## Introduction [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=0s) - Dr. Jason Barker serves as the Academic Dean at Reformation Seminary, where the mission is to train men to plant biblical house churches worldwide [(00:00:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=12s). - Dr. Jason Barker is joined by [[Dale Partridge]], the founder and president of Reformation Seminary, to discuss a relevant question related to [[House church | house church]] planting [(00:00:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=19s). - The goal of their gathering is to discuss one question relevant to house church planting, with the topic for the day being "Why House Church?" [(00:00:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=29s). ## Why House Church [(00:00:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=31s) - The question of why House Church is being asked by many Christian families and individuals who are seeking alternative expressions of church that align with biblical teachings [(00:00:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=36s). - The journey to House Church often begins with a sense of frustration with the traditional church, which can be extra-biblical and focused on pragmatism, monologues, and visitor-centric approaches rather than committed-centric ones [(00:01:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=73s). - The traditional church experience can feel like being an inactive spectator, whereas [[House church | House Church]] offers a more contributor-based and deeply connected experience [(00:01:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=115s). - A key aspect of House Church is the desire for intimate relationships that are prevalent in scripture but often lacking in traditional church settings [(00:02:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=142s). - The concept of House Church can be illustrated by the metaphor of polar bears, where the "habitat" for the polar bear is not just any cold climate, but a specific environment that allows for flourishing, similarly, House Church is seen as the biblical "habitat" for the church [(00:04:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=247s). - Despite loving the traditional church, some individuals may find that House Church offers a more vital and biblical expression of church, with elements that are missing in traditional settings [(00:04:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=282s). - The idea that larger churches are better is a common dynamic in the church world, but this assumption is being challenged by those seeking alternative expressions of church [(00:05:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=306s). - Veronica and the speaker started having discussions about House Church and began attending smaller churches, eventually leading to the decision to plant a House Church in [[Arizona]] [(00:02:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=152s). - The speaker's experience with traditional church was marked by a sense of disconnection between their [[Bible]] study and Sunday experience, leading to a desire for a more biblical expression of church [(00:00:51)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=51s). ## Bigger is Better [(00:05:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=312s) - In most areas of life, people prefer smaller groups, such as smaller classrooms for children, intimate family vacations, and exclusive conferences, because they understand the benefits of smaller settings [(00:05:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=312s). - Despite this, many churches are measured by their size, with bigger churches often being considered better, which is an inconsistent application of the principle that smaller is often more effective [(00:05:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=331s). - Research suggests that people can only be close with a handful of others, around 10 to 12 people, which is why [[Jesus]] had 12 disciples and not a larger group [(00:06:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=377s). - In reality, people do not have the time to be close with 40 people, and even with effort, they can only maintain close relationships with 5 to 10 people [(00:07:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=423s). - In a [[House church | house church]] setting with 10 to 12 families, it is possible to have regular dinners with each family, but in a larger church with 50 to 80 families, it may only be possible to have dinner with the pastor once every year and a half [(00:07:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=461s). - Larger gatherings can lack deeply connected relationships, and people are increasingly distrustful of big institutions, fearing dishonesty or hidden agendas [(00:07:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=472s). - In a house church setting, there is often no money involved, which can be a relief for pastors who may feel pressured to sugarcoat their messages or avoid certain topics due to financial reliance [(00:08:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=520s). - The absence of financial pressure in a house church setting can allow for more honest and open communication, unencumbered by the need to maintain a paycheck [(00:09:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=557s). ## Financial Benefits [(00:09:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=560s) - In a [[House church | house church]] model, pastors are not expected to receive a full-time income, allowing them to be freer in their ministry and more honest in their preaching, as their salary does not depend on avoiding certain topics [(00:09:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=566s). - This model also enables the reinvestment of funds that would be spent on maintenance and upkeep of a traditional church building into local ministry and community [(00:10:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=601s). - One of the main barriers to establishing a house church is that people are intimidated because they don't know how to begin, having never experienced it themselves [(00:10:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=628s). - House churches can help address the epidemic of loneliness in society by providing a deeply intimate and relational environment, where members can experience mutual ministering of the Gospel and fulfill the [[New Testament]] call to "one anothering" [(00:11:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=679s). - In a house church setting, members are more likely to experience a level of intimacy and connectedness that is uncommon in American individualism, through practices such as sharing prayer requests and praise reports [(00:13:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=783s). - This level of transparency and dependability can help people feel more connected and less lonely, as they are able to share their struggles and difficulties with others in a supportive community [(00:13:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=811s). - The traditional church model often lacks this level of intimacy and transparency, with people often not sharing their true struggles or difficulties with others [(00:13:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=816s). - In contrast, house churches provide an environment where people can be honest and open about their lives, and receive support and prayer from others [(00:13:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=825s). - [[House church | House Church]] provides a setting where people can share their struggles and ask for prayer, fostering a sense of closeness and community that helps alleviate loneliness issues through real relationships and reciprocal fellowship [(00:13:59)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=839s). - A shepherd or leader is necessary to guide the House Church towards this type of community, which requires training and time, and is part of the journey that Reformation Seminary aims to support [(00:14:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=869s). - Life is filled with universal constants such as pain, suffering, difficulty, challenges, and disappointment, and the church should be a place where people gather to find hope, guidance, and direction from God's word and other believers [(00:14:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=897s). - The House Church model is uniquely designed to meet these needs and is a biblical alternative to traditional church models that have been the norm for centuries [(00:15:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=937s). - The mission of the show "How We Do House Church" is to teach people how to implement this model effectively, and resources such as Reformation Seminary and Dale's book "How We Do House Church" are available for those interested in learning more [(00:15:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=941s). - Viewers can access the show in both video and podcast form across various formats, and can reach out to Reformation Seminary for more information on training to plant a biblical House Church [(00:15:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw&t=953s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpRJxAUSOpw)