the church body to multiply by growing exponentially. After that it changed from community in homes with everyone involved in ministry, to congregation in buildings with only a few involved in ministry. This caused the growth and "making disciples" to halt to a crawl.
  • Today's fastest growing church body in the world today meets in houses (e.g. Asia).
  • House churches are the most effective way to make disciples who in turn make disciples.
  • People learn, grow and experience more through participation in small groups.
  • House Churches are simple - using homes we already have, easy to reproduce, and easy to relocate.
  • House Churches have a comfortable, relaxed and real family atmosphere.
  • House Churches focus on meeting together to build caring relationships and to know and experience more of the life of Jesus Christ together.
  • House Churches allows for believers to participate, get involved in ministry, and start other House Churches.
  • House Churches don't cost anything so there is no financial burden on anyone and resources can go to believers in need or spreading the good news of God's Kingdom.
  • House Churches do not require a full time professionally paid minister because everyone can be involved in ministry and some mature believers (elders) can help oversee and serve many House Churches.

What is the difference between House Churches and Cell or Home Groups?

  • House Churches are a one tier structure of interdependent community groups of the body of Christ who each make disciples and multiply into other House Churches. Mature believers (elders) go from house to house to oversee and serve the body of Christ using their gifts to help believers to mature. Believers serve and appreciate one another allowing each one to participate using their gifts while following the leading of Holy Spirit with Jesus Christ as the head of the body. The goal is to train believers in their gifts and send them out to multiply the body of Christ through making disciples from house to house. There is no headquarters or centrally owned building although a rented facility may be used occasionally for specific purposes. This one tier structure helps to eliminate special titles, positions of authority, selfish agendas, control over each other, and glory for man. Since their dependence is on Christ as the head, with this one tier structure the church will survive any attack. This follows the New Testament relational community structure.
  • Cell or Home Groups are a pyramid structure of appendages off of a single church congregation where believers are trained and follow a leader who usually dictates the program for the cell or home groups. They are usually run and controlled by a top down church leader who acts as the head of the body. Their goal is to train leaders and add to the total church congregation through evangelistic programs. There is a headquarters and centrally owned building which must be maintained as an organization. This pyramid tier structure often promotes special titles, positions of authority, selfish agendas, control over each other, and glory for man. Since dependence is on a dynamic Church leader, with this pyramid tier structure the church can crumble when attacked. This follows the world's organizational political structure.
  • Cell or Home Groups are a step towards the House Church but have not let go of the central headquarters building or pyramid tier structure with titles and positions of authority.

What kind of activities happen in House Churches?

  • Eat a meal together and remember Jesus (the Lord's Supper).
  • Fellowship with Jesus together and build caring relationships.
  • Encourage and help one another in practical ways.
  • Share testimonies of what God has done.
  • Read the Bible and learn together (teaching or discussion Bible study).
  • Have a water baptism.
  • Praise & Worship God together with songs.
  • Pray for one another's needs and the community.
  • Receive personal prayer for healing and freedom.
  • Every House Church can be different so may include or emphasize different activities.

Who goes to House Churches?

  • Anyone who wants to experience and grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ following the simple New Testament model.
  • Anyone who wants to experience more of God, healing and freedom.
  • Any believer who wants to build caring relationships and participate rather than be a spectator in religious programs lead by one person.
  • Any believer who wants to be free of the pressure of giving money for facilities and salaries and would rather help other believers who are needy.
  • Any believer that wants to learn and participate in the ministry and Spiritual gifts that God has given them.
  • Any believer that feels led by the Holy Spirit to go to or start a House Church.

Who leads House Churches?

  • Jesus leads the meeting as everyone participates using their Spiritual and ministry gifts given by God. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and wants to build and lead his church by the Holy Spirit.
  • All believers meeting together in the house are encouraged and have the opportunity to participate.
  • A believer with an apostolic gift can help the church understand the principles and guide them into how to do this
  • In time, more mature believers (elders) can help oversee and serve many House Churches to help them mature and grow (make disciples).

Who are House Churches Accountable to?

