| As many are aware, I'm quite an advocate for the | | | | NOW, at this moment in time, and that He wanted |
| growing house church "movement" and love helping | | | | an intimate relationship with me. I remember thinking |
| others to establish churches in their homes, coffee | | | | He was mad at me and, when I REALLY messed up, |
| shops, office breakrooms, etc. I'm having a ball doing | | | | I was that much farther away from Him than I had |
| this and it's VERY rewarding. I was recently looking | | | | been. Regardless, I still worshipped Him, too scared |
| at Luke Chapter 10 verses 1-9 and there are some | | | | to do otherwise.Sadly, there are millions like that! The |
| principles found there that will not only prove | | | | harvest is abundant, as Jesus said. Multitudes need to |
| beneficial to the "house churchers" among us, but | | | | know that God is not "out there" but wants to live |
| ANY Christian whose heart is set on advancing the | | | | large "IN THEM," for WE are the temple of the Holy |
| Kingdom of God.Let's take a look at the Amplified | | | | Spirit, that same Spirit that raised Jesus from the |
| version. Here it is:1...the Lord chose and appointed | | | | dead.Verses 7 and 8: They were told to "...stay on in |
| seventy others and sent them out ahead of Him, | | | | the same house, eating and drinking what they |
| two by two, into every town and place where He | | | | provide, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do |
| Himself was about to come (visit).2And He [Jesus] | | | | not keep moving from house to house. Whenever |
| said to them, The harvest indeed is abundant [there | | | | you go into a town and they receive and accept and |
| is much ripe grain], but the farmhands are few. Pray | | | | welcome you, eat what is set before you..." Stay |
| therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out | | | | with them? Imagine it's Tom's first day at work and |
| laborers into His harvest.3Go your way; behold, I | | | | a fellow named Jerry comes by and invites him to |
| send you out like lambs into the midst of | | | | join the gang at the local bar to have a TGIF |
| wolves.4Carry no purse, no provisions bag, no | | | | celebration. A Christian, Tom hardens his brow and |
| [change of] sandals; refrain from [retarding your | | | | says to Jerry, "No, thank you, I'm a Christian and I |
| journey by] saluting and wishing anyone well along | | | | don't go to places like that." What happened? Tom |
| the way.5Whatever house you enter, first say, | | | | hasn't merely turned down Jerry's invitation; he's |
| Peace be to this household! [Freedom from all the | | | | turned Jerry down, turned him off and turned him |
| distresses that result from sin be with this | | | | away in the process.How much more effective would |
| family].6And if anyone [worthy] of peace and | | | | it have been had Tom RECEIVED Jerry's hospitality - |
| blessedness is there, the peace and blessedness you | | | | the only kind he knew how to offer, by the way. He |
| wish shall come upon him; but if not, it shall come | | | | was being KIND to Tom - a godly quality - and may |
| back to you.7And stay on in the same house, eating | | | | well be a worshipper of God, the best he knew how |
| and drinking what they provide, for the laborer is | | | | at any rate. He was extending his hand of friendship |
| worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from | | | | and inviting Tom into his world to meet his friends, |
| house to house.8Whenever you go into a town and | | | | maybe even family at some point. "Come and eat |
| they receive and accept and welcome you, eat what | | | | and drink with us, TOM!" was what he was saying. |
| is set before you;9And heal the sick in it and say to | | | | But Tom said, "No!" A door had been shut by Tom's |
| them, The kingdom of God has come close to | | | | reaction, when Jerry had graciously opened his |
| you.Known for his ministry as a House Church planter, | | | | culture to him.Remember verse one? JESUS is |
| author and speaker Tony Dale emphasizes the fact | | | | planning to show up but He's sending out His team |
| that House Church is NOT merely a gathering or | | | | FIRST.Guys like Tom.Guys like us.He allowed Tom to |
| even a location; it's a way of life. As he says, there | | | | have that job, not merely so he could eat or pay |
| must surely be something more to this than | | | | bills, but as a means for advancing the Kingdom of |
| exchanging pews for couches. How can it be | | | | God. Jesus WILL show up, but not if Christians go |
| anything else for Christianity is not merely another of | | | | springing religion and self-righteousness on everyone |
