Home Church Reports 2
(Picture clip from Home Church A, New Haven, Enugu, Nigeria)
Every Friday, as I promised in my 2010 blog posting schedule, I publish reports from our ministries, outreaches, and missions in Nigeria, USA, and other places. Last week, I posted the reports from our first home church meeting for 2010 which was a very exciting experience for all of us here in Nigeria. Those of you outside Enugu, Nigeria, and particularly those in the United States, have been asking about our members’ personal impressions and experiences during these home church meetings. Well, I promise to include that in future reports. My hope is that through these reports, you will actually participate in the love and friendship that we share in our home churches.
I appreciate those of you that left comments in last weeks report – Sarah Clark, Onyeluka Emeagwai, Chukwuma Okafor, Shileen Nixon, Nkechinyere Rosemary, and those yet to comment. Thanks for being expressive, and for sharing your thoughts on this evolving process. I really want to read what everyone of you think and feel about what’s going on with our home churches, whether you are participating in person, or via these reports.
Now, something very exciting happened within the week. I got a mail from Becky Illig, Shileen Nixon, and Don Nixon, requesting that we include reports from their home church too! Now, that makes me want to jump! So, this week, we’ve included the Nixon’s Home Church in our reports. Praise God!
The Nixon’s Home Church is a part of our global missions family and have been meeting since last year at McMurray, PA, USA. Practically all of the core members of the WD Favour International ministry team in Pennsylvania, USA, are members of the Nixon’s home church.
Hopefully, we’ll be adding reports from new home churches as quickly as we establish them, or as they join our network of home churches!
Wow! This is really exciting!
Among other things, I pray that through these reports:
- the concept and practice of home churches would become popularized around the world
- home church leaders and pastors within and outside our network will receive inspiration, guidance, and resources for their home churches.
Home church pastors within our network present their reports (including pictures) to me every Thursday. The reports are then reviewed and published on this blog every Friday morning.
Ok, here are this week’s home church reports!
The Nixon’s Home Church
McMurray, PA, USA
“Well, here ya go. The picture did not turn out all that great. I lightened it up some. It was hard the way everyone was positioned. Plus I was trying to not disturb things too much. If you don’t like any of it .. it’s ok. No sweat … we’ll just try again next week.
The Nixon’s home church always begins with a little bit of fellowship around refreshments as everyone gathers.
This week, once everyone arrived, we began with a couple of worship songs to get our minds and hearts fixed on the Lord. Don, led us in a thought provoking discussion he entitled “So Long Self”, which was about selfishness and was prefaced with the reading of Matthew 5:38-6:4. We answered questions like, “What makes us self-absorbed?” and “What is the outcome of being self-absorbed?”
In the end we discussed that when we fit into God’s plan for our lives it kills off selfishness. We looked at Romans 2:5-8 and I Corinthians 13:5.Don then played a song called “So Long Self” by Mercy Me. Afterwards, we took prayer requests, spent time in prayer together, gave announcements, and then hung out in sweet fellowship.
Next week we will continue the discussion around saying good-bye to self and finding someone new – Jesus!” ~ Shileen Nixon
Home Church A
New Haven, Enugu, Nigeria“Our fellowship held at my home in New Haven. We started with a brief praise and worship session that ended with us praying for other people’s needs. After this opening session, we spent some time welcoming one another before moving into an interactive bible study period. Our discussion was a continuation of last week’s on the subject of wisdom and temptation. Our bible study text was James 1:14-27. There were several contributions from our members such as, “If you scan your desires, with the Lord’s desires, there is no way you will go astray,” and “the ability to control what we say is an act of wisdom and discipline as well.”
We took some pictures afterward and had some refreshments before ending for the day.
