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Continuing our discussion from part two, let me remind you that Satan does not change, and his tactics do not change. What he did in times past against the Lord's children, he continues to do today as well. That being the case, if you decide that you have the faith to start your own home fellowship, and if you are successful at it, do not be the least bit surprised if you are suddenly faced with some degree of opposition from your local church leaders who are afraid that you might draw away members from their flocks. In their minds, you are a threat, plain and simple.

They will start to slander you in their Sunday sermons. They will inform their flocks that you are backslidden from the Lord, and warn them to stay away from you. They may even find ways to motivate the local authorities to move against you. In fact, in recent years, I've read a number of news reports where this has already begun to happen. No matter how quiet you may try to be, unsympathetic neighbors might complain to the authorities that you are making too much noise. I recall one report where a Christian couple who was holding Christian fellowships in their home was accused of parking violations, due to the number of cars that were parked in front of their house during an evening of fellowship. So my point is, they will find all kinds of technical reasons to try to prevent you from holding home fellowships. That is, church in the home.

What is so alarming about these incidents is the fact that they aren't happening in Russia, or in Communist China, or in some Muslim country where Christianity is prohibited by law. They are occurring in the so-called Christian United States of America! Think about that for a moment! As some of you will know, we have already seen a lot of discrimination and censorship against Christians on the social networks. Not only that, but even in the United States of America, there are instances where Christian street preachers are being thrown into jail. I can only imagine what the enemies of Christ will do next. This is a topic I discuss more at length in articles such as the series "Civil Disobedience and Christian Persecution".

The pompous, self-righteous Jewish religious leaders of two thousand years ago were also concerned with this very same issue. They viewed the fledgling Christian Church as a major threat to their false religious system, their hold on power, and the cozy relationship that they had with Rome. Thus it was that they not only eventually succeeded in killing Jesus by using the Romans as their pawns, but exactly as Jesus had predicted would happen, they also repeatedly warned the First Century Apostles to stop their preaching as well. This they did verbally, and physically, by beating them, by throwing them into prison on a number of occasions, and likewise by killing some of them, as in the case of Stephen and James. Consider the following example verses:

"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."


"But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus."


"Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison."


"Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."


"Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people."


"And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks."


"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."


So again, be advised that you may face serious resistance if you attempt to establish any kind of home fellowship which is not blessed by and sanctioned by the local religious and government authorities. In this day and age where everyone has been thoroughly conditioned against anything which even slightly resembles a cult, the potential for persecution is even more of a reality. The powers that be have effectively used the mainstream media to publish stories occasionally, which will shock the general public into submission, and cause them to accept their way of thinking, so that they are even willing to surrender some of their personal freedoms, all supposedly for the sake of peace and personal security.

As I explain in other articles, organized religion is tightly controlled by the government through tax deductions and their non-profit status under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code. As a result, most church preachers are rather careful about what they preach, so that they don't lose their prized status. In short, many of them have compromised the radical nature of the Gospel message, in order to receive the blessings of the corrupt system with which they spiritually fornicate. In reality, they aren't that much different from Babylon riding the Beast in the Book of Revelation, because Babylon the Great is likewise a false religious system. In contrast, the authorities don't have as much direct control over private Christian fellowships. Thus, they prefer to simply stamp you out, before you even get started. So much for religious freedom in America!

Now obviously, I realize that for some of my readers, I am probably presenting a rather large challenge by proposing the idea of forming a home fellowship. Undoubtedly, some of you are thinking to yourselves, "Well, I would really like to try something like this, but I have no experience. I don't have any formal theological training, so where would I start? What would we do? What would I teach?". The fact that you even feel that way reveals how much you have been indoctrinated by the church system. Organized religion has purposely made you feel and think that way, so that you remain totally dependent on them. In a word, they want you to keep going to church.

However, believe it or not, the very fact that you feel so helpless and incapable is actually in your favor, because it will force you to depend entirely on the Lord for guidance. But, to give you some assistance, allow me to again suggest that you consider reading articles such as "Where Are the First Century Churches?", "The Only Credentials You Need!", and "The Wisdom of God vs the Philosophy of Men". It is my personal conviction that with the Spirit of God, and a love for His Word, you are just as prepared for this task as the ignorant fishermen and hated tax collectors who Jesus chose for His Disciples almost two thousand years ago. God will empower you by His Holy Spirit, just as He empowered them. Consider what Luke wrote in the Acts of the Apostles:

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."


