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Upcoming Workshops & Conferences

Coming in 2009: Workshops in Ohio, Louisiana and Texas!

House Church Workshops

To schedule a workshop in your area, email us from our contact page.

Weekend Workshops

Would you like to experience the joy and fellowship that comes from having church the way that the apostles taught us to do it? Then come to one of our workshops to learn how! If we don’t have one scheduled near you, e-mail us about doing one in your neighborhood. Here’s what we cover in our workshops:

The Lord’s Supper: Rehearsal Dinner for the
Wedding Banquet of the Lamb

Why did the early church celebrate the Lord’s Supper as an actual Holy Meal?
What are the future-oriented, prophetic aspects of the Lord’s Supper?
What role does the Lord’s Supper play in persuading Jesus to return?
How does the Lord’s Supper create unity within a body of believers?
What are the fellowship aspects of the Lord’s Supper?
Many people have expressed that they feel this to be the most significant session of the entire weekend!

Participatory Church Meetings

If the words “each one” were taken out of 1 Corinthians 14:23 and replaced with the words “one only,” which would better describe modern church meetings? Participatory church meetings not only are the New Testament pattern, but are expressly prescribed. Related to church meetings, Paul declared that “what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command” (1Co 14:37). Obviously, what we do when we assemble is very important.

Is worship really the purpose for a church service? What kinds of things are to go on in such a meeting? Who is allowed to speak? Who can teach? How many different people can address the church? What about the kids: Are they to be in children’s church or with their parents? What size meeting was typical in the New Testament? Come and find out in this eye-opening study.

Elder-led Congregational Consensus

Did Jesus really mean that “the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and that the one who rules like the one who serves” (Lk 22:26)? The children and slaves were precisely those in Roman society who had the least authority. How does this apply to elders?

In this session, we discuss the relationship that ought to exist between a church and its leaders. Exactly where does the power lie? Who has authority over whom? What is the role of an elder or overseer? How does consensus work? We’ll argue for leadership by consensus rather than command. You’ll be surprised at what the Scriptures do (and do not) say concerning church government.

New Testament Church Practices (Apostolic Traditions)

Suppose a new church in first century Alexandria, Egypt, wrote asking the apostle Peter for direction concerning the proper way to organize their fledging congregation. How would Peter have responded? Could a church legitimately deviate from the apostolic example? Were all New Testament churches to obey the commands of Jesus as delivered through His apostles?

Some 2,000 years later, how are we to view the way the apostles did things? Is the New Testament way of doing things merely interesting history, or did God intend for it to be normative for all churches in every age? This session will examine the various Biblical commendations and commands to churches with respect to the “traditions” of the apostles, as found exclusively on the pages of Scripture.

We conclude that the question is not, Do we have to do things the way they did? Rather, the question to be asked is, Why would you want to do things any other way?! Respect for our Lord who hand-picked the apostles and for the Holy Spirit who led them should induce us to prefer their way of doing things to whatever our inferior wisdom might suggest.

How It Works

We are excited about helping folks discover biblically based, New Testament church life for themselves.

We see ourselves merely as servants of the churches we serve, not as lords over them. The autonomy of each local church is a belief to which we sincerely hold. Thus, everything we present is open to acceptance or rejection by each church. Our only “authority” lies with our ability to persuade with the truth. We do not mind honest disagreement with our positions regarding church life. We do try hard to avoid arguments and wrangling. The essential topics we feel it important to cover are: the role of New Testament apostolic traditions in today’s church, the Lord’s Supper as an actual fellowship meal (rehearsal dinner for the marriage banquet of the Lamb), participatory church meetings, and elder-led congregational consensus. Secondary topics of interest include: why house churches, New Testament giving, full-time ministers, the city church concept, church discipline, how to handle heresy in the house church, key ingredients for starting a church, etc.

We advocate classic, historic, orthodox Christian theology poured into the wineskin of New Testament church practice. Thus, we do not have the liberty of conscience to work with churches that are not committed to mainstream beliefs as reflected in such as the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed. Our own favorite statement of faith is the First London Baptist Confession of 1644.

There is a lot of interest these days in New Testament church life, so such a workshop could be well attended in your area. But, it can be as inclusive or as exclusive as you prefer. That is, limited to just your church or open to the greater body of Christ in your area.

The host’s part is to secure a place to hold the workshop (suitable living room, community center, apartment club house, large den, hotel conference room, enclosed garage, library meeting room, student center at a college, etc.), to advertise the workshop (if so desired), and keep up with registrations (to be sure there is enough seating).

We charge no fee for our services. We do what we do because we believe in it!

If the Lord so leads, let’s talk some more. To learn more about scheduling a workshop in your area, email us from our contact page.

Single Session Messages and Workshops

We also provide single session messages and workshops on subjects related to NT Church Life. Contact us if you are interested in having us bring a message at your church.