"... We must return to the dynamism of the early church, which was a 'go' church. It didn't bring people to church but took the church to the people. That's why we need a completely new house- and cell-church movement, which plants tens of thousands of 'go' churches in as many houses and neighborhoods as possible."- Dr. Jack Dennison, CitiReach
CHRISTIANS, GO HOME!
A growing number of American Christians - Catholics and Evangelicals alike - are talking about the down-sizing of the established Church as we know it. The rise of House Churches, Simple Churches, Organic Churches, Cell Churches, Open Churches and Church-planting Movements indicate the growing level of discontent with Church-As-Usual. This is true among Church leaders as well as the Christian populace. As one Blogger wrote: "The era of spectator Christianity is now ending because the urgency of our present cultural crisis in America and abroad simply won't permit it!"
While Christianity seems to be flourishing in Africa, Asia and Latin America, many believe it is dying in the U.S. and is wheezing on its deathbed in Europe and Canada. As America enters what many refer to as the "Post Christian Era" (I prefer the phrase Post Edifice Era), with Islam on the rise and the level of sin in our culture soaring out of control, an alarm seems to be going off deep within the hearts of many followers of Christ.
As was already mentioned, House Churches are NOT exclusively an Evangelical notion. Not only is House Church extremely common among Catholics in China as well as Cuba, but small groups are alive and well in the American Catholic Church, too. House Churches ARE within the tradition of Catholicism and a recent study identified 37,000 small faith communities, and some estimates place the number at 45,000 to 50,000. Like the rest of us, the Roman Catholic Church appears to have recognized the need for laity leadership and a more intimate level of fellowship as a stop-gap to rapidly decreasing numbers in their own ranks. In 1988, Father Art Baranowski published Creating Small Faith Communities: A Plan for Restructuring the Parish and Renewing Catholic Life. His book was a blueprint for establishing small church communities of faith and prayer. (SOURCE: U.S. Catholic, Jan 2002 (Vol 67, No 1). Pages 18-23).
We've all seen and heard the reports of the rise and success of America's Home Schooling movement. The victory of a homeschooled 13-year-old girl in the National Spelling Bee in May of '97 called attention to the growing popularity and success of homeschooling. Today, estimates of the number of homeschooled children vary greatly with some estimating that there may be as many as 1.23 million kids homeschooled in the United States alone!
The homeschool movement helped the Church to take a quantum leap, restoring the proper role of Christian parents as the primary educators in the Kingdom of God. As it is in the Physical realm, so it is in the Spiritual realm. Covenant, Relationship and Accountability not only serve as cornerstones of healthy American homeschooling families, but are that upon which the House Church movement is being built as well. God appears to be restoring the proper role of the ekklesia - the "Called Out Ones" - as the primary reproducers of His Kingdom, taking it away from the institutionalized church. This is the only conceivable explanation as to why Christian homes are now the place where observable, sustainable Church growth is currently occurring; they are in synch with God's desire to grow His Kingdom horizontally rather than vertically.
Regarding the ever-increasing size of the House Church movement, James Rutz, Author of Megashift and The Open Church, reports that it is "...about halfway between the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention (which is the second-largest denomination in the U.S.). OK now, let's inhale. I'm stunned, too. This really is starting to alter the landscape for all of us."
"This is the new, coming Church - it's what you will probably be in in the future."- James Rutz, Author
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BARNA
Something is happening all around us that is forever changing the landscape of the American Church as we know it. Christians are dipping their toes in the waters of change and more and more are diving in, joyfully splashing about like children. Though this movement is still in its infancy, this giant baby is getting too big to be ignored.
Where do those who identify themselves as American Christians currently go to experience their religious faith traditions? According to the Barna Group, a polling firm that focuses on religious faith in the U.S., their 2006 report reflected some eye-opening results.
James Rutz, Author of Megashift and The Open Church, commenting on Barna's report, stated, "These are solid numbers. George Barna, the leading U.S. church pollster and perhaps the most widely quoted Christian leader in America...employ[s] all the professional safeguards to ensure tight results..."
