III

TENSION

[Understanding Doctrine]

Everything that is alive has tension. There are at least two opposing forces in every living thing whether it's a part of a living person or organ or teaching or doctrine. My arm works because there are muscles that oppose each other. I could have the biggest front muscle in the world, but if there is not another one on the back side opposing it, I am crippled in that limb and unable to function.

Tension is strong and vibrant. Tension moves and lives and functions. My heart is pumping out the life-source of my blood with tremendous force. My arteries and muscles and skin are holding it back in its proper channels with a great deal of tension. We measure that tension carefully. If it gets too high, something pops. If it gets too low, everything stops. Proper tension is wonderful. Proper tension is life.

Balance, however, is precarious. When things are balanced, they have to remain quiet and unstirred lest one side or the other fall over. It is like a teeter-totter, or balanced scales; nothing can be added or moved. It is like building a house of cards, or a child's tower of blocks.

Here are a few examples of the points of tension of living doctrines:

The Bible is the living word of God. God is the author of His Word. The Bible is the work of men who wrote with their own styles and mannerisms and addressed the specific problems of their day. Well, which is it? Yes!

The believer has eternal security, safe in the hand of Jesus, chosen in Him before the world began, predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. The believer must take heed lest he fall, he must withstand the one who desires to destroy him, and if he crucifies the Lord anew after tasting of the life of His Spirit he can't even repent any more. Well, which is it? Yes!

God is one. There is none other God than one. "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one." God said, "Let us make man in our image." Baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." Of Jesus the Bible says, "This is the true God." Well, which is it? Yes!

We are justified by grace through faith for Christ's sake. We even maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead; so we see that a person is justified by what he does and not bY faith alone. Well, which is it? Yes!

Jesus is the Son of God, the eternal Logos Who spoke the worlds into being. He is God of God, very God of very God. Jesus is the Son of man. He was born a true man, made to die, bleed, suffer, feel, and be tempted to sin. Well, which is it? Yes!

Do you see it? Every living teaching has points of tension. Do not cut them up and kill them. Let them live side by side. Do not compound the idiocy of religious cowardice.

This is what has happened: In our fear and insecurity, we can't stand the tension. We succumb to the fear of the evil one, or the world, or our own flesh, and remove the tension by building a sterile, balanced, unchallengeable doctrine, sealed with the religious dictum, "thus says the Lord." Then, as our position gives off the odor of death, others look for another doctrine. The other pole, or point of tension to our teaching, is "discovered," and since it also comes from the Bible, another sterile, balanced, unchallengeable doctrine is presented with another, "thus says the Lord."

The church (one per city) is now divided and, therefore, cannot stand. Satan's strategy to divide and conquer has prevailed. The breach in the wall allows the evil one to come in and out, killing, stealing, and destroying. The elders, called to sit at the gates, now defend their dead doctrines instead of the church. They protect their flocks from the evils of the other doctrines, so now the devil, the ultimate anti-Christ, can come and go through the very gates themselves. What a mess!

Elders, repent! Seek God and the other elders of your church (one per city) and get into spiritual formation at the gates. Shut the gates to drugs, pornography, the shedding of innocent blood, hatred, prejudice, and all the forms of wickedness that you have allowed to invade your city through your sin and cowardice. Lift up your heads that the King of Glory might come in, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.

* * *

TITHES AND OFFERINGS (Stewardship)

Everything belongs to God. All 100% is His. Everything we are and have is dedicated to God. He owns it; we manage it.

My body belongs to God; but I manage this resource by what I eat, how much I sleep, what physical condition I maintain, etc. My times are in God's hand, my days are numbered; but I manage the day to day, minute by minute operations. He gives me abilities and opportunities; and I decide whether I use them, or squander them. Money, congealed sweat, time and effort, is God's; but I spend it according to His directives.

The tithe is 10%. Tithing is the practice of taking 10% of the money I receive, and paying it as a Kingdom tax. It comes first, off the top, before other management obligations are met. Most tithers see this as an obligation, not a gift. An offering would be a gift, over and above the tithe.

Tithing and Sabbath rest are both alike in that they pre-date the law, are illogical, and both are portion acknowledgements that all is God's, whether money or time.

