"In the last twenty-five years, the contemporary house church movement has generated a great deal of interest among New Testament scholars and church practitioners. Research into early house churches has focused primarily on the architecture of these homes and on the corresponding social and theological implications." "House Church and Mission offers scholars the first comprehensive summary of evidence concerning home churches in the New Testament, while supplying pastors and lay leaders with a well-crafted discussion of the nature of "church" that explores the practical implications of house churches on outreach." "Christians worshipped in private homes for the first three hundred years of the early church. In House Church and Mission, Roger Gehring explores the missional significance of these house churches from the time of Jesus through Paul."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This is an exploration of house churches, especially in Poland. The book begins with a review of literature about the "global house church movement" and continues with an article on the early Christian transition from house churches to purpose-built buildings for churches. Next is an article regarding the concept of "sacred space" in relation to house churches. The first half concludes with a chapter on methodology of research for a qualitative interview approach to studying house churches. The thesis then presents a theological method for using the qualitative interviews to develop ecclesiology. Sixteen interviews from thirteen house churches are presented. The thesis continues the theological method by attempting to answer the question "why is it going on" and presents a thematic analysis from the qualitative interviews that includes input from sociological research done in Poland. The thesis concludes by using scriptural and academic sources in conversation with house church interviews from the interviews and global house church literature to present four primary conclusions in a practical-prophetic ecclesiology.

From the original preface: This book grows out of the need to present a model of being the church which emphasizes covenant, commitment, and personal involvement with a small number of people. I have tried to offer the house church not just as an acceptable model of the church, but indeed as a good way of being the church, where Christians can emphasize the essentials of being the church—covenanting, worshiping, teaching, sharing, discipling, deciding, using spiritual gifts, serving, and growing.

There’s a new way of doing church and it’s taking North America by storm! Here, a recognized authority on the house church movement and a popular speaker and pastor share their expertise in starting and maintaining a healthy house church. Together they look at current and future trends in the house church movement and provide best practice models for planting and leading house churches. Also, they explore how house churches are not always the same as simple cell-groups or small groups, especially in the areas of leadership and money. Readers will discover all the information they need to begin a house church in their community.

How is Christianity to express itself in the public forum within Western nations? This book seeks answers through a historical retrieval of the dynamic mission in post-war Scotland of Tom Allan and his contemporaries: the Iona Community; the Gorbals Group Ministry inspired by the East Harlem Protestant Parish; and Robert Mackie, Ian Fraser and Scottish Churches House. Allan's missiology focused upon the apostolate of the laity: allowing ordinary people to express their faith in word and deed in a full contextualization of Christianity to seek a missionary parish of constant witness and service. The book examines his work in parish ministry, nationally as leader of the Tell Scotland Movement, and internationally with the WCC; and the rich sources and context of his missiology. Key questions are asked about tensions caused by the role of the church, and the effect of the Billy Graham "All Scotland Crusade," which Allan instigated, on the rapid decline in Christian adherence from the late fifties. His work is placed alongside his contemporaries, who took bold steps beyond those of Allan to relocate faith to the rhythms of the streets. Utilizing present day missiology as a lens, their inspiration leads to derivations and principles, offered as guideposts for Christian mission now.

How did Christian missions happen in the early church from AD 100 to 750? Beginning with a brief look at the social, political, cultural, and religious contexts, Mission in the Early Church tells the story of early Christian missionaries, their methods, and their missiology. This book explores some of the most prominent themes of mission in early Christianity, including suffering, evangelism, Bible translation, contextualization, ministry in Word and deed, and the church. Based on this survey, modern readers are invited to a conversation that considers how early Christian mission might inform global mission thought and practice today.

What is Luke's main purpose in writing the book of Acts? In this close study of the entire Acts narrative, McGinnis analyzes Luke's story of the first Christians in light of ancient rhetorical conventions, concluding that Luke presents his stories to strengthen the missional commitment and practice of his readers. Missional Acts approaches a vast amount of varied mission content systematically, dividing it into rhetorical instruction about missional stimuli, structures, strategies, and suffering, while using a body analogy to provide coherence. Even the enigmatic ending of Acts intentionally advances Luke's rhetorical purposes. Luke's teaching finds its culmination in the ministry of his archetypal missionary, the apostle Paul, whose missionary journeys are a Lukan masterclass in mission strategy with much to teach about ministry that transforms whole regions. McGinnis rejects the traditional dichotomy that Paul is either a missionary or a prisoner and shows that throughout his work Luke depicts suffering as an integral part of the mission, seeking to prepare his readers to face opposition of various kinds. Missional Acts will help readers approach Acts in innovative ways by reading it through a primary missional lens.

Numerous trends are presently converging in ways that make this moment in mission history significant. These include the growth of short-term service, the multiplication of mission organizations, local churches sending missionaries without an agency, and the internationalization of missions. It is crucial in the midst of such change that we not lose connection with the New Testament model of the missionary apostles. Apostles, now commonly called missionaries, are God's gift for the initial planting phase of the church among every people, to the end of the age. This unique church-planting role is the forgotten foundation of the church. Much of the ineffectiveness in missions is due to our attempts to build Christ's church on a different foundation. This book will examine five critical questions from the perspective of biblical scholarship, history, and contemporary experience: Why are missions-minded Evangelicals reluctant to identify missionaries as apostles, considering that the two words have the same root meaning? How is apostolos used in the New Testament, and specifically, is it sometimes used as a designation for missionaries? How should we conceptualize an ongoing role for missionary apostles that does not detract from the crucial, unique role of the original Apostles? What ministry pattern does the New Testament record from the lives of the early missionary apostles? How should an awareness of missionary apostles guide our mission efforts today?