  • Each believer is accountable to Jesus Christ who is the head of the Church. Each believer can come and go where they choose but will likely make one of the house churches their main family.
  • Believers are also accountable to one another by serving one another motivated by love. Every believer should respect and appreciate every other believer. No one is more important than any other nor should dominate any other person. Believers including overseers (elders) are to be servants who mentor by example. 
  • The House Church host is responsible for what happens at the place of gathering.
  • Mature believers (elders) can help oversee and serve House Churches, offering direction, ministering with their gifts, and offering mature Godly solutions for any problems.
  • Ron and Sharon Fischer will maintain this network for Edmonton House Churches. They have no desire to control House Churches nor anyone in them - since believers belong to Jesus Christ and He is their head and leader. They wish to encourage the formation of House Churches all over Edmonton.

What denomination do House Churches belong to?

  • All believers belong to Jesus Christ as a part of His citywide and worldwide Church body of believers. God sees only one body who believe in, trust in, follow and are devoted to his son Jesus Christ. There is therefore no need to add a man-made denomination or ministry organization to the body of Christ.

How do House Churches grow?

  • Believers begin to gather together in a house to worship God in simplicity.
  • Believers care and pray for one another for healing, freedom, and miracles.
  • Believers pray for their community, family and friends, trusting the Holy Spirit to convict and draw people to God.
  • Believers share the good news of the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ with people, by helping them, praying for their needs, sharing testimonies of God's goodness, and answering any questions about God.
  • Seeking people may come to a House Church to learn and experience more of Jesus Christ in a caring, comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.
  • As believers are added and trained by participating (making disciples), and the group outgrows the house, it then multiplies into another House Church. There does not have to be a mature believer (elder) in every House Church as many elders can oversee and serve many House Churches by visiting and helping them.
  • House Churches have exponential growth by multiplication. Each House Church is a part of the body of Christ, trusts Jesus Christ as the head and follows the leading of the Holy Spirit using the principles of the New Testament.

How big can a House Church grow?

  • A House Church can grow as big as the house can comfortably fit yet small enough for everyone to participate. The trend tends to be somewhere at about 15 or 20 people when multiply into another house.  
  • Once a house church is getting too large or someone is ready to start another House Church then its time to multiply some of the believers into another House Church.
  • The objective is to encourage everyone to participate and learn what it means to meet as the church in  a house so that they can start another House Church as soon as they are ready and as more House Churches are needed. In this way House Churches will multiply into every neighbourhood.

What about kids in a House Church?

  • Some house churches may have something specific for the children otherwise they can participate together in the house church activities and play together with supervision. The idea is for the kids to participate and learn about true community living while experiencing Jesus Christ for themselves.

What about a Youth Group for teens?

  • Teens can start a Youth Group among the House Churches in their area or join a larger church Youth Group.

Who can start a House Church?

Why a House Church network?

  • Every believer is a part of the body of Jesus Christ with freedom to move about and fellowship anywhere.
  • Being connected to another part of the body of Jesus Christ offers encouragement and learning together.
  • Networking allows people to find your House Church, visit your House Church, and pray for your House Church.
  • Being networked allows unity and connectedness in the body of Jesus Christ but also allows each House Church to have a life of its own.
  • Believers have different gifts which can benefit all House Churches.
  • Networking can allow a shared cost for anything that benefits all House Churches.
  • Occasionally a group of House Churches may want to gather together as a larger group for a special event or celebration.

Guidelines for networking with Edmonton House Churches on this WEB site

  • Your group meets in the Edmonton or surrounding area.
  • Your gathering must focus on Jesus Christ and include either the Bible, worship, or prayer.
  • You are not a cell or home group as a part of a conventional church with a facility but instead you are the church meeting anywhere. You may also attend a conventional church but your group is not considered an appendage off of it. It is separate from the conventional church.
  • Everyone is encouraged and has opportunity to participate.
  • Your desire is to fulfill the Great Commandments and the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
  • Your group does NOT promote - special titles (instead ministry functions), selfish agendas (instead a desire to follow Jesus the head through the leading of the Holy Spirit), control over each other (instead serving one another motivated by love), nor glory to man (instead keeping the focus on Jesus and giving Him the glory).
  • You welcome visitors but you have the right to ask them to leave if they are being controlling or causing trouble.
  • You wish to see your group grow and multiply into other new House Churches.
  • If you wish to be added to this network then please contact Ron Fischer by phone (469-6201) giving your suburb location, contact first name, contact phone number, and a description of your main focus when you meet.

