| As many are aware, I'm quite an advocate for | | | | He wanted an intimate relationship with me. I |
| the growing house church "movement" and love | | | | remember thinking He was mad at me and, when |
| helping others to establish churches in their | | | | I REALLY messed up, I was that much farther |
| homes, coffee shops, office breakrooms, etc. I'm | | | | away from Him than I had been. Regardless, I still |
| having a ball doing this and it's VERY rewarding. I | | | | worshipped Him, too scared to do |
| was recently looking at Luke Chapter 10 verses | | | | otherwise.Sadly, there are millions like that! The |
| 1-9 and there are some principles found there | | | | harvest is abundant, as Jesus said. Multitudes need |
| that will not only prove beneficial to the "house | | | | to know that God is not "out there" but wants to |
| churchers" among us, but ANY Christian whose | | | | live large "IN THEM," for WE are the temple of |
| heart is set on advancing the Kingdom of | | | | the Holy Spirit, that same Spirit that raised Jesus |
| God.Let's take a look at the Amplified version. | | | | from the dead.Verses 7 and 8: They were told to |
| Here it is:1...the Lord chose and appointed seventy | | | | "...stay on in the same house, eating and drinking |
| others and sent them out ahead of Him, two by | | | | what they provide, for the laborer is worthy of |
| two, into every town and place where He Himself | | | | his wages. Do not keep moving from house to |
| was about to come (visit).2And He [Jesus] said to | | | | house. Whenever you go into a town and they |
| them, The harvest indeed is abundant [there is | | | | receive and accept and welcome you, eat what is |
| much ripe grain], but the farmhands are few. Pray | | | | set before you..." Stay with them? Imagine it's |
| therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out | | | | Tom's first day at work and a fellow named |
| laborers into His harvest.3Go your way; behold, I | | | | Jerry comes by and invites him to join the gang |
| send you out like lambs into the midst of | | | | at the local bar to have a TGIF celebration. A |
| wolves.4Carry no purse, no provisions bag, no | | | | Christian, Tom hardens his brow and says to |
| [change of] sandals; refrain from [retarding your | | | | Jerry, "No, thank you, I'm a Christian and I don't |
| journey by] saluting and wishing anyone well along | | | | go to places like that." What happened? Tom |
| the way.5Whatever house you enter, first say, | | | | hasn't merely turned down Jerry's invitation; he's |
| Peace be to this household! [Freedom from all the | | | | turned Jerry down, turned him off and turned him |
| distresses that result from sin be with this | | | | away in the process.How much more effective |
| family].6And if anyone [worthy] of peace and | | | | would it have been had Tom RECEIVED Jerry's |
| blessedness is there, the peace and blessedness | | | | hospitality - the only kind he knew how to offer, |
| you wish shall come upon him; but if not, it shall | | | | by the way. He was being KIND to Tom - a godly |
| come back to you.7And stay on in the same | | | | quality - and may well be a worshipper of God, |
| house, eating and drinking what they provide, for | | | | the best he knew how at any rate. He was |
| the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep | | | | extending his hand of friendship and inviting Tom |
| moving from house to house.8Whenever you go | | | | into his world to meet his friends, maybe even |
| into a town and they receive and accept and | | | | family at some point. "Come and eat and drink |
| welcome you, eat what is set before you;9And | | | | with us, TOM!" was what he was saying. But Tom |
| heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom | | | | said, "No!" A door had been shut by Tom's |
| of God has come close to you.Known for his | | | | reaction, when Jerry had graciously opened his |
| ministry as a House Church planter, author and | | | | culture to him.Remember verse one? JESUS is |
| speaker Tony Dale emphasizes the fact that | | | | planning to show up but He's sending out His team |
| House Church is NOT merely a gathering or even | | | | FIRST.Guys like Tom.Guys like us.He allowed Tom |
| a location; it's a way of life. As he says, there | | | | to have that job, not merely so he could eat or |
| must surely be something more to this than | | | | pay bills, but as a means for advancing the |
| exchanging pews for couches. How can it be | | | | Kingdom of God. Jesus WILL show up, but not if |
| anything else for Christianity is not merely another | | | | Christians go springing religion and |
| of the world's great religions; it's a | | | | self-righteousness on everyone and squelching |
