Book on House Churches

[James Nored]

This is a book on house churches that was recommended to me by Alan Hirsch. I have it on order, and I am looking forward to reading it.

One thing to note about house churches in the NT. The household was not a single nuclear family, as it is in suburbia today. Households were complex networks of extended families and businesses, as the business and home was one. While there are many strengths to the house church movement, this idea is often missed in house churches today. In addition, it is easy for the form of church--house church structure--to itself become the mission of the church, rather than recognizing that the church form is but one way of achieving the mission.

What do you think of the house church movement today?

[Lynn S. Nored]

Another book on the house church movement is Frank Viola's "Reimagining Church"--Author of "Pagan Christianity". Though there are some good things there, it is clear, as James indicated that here a great deal of emphasis is on the form of the meeting place and assembly.

[James Nored]

Gailyn, I'll look forward to reading this and sharing thoughts on this with you. As you say, the form of the church is shaped by many factors. I like Hirsh's view that Christology inform missiology informs ecclessiology. See Michael Hanegan's post on Hirsch's view.

[Gailyn Van Rheenen]

Thanks, James, for this reference. I anticipate ordering and reading it. I agree with your disciption of house churches in the New Testament. Missional church planting does not necessitate one particular form of church. The mission of God moves forward in different ways depending on the abilities of the church planting, the context in which the church is planted, and above all the movement of theology to practice within the community of faith.