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“Planting Seedpods for Mission”The In-home Church Model

Vicar Terry ZuehsowPrince of Peace, Carrollton

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What is an In-home Church?

A group of Christians meeting as a church

in a private home

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A Brief History of In-home Churches• Where Christians predomin-

ately met until the 3rd century

• Luther considered an in-home church model

• Various denominations used in-home churches

• Persecution in China has led to a massive network of in-home churches

• Significant movements also in Central Asia,Latin America, Africa, the Philippines, India, Cambodia, and Great Britain

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Why Should We Do This?

• Youngest generation is only 4% churched

• In-home churches appeal to young adults– Hungry for personal fellowship– Desiring intergenerational contact– Looking for authenticity in worship and life

• Barna projects sharp decline in local church but double-digit growth in in-home churches

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What They Uniquely ContributeLimited size• Encourages contribution from all• Fosters intimate, accountable fellowship• Accommodates more focused Bible study

Approachable setting• Less of a barrier to the unchurched• Hospitality more readily practiced

Reduced overhead• Significantly more rapid multiplication• Larger % of offering goes to outreach

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Guiding Principles

• Christ centered

• Theologically grounded

• Worship focused

• Outreach oriented

• Servant led

• Ecclesiastically connected

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Leader Formation

• Through “licensed deacon” program– Promising leader assigned to supervising pastor– Lay ministry training done online and locally– Status annually renewable by District President– Leaders normally retain their secular job

P O R T L A N D, O R

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Church Replication• In-home churches grow through multiplication

– Share Christ’s priority to seek and save the lost– Continually produce new leaders– One or two in-home church families start a sister

church with new believers

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• Snacks, soft drinks, fellowship

• Opening song• Announcements• Invocation/

call to worship• Set of songs• Creed• Scripture reading • Children go with two

adults

Sample Worship Format

• Conversational sermon• Sharing/testimonies • Prayers, thanksgiving,

ministry• Children return• Confession of sins/

absolution• Lord’s Supper• Benediction• Closing song• Continued fellowship

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What We’ve Experienced So Far

• 3 “Taste of In-home Church” gatherings

• 4 men committed to be leaders– Training requirements approved by District

• 1st in-home church has met for six weeks– Average attendance: 16– Members not from Prince of Peace: 8

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In-home Church Sites

Princeof

Peace

Faith

Lordof

Life

Messiah

St.Paul

LivingWater

Comm.ConcordiaChrist

OurSavior

Emmanuel

Circuit 11Congregation

KEY

Current Site

HomeOffered

HomeConsidering

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Sponsoring Local Congregation

• Provides prayer and mentoring support

• Allows reasonable access to office equipment

• Shares leveraged activities (VBS, sports, etc.)

• Lends or rents facilities for Network events

• Receives portion of in-house church offerings

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Local Congregation Involvement

• Pray for God to guide and bless this ministry• Refer people to in-home churches• Come to a “Taste of In-home Church” session• Attend an in-home church yourself• Mentor a new in-home church member• Offer your home for an in-home church• Lead an in-home church

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Questions and Dialog

15In-home Church MinistryGod’s Family in Your Neighborhood

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From Luther’s Preface to The German Mass and Order of Divine Service, Jan. 1526 (page 1 of 2)

“But the third sort [of Divine Service], which the true type of Evangelical Order should embrace, must not be celebrated so publicly in the square among all and sundry. Those, however, who are desirous of being Christians in earnest, and are ready to profess the Gospel with hand and mouth, should register their names and assemble by themselves in some house to pray, to read, to baptize and to receive the sacrament and practice other Christian works. In this Order, those whose conduct was not such as befits Christians could be recognized, reproved, reformed, rejected, or excommunicated, according to the rule of Christ in Matt. 18. Here, too, a general giving of alms could be imposed on Christians, to be willingly given and divided among the poor, after the example of St. Paul in 2 Cor. 9.

(Continued on next slide…)

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From Luther’s Preface to The German Mass and Order of Divine Service, Jan. 1526 (page 2 of 2)

“Here there would not be need of much fine singing. Here we could have baptism and the sacrament in short and simple fashion: and direct everything towards the Word and prayer and love. Here we should have a good short Catechism about the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. In one word, if we only had people who longed to be Christians in earnest, Form and Order would soon shape itself. But I cannot and would not order or arrange such a community or congregation at present. I have not the requisite persons for it, nor do I see many who are urgent for it. But should it come to pass that I must do it, and that such pressure is put upon me as that I find myself unable with a good conscience to leave it undone, then I will gladly do my part to secure it, and will help it on as best I can.”