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Why is the experience with God different in a house church?
To answer this question, we must first start with the negative. Why are Jesus and the Holy Spirit experienced differently in the institutional church? What brought about the change? When did the change occur? What exactly is the difference between the house church’s “Jesus” and the institutional church’s “Jesus”? Isn’t it the same Jesus? What is the difference when it comes to the Holy Spirit?
Yes, it’s the same Jesus, but his experiences, interactions, happenings, and revelations are very different. The same applies to the Holy Spirit.
You heard that right. Jesus reveals Himself differently to His bride in the house church than to His bride in the institutional church. This book provides a detailed explanation of the reasons for this belief, along with the necessary Scriptures to support it.
Changes and organization in the institutional church
First, we need to look at what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. Some of his last words to the church, according to Matthew, were the following:
Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
The disciples were faithful to this command, and from the day of Pentecost onward, they did exactly what Jesus commanded them. And He was with them.
Acts 2:41-47 gives us an idea of what the disciples and the early church were doing:
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. And fear came on every one, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they sold their possessions and goods and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had need. And day by day, continuing with one accord in the temple and from house to house, they broke bread and ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Notice the words, “and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching”. They did not deviate from what Jesus and the apostles had taught them. They added nothing to it and took nothing away.
Notice the words “in fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers.” They also persevered in fellowship with one another and broke bread from house to house. This speaks of mutual interaction on an informal level.
Notice the words “And all who believed were together”. This again indicates interaction and a shared community life. It’s not merely a Sunday morning gathering experience.
Romans 16:3-5
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for me. Not only do I give thanks to them, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Greet the church that is in their house.
Colossians 4:15
Greet the brothers in Laodicea and Nymphas and the church in his house.
The Scriptures are also very clear about where the believers met. Initially, they met in Jewish synagogues and the Jewish temple (outside on the stairs) to encourage the Jews to accept the Christian faith, but after being persecuted by those who rejected it, they began to meet only in homes.
The most important factor, however, was that these congregations shared a simple, uncomplicated community life with one another, grouping together only around Jesus Christ.
These Scriptures are only to provide an idea of what the New Testament church looked like.
And so the pure church, which was born of Jesus as a living organism, living and breathing, functioned for about 300 years. Admittedly, undesirable deviations began to take hold already in the first century after Christ, leading to changes in doctrine and practice that would eventually alter the church’s original mission and community dynamics.
However, the artificial relationships of faith of the early church gave way to a religious organization by 300 AD, as the church began to adopt structured hierarchies and formal doctrines that shifted the focus from personal faith to institutional authority.
Factors that gave rise to human institutions in the church
We will discuss the practical complications of the above statements a little later.
I want to focus first on the historical events and the influence of circumstances to which the early church was exposed after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. What happened to the church, and what took place in Judea after Jesus and the fundamental apostles laid the foundation of the young church?
The church was born in circumstances that were not at all favorable to the early Christians. The Jews hated the Christians and wanted to exterminate them if they could. Persecutions began from the outset, leading to the deaths of Christians at the hands of the Jews.
As the church grew and became larger, the Christians attracted more and more attention. Not only were the Jews aware of this new “cult,” but also the rest of the population of the Roman Empire gradually took notice of this small group of people who were becoming more and more numerous by the day.
Judea at this time was part of the enormous and powerful Roman Empire, which allowed and actually promoted the worship of many gods. The more Gods, the better for everyone. No faith was persecuted or forbidden. During the birth of the church and the initial spread of Christians, the Jews, who worshipped only one God, attracted the attention of the Roman imperialist rulers. They refused to make sacrifices to other gods and also refused to bow down to or worship the Roman emperors. The Roman emperors were not happy with their refusal and eventually began to persecute the Jews. These actions caused serious damage to the relationship between the Jews and the Romans.
The Jews were responsible for bloody revolts in 66 AD, 115 AD, and 132 AD. His eldest son, Titus, brought the first major revolt under control in 70 AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian. In the process, Jerusalem and the temple of God were destroyed, and over a million Jews were killed. Over one hundred thousand Jews were captured and sold into slavery throughout the empire. This event was the beginning of God’s judgment on Israel for rejecting and killing his Son, Jesus. These events happened exactly as Jesus had predicted.
The Jewish Christians, of course, escaped this judgment on Israel because they were miraculously removed from the cities and regions concerned by the Holy Spirit (Christians received prophecies and were led by the Holy Spirit to leave the areas concerned before the massacre would take place).
In 115 AD, the Jews once again revolted against the Roman Empire, which the Romans suppressed by 117 AD. These revolts were a serious frustration for the Romans. Emperor Hadrian visited Jerusalem again a few years later, in 130 AD, and by suppressing this Jewish revolt and also during this visit, he further rubbed salt into the wounds of the Jews. In the process, he made the following changes:
He made Judea a Roman province.
He changed Jerusalem’s name to “Aelia Capitolina”.
He dedicated the city to the god Jupiter.
He built a pagan temple to Jupiter in place of the Jewish temple.
He completely banned the circumcision of Jewish boys.
Once again, the Roman Empire and the emperor were instruments in God’s Acts, just as God used the Assyrians in the Old Testament to carry out the judgment that Jesus pronounced upon the Jews. This time, the purpose was to no longer allow the Israelites to practice their outdated faith. Jesus fulfilled the law and faith by grace; through the redemptive work of Jesus, Judaism was replaced forever.
The relationship between the Jews and the Christians had long since been irreparable. Roman oppression had completely destroyed the practice of the Jewish faith. The Jew could no longer practice his Jewish traditions and religious rituals in any way. This led to the outbreak of the last Jewish revolt in 133 AD. Initially, the Jews were successful, but over time, they were subdued. By 135 AD, the aim of the Roman Empire was not only to subdue the Jews but to exterminate them completely. At this stage, they had endured enough problems from this small population group, which had led to significant unrest and conflict in the region, ultimately prompting the Roman Empire to take drastic measures against them. Although Judea was a Roman province, it was not a very good asset for the Roman Empire.
With the previous revolt, Emperor Hadrian had banned their faith; with this final blow, he wanted not only to completely destroy their faith but also to completely wipe Jerusalem and the Jews from Jewish soil. The Jews should not have expected any sympathy from the Roman Empire, and they did not receive it either. The massacre that followed was a complete victory for the Roman Empire and had catastrophic consequences for the Jews:
More than half a million Jews were killed.
