Considerations In Starting A New House Curch

Should you start a new House Church?  If you are being led by the Lord to begin the ministry of a House Church, then the answer is, YES!

This does however, beg a few other questions ...
Will YOUR house be the central meeting place for your group or will others take turns hosting the meetings?
Will YOU be the main facilitator or will each take turns?
Will you seek ministry credentials?  Will you seek a ministry covering?  Will you be evangelistic or introspective?

These are the questions that are often not addressed going into the work of a house church ... but they need to be.

We will look more at these matters in a moment, but first we need to address this:

If you are wanting to begin a house church group for any other reason than that the Lord is directing you to do so ... if it is something that you just feel like doing, if it is something that you are doing out of reaction to problems in your current/previous church (ie mad at the leadership); if you are not sure so you will try it out to see what happens ... DON'T DO IT!

This begs the question:  How can you tell the difference?  How can you tell if The Lord is directing you to do so or not?

In our lives, we were compelled to do so ... an inescapable conviction that this is what we are to do!  That was our first house church experience in 1990-91, with the blessings of our main church pastor!

Then again in 1996-97 we began another home group along with some saints in a little rural town, independent of but with the blessings of our main church. 

Then in 2000-02, we were compelled to begin a totally new church group, a new work of ministry!  We actually began in 2002, after 2 years of wrestling with the issue!  We were not being disobedient or stubborn, we were just unsure because of certain emotions that were so strong.  In our area there are more churches per capita than in many big cities and our particular area is a very "church politics" oriented place that if you are not an "insider" you have a very difficult time indeed and most of the churches here are self serving groups, etc ... we finally prayed that the Lord would either convince us absolutely or remove the idea from us altogether!

The idea became inescapable to us and the Lord continually stirred us to go forward.  Finally I heard the Lord tell me to re-acquire my ministry credentials, to renew my spiritual/Biblical education on a certain timetable, and He dealt with my wife in a similar fashion but on different levels.  Finally when I had prayed where to begin this new congregation the Lord gave me to understand that it was to start in our home, we were confident that indeed we were being led of God.

Several of our friends and others we have known about have "tried" doing house church ... and it didn't work.  One couple gave it a year and since it didn't grow like a "regular" church, they decided that they must have missed God and so they quit!

This is not something that you try ... it is something that you just simply do, even if there are only two or three gathered together in the name of Jesus!

Unfortunately, one of the greatest hurdles to overcome is the "religious politic" mind-set that emphasizes numbers ... as in numbers equals fruit.  It can be intimidating when someone asks you about your church growth when you know that they mean growth in numbers rather than in spiritual wholeness, of which numbers is only a part!

• Do I/We Need Ministry Credentials?

True Hope Churches & Ministries requires and can provide ministry credentials to House Church Ministry Leaders.  This is to recognize God's call upon your lives as a leader in ministry and to validate your authority to establish and lead a True Hope House Church.  Read more on credentials here.

• What Qualifications Must I/We Meet To Be Granted Ministry Credentials?

You must possess and be able to demonstrate that you have a solid understanding of Biblical knowledge, that you are spiritually mature, you know the area of ministry to which you are called, that you have a high degree of spiritual and moral integrity.

If you have never held ministry credentials before, you must undergo the licensing process towards ordination which involves study and a commitment to being mentored by a senior minister in Christ's Ministry.

We often recognize existing credentials or issue credentials to individuals who have or previously held credentials with other Biblically faithful organizations. 

Read more on credentials here.

• Do We Need A Church Charter?

True Hope House Churches exist and have authority under a True Hope Charter in order to establish your legitimacy as a congregation ... because that is what you will be ... whether you remain as a house church or the Lord develops you into a temple church also, large or small, it is a congregation.

• Do We Need To Open A Checking Account? 

We encourage you to do so as it will prevent the co-mingling of funds.  Co-mingling of funds between your House Church's monies (tithes & offerings) with your personal funds will place you in the position of needing to file the Church's funds as personal income to you on your tax returns.

Also, the confidence of your membership will be strengthened with a church banking account.

• Will We Need An Employer Identification Number (EIN)? 

In order to open a checking (or any other type of account) for the House Church, you will need to provide the bank with an EIN.

Under the True Hope Charter, you are able to acquire an EIN.

• Where Can We Obtain An EIN? 

You may obtain an EIN at no charge from the IRS website ...  http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98350,00.html  . 

If you begin your House Church as a True Hope House Church, we will provide you with the information you will need to be in legal compliance with Caesar without placing yourself under the control of Caesar.

• Are True Hope Churches Tax Exempt? 

