India...the experience. part 4

You're wondering:  How many parts of this experience will there be??

Not sure.

5? 6?

It just seemed better to offer shorter segments than one long one.  Easier for readers to read whatever they have time for.    One experience presented in separate parts.

Ok?  ☺

So...

Once the 2 days of training were completed, Jim and Ned and I set off on a little adventure north to visit a few house churches and explore if there would be any ways taking small teams would be actually helpful.  After visiting a few house churches and discussions with the leaders who escorted us everywhere,  an initial game plan was born that we will continue to pray into and formulate and, with the Spirit's confirmation, implement in 2018.  We'll share more details later, but for now we can tell you that our plan, laid out by the indigenous leaders there, will be to help future internal missionaries gain favor in new villages which then will facilitate their work of sewing Gospel seeds that take root, grow and spread.

I don't want to overlook, however, the tremendous impact that visiting the house churches themselves has had on the three of us. 

The idea of a central church building is not foreign in India (they were colonized by the British for so many years, after all), however, we have observed that setting up churches in homes and allowing any believer who leads another Christ to baptize them, is most effective for quicker spread of the Gospel.  The initial house church leader meets monthly with a regional leader to discuss pertinent issues, but also receives and practices teaching a Biblical curriculum, provided to them.  They are taught a Discovery Bible Study method which helps them identify what God is communicating in the Bible passage and held accountable to apply it. The leader then takes this back to his home church to teach and house church members are accountable to each other for obedience to God's Word. 

When I think of house churches, I picture in my mind an aerial view of the country, and the growing network of house churches appearing like white Christmas lights among the darkness, shining and twinkling with joy.  God is adding new, brightly shiny shining bulbs quite regularly. 

Our little team visited 4 house churches.  The invitation to visit and sit among them has been so humbling.  Their way of life seems so different, yet their experiences and concerns are similar.  Fathers working hard to provide.  Mothers raising kids and tending to the household, sometimes working too plus taking care of elderly family.  Each house hold part of a community they hope to be accepted in and contribute to.  Sometimes that community acceptance is compromised when they chose to follow the Way of Jesus.  Yet, they press on. 

Next post:  the actual house church visits.