Tithers testify that 90% goes farther than 100%. That does not compute in worldly terms. With all our hurryings and busyness and feelings of self-importance, resting with God an entire day can be traumatic. Calling that day a "delight" and leaving important tasks unfinished seems contradictory.

Some argue that since our entire life is a rest in Christ, we no longer need to observe the Sabbath; or since all I am and have is God's, tithing no longer applies. I agree that we live in the freedom of Christ, and not under the law of Sabbath or tithing. However, both of these practices (not religiously) help me see and experience life in a more Godly manner. I believe that taking 10% off the top as a Kingdom tax is pleasing to God and provides a basis for blessing. It is true that some need to be sowing into the Kingdom 50% or 80%, but 10% is a standard, time-honored, God-blessed amount.

Whose is the tithe? - God's. Who gets the tithe? - God. How do you pay it? - However God says to pay it. In Malachi He says to bring the full tithe into the storehouse. What is today’s store-house? I'm not sure, but most ministries and congregations have one.

In Malachi's day, there was a storehouse at the Temple where the tithes were brought. We have no such system today. Franchise operators often say, "The tithe belongs to the local church where you are fed." That's nice, but the church is first the church of the city, then a congregation or a house church. Which gets the tithe? Ask God, then counsel with your leader or elder.

We suggest as a guideline that you take 10% off the top and put it in a tithe box, or tithe account. Then ask God how to use it, and do what He says. If you're not certain, counsel with your leader or elder. I hope the Lord says to pass some along to Crushed Grapes. Remember, however, that in old testament times, some of the tithe was used for travel expenses, food, and drink to celebrate (party) with the Lord in Jerusalem at the feasts.

Tithing is an especially important discipline for children. Parents are wise to begin this practice as soon as the child has any money to manage. Remember that he who is faithful in little will be faithful in much.

Special needs should be met as close to the need as possible (by the individual, then family, then congregation, then city church). Don't take a need that can be met in the family to the congregation. Stay as close to the need as possible.

Special projects should be undertaken as God leads and financed accordingly. The elders are the authority in the city church and should be consulted before committing significant resources.

In stewardship, as in all areas of life, keep growing, ask the Lord for direction, counsel with your leaders, and do what God says.

There is a blessing in passing the tithe along person to person. It is a way of saying, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." Children, hand the tithe to your parents, and so honor the relationship and the government of God. Adults, hand the tithe to your pastor or spiritual overseer and by this act say, "As a responsible child of God, I receive you, man of God, as His servant, and I give it unto Him in you."

AUTHORITY AND ACCOUNTABILIT

Q. How does the relationship of church of the city and the elders fit into house churches? Where is the primary loyalty and oversight?

A. Jesus is the authority. All submit to Him. His will and desires are our will and desires. Every area of government and accountability exists to help us find the mind of Christ and follow it. In the normal local church (one per city) the elders are the God-ordained government under the Lord Jesus, and as they recognize apostles and prophets. Together, in plural leadership, the elders constitute local church government [one per city].

Q. To whom is the head of a family church accountable? [This was written for the Crushed Grapes structure, thus the unusual terms. The principles, however, are obvious and valid.]

A. The father (or single mom in some cases) is accountable first to Jesus, then to the family God called him to serve, to the other heads of family churches, and for counsel and direct oversight to his pastor who leads the house church where he fellowships.

Q. To whom is the pastor of a house church accountable?

A. The pastor of a house church is accountable first to Jesus, then to the house church he serves, to the other house church pastor he works with, and for counsel and direct oversight to his pastor who leads the congregation where he fellowships.

Q. To whom is the pastor of a congregation accountable?

A. The pastor of a congregation (an elder or elder-in-training) is accountable first to Jesus, then to the congregation he serves, to the other congregational pastors, and for counsel and direct oversight to the elder who oversees him and the congregation.

Q. To whom is the elder accountable?

A. An elder is accountable first to Jesus, then to the sphere of his oversight in the church, and to the other elders of the church (one per city). An elder may have a mentor or spiritual father in another city to whom he looks for personal counsel and guidance, but the elders of the church, functioning in plurality, are the government of that local church.

