1 – Discern if this is God’s calling.
If it is just a feeling in your gut without direction from God, it will fail. This is a BIG responsibility so take it seriously. Gather some trusted, mature disciples together to fast and pray. See what God shows you. Discuss it together and make a decision – yes or no.
2 – Form a team
You will not succeed in a kingdom sense without a team. Jesus instructed them to not go it alone. We see this in Acts. They listened. You need to listen as well.
3 – Clarify your purpose.
If your purpose is a reaction to what you don’t like about church, it is dead in the water. Go back to the Bible and study. Pray through what you read. Then get to know your neighborhood, ask people what the needs are. Find the intersection of the biblical purpose of the church and the specific needs of your community and talents/gifts of your team.
4 – Choose the format that best advances the purpose
Is this big church scaled down? Anticipate burnout – fewer people doing more work. Is this more like life group/small group that is all about fellowship? Are you serious about discipleship – you might consider three thirds groups or Discovery Bible study as part of the Sunday format.
5 – Don’t neglect the details but don’t wait on perfection.
Here are many of them already laid out for you to help you avoid the headaches. Some mistakes are inevitable. It means you are trying!
If you would like to learn more about these five things with some bonus material, check this out!
One Response
Matt, in my opinion, #1 and #3 are the primary considerations. If these aren’t in alignment with God’s will and purpose, you’re likely birthing a still-born church. As to whether or not it’s God’s calling; I once read that rather than dream up the right ministry or program, and then ask for God’s blessing on it; we should pray for spiritual eyes to see where the Father is already working and the join Him in this venture. Case in point. During the Covid 19 lockout, the nursing home where I’d been facilitating a weekly Bible study was closed to rotating area churches to provide a Sunday morning worship service for those residents who no longer had access to their former congregations. As a result, a resident who had served as an elder in a nearby coChrist began to gather a few residents to view a locally streamed service and offered Communion. After the lockout was lifted, non of the area churches returned to offer Sunday morning services, so this former elder continued the practice that he’d begun. Due to a difficulty that I’d experienced at the congregation that I’d been serving (not a formal member), I decided to come and assist my fellow brother in Christ with his ministry. I did so for two Sunday’s and then he died suddenly, he was 93. I could see that God had opened a door for me to now, in addition to the Tuesday morning Bible study, I could now facilitate a Sunday morning gathering of the Saints here at their home. While it may not qualify for what some may refer to as a house church, I know that it’s what I was called to do. It’s now been since December of last year and the number of those who attend depends a lot on their physical health, but since going “live” as opposed to watching it streamed, it has brought in new people. My purpose for my service as a volunteer chaplain at this nursing home has always been, and continues to be, to assist these residents to finish the race well.