Reading: House to House - Chapter 14 A Leader’s Commitment

Chapter 14

A Leader's
Commitment

If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me (Matthew 16:24).

If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32).

I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).

First and foremost, our commitment must be total surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Master and living a life in accordance to the Word of God. There can be no compromise. The Church is built on Jesus Christ. Although our relationships and plans to reach those who do not yet believe Jesus, along with encouraging believers to be knit together in cell groups and house churches, are important, they are secondary to our relationship with Jesus.

Commitment to the Local Church
and the Body of Christ

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:41-42).

The church is people in relationship with God and with each other, within the framework of a local expression of the Body of Christ. It is not commitment to a building made of bricks and mortar. To be committed to our local Body literally means we are willing to be totally sold out to Jesus and to be an active participant with other believers in a specific small group or house church.

The small group or house church leader's life is an example to other members on how to be actively involved in the lives of people. This includes showing an interest in the people and getting together with them on occasions other than the small group or house church meeting. Meetings are great, but real community usually happens outside the meetings. Any leader who depends only on meetings to minister and build relationships with the people in his group is destined for failure.

People are looking for reality. Real life is not confined to meetings. It happens as we work together, play tennis together, pray together, fix the car together, bake cookies together, witness together, and eat together. The list of things we can do together is endless. This is the stuff real church is made of.

Commitment to the Vision of the Church

Jesus had a personal vision. Therefore, He endured the cross. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Every business, every family, every person, every church should have a vision. Just as those who are married verbalize their commitment to their spouse by saying, "I love you,” we need to verbalize our commitment to support the vision that the Lord has given to us as a local church.

We must caution, however: exalting our church's vision above Jesus will lead to idolatry. God is the ultimate visionary, and we are created in His image. We are given the potential to dream and have visions. If we shift our primary focus from Jesus to our vision, we'll become ensnared.

Many times during the past years I have had to refocus my vision and energies to my relationship with Jesus first and then to the vision that the Lord has given to us as a church and a church movement. John the Apostle tells us in First John 5:21, "Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Idolatry can be so subtle that we can be ensnared by it before we know what has happened. When we begin to emphasize the vision that the Lord has given to us more than we emphasize our relationship with Jesus, we create an idol in our hearts. Ezekiel the prophet tells us, "Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces . . .” (Ezek. 14:3).

Even a God-inspired vision, when given preeminence above the Lord Himself, will cause us to stumble. One of the dangers of having a good small group or house church structure is that we can begin to trust the structure more than the Holy Spirit. Jesus will share His glory with no other. It can be so subtle, but a small group or house church vision, even though it has been birthed by the Holy Spirit, can divert us from a simple love for and devotion to Jesus. We have learned through experience that focusing on the vision and structure more than focusing on Jesus produces spiritual barrenness. Only a relationship with Jesus produces life. We must stay tender before the Lord and fellowship with Him.

It is important for the small group and house church leader to understand and articulate the vision of the local church or house church network and then discuss it with their group regularly. It has been said that every church must have a compelling vision (a clear call from God), a defined mission (what is our purpose), and a well laid-out plan (how are we going to do it).

The vision and mission that the Lord has given to DOVE International has been written down in the form of a vision statement, a mission statement, and a plan in the form of twelve values. (See Appendix B at the end of the book for DOVE International's statements.)

Commitment to Goals

A goal is a statement of faith, a course of action. Jesus is returning to this earth. It is a goal that He has fixed. God has goals for His Body and for each of us individually. We, like the apostle Paul, must run toward those goals that God has set before us.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air (1 Corinthians 9:26).

Every small group and house church needs clear, attainable goals. It's also essential for each small group and house church leader to have clear goals. Ask the Lord what goals He wants you to set for yourself as a leader. God's plan is to use each of us to set goals under the Holy Spirit's direction to change the world in which we live. Godly goals cause us to become intentional about obeying the Lord.

If you have a goal to pray for each member of your group every day, don't just say you will pray every day. Set a specific goal that is clear, measurable, and attainable. For example, decide to pray one minute a day for each person and progress from there.

As you set goals as a group, try to involve as many people in the small group or house church as possible in the process. This way the whole group will feel a sense of responsibility for these goals to be reached. If you implement new goals and ideas too fast, the group may feel lost.

I grew up as a farm boy. During the fall of every year we dug our sweet potatoes for the winter. We placed these sweet potatoes in baskets and put them on a truck. Then came the excitement of driving the farm truck filled with sweet potatoes from the field to the house. Driving that old pick-up truck was a real art. We had to round the corners very slowly or we would upset the whole load of sweet potatoes. In the same way, when we make spiritual decisions that will affect others, we need to give them enough time to know that they are a part of the decision-making process so that they don't "fall off the truck.” Discuss new ideas with those in your group before making final decisions. You are called as a team to see the Kingdom of God built together.

