Building Family through Home groups
The Remote Control is a metaphor for commitment in . We desire to control our options if we tire of things quickly
Psalm 68:5-6 5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. 6 God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. (NASB)
Ephesians 2:18-19 Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father. (19) That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering strangers and exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all–irrespective of how we got here–in what he is building
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Unfortunately, we have built congregations rather than communities, buildings rather than temples of living stones, and audiences rather than families of faith. Building communities requires completely different skills than building an audience
The church is not an institution, a meeting, or a building, but a family. God isn’t as interested in building meetings or ministries. He wants to build His family.
“As God is a community of persons, so are we called to be, in relationships with others, and we cannot find our true being or destiny without those relationships”
If the number of people in the church is the number of people attending the meetings the church would be large. If we understand that the real church is an interconnected family/body of people walking in a way of life together they the number is much smaller.
God is a family and that is why the enemy hates it so much.
Eph 3:14-15 NASB For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, (15) from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name (identity),
This is why Satan hates family and seeks to destroy it. If he can destroy family he can keep people in bondage. Broken Families produce broken lives.
Mother Teresa “The worst disease in today’s world is not leprosy or cancer: it is the feeling of being uncared for, unwanted, of being deserted and alone”
There is an epidemic of loneliness in our society. A gallop pole - 4 in 10 Americans admit to feeling frequent feelings of loneliness. There are broken hearts in every pew
There is an all out attack from our flesh the enemy and wrong ideas to keep us from building a sense of real family among the church.
Just because you have a biological family doesn’t mean you walk in and experience family.
Just because you have a house you leave in doesn’t mean you have a home you experience. A house speaks of the physical structure the home speaks of the quality of life.
Story of the girl and the traveling minister
80% of the resources of the typical western church are invested in large gatherings. It shouldn’t surprise us, then, that our very identity as the people of God becomes defined by our gathering.
We create our buildings, then our buildings create us. Sir Winston Churchill
Building a Sense of Family Healthy families both church and natural are not just born they are made.
You have to be around family to build family. Family is built through the shared experiences.
Real family isn’t just the exciting times but the mundane ordinary. Myth of quality time. Building memories aren’t just in the quality but in the quantity.
Hebrews 3:12-13 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. (13) But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:21-25 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, (22) let us draw near…(24) and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, (25) not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Colossians 2:1-2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for
those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, (2) that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
This is why 44% of the letters of the New Testament are about how we should get along with one another. This contrasts with about 4% on spiritual gifts.
JI Packer “We should not think our fellowship with other Christians as a spiritual luxury, an optional addition to the exercises of private devotions. Fellowship is one of the great words of the NT: it denotes something that is vital to a Christian’s spiritual health, and central to the Church’s true life…The church will flourish and Christians will be strong only when there is fellowship.”
God’s desire for us His church to be first fruits of all of creation.
James 1:18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures. (NASB)
Home Groups are an important key to building family
Bekka Brooks - When we touch fellowship we go away changed, when we don’t we go away frustrated and unfulfilled.
Purposes of home meetings.
1. Developing and facilitating community/family. They help facilitate community, common life together in Christ and by the Spirit.
You have to be around family to build family. Church is not a meeting but a way of life. People living out their relationships in Christ together on a daily basis.
2. Facilitate and administrate mutual care for one another
1 Corinthians 12:24-26 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, (25) so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. (26) And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
They are points of contact to see how people are doing so we can see how to care for them. Where people know more intimately what you are going through on a regular basis.
3. Provide an environment to minister (serve) and receive ministry (service).
You need to consider the interest of God and others ahead of your own interest.
Philippians 2:3-4 NASB Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
4. They put us in a place of accountability.
Barna “Other large churches essentially become places where you can hide, where you don’t get challenged, where you can feel more comfortable,” he says. While the pollster says there may be a time and a place for that protection for people who have been “wounded through past church experiences,” he says “there is a bigger picture at stake here.
You can only keep a cloke of façade so long when you are in regular contact with people.
Star Trek “ Fighting against Romulins, cloking device, Kirk “It can’t go on indefinately because their energy banks are draining.”
5. They help provide a setting where God’s word is worked out in our lives.
Often the main word to the body (mostly through Sunday morning messages) is amplified in the more intimate setting and common experience is shared in the application of the word in our lives. There is encouragement to pursue the application of the word.
As we share more intimately our experiences of everyday life together, others will help us reflect and evaluate things in light of God’s truth.
6. They help create a relaxed, natural atmosphere which brings out spontaneous participation in edification and Spiritual gifting for the growth of all. The one anothers, Spiritual gifts etc.
The family must be intact. God does not intend for people to get married, have children and then divorce. Numerous studies conducted for a long time show us that broken families produce broken people.
They are built on Biblical love (Eph. 5:25). Biblical love, God type of love that is sacrificial.
The members care for one another. Because the church is a family, the members take care of one another. Messes up families are selfish, individualistic, and totally independent.
There is a sense of commitment and covenant. It provides security. Messed up families are unconnected and detached. Healthy family and community life means passing from relationships based primarily on my convenience or my need, to relationships that are based on commitment: whether it’s convenient or not, whether I need you or not, I commit myself to be a brother or sister to you.
There is a corporate perspective. A mentality of we not just me.
Good families are committed to work through problems. Don’t let problems tear them apart.
Good families spend time together. Because the church is a family, the members take time to know each other. They spend time together outside of scheduled meetings
Acts 2:42, 46.“They were added and devoted…Every day they continued to meet together . . . they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”
All the members are responsible and serve. They all have roles and responsibilities. No freeloaders or moochers
There is discipline and rules. Every group has to have boundaries
Atmosphere of support encouragement and beloved.
Good families express love. Not just words but actions. Researchers say 80% of communication is non verbal of all Messed up families rarely touch or express love. Because studies have shown that a little baby that isn’t touched and loved will die. We need to be touched and loved. The enemy works to pervert that with sensual touching. 1 Corinthians 16:20, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”