House Churches

What is a house Church? House Churches are based on the New Testament biblical model. House churches were started by Priscilla and Aquila (Romans 16 and 1 Corinthians 16:19) and by Philemon (Philemon1:2) and Lydia opened her home to worship gathering (Acts 16:11-15).

House Churches are Christian communities which …

  • have intentionally moved away from the more organized formal mode to the organic, informal and less structured way of being the body of Christ. 
  • are informal and highly relational — relationships are at the heart of the house church model.
  • engage Christians with word and sacrament, and guided small group sharing during worship and prayer.

Our mission at GracePointe of Sedona is three-fold 

  • Live out faith. Worship Jesus Christ, foster genuine spiritual formation and extend God’s love relationally to our neighbors 
  • Live out love. The Great Commandment (Love God and love people) and the Great Commission (make disciples).
  • Live out grace. Ephesians 2:8 (we are saved by grace through faith).

GracePointe’s house church model has its roots in the early days of the church.

The gospel writer Luke gives an excellenmt account of the early church in Acts 2:42-47.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Join us on the journey — come experience a kind and caring house church community! Contact Rev. Dona Johnson at 513-250-4429 or revdonajohnson@gmail.com.

Worship with us at 10 a.m. Sunday at The Gathering Place.

 

If you are in need of prayer for

 various life situations, healing or spiritual guidance, you may contact Pastor Dona

 

House Churches in Everyday America

The reality, however, is that the house church movement is alive and well in America. Researchers have estimated that there are 20 million people meeting in house churches in America. Barna predicts that alternative movements like house churches might reach 30-35 percent of all Christians by 2025.

 

Houses churches, GracePointe of Sedona see itself as fully the church. And the North American Lutheran Church sees the house church as the church. They derive their meaning squarely from the New Testament Church, not by any modern small-group model.

 

 Those in the house church movement believe that meeting in the home or other small space is the Scriptural way to do church. House churches are not so much focused on programs or property, instead they are lean, their ministry focus is directed towards relationships. Relationships with God and relationships with each other. We have a biological family for sure, and we also have a spiritual family! Fellowship around Word,  sacrament and hospitality.

The early disciples themselves met in homes because it was the strategy Jesus taught them. After all, Jesus met from house to house throughout Galilea and Judea, and then sent his own disciples into homes to evangelize and establish a base for gospel preaching (Luke 9; Matthew 10).

 

House to house ministry is biblical and the best way to make disciples is to make disciples (Matthew 28). We must take our cue from people in the house church movement and let that motivation drive everything we do.

 

House churches remind us that God doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands. He’s the God of pilgrimage who favors simple structures, rather than the ornate and permanent ones. It can be positive for small-group ministries to be jolted by the community, evangelism, and natural leadership development we see in today’s house churches.

At the heart of house church communities are the following:

Christ-centered Teaching

We believe and proclaim one God in three-persons: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. Scripture is the norm of “all” faith and life. Through Sunday worship, sermons that are conversational (in the round), we learn together from the infallable inspired word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, who speaks through each believer.

Mutual Fellowship

Fellowship includes conversation around community meals. The meal is one place where members have an opportunity to grow in relationship. In the breaking of bread (table fellowship), food warms the heart. Sitting down at the table for a meal, breaks down barriers and promotes the sharing of stories. 

Jesus’ Greatest Commandment

Love God with all your mind, all your heart and all your soul. 

Love your neighbor as you want to be loved.

Relationships

People are valued over programs. People are not projects to be conquered but are made in the image of God to be loved. Because of the smaller size of house churches—intimacy is more likely to be achieved and it’s genuine because those in the community know one another by sharing our faith and life with each other. A house church is a spiritual family. 

Outreach

Weekly evangelism, a going on into our community and meeting people where they live, work and play, bringing the message of Jesus Christ and prayer life-to-life, one person at a time.