House Church Q&R: Pt. 2

Here is Part 2 of our questions received from our LB and LA House Church Leaders.

On Facilitating House Church

• What is a realistic expectation of roles, responsibility, and time commitments for House Church Leaders week to week?

  As a House Church Leader your role is to create an environment where strangers can turn into covenantal community. In this kind of community, there is vulnerability, accountability, and participation. Everyone gets to display their gifts. Mutual discipleship becomes part of the everyday ordinary life of everyone involved.

  This won't happen by accident, but through intentional leadership. As a House Church leader, we don't expect you to lead all on your own, but to empower others to support you as you lead as a:

  1. Forerunner:
  House Church Leaders go first by leading themselves first and leading by example

  2. Visionary:
  House Church Leaders carry, communicate, and pursue the vision of the House Church and it’s fulfillment

  3. Disciple-maker & Developer of Leaders:
  House Church Leaders help people become like Jesus and develop leaders through relationships, coaching, and creating opportunities and empowerment

  4. Facilitator:
  House Church Leaders own planning and facilitating the House Church gathering, empowering others to assist them with that. In this space others

  5. Spiritual Mother or Father:
  House Church Leaders step beyond the organizational role of leading, into a familial covering and protection for those in their home. Partnering with God to raise up a family of disciples.

  These commitments can be a regular commitment of 3-8 hours a week.

  You can learn more from our House Church Leader Handbook: Basics

• What should we do during family gatherings?

  House Churches find themselves in a rhythm of meeting weekly for their family gatherings, regularly bringing Jesus to the lost and the lost to Jesus for their missional expressions, and being committed to each other in our daily ordinary lives.

  The purpose of gathering together is to live as an extended family pursuing Jesus together. This time mirrors the early church by prioritizing 5 features:

  1. Family
     This is the space where we live as an extended family. Where we connect, serve, listen, and love one another.

  2. Meals
     Whether or not you have light refreshments, snacks, or a potluck when you come together as a House Church. We expect that you prioritize sharing in the Lord's Supper to ground your time together in the reality that Jesus has brought this family together by his body and blood.

  3. Worship
     Make sure you do not meet without ministering to God through our worship. This can be done through reading the psalms, listening to spotify, or having a gifted individual lead the House Church in singing.

  4. Scripture
     We are a community rooted in scripture. The Bible is central to the way we structure our lives and community. Make time to read the Bible, respond to God's word, and to allow discussion to build from that. This can be done through responding to the Sunday sermon, reading the Bible together, or going through a guided curriculum.

  5. Prayer
     In order to intentionally welcome God’s presence in our group gatherings, we want to welcome Him into our conversations. Before every House Church take time to invite God to highlight how He wants to move in your family. Then when we are together, all we have to do is invite God to meet you, and your House Church in the many ways of engaging in prayer.

  To learn more read our HOUSE CHURCH RHYTHMS document.

• With so many kids in our HC we were talking about being more intentional with them and wondering if there are available resources for facilitating lessons/ activities with kiddos that could tie into Sunday service or maybe something completely different is ok too?

  There is no junior Holy Spirit, nor is there a kids table in the New Heavens and New Earth. We want to intentionally disciple our kids as a family, and we can do this in a variety of ways.

  Our Kids Pastor, Alex Nomavuka, helped put together a wonderful resource to help your House Church discern to what degree you are able to have kids involved in House Church.

  EXPLORE RESOURCES

• Is the vision of house churches that those who come would eventually also attend a traditional Sunday service or is the house church itself the end goal?

  House Churches are the primary environment for discipleship at Garden Church.

  These are mini-Garden Churches that meet in our neighborhoods. They are where God's presence is dwelling, lives are transformed into Christlikeness, we live in deep community, and we live on mission as a family.

  Our deepest longing is that everyone who calls Garden "home," would be in a House Church.

  Additionally, we long to see everyone who comes to a Garden House Church to join us on Sundays. There is a deep value to gather as the body of Christ whenever we can. It's not an either-or, but a both-and.

  We do not have membership at Garden Church, but participation. For those who call the Garden home, we ask them to commit to 5 family rhythms:

  1. Living the Way of Jesus

  2. Join a House Church

  3. Gather

  4. Serve

  5. Give

  This is an invitation for all those who are in a House Church as much as those who attend on Sundays.

On Community

• How do we handle the relational dynamics present in House Churches (people feeling awkward, unsafe, overlooked, misunderstood)?

