Planting A Church Within the Body.

Starting a Home Church in today’s modern world is not so different from those churches the apostles forged nearly two thousand years ago. The way Paul put it at Romans 10:17 the Word of God can’t help but be preached. In fact for some of us we understand this to be our very purpose as we are called to serve our loving creator as responsible family leaders.

First, a word on church planting in today’s school of thought. You will see with little investigation that the overwhelming focus in starting a church pertains to its origination as a nonprofit corporation. At this point we must make some distinctions. In the biblical sense, true Christians obviously place the Church under the preeminence of the Lord Jesus. If that’s true, we must ask the question, is the 501(c)3 corporate status one that undermines the authority of God’s Word when it comes to planting a Church?

Romans 13 Civil Authority

Paul describes various roles in social order; Christians are not anarchist but are at odds with their own justification of evil and the moral position of the state. As Christians we must not enact vengeance, but, have little choice but to work with the punishments imposed by the state. The question is this. Are we first identified by Christ or America? Is our allegiance to Christ alone in that we find our submission to God? Certainly we find scripture that shows God’s people have engaged in civil disobedience (Ex. 1:16; 3:16-18; 6:2-7; Acts 4:19; 5:28) when mans law is placed above that of God’s. Consider Paul’s circumstances’ when he wrote Romans 13:1-5. He had experienced a dramatic conversion from a legalistic Pharisee at a time when he saw justice in the death of Jesus (1 Co. 2:8). Then he became a missionary hounded by the government (Acts 16:16). The teaching of Paul in Romans tells us that ultimately God says who’s in charge (John 19:10), that government is neither infallible nor absolute; however he presents the general principle that what God ordains does not replace what He commands.

Let us not tolerate an encroaching state legislating it’s own form of morality where God has ordained the church to preach the gospel. God has preeminence over the Earth in love even as the Government exercises justice over its subjects. The balance lies within the differences between tolerance and righteous judgment. The powers and principalities are to enforce the ordinances of God. Not all governmental acts are ordained by God. When good and lawful practices are violated by governors it is evil. For example, the bible is clear on issues of the desecularization such as the mother’s right to choose abortion as well as the rights of homosexuals. Furthermore, it has been well documented where the authorities have used thuggish and unlawful means to suppress even these basic biblical truths.

The Free Church can be considered to take the position of moderate anti-statism. This is based on the governmental framework found in scripture at 1 Samuel chapter 8. What the people want in a government and what they get are two different things. Fact is God warned Israel about the consequences regarding their loss of freedom but when it came to the people’s desire for progress they easily forgot who the rightful king was. In general they generated their own social opinion and where not about to listen to reason. God’s warning was how they wouldn’t be able to avoid coercion from a monarchy. So, although the government is necessary there are times when the church, as a voluntary society, may disagree with the coercion of a government that has a monopoly on control. Anti-statism is not in total opposition to government, its knowing when too much government can harm our own societies. The “true” Free Church is not some radical libertarian society that uses coercion against others; instead our concerns are that of individuals.

The Common Church of Today

Most of us have been to Churches that emphasize theatrics and some of them are pretty good at it. One Church when preaching on Peters walk on water transformed the entire “worship center” into a storm complete with lightening and even wind machines to enhance the effect. Well worth the seven dollars admission fee disguised as a love offering. The fact is that most Churches of today are run like business. A far cry from the Churches founded in scripture, today’s churches are founded on the fame of the pastor and how many books he has sold, the rock band he uses for worship, and especially his charismatic personality.

Here is the model of the biblical Church

The apostles had the right idea, not to lord over the Church (Matt 20:25-28; Mk 10:42-45; Lk 22:24-27; Jn 13:3-5; 1 Cor 1:10; 7:25; 16:15-16; 2 Cor 1:24; 2:8; 2 Th 3:6; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet 5:2),meet in small home groups (Ac 2:46; 5:42; Rom 16:5; 16:23; 1 Cor 1:11; 16:19; 14:26), have multiple leaders (Eccl 4:9-12; Ac 14:23; 15:2, 22-23; 20:17; 1 Tim 4:14; Tit 1:5; James 5:14; 3 John 9) that are qualified (Ac 6:3; 1 Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:6-9) and home grown (Nu 11:16, 26; Ac 6:3,6; 14:23), also male (Gen 2:18; Jdg 4:4-9; Is 3:12; 1 Ti 2:11-15; 3:2; 3:11), exercises discipline (Mt 18:17-18; 1 Cor 5:1-13; 2 Cor 2:5-8) in a priesthood without laity (Ex 19:5-6; Jer 31:33; Heb 4:14; 8:10-13; 2 Ti 4:14-15; 1 Pet 2:5, 9-10; James 5:16; Rev 2:6, 15), where everyone participates (Nu 11:29; Joel 2:28; Ac 2:4, 2:17-18; 1 Cor 14:26) in love and encouragement (Jn 13:34; 15:17; Rom 1:12; 12:9; 1 Cor 14:31; 16:14; 1 Thes 4:9; 5:11,14; 1 Pet 1:22; 2:17; 1 Jn 3:11; 4:7; 2 Jn 1:5) including children (Lk 18:16; Eph 1:1, 6:1; 1 Jn 2:12-13) and fellowship over a meal (Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24 ; Lk 22:17-20; Ac 2:42,46; 20:7; 1 Cor 11:18-34; 2 Pet 2:13; Jude 12; Rev 19:9).

A Sound biblical resource for planting a Home Church

City Gates Ministries can help break through the bureaucratic confusion with a sound and legal alternative to the professional business type corporate Church. The “Free Church”. A free church is really the original church of the bible. It keeps the church from becoming inferior to, and a subordinate of, the civil authorities. On the other hand by organizing a church as a corporation of the United States, the government is given authority to impose its will over her. It’s not difficult to see how the state will revoke the corporate status of churches in times of persecution.

As we enter difficult and highly volatile times of political injustice bordering on revolution we must be prepared to respond with resilience and agility. How will this be possible if we are cornered into operating under State laws which contradict our moral principles? Will our hands be tied when it comes to preaching the truth?

In fact, religious persecution on the non-profit churches can be avoided by planting free churches that honor Christ as our Head. We have seen firsthand how the Lord has blessed both the incorporated church as well as the Free Church; however, there is a distinction in scripture that place the world empire of false religion in opposition to the true Church. How God positions us today, with the " new world order" looming, will clearly determine the manner in which he will use us in the near future.

So, our world view is essential in determining many factors that involve planting a new ministry. Not only that, but, we should be ready to share our position with others. City Gates Ministries is developing small groups of disciples willing to be trained as leaders in their own home church community. Contact us through this website for more information.