Meet as millions do around the world--in house churches--if:

• budget limitations or high property prices make a building impractical,
• you prefer, on principle, to shepherd the people in smaller, more relational groups,
• government restrictions prohibit large gatherings,
• you desire to avoid traditional church organizational structures.

Do not compete with larger churches by trying to imitating their style of worship. Do what small churches normally do better than larger ones:

• provide a family atmosphere with strong interaction between persons and families,
• embrace new believers and visitors with loving acceptance,
• enable total participation in worship--let children sing, recite verses and poems, and act out Bible stories together with adults.
• sit in a circle around the Lord's table.
• Use the money otherwise spent on buildings to start new churches and support missionaries.

Aim at a cluster of house churches.

• One church by itself becomes ingrown and insecure.
• Let the churches meet as often as is practical, for united celebration.

Find in Acts 20:7 when the apostolic churches normally celebrated the Lord's Supper ("broke bread").

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T&M Student Activity Guide page 26b

For materials and coaching for starting house churches and networking, contact Jonathan Campbell of Teams Networks International, 20457 Silktassel Rd., Riverside, CA 92508; (909) 656 5821; E-mail 76652.1435Acompuserve.com

Identify every head of household among your people:

• Find those who might host small groups that others might lead.
• Discern which have stable personalities and are willing, even if they are poor.
• Give them training on the job
• Ensure that their role is clear to them. Their function is not merely to entertain guests.