Get away to pray, so the goals you set are not natural goals, but goals that are birthed by the Holy Spirit. Maybe the Lord will make it clear to you that you should trust Him to see a family receive Christ within the next two months. Or perhaps you will have as a goal to spend a certain amount of time together in prayer each week. Ask the Lord for a practical goal regarding your group's multiplication. There is an old saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!”

May I interject a word of caution concerning goals? To not reach your goal may not necessarily be failure. On the other hand, to reach your goal may not be success. Ministry to the Lord and to people must be the ultimate goal!

Commitment to Be Willing to Change

The only thing that is constant on this earth is the Word of God and change. It is a bit unnerving, but true. As we truly follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to change. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

Our small groups and house churches will change, and each of us will continue to change as we mature in Christ. Our ways of thinking must also change.

Years ago, during the early days of my involvement in a para-church youth ministry, the young people giving their lives to Jesus wanted to be baptized in water as new believers. Back then, most people seemed to be under the impression that only the pastor or bishop of a church could perform baptisms. So we had to look high and low to find a pastor who was willing to baptize these new believers despite the fact that they were not yet ready to become members of his congregation. We found ourselves swimming upstream, cutting across the Christian culture of our community. Although today it has become more acceptable for all believers to share in the work of the church and participate in baptisms, those who build according to an underground pattern in small groups and house churches still find themselves going against the flow. However, if the Lord tarries, the church may look different several years from now. We should not be afraid of change.

Change is hard for most of us. But if we are going to grow and mature, we must constantly be ready to embrace change. For example, the change that takes place when a small group or house church multiplies is not easy for many of us. And as leaders, we must help others get ready for the change. It often helps God's people when they realize that even leaders do not necessarily feel like changing, but they understand that change is a part of normal church life.

We are naturally resistant to change. Human nature has always resisted change. A case in point is the following letter written by Martin Van Buren, then governor of New York, to President Jackson, concerning an "evil” new business enterprise threatening our nation:

January 31, 1829

To President Jackson,

The canal system of this country is being threatened by the spread of a new form of transportation known as "railroads.” The federal government must preserve the canals for the following reasons:

1.If canal boats are supplanted by "railroads,” serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks, drivers, hostlers, repairmen and lock tenders will be left without means of livelihood, not to mention the numerous farmers now employed in growing hay for the horses.

2.Boat builders would suffer, and towline, whip and harness makers would be left destitute.

3.Canal boats are absolutely essential to defend the United States. In the event of the expected trouble with England, the Erie Canal would be the only means by which we could ever move the supplies so vital to waging modern war.

As you may well know, Mr. President, "railroad” carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of fifteen miles per hour by "engines” which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.

--Martin Van Buren, Governor of New York.¹

It's amazing and even amusing that a future president of the United States was extremely resistant to a change that was inevitable. Nothing would stop the change that was on the horizon. It is also inevitable that the Lord has "change” in store for His Church, and nothing will stop the change that is coming in the future.

Building the church through small groups and house churches requires a lot of flexibility and change. But then, that is what life is all about. One of my friends from YWAM told me one time, "Either we can keep everything neat and organized, or we can continue to allow the Lord to birth new things among us. Birthing is messy and painful, but there is life!” I vote for life. How about you?

As believers minister in practical ways (laying hands on the sick, casting out demons, leading people to Christ, and serving people as the opportunities arise), we must be open to change. Seeing others come to Jesus and helping people step by step in their Christian walk--that's real life! And it happens so effectively in the small group and house church setting. The power of God is released as small groups of believers learn to do the work of the Kingdom and stay open to change.

Commitment to the Group

Every local church has its own criteria regarding membership. I have often been asked the question, "What must I do to become a member of DOVE International”? Here is what we understand the Bible to say about being a member of the local church.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12).

The Church is called a "body” because everyone is connected somehow to everyone else and together they comprise a single unit. The finger cannot say, "I don't want to be attached to the hand.” If it were disconnected, it would no longer have life flowing into it! This would also cause the entire hand to be at a disadvantage because the finger that belongs there is missing.