Q. To whom are apostles and prophets accountable?

A. Apostles and prophets are accountable first to Jesus, then to those whom they serve, and to their fellow elders in the local church with whom they govern. When apostles and prophets minister translocally (beyond the local city church), they go out through the gates (elders) and enter the other church through those gates (elders). They speak and function with authority from Jesus as foundation stones (Eph. 2:20), ranked first in the church (1 Cor. 12:28). They are the greater gifts we are to seek (1 Cor.. 12:31), but often these gifts are not received (1 Cor.9:2).

[The following material is the guidelines and history of the Crushed Grapes Franchise. We include it here with the hope that you might find some of the ideas and concepts helpful for your ministry and church expression.]

Crushed Grapes Ministry[an alternate structure within Church of the City]

HISTORY

(Why Another Franchise?)

Aren't there too many denominations now? Why is this franchise being formed? What will Crushed Grapes accomplish that can't be done in some existing system without starting another?

These are valid questions that deserve answers. I will try to respond to them, but first let me tell you a little of my Christian journey, and how I came to this place.

Raised in America's conservative heartland, I grew up with little or no knowledge of God. My absentee father was killed in a car accident while on leave during W.W.II. Mom was a free-thinking, pre-feminist who took us a few times to Unitarian meetings, but whose memory I have erased from early childhood. During the teen years "Jonesy" (my mother) left lots of memories, mostly pleasant. Although my two brothers and I were very close in age, we lived our own private lives and did not function as family. The only consistent family religion was Freemasonry: Shriners, Masons, Eastern Star and Demolay.

Betty, my high school sweetheart and now wife, was a sunday-school-teaching Missouri Synod Lutheran. My mother was "tolerant of all religions" except those which condemned masonry. She was concerned about me and the Lutherans. Betty and I eloped in 1953, had our first child in 1954 and I took a Lutheran membership class, "to keep peace with my in-laws, but I'll never join a hypocritical Christian Church."

Jesus met me during those classes. After realizing that Christianity was not a set of unkept rules, but a living relationship with a loving Savior Who died and conquered death for me, I surrendered. Confirmed at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church of Omaha in December of 1954, I began teaching sunday school.

Five months later, with a bachelor's degree in business from Nebraska I was all set to be a good Christian Realtor. One month later Jesus came in blinding light with a call to serve Him. Lutheranism was all I knew, so I applied to Concordia Seminary, Springfield, Illinois. They rejected me because I was a new convert, but after re-applying, selling our little house, loading all we owned on an old bread truck to move to Springfield and await the Seminary's approval, notice of acceptance came the day we left. My degree, however, did not apply and I had to take two years of pre-seminary, three years seminary plus one year of internship.

I went with the prayer, "Lord, I know You are true and the Bible is true, and I think the Lutherans are too. I'll stick with them as long as I'm sure they're sticking with You." Thus began twenty-three years as a Lutheran Seminarian, Vicar, Pastor, and Denominational Officer. I was the founding Pastor of Christ Lutheran in Brea, Circuit Counselor, Mission Education Director, leader of World Witness, District Pastor's Conference Chairman, member of the Board of Directors, and recipient of the Seminary's "Servus Ecclessei Christi" award. I love the Lutherans, and feel that I understand the Missouri Synod franchise system.

During the 1970's I struggled over some issues of doctrine, and the nature of the church. The Lord spoke to me and said, "Get your house in order and I'll entrust you with a vision." As I attempted to pick up the headship of the family which I had forsaken for professional ministry (still trying), God began to lay out the vision of church in the home, leadership raised up from within, the restoration of apostles, and the nature of church of the city. In my zeal I prepared a constitution and by-laws for Home Congregation Fellowship.

Another pastor of a different denomination (franchise) asked me to be his pastor. This was incompatible with my Lutheran denomination, but I was certain God wanted it, and it fit into the Biblical pattern of one church per city ruled by the elders. We entered into that relationship, and I began making plans to leave the Missouri Synod in order to be true to my convictions regarding the church.

Much of what I was hearing from the Lord was already incorporated in a new movement known as "Shepherding" or "Discipleship." I stepped into this new and refreshing stream, officially resigning from Christ Lutheran, and the Missouri Synod in January of 1978. Now I had a Pastor (Southern Baptist background) who was committed to serving me with counsel, encouragement, correction, and love. There were delights and difficulties, successes and failures, victories and defeats.

