In the last decade or so we have seen a rise in certain Christian circles of a church breaking into self-proclaimed “house churches.” In fact, USA Today recently ran an article talking about the rise.
The members of this “house church” are part of what experts say is a fundamental shift in the way U.S. Christians think about church. Skip the sermons, costly church buildings and large, faceless crowds, they say. House church is about relationships forged in small faith communities.
House churches in North America
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As recently mentioned, I’ve taken part in a practicum for those aspiring to the pastoral office; and I’ve found it both enlightening and encouraging. Of the materials I was required to digest by far the most encouraging was a sermon series by the well know Reformed Baptist Albert Martin. The name of his series is the same as this post: “A Call to the Ministry.” His five-part series on the topic is the most gut-wrenchingly honest and thorough look at the topic I’ve
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I have been blessed by my membership in Parsons Baptist Church in a similar way to Kemp Road Baptist Church. At both churches the leadership there desired to aid men in discerning God’s possible call on their lives into the ministry. At Parsons, Pastor Charles Blake set up a ministry practicum to expose a man to the various theological, personal and ministerial obligations surrounding a man in ministry.
One of the parts of the practicum was to preach on a Wednesday night. I did this recently, and I’d
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