Home Fellowship
Calvary Chapel Saint Paul’s home fellowships are patterned after the example set in Acts 2:42:
- The Apostle’s Doctrine (an applicational study based on the previous Sunday’s message)
- Fellowship (Hanging out with other christians!)
- Prayer (talking to God our Father together!)
We meet in one another’s homes, in smaller groups of ten or less – where needs are met, accountability is formed through fellowship, and we learn how to apply what we learned on Sunday.
E-mail Home Fellowship questions to: ccsp@ccsaintpaul.org
On Home Fellowships
When we are born again, we become a member of “the family of God”, brothers and sisters and even more than that, we are “friends” of God. Jesus taught three basic truths: 1) That we “love one another” (John 13:34); 2) That you “keep my commandments” (John 14:15); and 3) That we live the life of a servant, for “…whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28)
The Vision
How can we accomplish these goals as set down for us by Jesus? The only “method” worth pursuing in the body of Christ must be a scriptural example. The strength of the early church was: 1) in the pure teaching of God’s word; and 2) In the home fellowship of the body of believers.
And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, and to the breaking of bread and to prayer…[they continued to meet in the temple and in their homes] …and the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, NASB)
The Home Fellowship is an extension of the main church body, just as it was in the early church. Our method is to follow the leading of the apostles and the early church.
Home Fellowships have three goals:
- The Home Fellowship allows time to share the Word together, discuss its meaning and its application in our lives. Those who have found the secret of receiving God’s anointing on their life have confirmed it to be simply knowing and obeying God’s Word as it applies in their life. Solomon once said, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my Word, and my Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23) To obey God, we must not only be taught but we must apply the word to our personal lives (home fellowship sharing) and obey the commandments. James tells us, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Again, Jesus said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28)
- To provide an environment where believers can fellowship in a supportive atmosphere, which will enable us to disciple one another in personal growth-“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19); encouraging others to love Jesus more through obedience and servanthood-“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24); equipping each other to teach someone new about the glorious gospel of Truth and Freedom- “For the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).
- To enjoy worshiping together through songs of praise and worship, and breaking of bread (communion). This can be either a formal communion, or a simple sharing of an occasional snack or meal together.
Home fellowships help us to know each other better, love each other more; apply God’s Word to our lives, and develop biblical priorities in our lifestyles. In short, we believers can learn to increase our commitment to Jesus, our commitment to the body of Christ, and our commitment to the work of Christ in our world. We must be the “people” of God before we can ever do the “work” of God. Home fellowship groups develop and disciple us in all these areas.
Learning to Love One Another
We say that we love one another-and we do in a limited way. But Jesus taught us a new meaning of love when He said, “This is My commandment, love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friend. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:12-14). How can we love each other as Jesus loves us?
Think of someone you have really come to love. The first requisite to loving is to know that person. It’s not enough to know “of” them. We must first become close to that person by 1) spending time together; 2) communicating heart to heart; 3) establishing a trust relationship through sharing and burden bearing; and finally 4) making a commitment of our lives together. Only Christians have the capacity for doing these things. The world has no basis, no foundation to build these relationships upon. In short, they have not experienced the miracle of Jesus’ redeeming love–not so with Christians. We have found Jesus, the foundation of love, trust, and unity. How blessed we are!
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved…” -Acts 2:42-47