1. Galatians the freedom letter

2. Galatians 5 13) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15) But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

3. Developing a dynamic, exciting and loving church. One that is insulated from phrases such as these: -Fleshly behavior -Bite and devour one-another -Consumed by one-another That is our goal. How do we insulate ourselves?

4. Let’s look at the early church "And everyone was filled with awe...and all the believers were together and had everything in common...they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of the people. And the Lord was adding daily to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2:43-47)

5. (Eph. 4:15,16) Instead, speaking the truth in love, we shall grow up in all things to him who is the Head, that is Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

6. Each Christian has a special role and that leads to intimacy. All [spiritual gifts] are the work of one and the same Spirit, as he gives them to each one just as he determines. The body is a unit though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ...God has arranged all the parts of the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be...The eye cannot say to the hand,

7. “I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!...so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (I Cor. 12:11,12,18,21,25)

8. One of the best ways to establish this intimacy is in a house group meeting. The early church practiced it. God used it to start the Great awaking. Russia used it and so presently does China. As a matter of fact whenever we go to a large state church with cathedrals and structures the purity of doctrine, fellowship and spiritual growth goes out the window.

9. house groups are not clicks, they are the best way to offer evangelism, care, discipleship, accountability and scripture study It multiplies the work of the ministry to many and not just a select few, it attracts someone who might not ever set foot in a church, and because of intimacy it does what a larger setting with 15 minutes a week just can’t do.

10. Also, you can hide in a crowd but not in a small group, at least not for long. They also prepare the church to operate in a “first century mode” with house churches throughout the community instead of one local. Are they biblical????

11. Jesus practiced it!!!!! 12 disciples 3 main ones all trained and spent large amounts of time with Jesus. Tell me where are the crowds? Who did Jesus leave in charge of the ministry? The crowds or the small group of men?

12. What about Acts Acts 2:46) So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47) praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

13. Acts 20:20) “how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 1 Corinthians 14:33) For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34) Let your women keep silent in the churches, 1:2 To the church of God which is at Corinth,

14. Rom 16:4) who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 11) Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

15. “It is probably significant that no church buildings have been found from the earliest period of the church (33—150 AD.), and even those from the second century were homes with a large room built in. Every church with a building faces the challenge of resisting people's tendency to view the building as the church.” Dennis McCallum

16. House groups are primarily what? A. social gathering, a support group, or a place where “my needs can be met” B. “a place where I can develop a ministry.”

17. Imagine for a moment dozens of house groups throughout the Quad Cities. All of them developing, “speaking the truth in love, we shall grow up in all things to him who is the Head, that is Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

18. Questions/comments