Book Review – Starting A House Church – by Larry Kreider & Floyd McClung
Starting a House Church was a very helpful book. It did not have all the answers I was looking for in the way of “how to,” but it was still worth the read. The authors paint in broad brush strokes. They do give some practical advice on how to start a house church, how to keep kids involved, as well as other frequently asked questions concerning house churches. If you are looking for a “step-by-step” guide to starting a simple church, you’ll probably need to look elsewhere. If you are looking for a primer on the subject, then this is a good book for you.
One of the things I liked about this book is that it was not bitter towards the traditional models of church. Sometimes house church people can be renegades who have an agenda against anything traditional. You won’t find that attitude with Kreider and McClung. In fact, their last chapter suggests ways in which simple churches, mega churches and community churches can work together to accomplish Christ’s purposes. While they both admittedly prefer the micro church model, they admit no one model of church reaches everyone, and the Scriptures extend great freedom to various expressions of church life. Working in unity will allow us to be more effective as a whole.
There was also a very helpful chapter on “Pitfalls to Avoid” (chapter 14). They give much good advice on where not to tread and what to expect if you do. I found myself all too readily identifying with some of the pitfalls, so it was a good warning from a trusted source. I’ll let you read it yourself, but here’s a quick list of the pitfalls to avoid…maybe it will perk your interest:
The Pitfall of:
- Consumer Christianity
- Inauthentic Community
- Pride
- Fear
- An Independent Spirit
- Heresy
- Discouragement
If you are beginning your search on starting a house church, this is a good place to start. If you’re like me and are already convinced that starting a simple church is a good idea, then we must continue our search for the definitive “how to” guide. I’m open to suggestions at this point!
April 22, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Thanks for posting this review Matt. I’ll have to grab this one and read it.
I’ve been wondering if it is even possible to have a “definitive how-to guide” for doing church like this. Since by their very nature house/simple churches are highly contextualized, it would be really hard to come up with a guide that addresses every one. Still, I think that there are likely a number of issues that transcend context. Perhaps a starting point to discovering these would be getting input from a variety of house/simple church planters and find out what they have found to be the most important issues they’ve faced. If you see a pattern of the same issue facing a significant number of planters, that’s probably an essential element to include in such a how-to. That said, let’s work on getting a meeting with you, Aaron, me, and the Apex guys. I think it would be beneficial for us, as well as other planters elsewhere, to begin to flesh something out.
April 22, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Hey Dwight! Thanks for stopping by.
I agree that the transient nature of house churches makes it nearly impossible to write a definitive guide. You make a good point that there are some common issues they all must deal with. We are in the process of dealing with those very issues right now, I think.
I would love to get us all together. Sorry, I’ve been negligent in that matter. I’ve been meaning to make some progress in putting something together for us all, but have been a bit busy of late. We definitely need to do that though. Let me get in touch with Apex and see where they’re at, then I’ll try to set something up with all of us.
Pray for us. We are starting a Bible study on finances this coming Thursday at Andrew’s apartments. A few people signed up…not as many as we expected, but no fewer than God wants at the first meeting.
Grace and Peace,
matt
April 25, 2008 at 4:49 am
Hi, Matt
I’ve been searching around, and I found these books recommended by house church people:
Houses that Changed the World by Wolfgang Simson
Organic Church by Neil Cole
So You want to Start a House Church by Frank Viola
Starting a House Church by Larry Kreider and Floyd McClung
Are you familiar with any of them? What do you think of them? I haven’t looked at them on Amazon yet. I’m reading The Divine Conspiracy and really enjoying it. The first two chapters are a bit slow, but he starts right off in chapter three with some great stuff–so far. Thanks for recommending it.
The house church people I’ve searched online seem pretty, um, opinionated toward the IC (as they call it). Is that typical? I don’t think the church I go to is bad. It’s not really meeting my hopes and dreams, but the teaching is good. It’s just that most people don’t want to get very involved or help or whatever.
God’s strength,
Cindy
April 25, 2008 at 4:50 am
BTW, you changed your header. Nice!
April 25, 2008 at 5:52 am
Cindy,
If I may respond to your questions on the books.
Houses That Change the World - considered by many to be the seminal work on house church, it actually came across to me as very opinionated, and angry at times, at the “IC.” (So, yes, such opinions and even hostility towards the more institutional expressions of the Church are fairly typical in certain circles.) At the same time, there is some very good information in this book, particularly a lot of the nuts and bolts of how to actually begin and function as a house church.
Organic Church - for me, Cole’s book is by far one of the most informational and inspirational of all the books I’ve read on house/simple church. it is deeply rooted in Scripture and really focuses on discipleship as the foundation for any mode of church practice.
I have not read the books by Viola and Kreider/McClung, but I have read other works by all of these men and highly recommend them as authors.
Another writer that has been very influential in my journey is Robert Banks. Two of his books, The Church Comes Home and Paul’s Idea of Community are excellent for anyone looking into house/simple church.
Hope you are as shaken and changed by The Divine Conspiracy as I was!
Blessings,
Dwight
April 25, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Dwight,
Thanks for the brief reviews/recommendations of the books Cindy asks about.
Cindy,
Dwight is a new friend of mine. He is here in Las Vegas as well and is also starting a house church network. I take his word for what he says about these authors.
Viola is a writer I just came across recently. I’m almost finished with a book he and Barna wrote called “Pagan Christianity.” I recommend his writing as well…because I love the book. I’ll write a review on it soon, but let’s just say it’ll shake up what you think to be biblical in terms of our normal practice of worship on Sunday mornings.
I sense the bitterness towards the IC (Instituational Church…for those following along) as well among some of the house church people. I have to fight it a little myself, because I disagree with much of what happens in the IC. However, you are very right that the IC isn’t all bad. There is much good that happens in many of them. We need to figure out how to work together as the body of Christ in spite of our differing philosophies. We’ll accomplish more for the kingdom that way.
Reading about simple church definitely requires keeping a critical eye on those who ooze bitterness, but I agree with Dwight, they often have some helpful things to say. As with anything you read, you just need to filter what is said through Scripture.
Thanks for dropping by Dwight and Cindy!
Grace and Peace,
matt
p.s. Cindy, I got your email and have been meaning to respond. I’ve been busy preparing for our first Bible study, which was last night…and a success I might add. Four new people showed up for a study on finances! That was a huge encouragement to me…it actually felt like we are finally doing something!
April 26, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Hooray!
I’ve been praying for you and your partner, families, new friends, so I’m glad to hear things went well. Four people is great, and a good number to start working with. I’ll certainly keep praying.
Thanks for the reviews, and the recommendation of Pagan Christianity I’d heard it mentioned in a couple of forums, but no real description of it, and the name kind of put me off. It looks like I’ll be making a trip back to Amazon, but I think I’ll finish reading the books I have, now, first. Divine Conspiracy is not a quick read–it would be like wolfing down a culinary masterpiece.
I’ll look forward to reading your future reviews.
God’s Strength,
Cindy