The Kamiah, Idaho, house church has become a close family. Each week we have a potluck after services followed by either an informal Bible study or speakers club.
Almost all the members (including women and children) deliver speeches. This and group prayer have caused great spiritual blessings to come about.
When it became obvious (because of poor attendance) that the Lewiston, Idaho, congregation would have to be divided into two smaller churches, it felt like the end of the world to me. I was mad. Now instead of driving 90 miles one way, we have to drive 160 miles one way.
I never believed that a house church, even with its special problems, could be such a blessing from God. We had our first house church meeting with virtually no idea of what we were to do.
We viewed a taped sermon from pastor Glen Weber and then conducted an open discussion of what we wanted.
Most of the suggestions have now been implemented with everyone getting involved, but we really struggled at first.
We now hold informal Bible studies three times a month and the speakers club once a month. We have learned much since last summer when we changed to house churches. Each house church has its own personality and dynamics.
It takes much insight to work out problems that arise. One of the best ways that we have found to help this situation is to ask the group what they want and try to work together to achieve it.
Bonnie Dietrich
Enterprise, Oregon
What is happening in the church? Why, what we prayed for, of course.
We prayed (at the beginning and end of every service, at meals, at activities, on Holy Days and at Feasts). We prayed to know God better, to be obedient to his will, to be Christlike.
And he heard us, and he answered us. Yes, God answered our prayers.
We recognize God's answer and the need to respond. Now we must work together to build the church we have prayed for.
Marianne Pardoe
Worcester, Massachusetts
What was it that originally motivated us to become involved in the church? We heard the World Tomorrow broadcast or telecast, received the PT and became aware that a work was being performed by God to spread the word about the kingdom of God--now crystalized to one word--salvation.
We became keenly interested in becoming part of this work. God was calling us. Many of us, before we even knew there was a tithe, began sending money to the church because we believed in it and wanted to support it.
We still have a work to do. Jesus is alive and expects us to do our part. Let's remember how good we felt about our future--the world's future--eternity and a new world.
We are not now being regulated by Old Testament law. But we are now regulated by our faithfulness. We need to recapture the vision that drew us here in the first place.
I feel that the church, once considered a maverick by other churches, is now becoming a vanguard to show the way. We must do our part to keep that light shining.
Susan Satava
Victoria, Texas
I just wanted to share one of the most inspiring things I've done in the past 30 years.
I attended an Easter service commemorating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the first time in the last 30 years.
Our congregation in Fort Payne, Alabama, met with the Faith Baptist Church, whose church building we rent.
Their pastor, Brother Denny Mashburn and I had split sermons. Only God could have coordinated the messages as they were given. We had an attendance of about 150.
Praise God for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, without which none of us would have any hope of anything.
We plan more meetings together with our new brothers and sisters in Christ as time goes on.
Paul Kurts
Pastor
Gadsden and Anniston, Alabama
April 22, 1997, WN, page 2
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