A letter to the Saints

Last Saturday, I drove 3 hours to a small Texas town where a man had asked me

to come and explain the Simple Church/House Church concept to him and some

others at his home. We had a wonderful 2 hour meeting and I left by laying

hands upon them and releasing them into this new ministry.

Yesterday, that same man wrote with the question: “How do we begin the

meeting? What atmosphere do we try to create?”

As I responded I wondered how many others might have similar concerns. So,

I am sending the response I sent him to you, too!

Here it is:

1 Cor 14:26 says, “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together,

everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an

interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.”

I’ve stopped inviting people to “church” or even “Home Church,” “House Church”

or “Simple Church.” This whole thing is to happen organically. Since everyone

we know EATS, I simply invite people to dinner! During the course of the evening,

we may wind up counseling, praying for people the way I prayed for you guys on

Saturday. We have even piled in the van and gone places to minister to others. At

times, we’ve wound up playing games. The #1 goal: become a family! Think

“family reunion.” We share our lives, not merely an hour. Someone with a guitar

may lead us in a few songs but it’s not something we do every time. Worship,

after all, is a lifestyle. Even our work is actually a form of worship. Before anybody

leaves, we ALWAYS ask if we can pray for them. Most times, that winds up with

laying on hands, anointing with oil, tears and even deliverance!

At the proper time, you will be given the opportunity to share that this IS as much

church as anything we Christians do on Sundays in a building. The BEST part of

House Church is the meetings AFTER  the meetings…the lunches, the movies, the

phone calls and emails, the walks in the park with people who feel loved enough to

open up and seek counsel and prayer.

Resist the urge to get “churchy” and just be brothers in Christ. Don’t argue doctrine.

Don’t preach. If teaching is done, try and teach the Doctrine of Christ (just ask

and Ill give you my “Jesus Said It” study). Focus on the many “One another”

verses in Scripture. People are lonely, hurting, feel unaccepted, judged…people

listened to Jesus because He sounded different among the religious voices of the

day. So, love them, accept them, make them feel special and remind them of their

worthiness before God.

Does that help?

In time, you’ll get to know more people who are into meeting this way and you’ll

fellowship with them. On occasion, a traveling minister will pass through town

and you will all gather your church families and eat and love and laugh and listen

as The Church did when Paul was in Troas. I’ll keep you abreast of regional things

you can tap into.

Some of your people may still wish to attend traditional church. Fine! They’re family,

too! Let your people know that it’s Ok. The most important thing is to be led by

the Spirit and do as He says.

Let me know if you need more. At some point you’ll show that video and maybe

even invite me to speak; I’d LOVE to meet them! One California Church of 15

people recently gathered everyone around the speaker phone. I just preached to

1500 in Pakistan Monday morning. We can always do that as well. I’m here to help.

Anything else?

Just ask!

Every blessing,

Michael