By Robin G. Jordan
In 2002 I was briefly involved in the pioneering of a house
church in my former diocese. The house church was the last new work started in
the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. If any new works have been started in that
diocese since then, I am not aware of them. Like a number of churches in the
diocese the house church would fall victim to the events of 2003, losing most
of its members. It would maintain a shadow existence for a number of years but
it never recovered from that devastating blow. The two priests who had helped
to start it would eventually retire from active ministry in the Episcopal Church. One of the priests and most of his congregation would join the Anglican Church in North America.
While the part I played in the new work was quite limited, I
did learn something from the experience. Among the things that I learned was
that the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and its predecessor, the 1928 Book of
Common Prayer, are inadequate worship resources for small Christian communities
worshiping in non-traditional settings. The 1979 book has An Order for the Celebration
of the Eucharist and the 1928 book has the Communion of the Sick but these
orders are not for use as regular services of public worship. Both books assume
that that the Christian community using them will be expressing itself as ekklesia, as church, in a conventional
way. This is also one of the weaknesses of the Anglican Church in North
America’s proposed 2019 Book of Common Prayer.
What these Christian communities need are guidelines to help
them in planning their worship gatherings, patterns of worship that they can
follow or adapt, and texts that can use to flesh out a worship pattern after
they have decide upon one. These resources should reflect the experiences of
cell churches, house churches, and other non-conventional expressions of church.
What they do not need are forms of service that have very little flexibility and
far too many compulsory elements.
A worship gathering in a house church, for example,
typically falls into segments, each devoted to a particular worship-related
activity. A different member of the house church may lead each segment. The
worship gathering may begin with a Praise segment in which the members of the
community praise God in song. Someone may introduce a new song of praise that
he or she has written as a special offering to God. Someone else may read a
poem praising God, and so on. This segment may conclude in a spontaneous
outpouring of praise and adoration. A Word segment may follow. Passages may be read
from the Bible and a teaching may be given. A discussion may follow, in which the
members of the house church consider how the teaching applies to them as individuals
and as a church. A Prayer segment may follow the Word segment. Those present
are given an opportunity to share prayer needs and requests. Answered prayers
are reported. During the Prayer segment hands may be laid on those in need of
prayer and prayers offered for them as well as intercessions for the Church and the
world. Thanksgivings for answered prayers may also be offered. The worship
gathering may conclude with a Fellowship segment or a Planning segment.
The process of planning such a worship gathering is similar
to the process of planning a Service of the Word described in New Patterns of Worship. The main sections of the Service of the Word are compared to tubs
into which are put the various items in the service. In the case of a house
church worship gathering the segments of the gathering replace the main
sections of the service.
No community, no neighborhood, and no relationship network
should be deprived of the ministry and witness of a community of Anglican
Christians simply because circumstances do not permit that community to take
the form of a conventional expression of church. Over time those circumstances
may change. On the other hand, a non-conventional expression of church may be
the best way to engage and reach that community, neighborhood, or relationship
network.
A denomination that confines its church planting efforts to
conventional expressions of church is limiting not only its own growth but the
growth of the Kingdom. The Kingdom grows with each new disciple that is made in
obedience to our Lord’s command to leave our comfort zones, to spread the Gospel,
and to make disciples of all people groups. God’s rule over the human heart
expands as each new believer accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior and turns his
life over to Jesus.
One of the aims of A Prayer Book for North America is to provide the kind of worship resources that house churches and other small Christian
communities need. The provision of these resources is one of the innumerable
ways that a denomination can support the ministry and witness of these
communities. Producing mp3 worship music tracks and accompanying multimedia
slides and songbooks is another way. Offering free online seminars and
workshops on worship planning and preaching is a third.
How else might a denomination support their ministry and witness? What do you think?
How else might a denomination support their ministry and witness? What do you think?
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