  House Churches are founded on the pillar of community, where people from all walks of life, united by faith in Jesus Christ can be family regardless of ethnicity, culture, age, life stage, social status, or gender.

  In these spaces, we can have cultures and personal dynamics clash in a variety of ways.

  • Someone may hurt others' feelings.

  • Jokes may cause offense

  • Couples may break up

  • Individuals date another

  • Unwanted advice may be shared and not received

  • Jealousy of others' successes may rise up

  • Competitiveness

  • Annoyance with each other

  • Family baggage leaks out into the House Church environment

  The unique environment of House Church is beautiful but lends itself to the unique challenge of navigating unity in the midst of everyone's unique baggage.

  We cannot go around policing everyone's behavior to try to fit our version of how they should be. We must make space for people to be who they are, but we must be aware of how somethings may cause issues for personal relationships or for the group as a whole.

  The best way to make sure we prioritize safety and comfort is that we:

  1. Maintain awareness
     Do you notice people in your House Church get uncomfortable or awkward around someone's behavior? Is this intentional or a cultural thing?

  2. Assume the best
     We want to maintain an atmosphere that assumes the best of everyone's intentions. This helps keep things from being awkward or from people overreacting.

  3. When needed, step in
     In the event that someone in your House Church makes others uncomfortable, creates an unsafe environment, or makes the priority of House Church other than Jesus, grab the person aside and bring their behavior to their attention.

  In the best case scenario, they are unaware of how they may be being perceived, and they become more mindful of their behavior, and the House Church benefits!

  In the event that they don't respond well, remember, House Church is an extended family environment where we must prioritize the family over the individual. So if one person is causing issues for the group, we need to address it so that the entire House Church doesn't suffer.

  Ultimately, it is helpful to have a family covenant that everyone can commit that helps set boundaries but also calls everyone to love one another intentionally. You can use our House Church Always & Nevers as a framework for your House Church.

• What is the difference between being accommodating to people of different backgrounds and preferences and when to know that a new person might just not be the right fit for your group?

  The church is an extended family made up of brothers and sisters who all experience God differently.

  During your time together as a family, your main priority is to make Jesus the one we worship, pray to, and study.

  The beauty of House Church, that is different than any other gathering, is that everyone gets to play. As a leader, regularly make space to others to lead portions of the family gathering: communion, prayer, teaching, and worship.

  Empowering the different personalities to lead will regularly allow your House Church to experience God through the head and the heart.

  We push towards unity in diversity by the Holy Spirit in everything we do!

  However, we cannot force people to fit together, if someone wants to find a different House Church, invite them to do so. We want everyone to find where they belong, and sometimes, that means they can go on the journey to find one that works for them!

• How do we handle accountability and vulnerability within our House Church and Discipleship Group?

  House Churches are the primary environment for discipleship at Garden Church. Authentic discipleship includes being accountable for living like Jesus and living honestly and vulnerably with each other.

  To facilitate this, we encourage House Churches to break up into smaller groups to be able to create an environment for vulnerability.

  One option is to empower your House Church to meet with one another in smaller environments, what we call Discipleship Groups (LEARN MORE HERE)

  Whether you break up during your time as a House Church or people meet outside of the Family Gathering, creating a consistent space where you are with 2-3 other men or women who know you and are known by you helps mutually build people up towards Christ, because there is trust between everyone.

  However, here are a few things to consider.

  1. Consistency is key
  Try to be consistent in your meetings, and invite those who are committing to House Church and the even more intimate Discipleship Groups in order to maintain a communal expectation that this is a priority. In doing so, there will be an ease of sharing vulnerably.

  2. It's okay not to share everything
  The purpose of vulnerability is to allow people to hold you accountable for growing in Christ. Especially as a leader, you often have to lead by example. However, that doesn't mean you don't use discernment when sharing with others.

  If you have brothers and sisters that you already are walking with intentionally that are outside of your House Church, then by all means don't feel the need to make this space where you process the deepest things of life. But we want to make sure that our groups know that they can be vulnerable and honest, especially for those who do not have that.

  •

  You get to guide people from oversharing while everyone is together, and you can invite those to take risks in the smaller groups. Ultimately, you, as the House Church leader, get to set the tone and model for our House Churches how to live a life without secrets.

On Mission

• What are ways to be missional as a group with various conflicting schedules?

  House Churches are designed to bring Jesus to the lost and the lost to Jesus. To be a disciple is to be sent out on mission!

  When trying to stir our House Churches towards mission, we must do a few things:

  1. Bring Focus to Jesus
  Remind those in your House Church who Jesus is, how He has worked in their lives, and how He is wanting to reach those who don't know Him.