Biography of Ron and Sharon Fischer:

  • Ron and Sharon have been married for 24 years. They live in Edmonton and have four children ages 12 up to 23
  • They have ministered healing and freedom into people's lives as lay ministers since they married.
  • They have been a part of a number of denominational and non-denominational conventional churches over the years in New Zealand and Canada. They see the body of Christ outside the borders of denominations.
  • They have served as worship leaders, cell/home group leaders, youth leaders, and helping small church plants in New Zealand and Canada.
  • Ron is a Christian song writer with two recorded songs that have been aired on radio.
  • Ron is a computer programmer/analyst and Sharon is a Homemaker.
  • They have been to Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship three times and desire to see renewal and revival in Alberta.
  • They are members of the International Association for Theophostic Ministry and have been trained in Theophostic Prayer Ministry which is effective for emotional healing and freedom through the renewing of the mind for such problems as relationship difficulties, anger, anxiety/panic, depression, compulsive disorders, addictions, fears, phobias, grief, and any other problems affecting emotions. Ron has benefited from Theophostic Prayer Ministry himself.
    The Basic Theophostic Prayer Ministry training is available free for anyone who is interested. If you are interested in taking this course then call Ron at 469-6201.
  • It is Ron and Sharon's heart to make disciples for the Kingdom of God - helping non believers to know and experience Jesus Christ, helping believers to mature in Jesus Christ, disciple them through participation, and minister healing and freedom into their lives, so that they can go and make disciples for the Kingdom of God.
  • They wish to encourage the formation of New Testament style House Churches all over Edmonton.

Some reasons why Ron and Sharon have gotten involved in the House Church movement:

Other Resource WEB links for House Churches:

Recommended Reading on the New Testament church (you may borrow any of these books from Ron Fischer)
Click on book for description. Most books can be ordered from 'Christian Publishing' or 'Christian Book or Record' in Edmonton, or online through Amazon.ca.

Other Recommended WEB Sites:

Other Recommend Reading (you may borrow any of these books from Ron Fischer):

  • Healing Life's Deepest Hurts - Ed Smith - Introduction to Theophostic Ministry.
  • The Father's Blessing - John Arnott - Renewal and Revival at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship.
  • Audience Of One - Jeremy and Connie Sinnott - Sharing their experience as worship leaders at TACF
  • Holy Spirit, I Hunger For You - Claudio Freidzon - Renewal and Revival in Argentina.
  • Treasure In Jars Of Clay - Claudio Freidzon - Allowing God to mold us for His Purpose and Glory.
  • God can use Little Ole Me - Randy Clark - God using ordinary people for renewal and revival.
  • There Will Always Be Enough - Roland and Heidi Baker - Missionaries in Mozambique planting thousands of churches among the poor .
  • Dialogue With God - Mark Virkler - Hearing God's voice through journaling.
  • The God Chasers - Tommy Tenney - Pursuing God's presence.
  • Lost Glory - David Markee - The history of music and how it is being restored in the Church.
  • Wild At Heart - John Eldredge - Discovering the secret of a man's soul.
  • Waking the Dead - John Eldredge - becoming fully alive.
  • Foxe's Book Of Martyrs - John Foxe - About people who were persecuted and killed for their belief in Christ.
  • Practising His Presence - Brother Lawrence & Frank Laubach - Learning to enjoy God's presence in every day life.
  • Revival Fire - Charles G Finney - Letters on Revivals
  • The Final Quest - Rick Joyner - a prophetic vision of heaven and the spiritual battle that is coming.
  • The Call - Rick Joyner - Sequel to The Final Quest - Preparing for the spiritual battle that is to come.

 

 

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