Not a single Jew was allowed to remain behind in Aelia Capitolina (Old Jerusalem).
For many years, Jews were not even allowed to visit the city.
Jews were banished from the province and dispersed throughout the Roman Empire.
Judea’s name was changed to Palestine.
Alia Capitolina was populated with Greco-Romans.
The Jewish faith was once again banned in totality, including the circumcision of infants.
Any Jew caught practicing any Jewish religious rituals would be killed immediately.
The use of the Torah (Law of Moses) was forbidden and was burned by Roman soldiers on the Temple Mount.
Emperor Hadrian basically put an end to the Jewish faith and the Old Testament Jewish nation. Nothing of it remained. It is for this reason that the Jewish saying “May his bones be crushed”, referring to Emperor Hadrian, originated. The Jewish state and nation would not reemerge in world history for approximately 1500 years.
You can imagine that the Christians were not very popular at this time either. They were considered Jews (referring to the Jewish faith) because the average Roman citizen did not yet realize that the Jews actually followed two different religions. However, over time, they began to notice the differences. Although the Christians were not part of the near-extinction of the Jewish people, they were also eventually persecuted because of their monistic religious beliefs, which were often misunderstood and viewed as a threat by the dominant Roman society.
The Romans were very superstitious and did not want to do anything that would anger the gods. The general feeling was that this new sect or religion, referring to the Christians, who refused to sacrifice to the gods, would cause everyone’s death and bring much misery to the Roman empire if they were not forced into obedience. The gods should at least be treated with respect.
Many of the emperors persecuted Christians: Nero, Domitian, Maximin, Decius, Diocletian, Galerius, and other Roman emperors and Roman citizens shared in this unforgiving, cruel practice. Nero, Galerius, and Diocletian in particular were responsible for many cruel persecutions. Some of these emperors hated the Christians with a passion and wanted to exterminate them; some of them just wanted to persuade the Christians to respect the gods so that no judgments would befall the empire. Some emperors were simply evil, bloodthirsty, and insane. Whatever the reason or motivation, between 1 and 3 million Christians were brutally persecuted, tortured, burned, thrown into the arenas for wild animals, beheaded, chopped into pieces, and dismembered over a period of about 250 years. It was truly a cruel time.
When we read the New Testament, especially the epistles of Paul and the other apostles, we must not forget these circumstances in which the early church found itself. However, during this period, the church grew rapidly and dynamically. The church could not be destroyed or stopped. The more persecution there was, the more the believers cherished their faith and refused to deny their God. It was truly inspiring, and God only added more and more Roman citizens, including prominent people, to the church ranks.
However, the church needed a miracle in these dark times of persecution. Christians were truly vulnerable and at the mercy of Roman emperors and civil servants. The Christians were like sheep being led to the slaughter. The miracle came in 312 AD. The first emperor to convert, Constantine, made his appearance in world history. He would stop the persecution of Christians immediately after coming to power.
Constantine, who converted to Christianity—an event we know little about— ascended the imperial throne in 312 AD. He immediately protected Christianity through legislation. He ratified the Edict of Milan, which basically legalized Christianity. He literally went so far as to make Christianity the official religion of the entire Roman Empire. He made a decree that even the possessions of persecuted Christians had to be returned to them. At that time, Constantine was the Eastern Roman Empire’s emperor, and Maximinus was the Western Empire’s. Maximinus was not a Christian and was literally “forced” by Constantine to introduce the Christian reforms he had introduced in the Eastern Empire to the Western Empire as well. Maximinus did this out of necessity to maintain favorable relations with Constantine. Thus, Constantine became a protector of Christianity. A few years later, however, Maximinus no longer bothered with these reforms and returned to the old imperialist views regarding the Christian faith. Constantine was forced to march against him and defeat him in battle. He once again reinstated the Edict of Milan in the Western Empire and repaired the damage Maximinus had caused.
Christianity infiltrated all levels of society, and people from all walks of life, social groups, and nations converted to Christianity. Even Roman soldiers, statesmen, political leaders, and the aristocracy converted to Christianity. The church literally flourished in the Roman Empire.
The conversion of Constantine and his rise to emperor of the Roman Empire was truly a turning point in the history of the church of Christianity. One moment, Christians were bitterly persecuted and their faith outlawed; the next moment, Christianity was legal. Not only did Christianity become the official faith of the entire Roman Empire, but all other religions were declared illegal and banned.
Over the years, different emperors ruled the Western and Eastern parts of the Roman Empire. The Christian emperors protected the Christian faith, and the pagan emperors wanted to destroy it. Julian was one emperor who tried with enormous zeal to undo the work of Constantine throughout the Roman Empire. If he had not died in battle soon after ascending the imperial throne, the church would have suffered greatly.
Although Constantine’s role in establishing Christianity in the Roman Empire was of inestimable value to the church, decisions were also made, and changes were made in the nature and structure of the church that had a very negative impact on the body of Christ. The church was not allowed to continue as a living organism. Sadly, even before Constantine, some in the church had strayed from apostolic teachings already.
If the church had been able to cope with this false gospel and teachings under normal circumstances, it was now impossible. Unfortunately, to protect the church against false doctrines, the Roman emperors abused their authority. The church would now become an organization under human control and be run according to worldly systems, losing its spiritual authority and mission in the process. Exactly what Jesus warned the disciples against has now happened, as the church has succumbed to political influence and lost its spiritual autonomy.
The establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire and the Roman emperors’ attitude of “protection” of Christianity became the major factors that led to the establishment of the institutional church. The church and the state worked closely together from the beginning. This arrangement was never an official decision, but events in the church and in the state (government) systematically led to it. The church began to operate like the state, and many state practices and customs were taken over, such as the implementation of legal systems and public ceremonies that mirrored governmental functions. At times, the emperors engaged in confrontations with church leaders, while at other times, they intervened in church affairs. Conversely, there were also instances where church leaders became involved in state matters.
Regardless, the emperors made many decisions regarding church matters and customs. They were established like state laws, and no one could do anything about them, which meant that church leaders had little power to challenge these decisions or influence church customs independently. Emperors appointed church leaders, systematically weakening the church through corruption.
