Home Church Ministry Training
Church Meetings

How to start a Home Church.
There are several things a leader needs to do when starting a Home Church:

Decide when and what time to have the Home Church.
Decide where to have it.
Make a list of the people to be invited to the first meeting.
Invite each of them individually.
Decide what the activities are going to be.
Clearly and prayerfully set out the program.
Prepare your lesson.
Ask those invited to do something. (Bring a cover dish, etc.)
Be sure to remind them the day before.
Share your plans with the Church leadership.

There are ten vital aspects of a HomeChurch meeting:

It must have a specific date, time and venue.
It must be well advertised and start on time.
Worship must be fluent and in the Holy Spirit.
Members must be encouraged to participate in the meeting.
Be sure that everyone participates in the lesson.
It must not be long and boring.
Profiles of members should be noted.
Talents of members should be used.
Problems of members should be identified.
Ultimately those attending should become Home Church members.

The purpose of a successful program.
Home Churches provide a setting where there can be encouragement, heart sharing, interaction and openness among members. It looks inwardly to help every member grow spiritually and outwardly to bring others to Christ.

The functions of Home Churches.

Members, visitors should be made welcome, comfortable and be relaxed.
Refreshments may be served.
Then the focus moves away from people towards the Lord
The prayer leader leads the members in prayer and helps those who can’t.
Music, singing, worship with possibly background music.
Members share their testimonies and encourage each other.
Then the leader should lead the group in a lesson or DVD.
The leader shares aspects of the vision and activities of the Home Church
Members discuss who they plan to invite to the next meeting.

At these Home Church meetings, members should experience:

That they have trusted friends.
That they are a part of a Home Church and God’s Family.
That they are co-workers to help spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The Six phases of Home church growth

The acquaintance phase.
This is the phase where the members get to know each other and feel comfortable with each other.
The understanding phase.
This is the sand paper or stones rubbing together phase where members get to accept each other.

Here members learn to understand each other's:
- Personality.
- Value system.
- Sensitivities and differences.
The bonding phase.
In this phase members tend to move toward each other in special fellowship and bonding. It is important for the leader to guide the members, allowing new members that come in, to be included in this bonding process.
The ministering phase.
In this phase, members experience growing spiritually and in ministry. They begin to use their talents and discover their natural spiritual profile. The natural seven spiritual profiles are mentioned by Paul.

Romans 12:6-8
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

The seven profiles of members are:
1. A speaker
2. A helper
3. A teacher
4. An encourager
5. A giver
6. A leader
7. A comforter
The mentoring phase.
The next Home Church Leader is developed, by going through an apprenticeship. The prayer leader and secretary are also carefully and prayerfully guided to work excellently for the Lord. The other members also prepare their hearts to be used by the Lord.
The multiplying phase.
In this phase, all the aspects and tools of Evangelism are used to cause the Home Church to grow and double in size.

Six things members should experience:

Fellowship
When people enter a HomeChurch, it is necessary that they feel welcome. They are part of a spiritual family and only true fellowship can achieve this. This will happen when members learn to love and respect each other. They will share interests, hobbies, picnics, eating out or sitting together at church. They will learn to value and appreciate one another’s company.
Worship.
It is necessary to express love, adoration and praise to the Godhead. It is in the Home Church where members may pour out their affection and devotion to God. The leader needs to plan the worship by selecting the music and songs before the gathering and visualize the flow of the worship. While leading the worship, the leader needs to be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Partaking of the Lords Supper is a part of the worship from time to time.
Evangelism.
Evangelism in the Home Church is essential for its continued growth. Members need to do evangelism training and Evangelize.

There are three important places to evangelize:
- In our own circle of influence. (Family or friends)
- Finding fishing holes to fish for souls. (Places where people are)
- Being led by the Holy Spirit to talk to specific people.
Evangelism can be done in the following five ways:
1. Inviting friends to HomeChurch meetings.
  Matthew invited his friends to meet Jesus.
  
  Luke 5:29
  "And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them."
  
  There is an average of 20 people within each member’s area of influence.
2. Having end-time seminars about the Lord's coming.
  Inviting people to a home where you share information with them about the end times and the soon coming of Jesus Christ.
3. Door knocking and doing neighborhood evangelism.
  Going from door to door giving out tracts and Christian literature.
4. Visiting the sick in Hospitals.
  Giving them a friendly smile and a prayer.
5. Co-ordinated evangelism activities.
  A leader can co-ordinate evangelism activities, where members can go out as a group and evangelize. There is a need to reach hurting people. Those who are lonely, depressed, backslidden, addicted and with broken relationships.
Edification.
If members are not edified the meetings will be fruitless.
Members will be edified when:
- They feel the Lords presence.
- Their burdens are lifted.
- Their hurts are healed.
- They enjoy true fellowship with other believers.
- They feel safe and protected.
- They learn true Biblical principles.
- They grow spiritually.
- They experience working for the Lord.
Prayer.
Members need to be gently and carefully led to pray the first time.
- They need to pray over the food they eat.
- They need to start and end their day in prayer.
- They need to pray daily for spiritual cleansing by Jesus precious Blood.
- They need to pray for Spiritual Growth.
- They need to be able to take their requests to God in prayer when needed.
- They need to intercede for the salvation of their loved ones and friends.
- They need to pray for their brothers and sisters in the Lord.
- They need to pray for the local and worldwide Church.
Restoration.
When a person becomes a member, they will discover that there are areas of their life that need restoration. Emotional, mental and physical hurts that need healing. It is important for those who need restoration, to go to Jesus the great Shepherd who restores our soul.

Psalm 23:1-3
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He restoreth my soul:”
The leadership and members can always be helpful in the healing of these wounds.

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