When I was a little boy, my uncle taught me a finger game where you bring your hands together to form a fist like church building with your two thumbs forming a stubby little steeple. Then you say, "This is the church, this is the steeple open the door and see all the people," and open your fists to reveal tiny fingers that represent "all the people." If you know this little game, you were probably just filled with a surg of nostalgia. If you're not familiar with this game you probably don't have a clue about what I've just tried to explain. Well here is the point... We live in a land that is dotted with all sorts of beautiful church buildings with steeples that reach for the heavens. But when you open the doors you wonder what happened to all the people. North America is in the midst of a pretty significant exodus from traditional, institutional churches. In the past 6 to 8 years, millions of Christians have discontinued their regular Sunday morning routine. In his book, "Revolution," George Barna says that many people long for a deeper spiritual experience, and many churches are either unwilling or unable to offer it to them. According to Barna, people are searching for:
- Intimate worship
- Faith-based conversations
- Intentional spiritual growth
- Opportunities to serve
- Investment of their resources in people
- Family focused faith
The house church movement has emerged as one response to this spiritual quest. An increasing number of people are opting for the intimate community and nurturing relationships that are part of a healthy house church experience. -- Bob