Most of us thrived in house churches. Everyone had someone to look to as pastor, and all the shepherding units were small and intimate. It was an intense and a wonderful time. We had a kingdom vision, covenant relationships, and a workable strategy to see Jesus enthroned. We did things together, and began to experience an alternate life-style. Satan, of course, worked hard to sabotage the movement and create division.

To be together, many of us moved to San Diego. Ten of us had congregations, and we met in various configurations as we elders interpreted the will of God and the needs of our people. The meetings were glorious. There was tension among the elders, and in 1984, while I was in the mid-west, the community blew apart.

Here is my assessment of what happened: God dismantled the movement and our community because He loved us and did not want us to denominate. The restoration of accountability and leadership was being worked throughout the church at large, and the leaven needed to disperse.

Also, I think we made three major mistakes. First, we intimated that there was a special or separate covenant other than the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus. Everything we taught about covenant was true, but we applied it only to those like us, when in truth the covenant applies to all who break bread and share the cup. Second, we ignored the truth about church of the city, or at least set it aside, while we built our own franchise of committed, covenant, kingdom relationships. And third, we tried to model successful dynamic communities for the rest of the body of Christ to see and then follow our pattern. We forgot that God has chosen the weak things, the foolish things, the no-account things to confound the strong, the wise, and the mighty.

After the breakup, I gathered the fragments in North San Diego County and started Shalom Christian Fellowship. We continued the same pattern of church life for about a year with the addition of Al Montes's dynamic outreach to Mexican farm-workers. At the end of the year God began making it clear that I needed to step out of leadership, turn the work over to others, write, and work with pastors to bring about church of the city.

Thus began a most intense period in my life. With no regular income or savings, only God's incredible provision, I wrote and self-published Ultimate Evangelism, The Church in the Harvest Age, Conditional Love, and Malchus.

Functioning under the name, Crushed Grapes Ministry, I did seminars on warfare, church government, and evangelism. I preached and ministered at a variety of settings including, Apostolic, Assembly of God, Calvary Chapel, Catholic, Covenant, Baptist, Episcopalian, Foursquare, Independent, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Seventh Day Adventist, Vineyard, Word of Faith, and of course Non-denominational, Inter-denominational and Anti-denominational.

In 1988 the Lord said to get involved in the rescue movement, but keep focused on church of the city. This resulted in numerous arrests, a lengthy trial and forty days in jail. My hope for the unity of the church (one per city) was powerfully renewed during this time, especially in those situations where large numbers of us from various Christian brands and franchises suffered together. I realized that with persecution, God's pattern for church could be quickly realized.

Since issuing this "call," a number of house churches have been birthed and the call of God for city-church grows louder and clearer, coming from more and more sources. I have also had great joy and rejoicing [together with the angels of God] the past five years [’93 to’98] at Green Oak Ranch where scores of men and women have been born from above or re-harnessed and trained for Christ’s service.

None of the existing house churches with which I am associated follow the Crushed Grapes Franchise model. Much of the material in this book first appeared as Crushed Grapes Ministry Franchise Handbook. It was later revised and called, Churchlife Handbook. After further editing it is now called, How To Start a House Church.

The question arises, "Why include this ‘franchise’ material?" It is included with the hope that it will help you. If God has called you to start church in your house, or be part of a house church, or help with the city-church, or dismantle a portion of a franchise system that divides church of the city, then this may prove enlightening.

INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL

This is a guideline, a book of suggestions. You may follow each suggestion literally, or you may alter it to fit your own particular situation. We ask only two things of those who would use the names associated with this system or franchise (Crushed Grapes, Clusters, Wine Press etc.).

ONE: You must (not optional) agree with our doctrinal statement, which is: "Jesus Christ is Lord." If you cannot make this declaration, you are unwelcome to use the names and ideas expressed in this handbook. You are, however, welcome to attend the gatherings in the hope that the Spirit of God touches you and brings you into doctrinal agreement with our confession now. At a later date, everyone, including you, will make this declaration to the glory of God the Father. It is better to make it now.