Bishops and other church leaders often bought their positions in the church. Popes and other church leaders became just as corrupt as the emperors and other state officials over the years, leading to a significant decline in moral authority and public trust in the church. Political groupings arose in the church, and people in influential positions were played off against each other, leading to power struggles that often undermined the church’s moral authority and its relationship with the state. There were times when the state and the church were controlled by the emperor, and there were also times when the pope controlled the church and the state.
In the Eastern Roman Empire, the position of the emperor was unquestionably and officially accepted as the head of the church. Emperors were considered instruments of the Most High God, who had to protect the church from persecution and who had to implement and protect certain religious beliefs.
The Western emperors shared the same attitude, but they implemented it more diplomatically due to the pope’s opposition. However, the emperors abused this self-appointed position and also used it for their own gain, often prioritizing their political ambitions over the spiritual needs of the church and its followers. Political interests and corruption took their toll on the church, leading to a significant decline in its moral authority and the erosion of its spiritual mission. The organic bride of God was transformed into an organized religion, a human institution.
Eventually, a split occurred between the Eastern Empire and the Western Empire. Parallel to this, there was also a split between the various churches. The Western church (Catholic Church) and the Eastern church (Greek Orthodox Church) drifted apart over the years due to doctrinal differences, and eventually, the relationship between the two groups was irreparable. Big doctrinal differences also plagued both church groups from within. Decisions were simply proclaimed and implemented by emperors, and church leaders followed their example, often leading to further divisions and conflicts within the church as differing interpretations of doctrine emerged among the clergy.
It was in these circumstances that the dismantling of the church took place. The beneficial work that Constantine had begun, which was truly a divine intervention, had an ugly aftermath that caused much damage. The bright spot was that persecution had at least come to an end.
When we evaluate what we see in the institutional church today, we should never forget these historical events in the Roman Empire. Given this background, I think you may be surprised to learn that most of what we do in our Christian communities today has no Scriptural basis for it.
This includes most of the activities in church services – the worship service, the training and appointment of leaders in the church, the buildings we use, the way funds are raised, the routines and programs used in youth ministry, the way music is used in services, the stewardship of God’s money, the way evangelistic outreaches are conducted, congregation interaction outside of worship, etc.
From the end of the second century, man introduced changes over a long period. It was these human institutions that transformed the church into an organization in its very essence. These changes systematically killed the living organism within the institution.
The great human “injection” began mainly in the days of Constantine and the development of the Catholic church. It was continued during the Protestant Reformation and was carried still further during the days of the Revival preachers. Although the latter two movements brought about something of a restoration in certain areas, they also carried the original changes further in the process and even implemented new changes, such as altering traditional practices and introducing new theological perspectives that influenced the institution’s approach to spirituality.
With this, the church no longer remained with the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. Paul and Peter both predicted, or should I rather say both prophesied, that the church would be infiltrated everywhere by false prophets who would follow and introduce seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. They would forbid children of the Lord to marry and to eat certain foods. They would esteem human traditions and pagan beliefs higher than the word of God. The church would be seduced by the hypocrisy of liars who are branded in their consciences and would be tempted to follow these falsehoods (1 Timothy 4).
We also read about this in Colossians 2:23
Which, although it has an appearance of wisdom in self-willed religion and humility and in severity against the body, has no value but extends to the satiation of the flesh.
Also 2 Peter 2:1-3
…just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction; and many will follow their perverse ways, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed; and in greed they will exploit you with feigned words…
From these Scriptures, we can clearly see that the church has been targeted from the beginning by false prophets and people with dark motives to bring in falsehoods. Peter calls it “secretly importing”. Paul calls it “self-willed religion”. Here it is written in black and white. It was predicted, and it happened. Within a few years after Paul and Peter wrote these words, this self-willed religion began to carry out its work of destruction with fire and flame. What was already visible and had already raised its head in Paul’s day, now took hold everywhere in the church with all intents and purposes.
Once the Catholic Church was deployed and became a state-controlled organization, nothing could stop it. They began to forbid people from getting married, they introduced all kinds of rules and regulations, and they took advantage of people with elaborate words out of greed, with their “buy your salvation with money” teachings. These Catholic leaders (bishops, popes, and other leaders) introduced the hierarchical system of the world into the church. It was officially established by Constantine, but that is precisely what they wanted. They even bought their positions with money. Many times, they were not even saved children of God, which highlights the moral and spiritual decline within the church leadership during that period.
They politicized the church to the point that it was indistinguishable from the state or other institutions. These people literally tossed and turned the church aside. They no longer held to the teaching of the apostles. They deviated from it.
The teaching of the apostles was formally accepted as the true, pure word of God. It was the foundation on which the church was built. We read about it in Ephesians 2:19-20
So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone.
These people did not continue in the apostles’ teaching like the first believers. Acts 2:42 confirms this:
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread…
Within a century or two, the true communion of saints, a deep relational faith, was replaced by a superficial, idiosyncratic religion. Go read the history of the church if you want to know the naked details of it. The other day, I came across a very interesting podcast on church history on “iTunes”: “Lance Ralston’s Communio Sanctorum, History of the Christian church”. It is a short overview of church history, and the episodes are only about 20 minutes each, which makes it effortless to follow. It is free, and the sound quality is excellent. You are welcome to listen to it if you are keen to know more about church history.
For the first 300 years of the church’s existence, the Roman Empire was steeped in pagan religion. The establishment of the Roman Catholic Church in the fourth century involved the incorporation of numerous pagan and Jewish practices. They established a system of professional leadership, sacred buildings were put into use, the burning of incense in services was introduced, holy virgins were put in place, the Lord’s covenant meal was turned into a mysterious ritual, and so on.
The House Church manual’s next section includes a list of practices that the church has incorporated over the years. Note that most of these practices are pagan practices.
Who changed what?
I would highly recommend a very good book about human institutions in the Christian church: Pagan Christianity? Exploring the roots of our church practices, Frank Viola and George Barna, https://www.frankviola.net/
The book discusses in detail all the institutional church doctrines and deviations over the years. I would like to give a brief overview of them:
The Church Building
The first church building was built under Emperor Constantine in 327 AD. The first building styles were derived from the Roman basilica style, which was largely the style of Roman state buildings. This was again derived from the Greek pagan temples. When Jesus appeared on the scene, He ended three elements of the Jewish faith: the temple, the priesthood, and animal sacrifices. He fulfilled all three in Himself. He is the Temple of God; He is our High Priest, and He is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed once for all for us. The Christian faith thus became the only faith without these three elements.
