Q & A
What is the difference between a community church, a mega-church and a house church network?
A community church (a church of approximately 50-1,000) and a mega-church (generally a church of over 1,000) function within traditional church structure. They meet in church buildings every Sunday morning and may or may not have cell group meetings in homes during the week. The community church reaches out to its local community and compares to a neighborhood store, which has a similar scope of influence. The mega-church, however, could be compared to the Wal-Mart superstore because it reaches a wider area. People in mega-churches often travel longer distances to attend meetings, which offer a broad range of services.
The house church networks are entirely different from the community and mega-churches because each house church is a church in itself with its own elders and leadership. These house church networks are like the average stores in a shopping mall because each church needs to network with others in order to flourish. They meet as a church in homes or other locations that do not require constructing buildings to accommodate a larger group. They focus on growing by starting new house churches. 1
What is the difference between a house church and a cell church? House churches are self-contained churches in themselves; they are not just home groups within a wider church structure. A large gap separates the two. The cell-based community churches or mega-churches usually have their own headquarters with an administrative structure. House churches require no headquarters; they are much more flexible and fluid because they meet solely in homes or other places (coffee shops, offices, etc.) and does not require another building for further church programs. In cell-based community churches and mega-churches, the cell group leaders are an extension of the leadership of the elders of the local church where believers meet each Sunday in a larger celebration gathering. House churches are entire churches by themselves. Each house church has elders who serve as fathers and mothers with a heart’s cry to train and reproduce more leadership within the house church. House churches also may have a few small satellite cells to help disciple new believers and give hands-on training for future house church leaders. The house church models a way of life. It takes place entirely outside of the mentality of religious meetings. Church becomes people living their lives in an extended spiritual family as they focus on reaching the lost. Although families require some organization, it is a relational organization, minus the bureaucracy. 1
What if a house church is not a part of a house church network? The reason for house church networks is to provide accountability and encouragement to individual house churches. Exclusiveness is unhealthy for a house church. Every house church really should be connected to others in some way. 1 Could some community churches or mega-churches adopt house churches? All three kinds of churches can help to disciple people and change lives. Some community churches and mega-churches will commission leaders to start house churches. Some community church and mega-church leaders will give them the oversight needed to help them grow. Other community churches and mega-churches will “adopt” house churches in their communities and help them network together. 1
Could some house churches become community churches or mega-churches? Even though most house churches will continue to birth new house churches, some house churches may actually become community churches. And some of these community churches could become mega-churches. There is tremendous freedom in the kingdom of God! 1 Which of these three kinds of churches is best or most biblical? All three! It just depends on which one you are called to. God will use whichever structure He chooses, and He does not necessarily ask us for our opinion. As soon as we think our group is the only “right” group around town, we get in trouble. Pride always comes before a fall. We must, with great conviction, follow the path the Lord has laid out for us, but honor what He is dong through others who are doing it differently than we are. 1
Do we need leadership in house churches and house church networks? Yes. Servant leadership; fatherly leadership, but always some form of godly leadership. If God’s appointed leader does not give proper leadership, then the enemy will be sure someone else does who is not God’s appointed leadership. The Bible is filled with examples of team leadership and leadership among the team. 1 Will every young person get involved in a house church network? No. Many will be called by the Lord to serve in community churches while others serve in mega-churches. But many young people today will get involved in house church networks because it fits the value system of their generation. 1
What about children in house churches? The Lord values children. They can take an active role in house church life because they are part of the spiritual family. There are many creative options for children. Many house churches gear the entire meeting to the family and have the children with them the entire time. Other house churches, like many cell groups, have the children involved with their parents for about one half of the meeting, and someone in the house church ministers to the children for the rest of the time in another room. 1 What are some pitfalls and traps to avoid in house church networks?
Pride
A common pitfall to avoid in house churches and house church networks is pride. House churches are not the panacea for today’s ailing church. If those of us who are called to house church networks take a superior attitude, the Bible tells us we will fall. House church networks are only one of the many things the Lord is doing in the world today. We should never have an exclusive attitude.
Fear
Another trap to avoid is fear. House churches are largely unproven entities in today’s church world. They are new for this generation and depend on grassroot leaders to take the initiative. We have to learn to move in faith, and not in fear.
Independent spirit
Still another hidden danger is developing an independent and isolationist spirit. Sometimes those who do not want to come under any type of spiritual authority will gravitate towards house church ministry because they believe they can do their own thing without having to answer to anyone. This kind of independent spirit is a form of pride and will destroy us.