TWO: You must hold some leanings toward church of the city. You don't have to understand it (few do), but you must allow that this is the most common use of the word church in the New Testament, and it appears to be the standard or norm of the manifestation of the Body of Christ. You would certainly be uncomfortable and feel out of place if you believed that a portion of the church, or a sect, or a denomination was the true church. The church is all those people within the city who are children of God by faith in Jesus.

Lord Jesus, our King and Master, be glorified in us and through us. We give You ourselves and Crushed Grapes and everything we are and have. Use us, Lord, for Your purposes. Spend us as coin in Your hand, or as the fruit of the vine, poured out to You or to the world. May this venture be used mightily by You to bring many thousands into Your Kingdom, and be of help in establishing the righteous foundations of Your Church, city by city. Thank You, Lord, and please draw all those that fit into Your body in this configuration, together with us as quickly as possible, as quickly we are able to receive the outpouring.

MEMBERSHIP

We are members one of another if we believe and are baptized. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one church. The normal earthly expression of that one church is church of the city, and we are fellow members in the city church with every person who believes and is baptized, no matter what congregation they belong to. We are a covenant body, and the covenant is the one sealed in the blood of Jesus, of which all Christians partake.

Therefore, the only requirement for membership is to die to the world, and come to life in Christ. Baptism seals all this. You die (drown) to the old life, and come forth into Christ, into His Body, into His people. We suggest (guidelines again) that you baptize all those you "mid-wife" into Christ, and do it A.S.A.P.

FAMILY CHURCH

"God sets the solitary into families." Psalm 68:6. None of us is born into this world alone. There is always a mother and child, and with very few exceptions, a helper, a father, and others that make up the family and larger community of the new-born.

The basic unit of society is the family. Family is God's idea, not man's. Family is not the creation of the people, the state, or philosophy. It is the design pattern of the Creator: father, mother and children. Even when this basic pattern is broken, it is still family. Single parent and child is a family. Childless couples are families.

We suggest you conduct a family church meeting every week. I think the best time is Friday evening as the family gathers for a sabbath meal and day of entering into God's delightful presence through rest. This is a suggestion: meet for family church on Friday nights, and take off from work and routine duties on Saturday. Spend time together, and have a good time. (If this is not a good time for you, any time will work for Family Church. i.e. Thursday mornings, Tuesday noons, Sunday mornings, etc.)

Make Friday dinner the biggest and best of the week. Invite friends as God leads. At the dinner table spend some time in prayer at the beginning and hold the "Family Church Service" in connection with the meal. Each person present should participate in some manner. All can share the things that have been happening to them. All can participate in praying for each other. Family members can be assigned scriptures to read, songs to sing, reports to bring.

EVERY PERSON IS PART OF THE FAMILY SERVICE no matter how young, or how new to the gathering. New babies are part of the service and should be prayed for by all present. Guests are part of the service and should be drawn in to whatever degree is appropriate. The father, or leader, should bless everyone present before leaving the table. Songs, scripture and teaching may be appropriate and can be led by whomever the leader designates. Each and every person is a part of this family church service.

As the church activities continue and the family leaves the table (not necessary) we suggest you play games, tell stories, watch appropriate videos, go walking, laugh, wrestle, dance, or do any of the other holy things in which God would enjoy participating with you.

The family church service is usually the most effective and fruitful of the various configurations in which church congregates. Remember that the scriptural pattern of church is church of the city, and when you conduct a family church service, it is a valid meeting of a portion of that church in your city.

Even if you are a member of one of the established "church franchises," it is probably acceptable for you to conduct a family service, though some might object to calling this "church." There could also be a problem in certain franchises with celebrating the Lord's Supper, where the keepers of the ancient ways have erroneously determined that only "ordained clergy" can do this.

OBJECTIONS:

Here are a few objections consistently raised by those called to leadership:

1. "I don't have enough training."

So what? You are the God-ordained leader of your family, and therefore, you have the anointing for your family. You have blessings to impart, as do others in your family, and, hopefully, you haven't stopped growing and being trained.

2. "But I don't know enough about the Bible or about God."

You probably know more than your children. But, if perhaps your wife or an older child or a guest does know a lot, you might have them share once in a while, under your leadership.

3. "I'm not good enough."

You are washed in the blood of Jesus; therefore, no one on earth is "better" than you. Also, God obviously disagrees with your reasoning because He gave you this responsibility.