Jesus made two statements, which resulted in two different reactions: The Jews became enraged when He said that if the temple were destroyed, He would rebuild it in three days (referring to His body on the cross). In contrast, the Samaritan woman accepted Jesus’ claim that God would be worshipped in spirit and truth, not in the temple in Jerusalem or on the mountain in Samaria.
Sacred Buildings
As we can see, the institutional church began to use buildings, although this was not the case among the first believers. They met in homes because the church is considered a family. The street, the sports field, the market square, and the house are characteristic and unique to the church or family of God. The Catholics even went so far as to sanctify these buildings. Like the pagans, they built some of these church buildings on the graves of Christian martyrs, and as a result, these church buildings were considered and declared holy. The temples of various pagan religions were built on the graves of pagan religious leaders, and as a result, they were considered holy. The Catholic Christians began to adopt this practice in the 3rd and 4th centuries. The body of Christ is holy. There are no holy buildings, only holy people. We are with Jesus, the temple of God. He is the head, and we are the body.
The Shepherd’s Chair
The use of the shepherd’s chair is derived from the bishop’s throne. It originated from the judge’s chair in the Roman Court. A contemporary custom is to make a larger chair available for the pastor, usually behind the pulpit. This practice was introduced to emphasize the importance of position. Because there were no positions in the church before, practical customs that emphasized the role had to be introduced.
Tax Exemption for Churches and Church Leaders
Constantine granted tax exemptions to church leaders in 313 AD. A privilege that pagan priests had long enjoyed. He also granted the same status to churches in 323 AD. These concessions were made to strengthen the partnership between church and state.
Stained Glass Windows
First used by Gregory of Tours and perfected by Suger (1081-1151), abbot of St. Denis.
Gothic Cathedrals
This spooky architecture, based on the pagan philosophy of Plato, was put into use in the 12th century.
The Church Tower
Rooted in ancient Babylonian and Egyptian architecture and philosophy, the church steeple was a medieval invention that was popularized and modernized by Sir Christopher Wren in London in 1666. The tower was borrowed from pagan beliefs.
The Pulpit
The pulpit was already in use in 250 AD. It came from the Greek “ambo,” which was a pulpit used by the Greeks and the Jews for speeches. Pulpits were not used in the Christian church because there was no preaching during the meetings. Everyone participated on an equal level through the gifts of the Spirit, which meant that each member contributed to the meetings without a designated preacher leading the service. There was preaching on the streets, but this preaching was exclusively evangelistic in nature.
Church pews
Originated in England in the 13th century.
The Sunday Morning Order of Worship
The order of activities during the Sunday morning service was derived from St. Gregory’s Mass (altar service) in the sixteenth century, and further revisions to the order were made by Luther, Calvin, the Puritans, the Free Church tradition, the Methodists, the Revival preachers, and the Pentecostal movement. Over the years, new customs took hold, and everything was combined, and the order of worship as we know it came into being. This order of worship replaced the free functioning of the entire congregation through the gifts of the Spirit.
The Centralization of the Pulpit in the Order of Worship
Martin Luther introduced the centralization of the pulpit in the worship order in 1523. With this change, the sermon, delivered by a single person (pastor) as we know it today, became the most important liturgical activity in the congregational assembly. The sermon gradually gained prominence as preachers perfected this art.
Burning Candles on the “Covenant Meal Table” and the Burning of Incense
The communion table was introduced by Ulrich Zwingli in the sixteenth century. Burning candles were used in the ceremonial court of the Roman emperors in the fourth century. This practice was then carried over to the covenant meal table.
The Lord’s Covenant Meal taken quarterly
Introduced by Ulrich Zwingli in the sixteenth century. Due to the large congregations, the Lord’s Supper could no longer be enjoyed as a complete family meal. It no longer had to be a full meal, just a ritual, and even that had to be scaled down.
The Congregation That Stands and Sings When the Leaders Enter
The ceremonial court of the Roman emperors in the fourth century provided the source. Calvin also incorporated it into the Protestant liturgy. The church implemented many of the Roman state customs due to their close collaboration.
Arrive at the “Church” with a Somber/Respectful Attitude
The medieval view of piety served as the foundation for this approach. This view was implemented in Protestant services by John Calvin and Martin Luther. The church was no longer a joyful family life but had already degenerated into a formal, ceremonial religion.
Condemnation and Guilt over Missing a Service
Adopted by the New England Puritans in the seventeenth century, they fined and even tortured parishioners if they missed services.
The long Shepherd’s prayer that precedes the sermon
Introduced by the seventeenth-century Puritans. This shepherd’s prayer has become increasingly prominent because it once again emphasizes the status of the single shepherd. Only the shepherd of the congregation had the authority and status to pray. His prayer is stronger than a common man’s, making the congregation reliant on the shepherd. Again, a vicious cycle to place the church leaders on a higher rung and ultimately make them an intermediary between God and the common people.
The Shepherd’s Prayer pronounced in “Elizabethan English”
Established by the eighteenth-century Methodists.
The general objective of preaching for the salvation of individual souls
Used by eighteenth-century Revival preachers. Man was increasingly influenced to practice his faith on an individualistic basis. You meet your “personal” savior. You serve your God in a “personal” way. You face life with its challenges individually. You live out your faith “personally”. Everything became individualistic. The shared community life of the family of God no longer existed. (Read Acts 2:42-47)
The Altar Call
Introduced by the seventeenth-century Methodists and popularized by Charles Finney. In the early churches, there were no altar calls. When a person converted, when he wanted to follow Jesus, he did so by being baptized. Baptism was the act of conversion. “I follow Jesus by water”. This act made the “declaration”. For example, Jesus said to the rich young man: Sell your possessions and follow me. He said this to others, too. Before the seventeenth century, there were no altar calls.
The Church Bulletin (written liturgy)
It originated in 1884 after Albert Blake Dick invented his duplicating machine. So rigid was the order of worship that you could type it out in advance. You could, as it were, engrave it in stone.
The “Solo” Salvation Song, Door-to-Door Evangelism, Evangelistic Advertising Campaigns
Introduced by DL Moody. These were all part of the individualization of the church. They were also human methods to fill certain gaps. The church no longer functioned as Jesus and the apostles had intended, leaving certain things behind and making others practically impossible. These had to be replaced with alternative methods.