True Hope Churches revenues from tithes, offerings and financial contributions are exempt from IRS taxation.

There is a great deal more information on this subject that one needs to know, information which we supply to every Church (House Church or Temple Church) that comes into affiliation with True Hope Churches & Ministries.

• Are There Expenses That Are Incurred With A House Church? 

Yes ... but the level of expenses are at your discretion and should be offset by the tithes & offerings of the members of your group.

Again, True Hope Churches & Ministries provides you with the structure for your House Church according to Biblical design in order that no one person be burdened with the financial load of the church.

• Does It Cost Anything To Become A True Hope House Church? 

To be affiliated with True Hope Churches & Ministries requires a one time donation of $75.00 which covers the costs of being duly chartered by True Hope Churches & Ministries.

• Ministry Credentials require a separate application process.  If ou are already an ordained or licensed minister you may be able to transfer or receive minister's credentials from True Hope for little additional expense.

We adhere to and practice the Storehouse Principle of the Lord's Tithe as set forth in Scripture, and although we do not set a dollar amount for continued affiliation (renewed annually) we do expect that you also submit the Lord's tithe to us as your storehouse ... in other words:  of the tithes/offerings received by your House Church the tithe should be returned through True Hope Churches & Ministries central offices.

• What Do We Do For Praise & Worship? 

This is highly encouraged and especially so if you are blessed enough to have musicians who are members/participants with your House Church!

IF you do not have musicians ... no worries, we provide you with a fantastic method of worshipping in song and praise, the first DVD is provided as part of your True Hope House Church Start Up Package.

• When Do We Meet For Worship? 

That is totally up to you and your group.

True Hope Church #1 meets twice weekly, Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

• Must We Follow The Same Schedule and Format of True Hope First Church?   

NO!  We provide what we do as an example, it works for us.

ANY BIBLICAL FORMAT is recognized as legitimate and correct! 
We are told to do ALL things and to do them decently and in proper order!  As long as you follow that Biblical mandate, we bless your meetings agenda.

• To Be A True Hope House Church, Must We Agree With And Comply With The True Hope Keys To Membership?

Yes.  We believe and believe strongly that these are Biblically mandated MINIMUM STANDARDS for a congregation of any type to hold to and expect of and for the members.

READ KEYS TO MEMBERSHIP ... You will be asked if you agree on the Registration/Application Forms

• Is There A Code of Ethics We Must Subscribe To? 

NO ... THERE ARE TWO!  Plus our Statements of Faith, all three of which you must agree with, subscribe to/comply with in order for your Registration and then Application to be accepted!

Minister's Code of Ethics
Churches Code of Ethics

• Are True Hope House Churches Free To Fellowship With Other Bible Christian Churches? 

Absolutely! We encourage it!

The Body of Christ is not meant to be divided and subdivided into fragments of secluded groups who are disengaged from the efforts of one another!*

We are not "protectionists" nor "isolationists" but welcome any and every legitimate and Biblically correct opportunity to join in ministry and/or fellowship with other Biblical Christians!

*We are not ecumenicalists however ... we do not encourage nor endorse coming into fellowship with non-Biblical groups or those who claim to be Biblical yet intentionally neglect or reject/violate what the Bible says is correct!  We are not supporters of the ecumenical doctrines that aim at the unity of humanity as their highest goal ... although we do not set about to be divisive in the general society, Jesus warned us that His Gospel WILL be divisive!  See:  Matthew 10:34-36.

• Are There Special Considerations To Meeting In Our Homes? 

The consideration requiring the most attention and concern is, believe it or not, a clean house for the meeting ... especially the bathrooms and kitchens!

Our most intensive house cleaning efforts are on Sundays and Wednesdays!

Remember that your home is becoming the Church House ... and surveys have shown that the number one tangible thing that will cause visitors to not return for the second visit to a church house is - dirty bathrooms! 

Right up there in close order are the kitchens ... especially if you have fellowship meals as a part of your church meetings as we do.

If you are seriously considering beginning a House Church, we would be honored for you to begin as a True Hope House Church Affiliate!

If you have any questions or concerns that you want to address before registering for an application, then contact Rev. Dr. Timothy Hoflund via these means ... click here

To begin, please REGISTER FOR AN APPLICATION.

• We will review your Registration Information and if accepted, we will email you the link to the next step in our procedure, which will fully explain the House Church Start Up Assistance Resource, which involves a one time $75.00 charge to help cover the costs of the material and processing your application. 
• IF you decide that this is what you want to do, then from that page you will be able to donate the funds and be sent to our final application and resource pages and certain items will be processed to be shipped to your home as well.