4. "It's not really church, you know."

Yes it is! It is the biblical kind of church spoken of four times in the Bible. It is part of the church of the city which is the pattern and legitimate structure of new testament church.

Those things that are not really church, you know, are buildings and denominations. They have no biblical base and compete with [are against] the plan of God.

GUIDELINES FOR FAMILY CHURCH SERVICES

Ten. If you consistently have more than ten at these services, divide into two (unless you have an exceptionally large family).

Communion. This is the best setting for the Lord's Supper. Partake of it often, perhaps every week. If you have questions about it, talk to one of the elders.

Religion. Don't get religious. Some good family traditions are wonderful, but guard against these becoming religious in the bad sense. This will always be a struggle, but keep struggling. God favors what you are doing.

HOUSE CHURCHES [Clusters]

A cluster, or house church, is a gathering of two to five family churches. It normally meets weekly in a house, and is led by a pastor, or shepherd - one who feeds this flock of God as an under-shepherd, a representative of the Lord Jesus.

The size of this assembly (up to five family churches or fifty people) makes it possible to meet in homes, and to function in the manner of 1 Corinthians 14. This means, as in the family church service, everyone participates. "When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." 1 Cor. 14:26. In this setting, the pastor or leader is more of a facilitator than one who brings a formal teaching. He needs to tie things together, govern or oversee (bishop) the meeting, and see that God's desires are met in the gathering.

It is grievous when God's plan and purpose for the meeting is not met. At this level, the leader must guard his heart not to be drawn into "good" things, and fail to accomplish the "best" thing. His biggest temptation will be to respond to human need to such an extent that the needs, or supposed needs, of hurting individuals take up the time for God's purposes to be addressed.

This pastor is entitled to make lots of mistakes. The basis of church and church fellowship is Jesus' presence, love, and forgiveness. The House Church will have opportunity to grow in grace through forgiving this precious servant of God and washing him regularly.

The pastor must not violate the integrity of any God-ordained unit or relationship such as marriage or family. He must be careful not to go around a father or mother when dealing with a child, or around the husband when dealing with the wife. Always, permission must be granted for any ministry to "another man's servant." The pastor must be cognizant of his role as both teacher and model of proper behavior, discipline, and love. Therefore, when the pastor makes mistakes or sins, he should be the first to quickly apologize and ask forgiveness.

When Jesus had the multitudes sit in groups to be fed, they were divided into fifties and hundreds. This is significant. For the Crushed Grapes Franchises, cluster's are the groups of fifty where the pastor oversees the 1 Cor. 14 type meeting. The groups of a hundred, the gatherings of two clusters into a congregation, provide for a more structured setting of formal teaching and/or preaching.

CONGREGATIONS

Congregations are made up of two house churches. At this level the pastor/leader, should begin to live of the gospel. He is discipling the two pastors of the house churches under his care, bringing the word to the congregation by teaching or preaching or arranging for others to do so, and is also responsible to the church of the city as an elder, or elder-in-training. It is the responsibility of this man, together with other elders, to oversee and feed the flock.

An elder should be spending the majority of his time in the word and prayer. Depending on the condition of the eldership of the city-church, some of this time with the Lord will be corporate (with other elders) and some private. This elder has an overseeing elder who has responsibility for ten congregations (the captain of a thousand), and will spend as much time as possible with him.

Congregational assemblies are more formal than family church or cluster meetings. There will usually be a more structured time of corporate worship and a formal time of presenting the word (Remember this is a guideline).

Music programs, picnics, camping, projects, etc. should all be planned with the elders in consultation with the pastors and heads of families. Remember, the Christian community is an alternate life-style to the world system. Shared life is normal, and the desire for God's people to spend time together is healthy.

Larger meetings of several congregations, or even the city-church may be and should be held at the request of the elders. As they did in Israel, the whole church coming together three times a year will be wonderful.

BUILDINGS(Guidelines)

Generally speaking, buildings, other than homes, shall not be used for family church or house church gatherings. Buildings are tools for the church to use. Naturally, the available buildings determine much of their use, but we recommend buildings that can comfortably house one congregation (100 maximum) plus visitors.