Bowing the Heads with Eyes Closed and Lifting a hands in Response to a Salvation Message
Introduced by Billy Graham in the twentieth century. Again, alternative methods had to be adapted due to the large crowds. Ministers in the early church in their time would have just said, “Those who want to follow Jesus, let’s go and baptize you,” and started walking to the river.
The Evangelization of the World in One Generation Slogan
Started by John Mott in 1888.
The “Solo” Singing or Playing of a Song While the Collection is Being Recorded
Introduced by the twentieth-century Pentecostal movement.
The Contemporary Sermon
The Greek orators and philosophers, who were experts in the art of oratory and eloquence, inspired this. It was popularized in the church by John Chrysostom and Augustine (The Greco-Roman sermon). When the New Testament speaks of preaching, it is intended exclusively for evangelistic purposes. The word for “preaching” in Greek means “proclaim” and “declare” everywhere you go that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. “Proclaim” and “declare” that He paid for us with His blood and that He is our Savior. Primarily, only evangelists and apostles preached when they addressed an unsaved audience or individuals somewhere on the street or elsewhere. Such events did not occur at all in the gatherings of the believers.
The One-Hour Sermon, Sermon “crib” notes, The Four-part Sermon Outline
Established by the seventeenth-century Puritans.
The Single Bishop (Predecessor of the Modern Shepherd or Pastor)
Ignatius of Antioch introduced this concept in the second century. However, his one-bishop rule did not stand until the third century, when it began to become popular. Elders and the fivefold ministry did exist in the early church and still exist in the house churches today, but were never positions. It was and still is only a function. Ignatius specifically elevated the elder function to a position.
The “Covering” Doctrine
Cyprian of Carthage, a once pagan orator, began to teach this false doctrine. It was later revived under Juan Carlos Ortiz of Argentina and also by the “Fort Lauderdale Five” of the United States of America when they founded the so-called “Shepherding-Discipleship Movement” in the 1970s. This false teaching, which is, of course, not Scriptural at all, was born out of fear. Pastors who, for one reason or another, have lost congregation members and, by the nature of the matter, also income, have, because they fear the worst, also instilled fear in congregation members that they are moving out from under their “covering” and thus being exposed to all sorts of “unspeakable things.”
There is no Scripture to justify this false teaching. There is not even any Scripture that justifies the term “corporate anointing.” The word does not even appear in the New Testament. There is only one head over the church, and His name is Jesus Christ. As a child of God, you are always and completely safe in Him. He will never leave you or forsake you, wherever you are. The church of God is a spiritual being. It has no walls or structures and is not tied to denominations. Denominations come from us, not from God. If you have Jesus Christ, you are safe, in his church, in the kingdom of God, and under his protection.
Hierarchical Leadership
Introduced into the church by Constantine in the fourth century. It was borrowed from the state leadership systems of the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, which provided a framework for the church’s hierarchical structure and governance. It took Ignatius’ “single shepherd” leader further into a total pyramid (chain of command system) like in a large company with a headquarters, regions, sections, and divisions. The institutional church became more professional. More and more measures that had to control the institution were increasingly introduced, such as regulations on clergy conduct and the establishment of hierarchical structures to ensure accountability.
Jesus was, of course, never the head of the institutional church. He was and still is the head of the true spiritual church, also the true spiritual church within the institutional church.
Church leadership grouped against Ordinary Members (Clergy and Laity)
The word “laity” was first noted in the writings of Clement of Rome. “Clergy” was first noted in Tertullian. By the third century, church leaders were known worldwide as “Clergy.” With that, the biblical and God-ordained brotherhood of “all on equal footing” was a thing of the past.
Contemporary Ordination of Church Leaders
It originated sometime between the second and fourth centuries. It was derived from the Roman state custom of formally appointing civil servants to government positions. The idea of an ordained minister as a “holy man of God” can be traced back to Augustine, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Chrysostom. There is no Scriptural justification for this practice. There is no sign of such rituals in the New Testament. The Bible does include the laying on of hands to awaken or impart the gifts of the Spirit (baptism in the Holy Spirit), but this is often confused with such rituals. However, the laying on of hands has nothing to do with positional appointments, as it is primarily intended for spiritual empowerment and does not confer authority or leadership roles within the church.
The Title “Pastor”
Catholic priests who became Protestant ministers during Martin Luther’s reforms were not called “Pastors” until the 18th century, when this Catholic title was replaced by “Pastor” among Lutheran devotees.
Christians Dressed in Their “Sunday Best” for Church
This practice originated in the late eighteenth century with the Industrial Revolution. It spread worldwide in the nineteenth century. The emerging middle class could also afford more expensive clothing and quickly adapted to their wealthy, aristocratic fellow citizens. Before such events, meetings were attended by Christians in normal, comfortable clothing and even in work clothes.
Church Leaders Clothing
This practice began in 330 AD when Christian church leaders began to wear the same clothing as Roman civil servants. By the 12th century, they started wearing this clothing even on the streets, which set them apart from the common people.
Church leaders were synonymous with civil servants. They both received a salary from the state and were both in the service of the emperor. Hence, the same clothing.
The Contemporary Pastors Pack
Derived from the black cloak worn by Reformation ministers, the black suit of the twentieth century has become the typical attire of the modern pastor worldwide. The attire of pastors in some Pentecostal and charismatic movements has, meanwhile, become more informal.
The Church Choir
As a result of Constantine’s desire to imitate the professional music used in Roman Imperial ceremonies, the professional church choir came into being. Also in the 4th century, Christians borrowed the church choir idea from choirs used in Greek dramas and Greek temples. This was the beginning of choirmasters. In the early church, choirmasters were not used. Nor were musical instruments used. The music of the church for many years after Christ was a cappella singing.
The Boys Choir
Was borrowed in the 4th century from the boys’ choirs used by pagan religions.
Funeral Processions and Funeral Sermons
Borrowed from “Greco-Roman” pagan beliefs in the 3rd century.
The Worship Team
This practice was introduced in 1965 at the “Calvary Chapel” in America and is based on the secular rock and roll concerts.
