SUNDAY GATHERINGS are an important part of what happens at The House, but we want to avoid the mistake of seeing Sunday church attendance as "going to church", and then “leaving church.” Church isn’t something we go to for two hours on a Sunday. The people are the church, who simply gather together every Sunday to be strengthened and encouraged in their faith during a time of corporate worship, preaching, communion, and community. We then scatter as the church all throughout the city to live out our faith in our neighbourhoods and our workplaces. Most of our church members also meet in smaller gatherings which are spread throughout the city called Gospel Communities during the week. These are designed to build close friendships with other believers with whom you can “flesh out” what it means to not only have faith in Jesus, but to be followers of Jesus. We see both our larger gatherings and smaller gatherings to be Scripturally rooted and equally important for equipping us to live out our faith.
On Sundays you can expect a casual time of fellowship over a cup of coffee or tea from 10:15-10:45, and then a time of corporate praise and worship where different musicians lead us in song. This time is not a performance but a time to fellowship with God, to refocus our hearts and minds on Him. The children are then prayed for and dismissed to go to the Kingdom Kids ministry where they can learn about the gospel in an age appropriate setting while the adults have a time of studying the Scriptures, followed with another time of worship to reflect on the Word preached and to partake of communion. Our gatherings normally finish around 12:30, with an optional meal following for those who want to stick around and fellowship. We know our gatherings are not short, but we like it that way. We want to do life with each other, to slow down and give time to build into the things that should matter most to us. Though, if you need to split out early for some reason we understand, please feel free to go.
You can expect the Gospel to be the central theme of our gatherings, therefore our times of worship, preaching, and fellowship seek to explore it’s magnificent depth and breath. We believe that the gospel is a message that has intrinsic power from God to save. We desire to live with the reality that the Gospel has not only pardoned us, but has brought us near to the Living God. We are intent upon gatherings that reflect both.
We generally preach through whole books of the bible, rather than preaching topically, because we are aware of the tendency to preach favorite proof texts rather than the whole counsel of God. Our Gospel Communities that meet throughout the city during the week typically discuss Sundays sermon, because we recognize the need and reward of being doers of the Word and not hearers only.
We have a high view of Scripture therefore we spend significant time seeking to divide the Word rightly, preach and teach it soundly, but also to respond to it faithfully. We believe the Word of God is not meant to merely inform us, but to transform us!
As much as we have reverence towards God’s Word, we are also a people with a hunger for more of the power of the Holy Spirit. We honor Him as God, the good gift given by our Father, and the One whom Jesus left to empower His people to be on mission with Him. We are persuaded that we are not able to follow Christ without the Holy Spirit’s power. We believe that every facet of the Christian life is reliant upon his infilling, empowering and leading. We believe He does his best work through God’s word, but that His activity is not limited to the proclamation of God’s word. He is also at work demonstrating the power of God through the gifts He has given to His people. We intend for our life and our meetings to reflect a willingness to follow His leading and to walk in His empowering. This would include a less scripted approach to our gatherings, the intentional involvement of the congregation in worship, and the operation of the gifts of the Spirit in a sane and biblical fashion.
We can’t say this balance of Word and Spirit is something that we’ve totally perfected, or ever will, but they are both essential for us to live as followers of Jesus!