Crossroads

     We began almost like a band of fleeing refugees. This was about four and a half years ago. Over time we solidified, harmonized, and grew in our relationship with God and one another. Some people came and went but the Holy Spirit developed a core group. We worked for a long time on the question of how we were to make decisions, and a year and a half later came up with elder guided consensus. We experienced a lot of "drama" and came close to foundering. Through it all God proved Himself faithful again and again. At the end of 2011 we felt that we needed to give what God had given to us; that the blessings He had bestowed were not just for us, and that we needed to make more impact on the world around us.
     We tried two experiments. One was developing relationship with a small Brazilian church nearby. The second was partnering with them in a monthly evangelistic outreach at a low income housing project. We also began to pray for the opportunity to welcome people into this little part of the family of God.
     In the last month God has brought a number of people into our home gatherings with more expressing interest. We are thrilled. Yet this has rapidly brought us to a crossroads. We are a relatively poor group. No one owns a house. We meet mostly in small, one bathroom apartments. Twenty people max us out. We expect thirty this Sunday. What do we do now? We never want to intimate in the slightest way that we don't want people to come. There seem to be two major options. One is the traditional route. Almost all North American churches begin in someone's living room. If enough people come then they rent a space, and if more come they try to buy a building. By the grace of God we have access to a building both rent & utility free. (Some readers are probably saying, "Are you kidding me? This is a no-brainer.)
     The other option is to multiply into two groups so that we can continue to meet in homes. What does this require? Each group would need adequate leadership, ideally a worship facilitator, people willing to open their homes to host the group, and a potential willingness to not meet on Sundays with all of those with whom they have forged relationship over the last few years. We would continue our once a month gatherings, and could have prayer, brothers and or sisters' meetings together.
    The most important question in all of this is what does God want? May we seek Him diligently.