Tithes and Offerings hands
It was not a widespread Christian institution until the 8th century. The 10% tax on the “rent of buildings system” that was in use in Europe during the Middle Ages was used to pay the salaries of church leaders and to fund other expenses. Later, when the Roman state no longer wanted to pay salaries to church leaders, it was replaced by the Old Testament “tithe” system to justify it. However, this was the Israelite state’s tax system of the Old Testament, which was, of course, a God-given institution. (Remember God led the state of Israel, and the tax was intended for widows, the poor, and the Levites, as well as for normal state expenses).
Israel was unique in that the Israelite faith, the temple, priests, and Levitical offices were vital to the government, but this system is unrelated to the church. The Christian faith has completely different principles about sowing and reaping, caring for the needy, poor people, responsible stewardship, and so on, which are very clearly set out in the New Testament.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
But remember this: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that, always having all that you need, you may abound to every good work.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given into your lap. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you again.
It is very clear that one must still give. Not a tithe, but as you intend in your heart. Nor under compulsion. It is a voluntary action, and there are no fundraising projects or actions of any kind carried out in house churches. Financial ministry in the church occurs in the same way as any other ministry: through the work of Jesus within us.
It is activated in the heart of Christ in us and not by pressure from outside. In the house churches, everyone gives as he intends in his heart to the needy in the congregation, widows and orphans, poor people who come their way, evangelistic outreaches, church planting, and everyone as the Spirit puts them on their hearts. Giving to the poor is not only an obedience to God’s commands but also an act of faith to show God that you honor and recognize Him as your provider. You give and trust God in return for your income.
Finances in house churches are used for the right purpose because there are no expenses associated with buying and maintaining buildings or paying salaries.
I just want to mention that institutional churches need money to exist and function. If you worship at an institutional church, it is right that you fulfill your financial obligations to the particular congregation where you worship, as is expected of you.
You worship there, and you receive your spiritual food there, which includes guidance, community support, and opportunities for spiritual growth. The law of sowing and reaping is still valid wherever you do it.
Church Leaders’ Salaries
This practice was introduced by Constantine in the 4th century. The Church leaders were treated like civil servants and also received salaries from the state. Later, the church had to bear its own expenses, and the Old Testament tithe system was “adapted” and justified to fund expenses. – Before salaries were introduced by Constantine, God’s full-time workers (Five-fold ministry) trusted Him for provision, and others did part-time work to support themselves. They were not hired hands but did God’s work for the right reasons. It is also scriptural that a full-time worker does not receive money where he ministers but rather is financially supported by congregations from another region that sent him. You cannot minister or “serve” people who pay you. It should not be that way. They pay your salary and therefore have a say over you. This was truly a principle that Paul strictly applied in his life.
The Collection Board
The offering bowl appeared on the scene in the 14th century, followed by the introduction of the collection plate in 1662.
The Usher/Ushers
Began with Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) of England. A predecessor of the doorkeeper, the church porter, made his appearance as early as the 3rd century.
Infant baptism
Rooted in the superstitious beliefs that were prevalent in Greco-Roman culture, infant baptism was incorporated into the Christian faith in the late second century. By the 5th century, it had completely replaced adult baptism. It was not until much later in church history that adult baptism began to increase again.
Replacing immersion with sprinkling
Began in Western churches in the late Middle Ages.
Baptism removed from repentance
The superstition that baptism was the sole means of forgiveness of sins gave rise to this practice in the early 2nd century. According to this legalistic superstition, if you sinned again after your baptism, you could not be saved again. Many people, such as Constantine, postponed baptism until his deathbed to ensure that he was saved.
Later, mass baptism was completely discontinued. In New Testament times, baptism was precisely the “act of conversion”. The modern “altar call” replaced baptism. People accepted Jesus precisely with this step of faith. They were therefore baptized immediately.
The Sinner’s Prayer
It originated with DL Moody but was popularized in the 1950s by Billy Graham with his “Peace with God” tract. Campus Crusade for Christ also popularized it with their “Four Spiritual Laws.” In the early church, there was no repentance prayer. People began to follow Jesus through baptism. Of course, they automatically confessed the Lord Jesus as the Son of God and as their Savior.
The use of the term “Personal Savior”
It was first used by revival preachers in the 1800s, but was popularized by Charles Fuller (1887-1968). In the early church, everything was experienced collectively as a congregation or as the communion of saints. Individualism did not exist at all in the early church, as the focus was on communal worship and shared beliefs rather than personal interpretations of faith. Jesus is not my savior. He is our savior.
The Lord’s Covenant Meal scaled down – From Full Love Meal to Ceremonial Ritual
The practice was introduced in the late 2nd century as a result of pagan ceremonial influences. There were no ceremonial rituals in the early church, no special days celebrated like Jewish feasts, and no Jewish customs like blowing shofars and waving banners. These things were either pagan customs or Old Testament shadows of what Jesus came to fulfill. In Mark 14:22, Jesus instituted the covenant meal as part of the regular meal. It was not simply a ritual; it was part of the family meal of the family of God:
And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks…
1 Corinthians 11:25 also confirms this:
Likewise, also the cup after supper, with the words…
The Catholic Seminary
As a result of the Council of Trent (1545-1563), the first seminary was founded. The curriculum was based on the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, which was a blend of Christian doctrines, Aristotelian philosophy, and Neoplatonic philosophy.
The Protestant Seminary
Began in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1808. The curriculum was also based on the teachings of Thomas Aquinas.
The Bible College
Influenced by the revival movement of DL Moody, the first two Bible Colleges were opened in New York (Missionary Training Institute) in 1882 and in Chicago (Moody Bible Institute) in 1886. As you can see here, official training for church leaders is a very recent institution (less than 200 years ago)
The Sunday School
Robert Raikes of Britain opened a Sunday school in 1780 to teach poor children the basic principles of education. This later gave rise to the teaching of Christian or biblical principles at the child level.
The Youth Pastor
Developed in the urban areas of America in the late 1930s, it was the result of a search for ways to meet the needs of a new social class called “teenagers.”
The collection of Paul’s letters into a canon and arranged in descending length (from longest to shortest)
Occurred in the 2nd century by the Roman Catholic Church. This arrangement makes reading the Bible somewhat difficult because it throws the continuity of events into disarray, particularly in understanding the chronological flow of Paul’s letters and their context within early Christian teachings. It would have made much more sense if it had been placed in the order Paul wrote it.
