whythebest

WHY THE NEW TESTAMENT HOUSE CHURCH IS THE BEST CHOICE
By Ron Fischer © 2005

Jesus commissioned his disciples to love one another, care for one another, share their lives together, make disciples, teach them to obey all that He taught, pray for healing, miracles, and deliverance from demonic oppression.

In the New Testament, believers gathered in houses to make disciples while apostles went to new houses to share the gospel and establish a church of new believers in their houses. Only this simple original model of church allows and promotes believers to fulfill all that Jesus and the apostles taught. All other models no not.

Only the New Testament House Church model allows and promotes all of the following New Testament principles:

God is given his rightful place as our Father, Jesus our Teacher and Leader, and the Holy Spirit our Guide. We are His children working together in the body of Christ as brothers and sisters under the leadership of Jesus as the head - no authority positions or titles in the church. This helps to abolish pride, control, and selfish agendas in the body of Christ.

Treating each other as equals and participating equally in meetings with no controlling individuals.

Submitting to and serving one another in humility motivated by love.

Creating a small close knit family of caring relationships and knowing each other intimately for accountability to one another.

Sharing their lives, eating together, and fellowshipping in a normal real life environment as a family.

Sharing their problems in order to receive encouragement and prayer for freedom, healing and miracles.

Sharing what they have with one another especially with needy believers.

Do not need to waste money on large facilities or paid salaries which did not exist in the New Testament

Praising and worshipping God in song without hype or performance but with simple devotion to Jesus.

Easily identifying and expelling those who teach falsehood (a different gospel), control (lord over) people, or live in sin and will not repent. This provides a community awareness and safety from false teachers, controlling leaders, and consequences of those who sin and will not repent.

Learning together all that Jesus taught in the New Testament with revelation from the Holy Spirit. Sharing how it is applied in real life and understanding together the mind of Christ and how to know and experience Christ.

Jesus is able to spontaneously work in, speak through, or work through each believer by the use of their ministry and Spiritual gifts.

Equipping/mentoring each other to function in their ministry and Spiritual gifts through participation, which builds up the body of Christ and enables them to share the gospel in power out in the world. Everyone has been gifted in different ways and needs opportunity to grow by participating.

Appointing locally known trusted mature believers (elders) who meet the New Testament requirements, some who can help to shepherd (oversee) the churches, and others to help to care for the needy in churches (deacons/deaconesses). These servants are accountable to God and the churches they serve but have no authority over them.

Going from house to house to share their gifts and connect with the wider church body in the suburb or city.

Having freedom to express their faith spontaneously with a testimony of God's goodness or a new song from their heart.

Praying for and ministering into each others lives, to neighbours, the community, the city, and the nation.

Exponentially multiplying churches throughout neighbourhoods, suburbs, cities, and the nation while equipping believers to continue the process

What an occasional larger gathering can allow:

Community wide conference style celebration, teaching, prayer, or ministry to benefit all believers in a community (outside or in a larger facility)

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