Question 1

What do we believe?

Accepted Answer

We are followers of Jesus Christ, like many others. But we don't see Christianity as a religion; we see it as a personal, intimate relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
 
We don't 'go' to church (to an institution or organization), but we meet as the church with other believers, like the early church did.
 
We believe that God calls every believer to 'make disciples' of Christ and not of a leader or institution, and so we spend time with people, helping them to become disciples of Christ.

Question 2

What is an organic or simple church?

Accepted Answer

An organic or simple church is just a group of people that, like a family, meets in houses according to the model set by the apostles and the early church.
 
We have no denomination nor structures like an institutional church. 
 
We share together a meal, pray, sing and share together what God has taught us every week during our daily walk with him.
 
No person has a higher rank, but we still have leadership, and no one will ask you for money, but we still give generously.
 
We try our best to live out Jesus in our everyday life and support each other in doing so.

Question 3

Can I also start an organic church?

Accepted Answer

Sure you can! But remember, more important is that you fulfill Jesus' call to us done on Matthew 28:19-20: to make disciples of all nations! So, if you want to start a simple church, just keep in mind the following steps:
Pray first, and ask God if He is calling you to open your house to start an ecclesia there?
If God confirms, start with your family. Remember that God is already there where 2 or 3 are gathered in His name.
Don't invite Jesus or the Holy Spirit! They are already there!! He is the host, we are the ones invited. So let the Holy Spirit take over and guide the meeting from beginning to end.
Share a meal together and have the Lord's Supper during it, every time you meet as a church.
Allow God to bring the people He wants to your house, as you share the Gospel of Christ with the people around you.

Question 4

What about the leadership?

Accepted Answer

Many people think that there is no leadership in an ecclesia, but that's not true! The main leader in the church is Christ himself, but there are different people with different gifts that have different roles and functions in the church, according to Ephesians 4. There is certainly no hierargical structure in the simple church, like we see in institutional churches. They are more mature Christians that have the function of elders, that will help to keep the meeting and followers focused on Christ and the Bible, but they are also subject to the church as a body.

Question 5

What about the tenth and other offerings?

Accepted Answer

Tenth and offerings are not a must in the simple church.
 
According to Jesus and the apostles, 100% of your belongings are the Lord's. You are just an administrator of everything. Give according to what God put in your heart, and to whoever God himself showed you.
 
The early church did share everything and gave to the widows, the poor and the orphans, and also for missions. The elders had their own jobs and did not receive any regular financial support or payment. If they were full time in the elder's job, than people could give them - if they wanted - an offering, but it wasn't a payment.
 
If God leads you to support financially someone or a project, just do it. In the early church, the church in Antioquia did once supported the church in Jerusalem that was in need because of a drought.

Question 6

What about false teachings, prophecies and heresy?"

Accepted Answer

Many people tell us that simple churches are more prone to have false teachings, but this is not true. 
 
Because in the organic church every person has to submit to God and the church, every time they teach or prophecy, they are going to be judges by the whole church. So, if there is a false teaching, they will be immediately corrected by the church.
 
Not so in an institutional church, where only the pastor, apostle or other leader claims to have the true. And what if not? How many people can just stand up in the church and tell the preacher that what he is saying is a false teaching?

Question 7

What about the children?

Accepted Answer

Children are part of the church and the family of God. They should be part of the meetings too.
 
In most of the meetings in the OT and NT the children were there. They were never separated and taken into a 'bible school' or similar. Just let them be part. They can learn so much from adults discussing about the Bible, and many times we experience that they are also used by God to teach us something.

IKHTHUS

FAQs