Category: Uncategorized

It seems in recent posts we have been pondering the issue of what it means to live the Jesus-life (with Him and in the world incarnationally) as the priority over getting caught up with the form that church takes. This reminds me of a recent quote by Frank Viola in theooze.com: Before we can truly…

I just want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the community that gathers around these web pages.  The dialogue/discussion/community-life that takes place here has become one of the richest and most important sources in my life from which I draw an immeasurable amount of strength, encouragement, support, challenge, growth, chastisement (in the…

Eddie Gibbs (Emerging Churches) provides the insight that the "emerging church"  seeks to end the dualism between sacred and secular so that all of life becomes sacred.  Some of what I read in Gibbs’ book seems to hang on to the concept of church-as-a-service in which the worship service becomes more connected to the arts,…

I have NOT been walking a journey that fully identifies with what has been termed the "Emerging Church."  In fact, I have had a difficult time pinning down just what the term "emerging church" refers to. However…  I have been reading Eddie Gibbs’ book "Emerging Churches" which has brought clearer understanding to me re "Emerging…

I probably don’t have this quite right (someone can straighten me out), but I understand that one of the questions that Lou Holtz (former coack of Notre Dame) would ask people who would be part of his team or staff is: "Are you only interested in what I can do for you, or are you…

From John White at House Church Chronicles: The "prevenience model" for church is illustrated in the Old Testament. "Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped…Whether the cloud stayed over…

In an earlier post (over a year ago) I mentioned a simple church that met in a pub.  Recently I received this comment: You might be interested in Christ Church Brighton, we have a meeting in a pub every Sunday evening. The following website provides more information: http://www.christchurchbrighton.org. Additionally, if you receive the Friday Fax…

Thailand just had their first ever House Church (slash) Church Planting Movement Conference.  It was wonderful to be able to have a part in this conference that, at least for some of the Thai leaders, provided a breath of fresh air and hope for their country. It is fascinating (and worrisome) to see a country,…

As I prepare for a conference in Thailand that involves presentations on Church Planting Movements (David Garrison’s staff) and House Church (my little piece), I have had my thoughts drawn back to the basics of simple/house church that I always want to keep before me: It’s all about Jesus.  It’s not about how, where, when,…

Bill Reed has been working with house churches for the last couple of years in a neighboring community in the Central Coast of California.  He recently sent out the following reminders to some of those he gathers with which I thought was some good food to pass along to all of us: Personal time with…