If you possess the Spirit of God, that is all you need. As I also point out in other articles, after Paul came to Christ, he arrived at a point in his life where he viewed his former life -- which apparently also included a lot of theological head-stuffing at the feet of the Pharisee Gamaliel -- as dung. It became worthless in his sight. In fact, he basically tells us that he had to unlearn much of it, and learn anew during his quiet time of personal revelation with the Lord, as we see by these verses:

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."


"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,"


So my advice to you is that you just trust the Lord. Simply go in the direction in which you believe He wants you to go, and He will take care of the rest. Simply start out small, and start out simple. Maybe in the beginning, it will just be you and a friend or two talking about the Bible together in the privacy of your home. Perhaps they will mention your weekend get-togethers to a friend, and then a few more folks will be added to your fellowship. Thus it will slowly grow as the Lord leads. As we read in the Book of Acts:

". . . And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."


All I can tell you is that when a few people get together to honor the Lord and His Word, Jesus told us that He would be in the midst of them, right? That is your fellowship, and it is as blessed of God as one of those large churches. Who is to say otherwise? What makes your small home fellowship any less legitimate than one of those overstuffed megachurches? I have said it before, and I will say it again: God is not impressed by large numbers. He is interested in quality, and He is touched by a heart which is sincere, and dedicated to Him. In my view, that most certainly leaves out some of the big fancy churches which are filled with worldly spiritless people who honor Him with their lips, but whose hearts are far from Him, and who have very little interest in obeying Him in their lives, by being faithful witnesses of His Word.

If you require some study materials for your home fellowship, I invite you to use the over six hundred and sixty topical King James Version Bible verse lists which are available on the Bill's Bible Basics website, as well as the three hundred and twenty plus articles which I have written over the years. Similar to this series, they contain a wealth of Scriptural and historical information. Maybe someone will bring up a certain topic during one of your fellowships, and you won't quite know how to respond. But then the Lord will remind you of something I wrote regarding that particular subject.

You could say something like, "Well, I don't really know how to answer your question properly, but I have a friend who wrote a very interesting article regarding this very topic. Would you like to read it together?". You don't have to do that, of course. It is entirely up to you. I just know that there is a lot of good material in my articles which will feed and inspire God's sheep; because most of it is quite centered around God's Word. As I said, the choice is really up to you.

I am simply convinced that if you get together with one or more people, and begin to uplift the Lord and His Word, He will take it from there. He will inspire you by His Spirit, and you will have a wonderful time together! Believe me; it is much better than attending church service every Sunday, and sitting through the same boring, monotonous, mechanical, spiritless routine. I know that in my personal life, when I start discussing the Bible with someone, it is hard to shut me up! I just love discussing His Word, and you will too!

Not only that, but as you begin to obey the Lord in this matter, something very interesting will happen. That is that as you inspire other people with the truth of God's Word, it will inspire you in return. It seems that sharing the Word has a reciprocal effect on those people who are sharing it. As you begin to pour out to others, the Lord will fill you up in return. That is just the way it works; which is why Jesus clearly said the following in the Gospel of John:

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."


Before concluding this series, there is one more important issue which we need to discuss. I have purposely left it until last, because for the woman who was involved in this particular situation, it may have proved to be the most difficult part of my answer for her to receive.

As some of you may have noticed, I approached this issue as if this Christian married couple was in agreement. Sadly, the truth of the matter is that they were not. The woman was not at all happy with their church, while the husband seemed to be quite content; so much so that he appeared to be telling her to look for another church, while he remained in the same one. At least that is how I understood her email message at the time. So in a similar situation where a Christian couple is not in agreement, how should they proceed? What does the Lord expect of them in such a situation?

As I stressed earlier in this series, when I am confronted with such difficult questions, in order to avoid doctrinal error, my inclination is to look directly to God's Word, in order to determine what it has to say regarding a certain issue. I just pray, open up my mind and heart to the Spirit, I start typing, and I expect the Lord to give me whatever I am supposed to share with a person. That is normally how it happens. I simply accept by faith that what I'm receiving is of God. Of course, the Lord realizes that due to my cautious nature, He has to speak to me directly from His Word. Thus it is that quite often, Bible verses will come to me as I am typing. That is the basic mechanics of how I write all of my articles. There is never an outline. Each article is simply a moment by moment work of inspiration.

