House Church!

House church! It conjures up different pictures for different people. Central to our ethos is that we are inclusive, and that those who are born again, are welcome to come and participate. We believe that the church we read about in the Bible, especially in the book of Acts, is a pattern for the church at all times, and people participated. It is stated in 1 Corinthians 14:26, but is described throughout the book of Acts. And so people are welcome to ‘use their gift’, though if people are clearly not following simple guidelines (keep it short, keep it simple, point to Jesus and not to yourself, etc), we will ask them to stop. (That has happened just 3 times in 14 years).

Last week we had less than a dozen people, and this week we had between 20 and 30, probably around 25. We follow with lunch just once a month, and today we did. We also had Jonathan Squirrell as guest speaker, and there were 2 visitors from the USA, relatives of two of our regulars.

There was loud praise for around 20 minutes, interjected with prayers. There was a reading from scripture, and one or two testimonies of healing, etc. We moved onto worship (slower and focussed on the Person of Jesus more than what He has done). There was silence! There was a message in tongues followed by an interpretation. There was a vision and interpretation.

Wendy L led us in communion, after which 2 people who were sick were prayed for with laying on of hands and anointing with oil.

Then Jonathan spoke, from Romans 1.1-7. Paul was so highly qualified in the Jewish religion, and indeed from his Christian experience, but he called himself a slave. It caused one to think of the scripture describing how a Hebrew slave might feel that he was so very well loved and cared for in a household, that he should ask his owner to take him on for life. Jonathan proceeded to speak of the gospel. In the Old Testament, an animal had to shed its blood to atone for the sins of a person, every time they sinned.

But in the New Testament, we read of Jesus dying just once, and his blood atones for all our sin – a lifetime. And Jesus rose from the dead. That power of resurrection is within us to. We will really know such facts if we read our Bibles. Read, read, read! So let’s go forward into the week ahead with that knowledge, and live the life we are called to, in character and in what we do.

We sang ‘Majesty’, and Shirlene closed in prayer.

Wendy had prepared an excellent lunch, and almost everyone stayed. Also, thank you to Sue for bringing puddings.

Our next meeting is for prayer, Thursday in Catfield. And at Frettenham next Sunday morning.