Heresy
House churches may fall into the trap of heresy if they are exclusive and unwilling to work with others. All this can be avoided by being accountable to other leaders in a house church network and the body of Christ at large. We all need accountability to keep us from heresy. The scriptures tell us to receive confirmation from two or three witnesses (2 Corinthians 13:1). 1
How should those of us called to serve with community churches and mega-churches respond to house church networks that emerge in our community? Let’s welcome them, reach out to them and offer to help them succeed. We must allow the house church network to grow up along side the community churches and mega-churches in our communities and realize we are all part of the regional church the Lord is raising up. 1 Could you tell me what a house church network is not? First of all, a house church is not people who are disgruntled with the community or mega-church. Second, a house church is not an in-grown club of people who have forgotten the harvest. Third, it is not Christians who are independent and unwilling to submit to the recognized leaders within the body of Christ because they do not believe in spiritual authority. Fourth, house church networks are not groups of people who have been together for a number of years and have only slightly grown in size or not at all. 1
How does the house church network fit into the regional church the Lord is restoring in geographical regions of the world? More and more leaders from all kinds of churches are realizing the need for healthy relationships to be established between churches in a community. The house church network fits the regional church like a hand in a glove since it is just another form of church. The only way it will not fit is if the house churches become independent and refuse to work with anyone else or if the existing churches do not accept house churches. 1 What is the difference between the local ministerium and the regional church? There is a big difference between the local ministerium and the regional church. Local ministers’ fellowships (local ministeriums) usually focus on the church business of their community. The regional church focuses on prayer and relationships and has a mandate from the Lord to see Christ proclaimed to every person within his or her community and the region transformed by the power of God. 1
Will the regional church replace denominations? The regional church is not an attempt to do away with denominations and get back to separating believers on the basis of geographical distance exclusively. I believe we have to work with what we have today. This means that the local churches within a collective regional church will probably each maintain their denominational flavor, while working in a unified manner to more effectively share Christ in their geographical area. I personally do not believe the regional church will ever replace denominations, because we need many flavors of church in our communities. 1 What about corporate worship? Strangely enough this is a term that has been coined in our culture that has a meaning to us, yet what that meaning is varies from person to person, church to church, and expression to expression. For example a mega church expression in a region may define corporate worship as a thousand believers coming together, or even five thousand to worship. A community church may define it as five hundred or as little as fifty. While home church networks may define it as little as two or three believers coming together, based on Jesus’ words when He said where two or three are gathered in His name, Jesus is right there with them, or they may define it as hundreds if not thousands who get together at their regular celebration church community meetings where many if not all their regions home church networks get together monthly to celebrate “the way’ and encourage one another. Each is important and all are biblically correct, yet our numbers are not as important as the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Never forget if He’s there with us that should be enough for us all. Remember one can put 1000 to flight, while two can put 10,000, so it doesn’t take many to put millions to flight that are coming against our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
What about finances or tithing?
The practice of tithing is a grace, based on a revelation of God, as a response to God’s blessing and increase on our life, to be shared with paid ministers and the less fortunate who are in our areas of contact. (Genesis14:17-20; 28:10-22; I Timothy 5:17; Hebrews 7:3; John 8:56) Grace abounds in the heart of the giver and God blesses the heart and the giving. We are to love and give to one another is something that should not have to be said. We are God’s kids, and He loves us. As we love Him and others we will enter into a lifestyle of giving, which is really what this is all about, shown by God’s example of giving His Son Jesus Christ for us. Live to give, and when you do, you will find a steady flow moving towards you, and a steady flow out from you. (Matthew 23; Matthew 6:21; Mark 7:9-13; Acts 15:1-21; Acts 2:22-45; Acts 4:32; II Corinthians 8:3-14; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6; II Corinthians 9:8; John 3:16)
How, when, or should we pay those in ministry? We believe that every area of ministry and church life needs to be responsible financially and accountable to those giving them oversight in order to maintain a high standard of integrity. Spiritual leaders receiving a salary from the church are discouraged from setting their own salary level. As spoken of in Acts 6:1-7 the compensation in proportion to the responsibility coincides with a church’s ability to do so should be the deciding factor when determining the amount and the need to compensate a minister. (Galatians 6:5; Romans 15:14; I Thessalonians 5:22; II Corinthians 8:20-21, Acts 6:1-7; I Timothy 5:17-18) 1. This material was taken from the book House Church Networks by Larry Kreider, (Lititz, PA: House to House Publications, 2001)