| moment-to-moment relationship with the Creator. | | | | those Divine opportunities. Granted, there are |
| Bearing this in mind, it's more easily conceivable | | | | times when we MUST graciously bow out. Time |
| that wherever we Christians find ourselves at any | | | | constraints might cause us to say, "Sounds like |
| moment, that may well be the spot where we | | | | fun, but can I take a raincheck?" Leave the door |
| can begin to influence people for the Kingdom and | | | | open. Now, if Jerry's gang had been going to a |
| see lives transformed.Verse 1: We see that Jesus | | | | topless club, by all means, use discernment. "Jerry, |
| "sent them out ahead of Him." That means they | | | | I'd love to hang out with you guys but I'm not |
| went FIRST but He would soon be coming onto | | | | comfortable in places like that...can we go |
| the scene. As disciples ourselves, have you found | | | | somewhere else? How 'bout lunch tomorrow...my |
| that to be the case today as well? All we have to | | | | treat?" He would probably respect that and, at |
| be is available!Verse 2: Despite having assembled | | | | the very least, invite you to something more to |
| an outreach team of 72 (some say even more), | | | | your liking another time.Verse 8 essentially |
| Jesus laments that there's so much work to do | | | | encourages us to move into THEIR environment. |
| and 72 is simply not enough. We need more of | | | | Jesus is our example of that. Didn't He leave HIS |
| us!Verse 3: The team is reminded that they are | | | | culture for the sake of planet Earth?A lady asked |
| vulnerable and are about to engage in Spiritual | | | | me if I'd speak at her Brisket, Beer and Bible |
| Warfare. Yet, they were trained. The call to | | | | Study. I didn't hesitate to commit myself. The |
| serve is really a call to prepare. Have you been | | | | people she said she'll be inviting are kids who've |
| preparing?Verse 4: They're instructed not to bring | | | | done drugs, been in jail, people who don't feel |
| anything with them because they won't be | | | | accepted in churches. If like-minded Christians |
| staying. They are also told, essentially, not to | | | | would join forces in a similar manner, we could |
| dilly-dally. There was to be no chit-chatting with | | | | have an incredible impact on our community. |
| others they meet along the way; they were on a | | | | (Anybody care to throw a party?)When you get |
| mission, after all. Instead, they were to keep a | | | | there - to that place outside your element - love |
| look out for someone VERY important. Who? | | | | those you find there. Let the expression of Christ |
| Read on.Verse 5: Jesus told them something very | | | | flow through you. I once officiated a wedding that |
| interesting. He said, "Whatever house you enter, | | | | was held in a bar. Everyone, including the groom, |
| first say, Peace be to this household!" Today, He | | | | was sipping beer before the wedding even began. |
| might have said, "When you go to the office, the | | | | That was the most enjoyable wedding I can |
| plant, Starbuck's, class, a Chamber of Commerce | | | | remember. I mingled and "worked the crowd." |
| mixer, BE to them the expression of God that | | | | Afterward, I sat down and ate with an Hispanic |
| you are and let them experience the Peace of | | | | man about my age, with a shaved head and a |
| Christ through you. If you feel that same peace | | | | 2-foot braided pony tail hanging down his back. |
| returned to you by another, THIS is the person | | | | We enjoyed each other's company, laughed quite |
| you can build a church with (minister to, pray for, | | | | a bit as I recall. I told him how to reach me and |
| etc.)!" Here's a tip: Instead of inviting these people | | | | made myself available. Another man asked me if |
| to church - asking them to abandon THEIR culture | | | | I made a pretty good living doing weddings. When |
| in exchange for YOUR church's friendly confines - | | | | I told him that I don't charge, he grabbed a $50 |
| why not get to know THEM in THEIR world? | | | | bill from his wallet and said, "Here ya go, I need a |
| Chances are, they'll gladly invite family and friends | | | | blessing and I believe in reapin' and sowin'." The |
| to meet you and... POOF...instant Church! I heard | | | | next day, the bride came by my office and |
| about an East Indian Christian woman who was | | | | gleefully said "everyone just loved you at the |
| walking around a village, praying. When someone | | | | wedding."Verse 9: Jesus says, "heal the sick in it |
| asked what she was doing, she said she was | | | | and say to them, the Kingdom of God has come |
| looking for people to pray for. She was invited in | | | | close to you..." Be discerning and see if there's a |