| the world's great religions; it's a moment-to-moment | | | | and squelching those Divine opportunities. Granted, |
| relationship with the Creator. Bearing this in mind, it's | | | | there are times when we MUST graciously bow out. |
| more easily conceivable that wherever we Christians | | | | Time constraints might cause us to say, "Sounds like |
| find ourselves at any moment, that may well be the | | | | fun, but can I take a raincheck?" Leave the door |
| spot where we can begin to influence people for the | | | | open. Now, if Jerry's gang had been going to a |
| Kingdom and see lives transformed.Verse 1: We see | | | | topless club, by all means, use discernment. "Jerry, I'd |
| that Jesus "sent them out ahead of Him." That | | | | love to hang out with you guys but I'm not |
| means they went FIRST but He would soon be | | | | comfortable in places like that...can we go somewhere |
| coming onto the scene. As disciples ourselves, have | | | | else? How 'bout lunch tomorrow...my treat?" He |
| you found that to be the case today as well? All we | | | | would probably respect that and, at the very least, |
| have to be is available!Verse 2: Despite having | | | | invite you to something more to your liking another |
| assembled an outreach team of 72 (some say even | | | | time.Verse 8 essentially encourages us to move into |
| more), Jesus laments that there's so much work to | | | | THEIR environment. Jesus is our example of that. |
| do and 72 is simply not enough. We need more of | | | | Didn't He leave HIS culture for the sake of planet |
| us!Verse 3: The team is reminded that they are | | | | Earth?A lady asked me if I'd speak at her Brisket, |
| vulnerable and are about to engage in Spiritual | | | | Beer and Bible Study. I didn't hesitate to commit |
| Warfare. Yet, they were trained. The call to serve is | | | | myself. The people she said she'll be inviting are kids |
| really a call to prepare. Have you been | | | | who've done drugs, been in jail, people who don't feel |
| preparing?Verse 4: They're instructed not to bring | | | | accepted in churches. If like-minded Christians would |
| anything with them because they won't be staying. | | | | join forces in a similar manner, we could have an |
| They are also told, essentially, not to dilly-dally. There | | | | incredible impact on our community. (Anybody care |
| was to be no chit-chatting with others they meet | | | | to throw a party?)When you get there - to that |
| along the way; they were on a mission, after all. | | | | place outside your element - love those you find |
| Instead, they were to keep a look out for someone | | | | there. Let the expression of Christ flow through you. |
| VERY important. Who? Read on.Verse 5: Jesus told | | | | I once officiated a wedding that was held in a bar. |
| them something very interesting. He said, "Whatever | | | | Everyone, including the groom, was sipping beer |
| house you enter, first say, Peace be to this | | | | before the wedding even began. That was the most |
| household!" Today, He might have said, "When you | | | | enjoyable wedding I can remember. I mingled and |
| go to the office, the plant, Starbuck's, class, a | | | | "worked the crowd." Afterward, I sat down and ate |
| Chamber of Commerce mixer, BE to them the | | | | with an Hispanic man about my age, with a shaved |
| expression of God that you are and let them | | | | head and a 2-foot braided pony tail hanging down his |
| experience the Peace of Christ through you. If you | | | | back. We enjoyed each other's company, laughed |
| feel that same peace returned to you by another, | | | | quite a bit as I recall. I told him how to reach me and |
| THIS is the person you can build a church with | | | | made myself available. Another man asked me if I |
| (minister to, pray for, etc.)!" Here's a tip: Instead of | | | | made a pretty good living doing weddings. When I |
| inviting these people to church - asking them to | | | | told him that I don't charge, he grabbed a $50 bill |
| abandon THEIR culture in exchange for YOUR | | | | from his wallet and said, "Here ya go, I need a |
| church's friendly confines - why not get to know | | | | blessing and I believe in reapin' and sowin'." The next |
| THEM in THEIR world? Chances are, they'll gladly | | | | day, the bride came by my office and gleefully said |
| invite family and friends to meet you and... | | | | "everyone just loved you at the wedding."Verse 9: |
| POOF...instant Church! I heard about an East Indian | | | | Jesus says, "heal the sick in it and say to them, the |
| Christian woman who was walking around a village, | | | | Kingdom of God has come close to you..." Be |
| praying. When someone asked what she was doing, | | | | discerning and see if there's a need where God could |
