01/26/2008 Meeting Report

We met at the Tougas' on this cold January morning for breakfast and fellowship. We had some great sharing around the ideas of freedom, priesthood and gifts. Each shared their heart regarding where they felt God was directing them. We gather to encourage one another in our walk, to challenge one another and to urge one another on to good works. It's awesome and scary to watch God work by His Spirit among us. We have no vision except what God reveals, no direction except His leading and no plans except His word.

10/06/2007 Meeting Report

Lunch at Bob and Cyndi's was accompanied by pleasant weather tasty food and good fellowship. Much time was spent discussing what subject areas we wanted to explore together in the scriptures over the coming months. We did a little do-wap praising of God (you had to be there) and we spent a good amount of time bringing needs to the Father in prayer.

09/22/07 Meeting Report

We had a different kind of meeting. Come to think of it, since we don't follow a particular agenda, every meeting is different. We thought it would be a good idea to combine the mundane work we all have to do with the more important things like fellowship, so we had a work-bee. We painted a fence and repaired a couple doors at Damien's house. Afterward we had some awesome potato leek soup, herb bread and assorted crackers. We got tired, laughed and talked about where to have the next work-bee.
Our sharing included things such as helping immigrants, getting into scripture and things we've done for a living. We figured that together we accomplished in a couple hours what would have taken all day for one person to do. This allowed us to share a meal and fellowship while taking care of those tedious chores.

Things that are important to us

As we have begun to talk about what a christian gathering looks like, we have shared some things that are important to us as a fellowship. Please keep in mind that these are not necessarily things we have all agreed upon, nor have we fully discovered what these things look like. Some of these things we have done and others we have only talked about as important. In no particular order:

• Sharing a meal
• Breaking bread (communion) as part of a full meal
  
• Sharing spiritual burdens through prayer
• Reading scripture
• Living simply
  
• Praising God in song
• Helping with practical needs
• Being together
• Avoiding materialism
  
• Meeting on the Lord's day
• Receiving the gifts of the Spirit
• Reaching out to the community
• Working on projects together
• Meeting everyday
• Letting kids be kids
• Learning from one another
• Leaning on one another
• Giving time and money to those in need
• Showing hospitality
• Fasting and Prayer
• Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists and Teachers
• Eldership and Servanthood
• Releasing others in ministry
  

There are some I may have left out, but these seem to be the most often raised subjects of conversation. I would love to know what others would add to this list. We may never come to a complete agreement about all of these things, but we are talking and I believe open, to whatever the Holy Spirit may lead us to.

Myth of Church Planting

I've heard of church planters. I've seen books too great to number on the subject of church planting. I've read of expensive consultants in how to plant churches. Clearly Church Planting and Church Planters are very popular buzz-words these days. I have just a couple tiny problems. Where are the Church Planters in the bible and how did the early church manage without cutting-edge seminars? I have searched from cover to cover and I cannot find this creature anywhere. I can't find the scripture that tells us to start churches. There are a lot of helpful materials for sale that tell us how it's done, what it looks like, how to organize it, how to plant it, grow it and multiply it. What if we just went out and preached the gospel with signs following? What if we just loved one another as Christ told us to? What if we just read the bible? I have a feeling there would be lot of publishers and promoters looking for a job.

Speaking of Kids

Meeting Report 09/01/07

We went to Bradbury Mountain for what Damien referred to as a "Mountaintop Experience". Renee has some pictures and her thoughts here http://www.tougas.net/node/1115.
We did a lot of talking and walking. We broke bread at the summit and shared our feelings and thoughts about what things Christians do when the gather. Sharing needs, Communion and the Lord's day were some to the topics we discussed. It was a great day for laughter and sharing. I have to confess that every time we get together, my heart hungers for more of Christ and his people. The kids were a great blessing to all. There was a wrestling incident that involved tickling and piling on an Innocent adult. It's great to not send children off to some basement room for "proper instruction" but rather for them to learn the love and fellowship of Christ in a bright, airy, sunny place.