Chapter numbers inserted in the New Testament
Professor Stephen Langton of the University of Paris in 1227. This work was done to make passages in the Bible easier to find when referred to—not a bad idea except that certain chapters are cut off from a following passage of Scripture or a previous passage of Scripture, which makes reading the Bible a little more complicated and can affect interpretation.
Verse numbers inserted in the New Testament
The printer Robert Stephanus in 1551. This change was done to make it easier to find passages in the Bible when referring to them—not a bad idea except that certain verses are cut off from the next or a previous verse or verses, which makes reading the Bible a little more complicated and can affect interpretation. This is why Jesus and other New Testament writers just said “it is written” when they quoted Scripture.
The Bible was also kept away from God’s children by the Catholic church in church history. Ungodly church leaders attempted to confine it to the secluded confines of monasteries, solely for their own consumption.
They wanted to keep the word of God away from the common people. They were supposedly not qualified to understand or interpret the word correctly. These are the same church leaders who later “scammed” the Christian church, took control of it, and sentenced and tortured thousands of Christians to death. Some of them were not Holy Spirit-filled, believing leaders; they were unsaved, corrupt, cunning, and dishonest, and caused terrible damage in the church. It was specifically the institutional structure of the church that allowed such leaders to gain control.
The house church, on the other hand, is completely immune to these types of attacks because of its structure, which emphasizes accountability, community involvement, and a decentralized leadership model that prevents any single individual from gaining excessive power.
Besides all these institutions and changes mentioned, there were still many little foxes that adversely affected the headship of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The changes had a massive impact on the church. The biggest disaster, of course, was that the “religion” of the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders was back in place (Rules, regulations, laws, constitutions – all man-made ordinances just like the Jews did). Paul had already had problems with Jewish converts who wanted to bring the legalistic teachings of Judaism to the church. Eventually, this negative turn in church history became a reality.
The facts are clear; the above happened. It is written in the history books of the church. It cannot be explained away. The damage has accumulated over the centuries. We cannot do much about it, but it does not have to stay that way. We can choose to put it right again by leaving the institutional church, just as the reformers chose to leave the Orthodox Catholic church.
God has therefore begun repair work over the years and is still busy with it.
The Lord has been restoring lost truths to us little by little. He started in Martin Luther’s day by restoring the foundational truth of the new birth, “the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). That truth came as a shock to people back in the 1500s. Religious leaders were enraged by it. Multitudes puzzled over whether or not to believe it. Yet today, the entire evangelical Church takes that revelation for granted. We don’t argue about it anymore. We know we’re saved, not by our own works but by simple faith in Jesus. After that revelation was restored, God began adding others. Through the Pentecostal movement that emerged in the early 1900s, for example, He took us from the new birth and reintroduced the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). Forty years later, during the great healing revival, He restored the revelation of divine healing (1 Peter 2:24). During the charismatic movement in the 1960s, He added revelations about the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-10). At the end of that decade, He taught us about the power and integrity of His written WORD and how to operate by faith in that WORD (Hebrews 4:12; Mark 11: 23-24).
– Copeland
Today, God is busy, among other things, restoring the intimate “family” relationship of the church as well as the uncomplicated house church experience.
The greatest damage, of course, came with the establishment of the leadership order of the church. The pastor, as the sole leader in the congregation, became the focal point. The pastor became a prominent figure of the Catholic and Protestant faiths and also other denominations. It is surprising, however, that there is no Scriptural basis in the Bible for this position in this configuration. In fact, the fivefold ministry in its entirety was functional in nature and not positional. The emphasis fell on the function. The core of their ministry was defined by what they did.
There were no positional appointments in the New Testament. Due to tradition, we have retroactively interpreted the concept of a single shepherd and contemporary leadership into the Bible. Instead of examining what the Bible says about leadership, we have sought to justify our existing beliefs based on biblical texts. Others have merely accepted that our familiar practices align with biblical teachings.
Scripturally and in practice, shepherds in New Testament times were local elders and overseers of the congregations. There was also a shared responsibility where more than one elder and pastor were responsible for the same congregation, and they were all acountable to each other. However, their functions were entirely different from what we see today.
There was also no hierarchical structure (pyramid ) in the early church. All Christians were equal. However, although everybody was equal and on the same level in terms of position, the fivefold ministry was, in function, a level lower than the congregation. They were serving the congregation and therefore serving as Christ did.
Everyone simply performed their function and exercised the gifts as the Holy Spirit distributed them. No one had authority over others, and no one controlled the congregations or congregation members. The apostles planted new congregations, but they never controlled or took ownership of them.
The only positional leader in the church was and still is Jesus Christ Himself. He is the church’s head (appointed by the Father) and its only authority. Only He can provide instructions, and only He can speak of His church, His congregation, or His bride. The church does not belong to us, and we are not to rule over God’s people as the world rules over people. It is God’s property, and it is holy ground.
Ignatius of Antioch was the first person to take the unfortunate path of worldly leadership. In the middle of the second century, he succeeded in elevating one of the elders in every congregation under his influence as leader over the other elders. This practice was something that Ignatius propagated for some time. During this period in church history, different forms of Gnosticism were infiltrating the Christian faith.
Ignatius wanted to protect the church from these heresies by appointing a “strong” leader in each congregation. He hoped that through “control” he would be able to fight heresies. It never occurred to him that control could also establish heresies. On the contrary, this control was precisely the instrument with which the worst heresies in church history were created and driven, such as the manipulation of scripture and the suppression of alternative interpretations that challenged orthodox beliefs.
This appointed elder soon became known as “bishop,” and he gradually took over the functions of the other elders and the congregation. Ignatius gradually expanded the bishop’s function to gain more control and even equated the bishop’s position with Christ. According to him, the bishop has all the power in the congregation and must be obeyed absolutely. He should be regarded for all practical purposes as the Lord Himself.
All must follow the bishop as Jesus followed the Father. In time, it was no longer “legal” for the elders or ordinary members of the congregation to baptize anyone or administer the covenant meal. Whatever the bishop approves will also be pleasing to God. It is beneficial to acknowledge God and the bishop. He who honors the bishop also honors the Father. Do nothing without the bishop. Consider the bishop as a “type” of the Father.