A BUILDING MUST NEVER BE CALLED A CHURCH! We recommend that each building be called, The Wine Press. When there is more than one building in the city, the Wine Presses should be designated by street or other geographic distinction. i.e. The Mission Street Wine Press, the Old City Wine Press, etc. Signs on the buildings should include the name of the Church of X City, pastors names, and when the congregations meet. For example:

EAST MAIN STREET WINE PRESS of the Church of La Mesa

10:00 A.M. Sunday Congregation, Jess Markow, Pastor

6:00 P.M. Sunday Congregation, John Barrick, Pastor

7:00 P.M. Wednesday Congregation, Travis Wilson, Pastor

9:30 A.M Sabbath Congregation, Wayne Gill, Pastor

Other uses for these buildings will be, offices for elders, library for books and videos, class rooms for leadership training, elders meeting room, secretaries, day school, pre-school, cooperative activities for home-schoolers, and any other needs the church has. Crushed Grapes does not encourage "sunday school" type classes during congregational services.

We think that eight congregations will be about the maximum number that can effectively use one building. The pastors should appoint a property manager from each congregation to oversee the buildings and grounds. Maintenance should be by paid custodians and not volunteers because the laborer is worthy of his hire, and people may get too strong an attachment to the building as more than just a tool.

With this type of arrangement, I can answer the question, "Where do you go to church?" as follows:

"I'm part of the Church of Oceanside."

"But, which Church do you go to?"

"I go to the Family Church Meetings at my house on Friday evenings."

"But, don't you go to a local church?"

"That is part of the local church of Oceanside, but I also go to a House Church on Tuesday evenings at Pastor Curt's."

"No, no. I mean a real church. Where do you go to church?"

At this point, if you have not lost your temper and given this misguided soul a lesson on the nature of church, you can still say, "I go to the Wine Press on Saturday mornings with Pastor Wilson." If they continue by asking what denomination, just say, "It's part of the Crushed Grapes Franchise." That will confuse them even more.

[My friend Bob Fitts Sr., author of one of the recommended books, also wrote a pamphlet titled, "Discussion Bible Study." You will always be prepared with this little guide. Here is a summary plus seven advantages of house churches also by Bob:]

"HOW TO HAVE A DISCUSSION BIBLE STUDY

1. Begin with prayer that all will be edified.

2. See that everyone has a Bible, or the portion to be read.

3. Appoint a leader, but not a teacher.

4. Ask for volunteers to read aloud to the group.

5. Read without trying to provoke discussion.

6. Invite interruptions for comments or questions.

7. Keep on track. [Discuss the passage read]

8. Let no one dominate the discussion.

9. Be sensitive as to when to conclude.

10. End with a time of prayer and praise.

THE ADVANTAGES OF HOUSE CHURCHES

1 House churches are easy to start. Just find two or three to agree to come together regularly in the name of Jesus. The size or shape of the meeting place is not really that important. Nor is it important to meet in the same place each time. Nor is it important that you have a "service." When you gather in his name, church is in session.

2. House churches are relaxed and informal. Many people don’t go to a traditional church because they don’t know how to act or how to dress.

3. House churches are powerful evangelistic tools. Research has shown that the fastest way to grow and reach new people with the good news of God’s love is by starting new churches. Peter Wagner, considered by many to be the foremost authority on church growth, said, "THE BEST METHOD UNDER HEAVEN FOR EVANGELISM IS CHURCH PLANTING. THERE NEVER WAS A BETTER METHOD AND THERE NEVER WILL BE."

4 House churches tend to release people to minister to one another. Only the body of Christ is equipped to minister to itself in such a powerful way as to bring it up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

5. House churches help bond relationships. The timid come out of their shells and begin to function, making new friends and establishing new relationships.

6. House churches are economical. Most of the finances will be used to minister to people and will not go into fancy buildings, programs, or salaries.

Recommended Books

Saturation Church Planting by Bob Fitts Sr. Order from Bob at 30801 So. Coast Hwy #750, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 Send a contribution to cover cost & mailing.

DO NOT SPEAK EVIL

OF OTHER CHRISTIANS.

BUILD YOUR LIFE AND MINISTRY

ON CHRIST,

NOT ON ANTI-OTHERS FOUNDATIONS.

WE ARE CALLED TO BE

PEACEMAKERS IN THE CHURCH OF THE CITY.