Memorable!

A memorable Sunday! So good to have Peter Dunn (European director of BigLife) and his wife Jane with us. Also, first-timers Lorna and Furdy (who arrived minutes too late last week), Julie with dog Tilly (second timers), and Dave and Ellie (first-timers, but arrived too late for the meeting). Frank arrived during the meeting, with a washer-drier for someone, and a fridge-freezer for someone else. He will be back for the meeting next time, he tells us. Old people like me, children like the Voiseys, saved, unsaved, and even one Moslem (who really enjoyed the time) present. I love church! I especially love house church.

It was hot! 30 or more people, though no more than 28 at any one time. Great praise and worship. Several led in prayer and there were encouraging testimonies re answered prayer and healing. Communion led by the Voisey family, and around 4 people anointed with oil and prayed for.

Peter told us some of his story, and of his involvement in setting up house churches in, especially, India. They have recently exceeded 100,000 in number. Once he was smuggled out of Afghanistan in a rolled-up carpet! He spoke from Luke 5.1-11 – the call of the first disciples. They were ordinary people called into a relationship with Jesus. They responded to his call. He discipled a group of 12. In India and similar countries, groups of around 12 are discipled, and then disciple others.

There were no church buildings in the New Testament church. In fact, none for around 300 years. The small gatherings would come together, but no mega-churches!