By the third century, this practice was already common, and in the fourth century, Constantine officially introduced it through the pew. All congregation activities revolved around the bishop. Everything worked through him. He took over all the communal service work of the congregation and began to carry it out alone. He was the responsible person. Everyone was accountable to him. He carried the authority. The poor man was burdened with responsibilities that were never intended. The negative consequences of this are clearly visible throughout the centuries when we look at the wreckage of “broken” pastors and church leaders who died along the way. The believers became passive and began to sit on the church pews to be “served” by these leaders. And of course, with this, Jesus’ instructions about leadership in the church were completely ignored.
Too much organization has, like a straightjacket, often choked the organism for fear that something might go wrong. Fear is the opposite of faith and not exactly a Christian virtue. Fear wants to control; faith can trust. Control, therefore, may be good, but trust is better. The Body of Christ is entrusted by God into the hands of steward-minded people with a supernatural charismatic gift to believe God that He is still in control, even if they are not.
– Wolfgang Simson
Matthew 20:25-28
But Jesus called them to Him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant. And whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Note the following words:
“rule” “exercise authority” “it shall not be so among you” “be a servant” “be a servant” “serve.”
Luke 22:25-26
And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But it is not so with you; but the eldest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves.”
Jesus here very clearly condemns the world’s leadership system. Over time, more and more worldly methods and structures have been introduced in the church. No matter how you look at the following words, they can never or should never be mentioned in the same sentence as the church: Planning, strategy, autocratic management style, democratic management style, delegation, forest meetings, sampling, statistics, advertising, advertising campaigns, fundraising projects, evaluation, security, disciplinary action as the world does it complete with industrial disciplinary code, dismissal, labor unions, court cases on appointments and dismissals, meetings according to worldly patterns, university training, positional appointments, interviews, boards and associations, head offices, regional offices, constitutions, social structures, job descriptions, work procedures, etc. These terms are all control measures. They are methods. They are prescriptions. They belong in a business and not in the body of Christ.
The following is a typical annual planning of a pastor in the institutional church:
Reevaluate the congregation’s vision and mission.
Establish the congregation’s reputation in the local community.
Measure the demographic and spiritual needs of the community.
Focus on the safety of the fixed assets.
Improve the municipality’s budget and expenditure process.
Upgrade the facilities and equipment for children’s ministry, youth ministry, technology, and media.
Budget for consultants for fundraising and advertising campaigns.
These are all business principles that protect and maintain the institution. They do not belong in the body of Christ. The big reason why pastors must manage the congregation like a typical retail business is the following:
Pastors struggle with mission and vision problems because they lack clear direction and goals (This happens when an “organism” with clear Scriptural direction is replaced with an “organization”, because now those Scriptural directions and direction indicators have become irrelevant).
Church leaders realize that the most effective institutional churches are those that are aware of the needs of the community and are very active in it. The congregation must operate efficiently, similar to a successful retail business, in order to achieve success. Those pastors who manage their congregations well are also very successful, and those who do not struggle to stay afloat often face challenges such as declining membership, financial difficulties, and a lack of community engagement.
In the process, the shared community life of the “body of Christ” has been systematically suppressed. The organization “exists” differently from how the organism “lives”. One exists; the other lives. Which one gets priority? There are different aims, objectives, visions, missions, and methods at work for the institution than for the organism. By nature, those activities that advance the institution will receive priority. The institution’s survival depends on it.
The result of this shift in emphasis was the decline of the “organism”. It was insurmountable. That which had to nourish and develop the living organism was obviously disregarded or ignored because it harmed the institution. In this setup, only one option is possible. It is either one or the other. Usually, the living organism, the true church within the institutional church, had to dig to the bottom. She began to suffer hunger and eventually was severely malnourished. Congregation members very quickly became passive because the structure did not allow for participatory interaction, leading to a decline in engagement and a sense of disconnection from the community.
The all-functioning and all-participating way of life of the children of God in the congregation disappeared. Family life gave way to an organized way of living. The people now had to be controlled. Direction had to be given. The pace had to be set. Why did the institution kill the shared community life of the family of God? This outcome was a natural consequence; the new structure could not accommodate the old way of life because of the nature of the structure. It also did not want to accommodate it to ensure control over congregation activities.
More control means better control. Better control means less deviation. For its right to exist, the new structure had to make the common people dependent on it. The structure must rule, and it is merciless. Its life depends on it.
Systematically, Jesus Christ’s position as Head of the church was negatively affected. The gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased to function or functioned to a limited extent: Congregation members could simply no longer function normally in the new structure due to its nature (too many people in a single service killed participatory interaction).
Congregation members became increasingly reluctant to exercise the gifts, possibly due to feelings of disconnection and the challenges of engaging in a larger group setting. The gifts of the Spirit were replaced with human liturgical activities such as announcements, “single leader” singing, the pastor’s prayer, sermon, and personal ministry time. The gifts of the Spirit are intended for small congregations ranging from 6 to about 30 congregation members.
Congregations that became larger than this size usually divided and met in two houses. It was important for the room to comfortably accommodate all attendees, and they needed to sit in a circle so that everyone could see and communicate with each other effectively. It was also important that they remain small enough for the gifts to function effectively. Too many people would inevitably mean that some congregation members would become passive, which could hinder the overall engagement and effectiveness of the gathering.
The institutional church has severely restricted God-led interaction. The Lord works at the services and gatherings just as He is allowed to. These are harsh words to hear, but they are true. That is why God has become a visitor. Where He is allowed a lot, He visits a lot, and where He is allowed little, He visits little. Ironically, for example, the well-known prayer that one hears so often: “Lord, thank you very much for coming to visit us this morning,” little knowing that this is exactly what is happening. Jesus only visits there. He is not always there as a positional leader of the congregation! There are denominations where He is not allowed anything, and there He has withdrawn Himself completely. People belonging to such denominations are engaged in a lifeless form of religion.
There are indeed congregations where He is allowed to do a lot, such as fostering community engagement, promoting spiritual growth, and encouraging active participation in worship and service. People in these congregations find joy in their worship experience. God is there, and they glorify Him in their midst. For them, there is no problem in the institutional church. Everything is “hunky dory.
However, for such people, there is a better way that they do not know about: “If you enjoy it and you live out your faith to your expectations, then it is good,” and I mean it. However, there is so much more that you do not know about. You do not miss it because you do not know about it. However, take note that there is an even better way.
The Practical House Church Manual was written by ASR Martins
