dermasse

I found this site after googling "christians only forum". I've been involved with several forums over the years consisting of believers and non-believers. They seemed to be characterized either by non-Christians ridiculing our faith or by Christians sacrificing truth in an attempt to pacify non-believers and keep them around to hear the Gospel. My calling is to build up the body of Christ through Biblical teaching, so these other forums did not allow me to fulfill this ministry without much controversy and stress.

I'm 45, married with 5 kids ages 5-15. I've been saved since 1990. I'm a pastor/teacher who's been homechurching for the last 2 years. According to what I've found in many churches, I seem to have some very peculiar ideas of what "church" is and what is supposed to be going on in the church meeting. My ideas are simple: we meet with other believers in an open and honest way that enables each to use his or her spiritual gift, no games, no deceit, no non-Biblical traditions that exist without purpose. My favorite story is the one about the little girl who asks her mother why she cuts the ends off the pot roast before putting it in the pan.

Anyway, I look forward to getting to know everyone.

SweetSurrender

Welcome, Dermasse!
You sound like a very interesting person. I'm glad you found this site. I think you will enjoy it as much as we all do. I would like to know more about your house church ministry. I was just discussing this on another thread. It seems to be becoming a very popular thing to do. There is so much to learn on this forum. I surrendered my life to Christ on Jan. 24, 2008, through this forum. And I have made many friends here. Keep posting, Dermasse. By the way, where did you get that name? Bonnie

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Boanerges

Welcome Dermasse! It is great to meet you and I look forward to sharing with and learning from you!
Take a moment and visit this link for helpful info:

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“Neither skill nor knowledge is needed to go to God, all that is necessary is a heart dedicated entirely and solely to Him out of love for Him above all others.”
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Fluffy

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Be transparent before God, He sees right thru you, anyway!
http://www.likepreciousfaith.org/testimony_val.htm
Please pray for your local emergency responders, daily.

dermasse

Thanks for the welcome Bonnie. My name is a long story, but I'll make it short. Der Masse is actually two German words, which roughly translated into English would be "to the nth degree", if you're familiar with that phrase. That's what we're called to in Christ. We're called to perfection, to the nth degree, farther than we ever thought possible. Just when we think we've become "spiritual," the Lord will reveal another layer of sin. His desire is that we deal with that sin, submitting to His authority and enabling Him to complete that work in us. In theological terms, it's called sanctification, the process of becoming more and more Christ-like that never, ever ends.

Homechurching just seemed a natural thing for us. We've been doing it for years. I'm a preacher. I love to preach. Unlike most modern American pastors, I don't prepare a message with appropriately timed jokes, human interest stories from the news, etc. I get up on Sunday morning and ask God, "What's the message Lord?" First He leads me to a passage, and then He reveals the message. We sit down in our living room at around 10am, we sing, we pray, and I deliver the message. Unlike most sermons you'll hear in institutional churches, I ask questions along the way. I allow those attending to ask questions. Occasionally, I sense a need arise that wasn't part of the original message, so I submit to the Holy Spirit's leading and divert the message to take care of that need. It's all quite open and free-flowing. The key is that although we have a loose structure, it is loose. When anyone senses the Holy Spirit's leading to do something impromptu like pray or sing or discuss a particular issue, we do it. The message is conversational. I want to give everyone the opportunity to have their questions answered before they forget them. I don't know how many times I've sat listening to a sermon, had a question about something the preacher said, but I couldn't stop the sermon to ask the questions without being ostracized. I also couldn't write down the question in the context of the point being made without missing what was being afterward. The point of the message should be to meet the church's needs, not let the pastor feel he's doing his job or pay his bills. Which by the way, we do not handle any money. Tithing is up to the individual. If someone wants to give, that's fine, but it isn't expected that anyone give any money to me. Having been a church pastor, I've played that game where I was actually told what to preach to keep my "job."

Anyway, that's it in a nutshell. I'm thrilled that you've come to know our Lord Jesus. Trials and struggles await you, but they do not compare to the blessings of a life of obedience. God is good!

dermasse

Thanks Boanerges. I actually read through that page before posting. I will try to remember and practice everything there.

dermasse

Thanks Fluffy. I love your signature. Isn't it the truth?! We cannot hide anything from our Lord. He knows be better than I know myself.

Fluffy

__________________
Be transparent before God, He sees right thru you, anyway!
http://www.likepreciousfaith.org/testimony_val.htm
Please pray for your local emergency responders, daily.

dermasse

That's great Fluffy. It's very encouraging to hear of others doing this too and also very encouraging to hear that you are being blessed by it. Sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting my time, just being rebellious against the Body of Christ as a whole, or somehow missing the mark. Thanks again!

Psalm91

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A day without giving is a day without love.....