What makes God tick?

What is it that drives God? I know what motivates me, but what motivates God? I think the answer may be found in a familiar passage of scripture; John 3:16. In that verse it is stated that the reason God sent his only Son was because he "so loved the world". Could it be that the God of infinite complexity has one simple motivation? Simply love. This is what lies
behind all that God does. I don't understand the ways of God, but I do understand the whys.

As we seek to share life together, motivation becomes very important. All attempts at community will fail if we are not motivated by love. In the U.S. we are all about success and for most success is defined by wealth and influence. It is no different in the religious world. Success is how many people we had last Sunday, how much money was raised for our new building and how modern our facilities are. This kind of thinking leads to wrong motivation. We become motivated by the desires of the eye, pleasure and pride. It becomes all about the show, all about what makes me feel good and what makes my chest swell. If these things motivate us, it will poison the well of fellowship and drive us back to what we are coming out of. We will become just another group with an agenda.

To be motivated by love is to seek the welfare of another, at your own expense. It cost the Father dearly to love us. Every stripe laid on the back of Jesus is a testament to the immense love that God has for us. It will cost something to be motivated by love. It will cost pride, ambition and self preservation. It will cost all that we have. The wonderful thing is, that when we are cativated by the glory of the Fathers love, there seems to be no cost at all, only reward.

This is not something we can muster on our own. We need a Divine intervention, a new heart, a new life. This is the life that the Father wants to fill our hearts with. The life of his love. This is the life we live by, the life of faith in Christ Jesus. "It is not I that lives, but Christ who lives in me." The only way that I can truly be motivated by love is to abide in Him and He in me. I know what makes God tick and he is changing what makes me tick, so what makes you tick?

Meeting Report 8-12-07

Eight of us had brunch at the Tougas' house. Each brought food to share. We began with the bread and wine, during which we reflected on various images of Christ and His people. The Vine and Branches, Shepherd and Sheep etc.. There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie around the table as we broke bread in Jesus name.
The table was cleared and the kids went to play outside, while the adults got into some deeper sharing. We met Tim from Mexico ME who shared his own desire to meet simply in the Lords name. We talked a lot about money. How to spend it, give it and earn it in the light of the kingdom and in the Spirit of Christ. Renee shared a song the Lord laid on her heart. It ministered the presence of God to all. We had no set format for the meeting. We just let it unfold as we and the Spirit wished.
We are planning the next meeting for Sept. 2nd at a place yet to be determined.

Meeting Report 08/04/07

Renee has already done a great job with a report on this meeting see her post http://tougas.net/node/1090.

I'll only add that we were indeed an intimate group and enjoyed the conversation greatly. We are having a hard time with finding words to describe what it is we are doing. For now we are kind of stuck on "House Church". Though I'm not really happy with it.

The Declaration of Dependence

When in the course of human and heavenly events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the spiritual bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of earth and heaven, the separate and more powerful station to which the King and His Kingdom entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind require that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold the Word of God as The Truth. The Truth was given to all men that they might have life, liberty and the freedom to pursue their God. That to secure these truths, a government exist among men and angels, deriving its just power from its Creator and King, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to declare and decree a new government, laying the foundation on the Word of God.

We declare and decree that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; And he shall reign for ever and ever.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Might God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Richard H.

Meeting report - 6/30/7

We had a "meating" at the Tougas' home with some 11 or so folks from a couple of house-churches. We started with sharing wine and bread and moved on to some serious eating. The kids (15 of them) had fun playing together outside in the garden. The weather was pleasant so we shared our meal outside. Each family was given a cup for communion and we passed around a loaf of sweet challah bread. The fare was vegetarian, though not be design. After eating the brothers kind of gravitated to the garage where we shared our thoughts on church as well as our personal stories of our adventures in Christ. We moved into the house for a more formal gathering in the living room.
We shared music, read scripture and prayed for those in need. It was great to ask questions of others doing house-church and to swap stories. We are just starting this journey together. Not sure where it will lead but excited by the possibilities.