WHY I STARTED A HOUSE CHURCH

WHY I STARTED A HOUSE CHURCH
By Ron Fischer © 2004

I've been a born again believer for over 27 years. I was born again while reading a New Testament Bible and responding to Jesus words. Ever since then I've been passionate about God and sought to know Him more. I have always desired a balanced understanding of His truth from the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I knew little about the charismatic movement until I met my wife Sharon (24 years married) who had come to Canada from New Zealand. She was already moving in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and had ministered deliverance and healing into many people's lives.

We moved to New Zealand soon after we married where I learned more about the prophetic, healing, and deliverance ministries. We ministered into many people's lives and saw God do amazing changes in their lives. Most of the ministry and relationships happened in a house or in home groups - not in the church buildings we attended.

After nine years in New Zealand we returned to Canada with a desire to find a fellowship that understood the gifts of the Holy Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to move in their meetings. We did not find what we were looking for so tried to fit in to some churches and begin to do what God had gifted us for. Unfortunately when we began to minister into people's lives or God showed up when I led worship some problems began to arise from intimidated or controlling leadership. In some cases we got shut down and had to leave the church. I concluded that it was not possible to minister freely in the conventional church setting.

Many things that went on in the conventional church bothered me over the years that I did not agree with:

Controlling or dominating leadership looking down on everyone else

No freedom for the Holy Spirit to do what He wants to do

No freedom for believer's ministry or Spiritual gifts to be expressed and used

Tithing 10% of our income to the church to get God's blessing (a guilt trip)

Money being poured into running the organization called the church (buildings, salaries, maintenance, and programs) instead of being used for the real needs of the church body

Being snubbed if not wanting to be involved in the limited church activities, programs or duties

Believers in need getting very little help from the church

People not being real and a difficulty making real friendships.

It always felt more like church when fellowshipping with other believers in homes and ministering to some of them, than going to a conventional church.

I began to read many books on house churches and was encouraged when I read that others also saw many of the same problems in the conventional church. I especially loved the simple house church concepts of - no special titles (instead ministry functions), no selfish agendas (instead a desire to follow Jesus the head through the leading of the Holy Spirit), no control over each other (instead serving one another motivated by love), and no glory to man (instead devotion to Jesus and giving Him the glory). Loving Jesus Christ and one another - worshipping and seeking God in simplicity allowing everyone to participate.

After several months of getting a basic understanding of the House Church concepts, we decided to start a House Church in Edmonton and set up a WEB site to promote House Churches and network them together.

My prayer and desire is to accomplish the following:

Connect existing House Churches together for input into each other's lives
Gather in, the wandering believers and offer them a place of relationship, support, and personal ministry for healing and freedom through House Churches
Explain and offer an alternative way of church for believers who want to return to the simple Apostolic New Testament church model
Disciple and teach others the concepts of the New Testament church model and have them multiply all over Edmonton area
Reach out to the community with the good news of God's Kingdom through Jesus Christ offering them a place to experience God through sharing, worship and personal ministry for healing and freedom.

For more articles about the New Testament Church you can visit http://www.edmontonhousechurches.com/ARTICLES.html.