The House Church

 

I recently had the privilege of visiting a local church plant in Akropong which is sponsored by Christ Church that has just started 2 months ago. Rev. Nyarko and I visited the small congregation which meets in a home to administer communion. The kids meet under the porch of the house while the adults meet in a small room across the courtyard. Our first stop was the children’s service where Rev. Nyarko gave a message to about 30 children in their native language of Twi about the Israelites leaving Egypt and going to Canaan. They attentively listed to “Papa” as he spoke to them and a few of them enthusiastically raised their hands when they knew an answer to a question. After Rev. Nyarko had finished his talk, he asked me to “whisper them a few words of love.” The kids melt my heart every time I am around them, I can’t imagine the love that God has for them. I recently read the book Heaven is for Real which accounts the testimony of a young child’s encounter with heaven. One of the things that the child disclosed about his experience is that “Jesus loves the children.” His parents recounted how this young child would constantly remind them that Jesus really loves the children. It gave them motivation to pour into the children’s ministry at the church. Of course the Bible supports this claim in the gospel accounts where Jesus welcomes the children and even instructs the adults to have faith like the children. I had been practicing the song Jesus Loves Me in Twi and decided to try it out with the kids. They joined with me as we sang together “Yiw Yesu do me.” After we sang the chorus together I simply told the kids that Jesus really loves them and that God has a plan for their lives. I was overwhelmed with the sweet spirit of these kids and I know they have a special place in the heart of God.

After our visit with the children we went into the room nearby where the adults (about 20 women and 1 man) were packed into a small room. There was one woman elder who was facilitating the meeting until we arrived with Rev. Nyarko. As I was sitting in a plastic chair, unfamiliar with the language being spoken around me, I couldn’t help but think that this church plant probably looks something similar to the beginning of the church in Acts which met in people's houses. I could sense the community and love in that room without understanding the words that were being spoken. When I was given the opportunity to address the one room congregation I told them about the Acts comparison; they agreed with hearty “amens.” In the same way that the first church was empowered to love and serve each other and have great impact I pray the same for this start up congregation in Akropong. It was truly refreshing to see this start up congregation in action. There was no procession into the service, they were their own choir. The ordained clergy came to administer the sacrament, but lay leaders use their gifts to facilitate the meeting; and instead of being able to hide behind a large congregation of people, are known by each other. It is a good reminder that all you need is two or three gathered in Christ’s name and he will be in their midst.