Friday, September 2, 2011
House Church Blues
Some of the readers of this blog are familiar with a teaching utilizing the parable of the wine poured into new wine skins ( Luke 5:36ff) In this teaching Jesus is the wine and New Testament patterns a.k.a. apostolic traditions is the wineskin. As usually expressed, the lack of a new wineskin (rather than the old wineskin of traditional church practice) is needed to contained the wine so it doesn't fall to the ground. While we should adhere to the Bible rather than human tradition, no wineskin has a purpose if there is no wine to put in it. For some time people have been telling me their concerns about people in house churches in New England. In the last several weeks this has accelerated. It comes from brethren whom I respect in the Lord. No longer can I ignore it. Have we become so enamoured of the structure that we have lost the life? Jesus is clear. Apart from Him we can do nothing. ( John 15:5) He told the disciples to wait until they were clothed with power from on high. ( The promise of the Holy Spirit) As I reflect back on eleven plus years of following the original apostolic traditions of the NT, which I do believe are for today, I see a trickle of seasoned believers from traditional churches into home gatherings. Several groups have become twenty with whom I have relationship. Yet except for one group, there are hardly any new converts. Are we just shuffling the deck? Does the wineskin have any point if we have no wine to put into it?
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as we return to "original apostolic traditions of the NT", our understanding of "new convert" is also being snapped-back. The old leaven cleansed, and the best new wine which may be poured slowly (or at times drenched upon, as to Acts 2).
ReplyDeleteThe conversion model popularized by Protestant zeal & revivalism wasn't either what the apostles' delivered. The (older) new, complete with "narrow gate", is to what we are today being attuned. This includes having most conversion occur outside ekklesia; a much lower false conversion visible -- including the absence of what used to be called "Sunday Conversion" [ref: Billy Sunday], along with the need for "re-evangelism" for many who had previously signed-up via a "free eternal life" personal benefits package. Adding to what is seen, many home gatherings are not yet prepared for fresh pouring among them; and our Father knows with compassion where and when they will be so.