Why I Like House Church (50th POST!)

For most of you reading this, you know I really don't have a particular fondness for traditional styles of church. I have been gathering with a home-based church group for several months now and I have just fallen in love with it. I just wanted to take a little time to explain why I love it so much.

1) Eating together every week. While this may sound trivial to some, my primary love language (from Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages) is Quality Time. I rarely got to spend any quality time with people in traditional/contemporary churches. With house church, I get my fix every week, at least.

2) Input in teaching. I'll just say this: in every other single Sunday School class I have been a part of, almost nobody took my inputs/suggestions seriously, except when I was teaching (which was rarely). I'm not sure why. Yet with an open Bible study, everyone has a chance to ask questions, give input, relate to current struggles, apply to life, and so on. My input is valuable, and I get the chance to value input from others.

3) Prayer. This is the crown jewel of the house church movement as far as I'm concerned. In our group, at the end of the Bible time, we all pray for one another every week. When someone prays for you in your presence, it is the most amazing feeling in the world. When a Sunday School teacher prays for you--it feels cold and forced. When a friend prays for you who doesn't have to, it is the most affirming thing ever. I rarely got this at church (for one thing I didn't feel comfortable enough to share requests) and I get it every week at house church. Plus, I think it's in the Bible somewhere.

4) Sleeping in on Sunday. Since our group just has one long meeting per week (and not three short ones) we just have it on Sunday nights, and Sunday mornings are free---and they are AWESOME!! I really don't see why churches try to have Sunday School, AND Service, AND Discipleship Classes, AND Second Service all in one day. Who can keep track of all that? No wonder the best Christians are educated beyond their obedience---they don't have time to obey because they're spending so much time in inneffective Bible studies.
Bottom line: I feel physically refreshed from resting, and spiritually refreshed from the evening's activities with zero compromises. Win-win-win.

I know there are "traditional" churches out there that incorporate these elements into their routine and they are much better off because of it.

For me, going to church is like eating vegetables. It's something that really isn't fun, but you do it anyone because either someone makes you, or think it's good for you. House church is like finding out that there is ice cream and soda that keeps you healthier than vegetables. Only God could do something like that. It's just too bad He doesn't do that with real ice cream and soda.