  2. Be Intentional
  Get together as a House Church regularly to pray for the "who" they are all called to. God's heart is for those who are lost, and like a good Father, He is pursuing those who don't know Him. We should be too.

  Use this sheet as a guide on how to begin your missional journey.

  MISSIONAL WORKSHEET

  3. Make a Plan
  Once you land on a missional expression, meet together as a House Church and plan how exactly you will live together on a mission.

  Best Practice: Being missional is for those who don't know Jesus to encounter Him. So, however, you choose to go after the mission, set a date/time, and show up in prayer. Not everyone will be able to make the events, outreaches, or parties, but we know that Jesus will show up even if two or three are gathered. So show up hopeful, even if there are schedule conflicts.

On Empowering Leadership & Multiplication

• What can HC Leaders expect of our Overseers? What can Overseers expect of HC Leaders?

  Our House Church Overseers are here to support you and your House Churches.

  Each Overseer is assigned to a House Church, and their responsibilities include:

  1. Regularly check in with those HC Leaders [In-person and/or over the phone]

  2. Ask health check questions to identify the health of the leaders and the House Church.

  3. Visit House Churches in person. Maintaining relationships with those part of the HC.

  4. They shepherd and care for the souls of those they oversee.

  Ultimately, they are here to support you and your House Church. We are not meant to lead alone, so make the most of those who have said yes to the responsibility of overseers.

• How do we learn how other House Churches facilitate their groups (family gatherings, house church rhythms, missional expressions)?

  There is no one right way to lead a House Church. God will fill and use each leader and House Church uniquely when they are open and willing.

  We recognize that learning from one another can also spur on a prophetic imagination for what God wants to do, There are a few ways that you can grasp insight and gleanings from others:

  1. Visiting another House Church
     You are more than welcome to visit another House Church to take notes. Talk to your Overseer our the House Church Pastor, and they can help connect you to other HC's.

  2. Stories
     The stories we tell can expand our imaginations to what is possible. That is why whenever we gather as leaders we want to make sure we come ready to share all of what God is doing in our midst! This House Church blog also serves as a way to share these stories regularly.

  3. Trainings
     Prioritize to attend whenever we have trainings. They are meant to help bring our leaders into refocus on what are the basics of House Church. This can also help bring clarity to the why's and how's of House Churches. They are usually structured like a family gathering to help model what House Church can feel like.

• How to empower members to step into leadership positions?

  Empowering others requires intentionality if it will be done well.

  Identify other leaders, their gifting, and their capacity.

  Develop them by investing extra time and resources to raise them up to be the person you know them to be.

  Delegate tasks that you can observe. Empower others to take opportunities in leadership. Give them clear expectations of what you want and what authority they are carrying in these tasks.

  Coach others in the tasks delegated. Give clear feedback on what was done well and what could use work.

  Empower people in the gifts you recognize in them, and call them into being the kind of leader Jesus sees them to be.

• What is available for us regarding pastoral/soul care?

  You are covered spiritually by the leaders above you which include:

  1. House Church Overseers

  2. House Church Pastor

  3. Pastors on staff

  Our prayer is that you make the most of stewarding your soul by using the resources we offer to you all. When searching for help or care, always reach out to your Overseers or the House Church Pastor: michael@garden.church.

• How do we discern if we need a sabbatical as House Church Leaders, or if we need to step away completely?

  A House Church is as healthy as its leaders. Part of a House Churches lifecycle is growth, making disciples, empowering leadership, and multiplication. 

  We celebrate the stories of growth that come out of House Churches and we want to praise Jesus that He is at work in it all. Additionally, we recognize the weight and toll that takes place on House Church leaders in all of that.

  House Churches are encouraged to find rhythms of rest and break around summer and the 

  holiday season to help everyone find short respites throughout each year. 

  Furthermore, it is even recognized that you as a leader may need to step back or away from leading for a season. If you are discerning that, invite your Overseers into this process.

  We want to make sure that:

  1. The right decision is made in needing to step back

  2. The duration of the leave is clear

  3. Your House Church has empowered leadership to lead in your absence.

  Again, please invite us into these processes, our team want to see you thrive as a disciple and to see your House Churches flourish. 

• How do I transition out of leadership if nobody else wants to step up without crashing the group?

Questions & Feedback

Submit any questions or feedback that need to be answered here. Whether it is for your on on behalf of those in those in your House Church, please use the form here or, email: michael@garden.church