What is a House Church?
Living Church is a family of house churches. So, what is a house church? A house church is a people who believe Jesus is the hope for every person, family, neighborhood, and city (Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 1:1, Colossians 1:27). They are a people who follow Jesus much like the first century house churches we read about in the New Testament (Acts 20:20, Romans 16:3-5, Colossians 4:15). A house church exists to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31) as they live like missionaries living the mission of Jesus together loving one another and those around them (John 14:15, 1 John 4:7-12, 1 Peter 2:9-12).
House churches are led by a house church pastor (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1:5, Acts 14:23) who meets the biblical qualifications as described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. This pastor provides teaching, oversight, care, and training in the Bible seeking to train and equip the house church to follow Jesus making new disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 4:12-16). These pastors are the shepherds of the house churches and oversee practicing the ordinances of Communion (1 Corinthians 11) and Baptism (Matthew 28:19-20), as well as church discipline (Matthew 18, 1 Timothy 5:19-20) when needed. This pastor is held accountable to these standards by the Elders and other Living Church pastors.
House churches seek to live like missionaries sending and starting new house church communities for the purpose of accomplishing Jesus’ mission of reaching neighborhoods, the city, and the world with His good news (Acts 13:1-5, 14:21-23, Titus 1:5, Matt 28:18-19, Acts 1:8). Each house church is connected to a larger family of house churches
within its region/city (Acts 20:17,20, Titus 1:5, 2 Cor. 8-9). Like the Apostle Paul who taught publicly and from house to house
(Acts 20:20), as our house churches grow and multiply, our house churches come together for gatherings to worship and advancing the Kingdom of Jesus, because we can do more together than alone.
What do House Churches do?
We believe a house church lives out practices of discipleship
together (see below) as modeled by Jesus and His first century disciples (Acts 2:42-47, Acts 4:32-37, Acts 13:1-5, John 20:21). So, what do house churches do? .
- Share Scripture. Study the Bible together growing in our relationship with Jesus through the study and obedience of His truth as revealed in the Bible. (Acts 2:42, 2 Timothy 2:2, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- Share Life. Meet needs of those within the house church. They eat together, play together, encourage and serve one another. Do life together. Follow Jesus together. (Acts 2:45, 4:32-37)
- Share Mission. Meet needs of those outside the house church seeking to make new disciples of Jesus. (Acts 2:47, Matthew 18:19-20)
- Send/Multiply. Live like missionaries sending those from our house church to start new house church communities locally and
globally. (John 20:21, Acts 13:1-5, Titus 1:5)
Sharing life with a Jesus-centered community like a house church is one of the most important ways you can grow as a follower of Jesus. House churches provide you that community to live out your God-designed and God-sized purpose as you share and study Scripture, share life, share mission, and live the sent life Jesus empowers you to live by His Spirit.
You are not meant to follow Him alone, but with other followers of Jesus. If you'd like to get involved with a House Church, check out our House Church List and contact one of our House Church pastors to learn more!