| by many. Eventually, she established 50 house | | | | need where God could step in. As I minister in |
| churches, that in a nation with millions of gods | | | | nursing homes and when I've gone to jails and |
| (note the lower case "g").Verse 6: Jesus added, | | | | hospitals, I've NEVER had a single person say they |
| "And if anyone of peace and blessedness is there, | | | | did NOT want me to pray for them. What I |
| the peace and blessedness you wish shall come | | | | HAVE heard is people who say, "I don't know |
| upon him..." In other words, if that person is | | | | how to pray." I've even seen people cry while I |
| someone you can work with, you'll know it by the | | | | prayed and afterward admit to me that NO ONE |
| Spirit! In Acts 16:14, Paul was preaching by the | | | | has EVER prayed for them.Imagine!Sure, we could |
| river and one who was listening was a woman | | | | offer to literally pray for the sick as we enter into |
| named Lydia. The verse says, "She was [already] | | | | these strange cultures, but how about those with |
| a worshiper of God, and the Lord opened her | | | | sick marriages or sick finances, sick emotions, a |
| heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul." | | | | sick spirit, sick of being unemployed, or just sick |
| No, she wasn't a Christian - and she may have | | | | of being addicted and failing all the time? The |
| not yet even heard the story of Jesus and His | | | | verse says to tell them about the Kingdom of |
| Kingdom message. Yet, she was referred to as | | | | God. It doesn't tell us to tell them they're sinners. |
| "a worshipper of God." She could have been a | | | | They already know that, I assure you. Tell them |
| Muslim, a Satanist, a New Age guru, a | | | | there's a King who loves them and cares about |
| Buddhist...she was probably not a Jew because it | | | | them. The woman at the well is a grand example |
| was the Sabbath and she was not in the temple | | | | of that. Jesus said to her, "Does anyone condemn |
| AND she was working besides. Scripture clearly | | | | you? Neither do I." He's been called a Friend of |
| says, however, says she was a worshipper of | | | | Sinners, more comfortable with the down and |
| God and a Church was started at her house.I'm | | | | outers than with the religious crowd. He loved |
| convinced that the Lord's primary method of | | | | them and they loved Him; the self righteous got |
| evangelism was probably not open-air crusades. | | | | His indignation.We can always find a way to bless |
| Yes, we have a few examples of that, but I think | | | | and give hope. People are too often being cursed |
| there were far more one-on-one situations - the | | | | by the Church, condemned and reminded of how |
| kind of opportunities constantly available to you | | | | bad they are. "You're a sinner, bud." We forget |
| and me today as well. ALL Christians can | | | | that, if not for God's grace, so are we. Just as |
| penetrate pockets of darkness by crossing over | | | | God said to Adam, "Who told you that you were |
| to where we are no longer "culturally | | | | naked?", I can hear Him asking the Church today, |
| comfortable." We have to get out of our Christian | | | | "Who told you that you were divorced, illegitimate, |
| ghetto and rub shoulders with others in order to | | | | a fornicator, a drunkard...who told you - a child |
| find those "worshippers of God." They're out | | | | that I love - one I sent My Son to die for...that |
| there, trust me.Personally, there was a time in | | | | you were the scum of the Earth? I call you My |
| my life when I was quite a devout "worshipper of | | | | friend, My child, My warrior, my priest, my chosen |
| God." Christian girls often mistook me for one of | | | | one. Who told you all those lies about |
| "them." Sadly, the "god" to whom I paid my | | | | yourself?"Let us remember to DEMONSTRATE |
| homage was named "Mike." It was ME all along. I | | | | the presence of God before our preaching will |
| KNEW there was a GOD "out there" but all I saw | | | | ever be received. Spurgeon said, "Before you give |
| around me was Religion - not relationship - and | | | | a man a tract, wrap it in a sandwich." The same |
| condemnation. Trying to "be good" seemed | | | | principle applies. It's called "Relationship before |
| impossible for me to do no matter how hard I | | | | Function." They want to know how much you |
| tried. Sure, I heard the old Bible stories, but I | | | | care before they care how much you know. As |
| wasn't meeting anyone who testified of what He | | | | God intervenes, your testimony, your ministry will |
| was doing NOW, at this moment in time, and that | | | | be more than welcome. |