| she said she was looking for people to pray for. She | | | | step in. As I minister in nursing homes and when I've |
| was invited in by many. Eventually, she established 50 | | | | gone to jails and hospitals, I've NEVER had a single |
| house churches, that in a nation with millions of gods | | | | person say they did NOT want me to pray for them. |
| (note the lower case "g").Verse 6: Jesus added, "And | | | | What I HAVE heard is people who say, "I don't know |
| if anyone of peace and blessedness is there, the | | | | how to pray." I've even seen people cry while I |
| peace and blessedness you wish shall come upon | | | | prayed and afterward admit to me that NO ONE has |
| him..." In other words, if that person is someone you | | | | EVER prayed for them.Imagine!Sure, we could offer |
| can work with, you'll know it by the Spirit! In Acts | | | | to literally pray for the sick as we enter into these |
| 16:14, Paul was preaching by the river and one who | | | | strange cultures, but how about those with sick |
| was listening was a woman named Lydia. The verse | | | | marriages or sick finances, sick emotions, a sick spirit, |
| says, "She was [already] a worshiper of God, and the | | | | sick of being unemployed, or just sick of being |
| Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was | | | | addicted and failing all the time? The verse says to |
| said by Paul." No, she wasn't a Christian - and she | | | | tell them about the Kingdom of God. It doesn't tell us |
| may have not yet even heard the story of Jesus | | | | to tell them they're sinners. They already know that, |
| and His Kingdom message. Yet, she was referred to | | | | I assure you. Tell them there's a King who loves |
| as "a worshipper of God." She could have been a | | | | them and cares about them. The woman at the well |
| Muslim, a Satanist, a New Age guru, a Buddhist...she | | | | is a grand example of that. Jesus said to her, "Does |
| was probably not a Jew because it was the Sabbath | | | | anyone condemn you? Neither do I." He's been called |
| and she was not in the temple AND she was working | | | | a Friend of Sinners, more comfortable with the down |
| besides. Scripture clearly says, however, says she | | | | and outers than with the religious crowd. He loved |
| was a worshipper of God and a Church was started | | | | them and they loved Him; the self righteous got His |
| at her house.I'm convinced that the Lord's primary | | | | indignation.We can always find a way to bless and |
| method of evangelism was probably not open-air | | | | give hope. People are too often being cursed by the |
| crusades. Yes, we have a few examples of that, but | | | | Church, condemned and reminded of how bad they |
| I think there were far more one-on-one situations - | | | | are. "You're a sinner, bud." We forget that, if not for |
| the kind of opportunities constantly available to you | | | | God's grace, so are we. Just as God said to Adam, |
| and me today as well. ALL Christians can penetrate | | | | "Who told you that you were naked?", I can hear |
| pockets of darkness by crossing over to where we | | | | Him asking the Church today, "Who told you that |
| are no longer "culturally comfortable." We have to | | | | you were divorced, illegitimate, a fornicator, a |
| get out of our Christian ghetto and rub shoulders | | | | drunkard...who told you - a child that I love - one I |
| with others in order to find those "worshippers of | | | | sent My Son to die for...that you were the scum of |
| God." They're out there, trust me.Personally, there | | | | the Earth? I call you My friend, My child, My warrior, |
| was a time in my life when I was quite a devout | | | | my priest, my chosen one. Who told you all those lies |
| "worshipper of God." Christian girls often mistook me | | | | about yourself?"Let us remember to DEMONSTRATE |
| for one of "them." Sadly, the "god" to whom I paid | | | | the presence of God before our preaching will ever |
| my homage was named "Mike." It was ME all along. I | | | | be received. Spurgeon said, "Before you give a man |
| KNEW there was a GOD "out there" but all I saw | | | | a tract, wrap it in a sandwich." The same principle |
| around me was Religion - not relationship - and | | | | applies. It's called "Relationship before Function." They |
| condemnation. Trying to "be good" seemed | | | | want to know how much you care before they care |
| impossible for me to do no matter how hard I tried. | | | | how much you know. As God intervenes, your |
| Sure, I heard the old Bible stories, but I wasn't | | | | testimony, your ministry will be more than welcome. |
| meeting anyone who testified of what He was doing | | | | |