COMBINING THE TEMPLE AND HOUSE INTO THE COMPLETE CHURCH! by: Rev. Dr. Timothy Hoflund, D.D.

Here's a novel idea for us Christians to think about!  In fact, let's not just think about it, let's just do it!

Combine our strengths and compensate for each other's short comings and LET'S WORK TOGETHER AS A COMPLETE CHURCH!

Imagine!  A complete Body of Christ ministering in our world!  Imagine what could be accomplished as never before!

Instead of competitive controversy, God will be much pleased with cooperative, complimentary cohesiveness of our particular ministry functions and efforts!  Busying ourselves with fault finding and then defending our form of ministry by counter recriminations only does one thing effectively ... it plays into the hands of the enemy of righteousness!  The devil divides ... the Holy Spirit unifies the Body of Christ!

If God has called you to lead in the ministry of a House Church, then do so and look for those among the Traditional Temple Churches with whom you can ally yourselves for the greater effectiveness of both! 

When we try to recruit members by condemning the faults and flaws of the other, we will recruit members who are already unhappy and already looking for "what is wrong with ..."!  Do you really think that these unhappy souls will be with you very long before finding faults with YOUR ministry style and leadership?

It has been among my greatest joy to gain a member in our House Church who was so hurt and so dissatisfied with the Traditional Temple Church that she entered into our midst declaring that she hated Christians!  It took a lot of work, but she finally began to receive God's healing and one day she called to announce that she was returning to the very Temple Church that had caused her so much pain!  But she was returning a healed soul!  Sure I would have loved to retain her as a member, but the joy came as she was restored and reconciled with those who had distressed her!  Last we heard, she was again in ministry work and doing well!

THAT should be our concern and focus!  Whether we grow to be a thousand strong or we are kept to a small number, what is important is that the world is exposed to a FULL BODY OF CHRIST that is complete in ministry!

Just as the Traditional Temple Church has short-comings and flaws, so does the House Church!  But working together, while there is yet time to do so, we can take full advantage of the STRENGTHS of the other to the benefit of all!  One of these days, if the world is allowed to have its way, the Church will again be driven into the caves and catacombs!  Should that day come, how much will we regret the current divisiveness and schisms between the different facets of Church gatherings!  How we would think of how good we really had it and just were to stubborn to enjoy it!

Let us pray that the world does not get its desire against the Body of Christ, against The Church!  But let us also recognize that the only guarantee we have is that God has set His Church in order with each member holding a special importance and value without which the Body would be incomplete and diminished!  God's guarantee is that He will work through us AS HE CHOOSES!  So let us cooperate with His choices and with one another, and let us be the mightiest spiritual force that Christ Jesus our Lord has ever deployed upon the earth!

Even so, come Lord Jesus and make it so!  Amen!

Blessings upon you in Christ Jesus!