Thanks and see you next week!” ~ Udoka Frances Enujeko
Home Church B
Ogui Rd., Enugu, Nigeria
“Our meeting commenced at my house with a brief worship session. A bible study session followed and it lasted for an hour. The theme was ‘life givers’ and we pondered on questions like, what is life? Who is a life giver? What are the qualities a life giver must possess? And so on. There were so many opinions on this, but we eventually refocused on God as the fountain of life. From there we concluded that, “as life givers, we are to solve the problems, and answer the prayers of others,” as well as that, “true greatness is only realized when you solve the problems of humanity, ultimately becoming a life giver.”
After the interactive session, we put final touches to our presentation for Sunday’s Family gathering which is a melodrama titled, "Your essence". We’ve put a lot of work into this presentation and hope the Lord makes up for every difference. We’ll give you a feedback on the presentations next week. Have a lovely week and God bless!” ~ Pastor Anuli Mbakwe
Home Church C
Maryland, Enugu, Nigeria
“We started with opening prayer and worship songs. A little time was given for chatting and asking about other members that were not present. After this, I reminded our members that the reason for the home churches included encouraging one another to seek God’s presence where they will be transformed and also discover their God-given purpose so they can transform the world around them. I emphasized that we must be relevant as the salt of the earth, especially to those who may never be able to pay us back. I asked our members to help at least two persons within the week who are in need; we expect to share our experiences on this during next week’s home church meeting.
After the discussions we rehearsed for our Family Gathering presentation this Sunday. It will be a drama titled ‘my heart is secure in the eternal word of God.’ We’ll see how that plays out.
Thanks for reading, and see you next week!” ~ Dr. Chidimma Njoku
Hmmm…amazing reports! I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I did.
Please share your thoughts with us on this, and may God bless you.
Sarah Clark (12)
Pastor Anuli (3)
Chummy (2)
Deborah Alinda (1)
It was truly enjoyable over at the Nixon’s today… I can’t wait for more discussions it gets so exciting when we all become interactive with the subject and the topics
God is GOOD!!! *DANCING with PRAISE*
Through discussion, sharing of experiences, considering different perspectives and expanding our knowledge and understanding of scripture we are continuting our journey. The most inspiring part of of participating in the home church is to see the growth experienced by those around us each week. May all those who participate be blessed as they seek the Lord.
For me, the most beautiful aspect of the home church is the atmosphere of freedom that allows members to participate in sharing God’s word, as opposed to just sitting and listening to a sermon. I believe this kind of atmosphere and the freedom it fosters is conducive for spiritual growth and development. So, let us continue to maintain this all important climate of openness and sharing. Thanks Becky.
Home churching’s becoming the best part of my week,was scared of getting too personal at first, now i can’t wait to meet my homies at home church; would’ve never chosen a better home
Well, Uche, I’m glad you are having fun at your home church; I think that’s pretty obvious, anyway, from the look of things. It is my hope that soon, the home churches will actually become the core of our church family life. Thanks for your comments.
I observed a thrilling connection in this week’s reports. The one thing that is common in all is ‘self’, which was the topic of the Nixon’s. Obviously self is prone to boast, revenge and retaliation.
Self objects the wisdom of God and simply yields to temptation.
If we are gods and co heirs with Christ then we are also life givers, but most times self restrains us from fulfilling this purpose.
Despite the amount you spent in cooking a pot of soup it makes no sense without salt yet salt is the cheapest commodity in the market. This is applicable to all Christians for Christ called us thus, but of what use is salt if it becomes insipid.
I was touch by these reports so I asked “what shall be done to this self?”, “What are the practical ways of dealing with self?”
I thank God for you guys, may God continue to strengthen you all as toil in His vineyard.
Looking forward to receiving more reports.
Thank God for the home churches. They have brought such life and spark in our church family gathering. May the Lord continue to illuminate our eyes and sensitize our ears to the things that truly matter to him. May he find us all ever yielded to will.
When the home church was been initiated , i was nervous but now it’s something that i look forward to every week. I’m glad that we were not afraid to change.
I came to know about this ministry through my dear sister- Nkechinyere Rosemary, and ever since, I’ve come to appreciate the inspiration that comes wth home fellowship and the beauty of His(God’s) word as shared during these house gatherings, to God be the glory.