Membership in the early church was not membership in a club or participation in a meeting. It was practical commitment to Jesus Christ and to individual believers. We believe God wants to bring people into a spiritual family, not merely a weekly service. If a person begins to attend our Sunday morning celebrations in one of our cell-based churches but does not show any real interest in small group life, we remind him that, for us, commitment to the Body of Christ is not having one's name on a church roll. It is a commitment to be accountable in our Christian walk to a specific group of brothers and sisters in Christ as part of a small group or house church. Attending a Sunday morning service alone limits this person from experiencing the whole scope and thrust of our vision. Church leaders are encouraged to do whatever they can to help a believer find where the Lord is placing him in the Body of Christ. (Perhaps it will be in another church in our community.) Of course, this person may continue to attend our Sunday celebrations; he will not, however, be able to be involved in any area of leadership in the church until he is committed to a small group or house church.

Experiencing church in a small group setting has been wonderful for our family. Although it has been several years since I have had the privilege of serving as a small group leader (because of my travel schedule), my family and I are involved in a house church in our own community.

What a tremendous joy it has been for our family to serve and be served in a small group setting. We really experience church as a small group of believers. When our then 7-year-old son Josh desired to be baptized in water, I phoned our small group leader and the whole group went to a local indoor swimming pool where our leader and I baptized Josh. "Church” happened right there at the pool!

"What about a missionary or someone who has a job that would keep him away from the small group or house church meetings?” you may ask. "How can a person like this be committed to a small group or house church if he or she cannot attend the meetings?” The answer is simple. The meetings are not the issue. The issue is whether this believer wants to be connected in a living relationship with the other believers in this group.

When a young person graduates and goes to college, he is still a vital part of his natural family, although he does not sit down with them at the dinner table every night. The same principle applies to spiritual families in small groups and in house churches. There are other ways to keep in contact with a person apart from meeting in a formal setting. Phone calls, letters, text messages and other social media keep you close to someone who is far away geographically, whether for a short time or longer. Early morning breakfasts and many other get-togethers are possible with someone whose job makes it impossible to meet when the rest of the group normally gets together.

Commitment Card--A Tangible Way
to Show Commitment

When I served as a senior pastor, we encouraged each person who became a part of a small group in our church to make a commitment to the others in that small group. This was not a commitment for a lifetime. It was a commitment for the duration of their time in their present small group. This was a scripturally based commitment that a person in any small group, house church, or other local church should be able to express with conviction and confidence to the others in their church.

A card was given to each person in the group listing the points of commitment to be expressed. Typically at the start of a new small group or when a new member joined, the entire small group used this card to profess their commitment to each other. This was not seen as a legalism, but as a privilege.

The commitment card stated:

I confess Jesus Christ as Lord. I am therefore committed to living in obedience to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, and to being part of the church that Jesus is building throughout the world. I specifically commit myself to the Body of Christ here at DOVE. I will be accountable to my brothers and sisters in the way I live my Christian life, and will support the leadership that God raises up and the vision God gives His Body.

A commitment like this or one similar can be printed on a card and used in your local church setting. Our commitment is to Jesus and His Word, to His Body at large, and to the local expression of the Body of Christ that the Lord has placed us in. Every local church (whether it is a cell-based church, house church, or traditional church) has four basic characteristics.

1.Each person has a relationship with God through
Jesus Christ.

2.Each person has a relationship with others in their

local church.

3.There is clear leadership recognized among the people.

4.There is a common vision.

We believe that these four characteristics are a proper assessment of the local church. We are not only committed to Jesus and the church universally, but also to the leadership and the specific vision that the Lord has given to a local body. This can be expressed and lived out practically in a small group or house church.

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you (Hebrews 13:17).

Building Unity

Scriptures place a high priority on unity

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity (Psalm 133:1).

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Corinthians 1:10).

. . . bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2-3).

There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

When the people in a small group or house church work together and flow with the Holy Spirit, there is unity and single-mindedness of purpose. As the small group leaders, house church leaders and other church leaders walk together in unity, the entire church is in unity together. As the leadership of one local church works in unity with the other local church leaders, the entire Body of Christ in that locality experiences a bond of unity together. That is when God commands a blessing!

It has often been said that prayer and unity are the two main ingredients for revival. The small group and house church leader will set the pace for unity and prayer in the group where he serves. If the leader is not in unity with the other leadership of the local church or house church network, he should not be in leadership of a small group or house church.

It is good to remember that unity does not mean everyone agrees on everything. I have never met two people who totally agree on everything. However, true unity means that a group of people are going in the same basic direction, prefer one another, and have a heart of submission to the spiritual leadership that the Lord has raised up among them.

How did God raise up spiritual leadership in the New Testament church? In the next chapter, we will take a look at two groups of leaders who gave oversight and served the early church--apostles and elders.

Questions for Practical Application

1.What is your local church's vision and mission?

2.How can you help to implement this vision? Change is healthy. In what ways do you resist change?

3.How are you committed to your small group or house church?

Chapter 14

1. "Dynamic Preaching,” Net Results Magazine (March 1991), 30.