Can they really mix? Some have tried to marry the healing ministry with house churches but it seems to me it won't really work. Well, that is, not unless there are some major changes in the theology and praxis of the healing ministry.
Modern healing ministries have come to be quite a structured system. Being part of the traditionally structured church, healing has had to involve corporate worship and a prayer ministry. These two conventions necessitate a clergy (the ministry or prayer team) and clergy-led events (the healing seminar). So, although some healing ministries do try to heal clergy-related issues and structure-related issues, much of the healing ministry still use the traditional structure and clergy to acheive its purposes.
In one denomination where freedom and healing are major focuses for ministry, corporate worship is still a major weekly requirement. Prayer ministry teams are used to "bring healing" to the rest of the congregation. The whole system still separates the haves and have-nots — the trained and untrained.
House churches, on the other hand, by theology and praxis, do not support hierarchies and cannot employ a division between priests and people — clergy and laity. There is only one priesthood which includes all Christians.
For healing and house churches to merge, the healing ministry must give up some of its major structures. A prayer ministry with trained prayer ministers must give way to the priesthood of ALL believers (not just a few). Corporate worship has to give way to 24/7 worship where the life of each Christian, rather than just his singing, is the offering of worship. Programmed healing must give way to healing relationships in the context of life, issues, and problems.
In house churches, we've discovered that one topic of discussion may take a season to learn and experience thru life. This topic may become interwoven with other topics and issues in life. It is not proper nor even convenient to just discuss one new topic every week like most congregations do every Sunday. Rather, the Holy Spirit teaches and confronts people for a season, and it's better for them to stay with their issues for weeks or even months until the Holy Spirit is finished with that particular lesson. In other words, moving from one life lesson or topic to another each week or each meeting is not needed nor even appropriate.
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Tags: healing, house church, christianity, life lessons
1 comment:
Well said.
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