Following are the findings of the revealing Barna 2006 report:
In a typical WEEK, 9 percent of U.S. adults attend a House Church, roughly 20 million people.
In a typical MONTH, about 43 million U.S. adults attend a House Church.
All told, 70 million U.S. adults have at least EXPERIMENTED with participation in a House Church.
Focusing only on those who attend some form of church (which is about 43 percent of us), 74 percent attend ONLY a traditional church, 19 percent attend both a traditional AND a House Church, and 5 percent are House Church adherants ONLY.
The study counted only attendance at House Churches, not small groups ("cells") that are generally a bolt-on program of a traditional church.
Barna predicts that within 20 years, this House Churching group - one that he refers to as "Revolutionaries" - will comprise nearly 70% of U.S. Christians, leaving only 30-35 percent (primarily, aging Christians) in traditional church settings.
Read that again...he's predicting that this radical shift will happen WITHIN the next twenty years! Though some may feel this can not be possible, the question remains, "If Barna is right, will YOU be ready?"
"There's a huge shift that's going on in the Church landscape of America." - John White, DAWN Ministries
THE CLOUD MOVES. THE PARADIGM SHIFTS.
In a 2005 Newsweek cover story, writer Jerry Adler found "a flowering of spirituality" in America that seemed to be occurring OUTSIDE the walls of traditional church. "Whatever is going on here, it�s not an explosion of people going to church," Adler said.
"Spirituality," or "the impulse to seek communion with the Divine," he observed, "is thriving." Adler cited a Newsweek/Beliefnet Poll which found that "more Americans, especially younger than 60, described themselves as �spiritual� (79%) than �religious� (64%)."
In the wake of America�s rich heritage of political, economic and, over the last 40 years, sexual freedom, these days a spirit of religious individualism seems to be flourishing. Harvey Cox, professor at Harvard Divinity School, wrote: "More and more people view the world�s religious traditions as a buffet from which they can pick and choose."
The trend has tremendous ramifications for religious hierarchy, which Cox said is "crumbling fast." He said, "The notions of consumer choice and local control have stormed the religious realm, and decentralization of faith is now the order of the day. Religious leaders who once could command, instruct, and expel now must cajole, persuade, and compete."
When it comes to denominations, Cox added. "...�brand loyalty� is a thing of the past."
"Some Evangelicals are abandoning megachurches for minichurches based in their own living rooms. There is no pastor, choir or sermon just...believers and Jesus among them, closer than their breath." - Time Magazine, March 6, 2006
The End of the Church as We Know it? PART 2
"Church is God's people involved in doing God's business...it is absolutely essential that lay people start churches." - David Watson, City Team Ministries
LEAVING CHURCH TO FIND GOD
Researcher and Sociologist George Barna believes many Christians are looking for things they find lacking in many churches.
"Americans remain unconvinced of the necessity of the collective faith experience," he said. "This is partially because the typical church model esteems attendance rather than interaction and immersion..."
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
His mission is to bring Discipleship and Encouragement to the Body of Christ. Since '99, he has broadcast over 600 inspirational articles and a dozen booklets on subjects sure to interest the thinking Christian and accelerate the process of spiritual development.
He is the founder of t.e.a.m. ministries. An Author, Pastoral Counselor and Teacher, his eMail broadcasts, known as "Your Town for Jesus" are read around the globe. Subscribe at mailto:team1min@our-town.com.com team1min@our-town.com.com
A licensed/ordained minister, a Certified Workplace Chaplain, and a Professional Member of NIBIC, he has ministered in Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Baptist, Disciples of Christ, College and Cowboy churches. He is the Workplace Chaplain for a Texas firm, overseeing the Spiritual Development of over 500 employees at ten facilities throughout the state. He is a strong advocate for the House Church Movement, readily available to assist Christians feeling that same inclination. A Speaker on the Christian Speaker Network, he may be available to speak to your church or Christian group.