Why this website came to be
This website is an adjunct to the freegiftfromgod.com website that is specifically devoted to providing help and resources to house churches or home churches. It cam about after receiving a number of emails and discussions with and from people who were unhappy with the traditional church approach.
For many years, and especially during the COVID crisis, there has been a flood of Christians leaving or wanting to leave the traditional churches. There are many reasons for why this occurs, but the root cause of the issue is that their needs are not being met.
These people are finding that the traditional church model does not suit them. They have issues with the doctrines and teaching, they have issues with worldliness, hypocrisy, church direction, harsh attitudes, lack of spiritual food, lack of growth, they have been hurt by the church, and many, many other reasons. So, rather than feel the frustration, pain, or annoyance with the traditional church model, they have chosen to either stand alone, or are looking at less traditional models.
Now, while I understand some are hesitant to get back into any form of church, it is a fact that the Lord works with people through the church. It is in the church setting that we can truly grow into the image of Jesus Christ, as is His plan for His people. So, it is important that we meet together as a church the right way and for the right reasons.
This is where the house church or home church approach comes in, and there has been a significant growth in interest in going back to this model. It was, after all, a widely used approach in the early church, and it is a much more relaxed way to “do church.”
But the problem many find is they lack the resources or the knowledge and understanding of how to operate a house church.
This is the reason why this website exists.
This website aims to provide the resources, knowledge, and inspiration to assist people to set up or operate a house church. It provides the ministry, meeting guidance, music, and messages necessary to “do church” in the house as it was done in the early churches in the Bible.
How to use this website
This website can be used in multiple ways. It can be like a smorgasbord where you just pick and choose the bits you want, and do the rest yourself.
For example, in your house church you may not have any music. So, just stream the music and use it in your church as you see fit. Or, if you are not in a church you could just listen to the music yourself.
Then again, you may need teaching from the Bible in audio format, which you could stream from the site, and do the rest yourself.
Maybe you are busy and want it all just to be there in a nice orderly format so you don’t need to prepare anything other than getting the site up and obtaining the few things needed to run a meeting. If this is your house church situation, then the Weekly Meetings pages will provide one structure and order of a meeting with a number of preselected songs/choruses and an audio Bible teaching message for that week. All you need do is open the Weekly Meeting post and follow the instructions. And of course you don’t need to follow the structure rigidly. You can pick and choose or just follow what is there.
Perhaps you may be wanting to set up a house church, but have no idea what it should look like or how to go about it. If you grab a copy of the free eBook and read it, it will guide and direct your path as you get things underway. And in fact I would recommend every home church reads that eBook as there are many pieces of ministry in it describing what a house church or any other church, should look like based upon the truth in the scriptures.
So, how you use this site is up to you. Use it all or just the bits you need.
And if there is something you need that you can’t find on this site, use the contact form to let me know and if I can, I will add it to the site, or links to where you can find it.
Who am I?
Hi, my name is John and I have been a member of a house church for over fifty years. I well understand the problems and needs of house churches having been there myself.
As for me I am quite active on the internet offering teachings, articles, ministry, podcasts, eBooks, training courses, a newsletter and much more. I have been a monthly writer for some years providing articles for Christian Today magazine online, and I write Bible plans for YouVersion, which is probably the largest Bible based app in the world.
I established the freegiftfromgod.com website over fifteen years ago, purely to offer thoughts on the scriptures, and I am still adding to it today. And by the way, everything I offer on my website and other places is 100% free with no strings attached. (Besides, you can’t really run a website called “freegiftfromgod.com” and then charge for stuff on it! LOL)
I visit quite a few churches of all types and sizes, but it is in the house churches that I saw a strong need. They all suffer one great problem…the lack of resources, and so this ministry was born. I hope you find it valuable, and if you belong to a house church, please share the website link with others too.