To begin with, while the husband involved may disagree with me, I do not believe that this woman going to one church, while he attends another, is by any means the solution which would be most pleasing to the Lord. This kind of situation could prove to be extremely detrimental to their marriage relationship, and could result in some serious repercussions in the future. In fact, such an arrangement could easily end up ripping their marriage apart, because once spiritual unity is lost, physical unity soon follows on its heels. I suspect that there may be some of you reading this series who can testify to this very fact, sad to say.

Quite honestly, I believe that the Lord has already spoken to this woman regarding what He expects of her; and that it is for this reason that she mentioned about them being one in spirit in her message to me. This is obviously of concern to her. In essence then, all I can really do is build upon what it seems the Lord has already shown her. While the remainder of my answer will probably not be very popular with certain modern-day feminists -- not that it really matters being as this series is directed to Christian women and not to worldly women -- and while I will probably be accused by some liberal minded women of being another male chauvinist -- no surprise there -- if we look to the Scriptures, and what they have to say concerning marriage relationships, the answer becomes very clear. If, like me, you stand upon the authority of the Bible, then please consider what the following verses have to say concerning this issue:

"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."


"And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."


"Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."


"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them."


"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."


"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:"


As hard as it may be on a woman's pride, God made her to be a helpmeet to her husband. He made her to be in subjection to her husband. As the previous verses make clear, this does not mean that God made men to be tyrants over their wives. They are to love and respect their wives, just as Christ loves His Church. But in matters of decision-making, the man is to have the final word, regardless of whether or not his wife agrees with his decision. This is particularly true when the husband is an individual who knows and fears the Lord. Please keep in mind that the majority of my articles and series are directed to a Christian audience, and NOT to worldly people who have no respect for God's Word. Thus, when I offer counsel, as in this case, it is likewise directed to a Christian audience.

To continue, if the husband in this particular case were a reprobate, and a person who does not know the Lord, or who perhaps even fights against the Lord, or who is an abusive tyrant, then perhaps this situation would be dealt with in a different manner. However, that is not the case here. We are discussing a Christian couple who has known the Lord for many years. Because of this fact, this woman is bound by God's Word to respect and obey her husband. That is the Biblical pattern established by the Lord, beginning with the Book of Genesis, and going through the New Testament.

So what are this woman's alternatives? What can she do while still remaining within the bounds of God's Word and honoring her husband's decision?

First of all, let me state plainly that I am not saying that she has to agree with her husband's belief that the leader of their church is one fine pastor. If three quarters of their original congregation has indeed left the church since this individual became the church's elder, then I am inclined to agree with her that something is seriously wrong somewhere. Exactly what that might be I honestly do not know, because I am not in their situation. Nevertheless, while she may not agree with her husband's perspective, she must submit to him as long as she remains with him.

At the same time, if she is that convinced in her heart that this pastor is not worthy of his position, then my suggestion to her is that she earnestly pray to the Lord, and ask Him to open the eyes of her husband, so that he'll likewise see the truth of the matter, and make the appropriate decision. While this may not be easy for her to do, there are really no other alternatives as far as I can tell, and it will require both faith and patience on her part. In fact, it may very well be that the Lord is trying to use this situation to teach her important lessons regarding faith, patience and trusting in Him.

Ultimately, I believe that united prayer, and finding God's Will, is really the key to this couple's situation. Instead of yielding to their pride and frustration, and firing heated answers at each other which may be both hurtful and damaging, this man and woman each need to forsake their pride, forsake what they each want to do, and find out what the Lord wants them both to do together, and not apart. They need to seek to find out not what is pleasing in their own eyes, but rather what is pleasing in the Lord's eyes. They need to seek His highest Will, and not their own. They need to earnestly seek to strengthen the spiritual unity in their relationship, lest the situation really begins to fall apart.

While this process is ongoing, this woman is still obligated by God's Word to submit to her husband. Obviously, I realize that this is by no means an easy thing to do. To submit to someone when you really disagree with them in your heart can really test one's love, faith and patience. Furthermore, in the case of a husband-wife relationship such as this, it can severely test mutual respect as well. It is simply hard to respect someone when you strongly disagree with something that they are doing. To take this a step further, such a situation can also be a real test of humility, and dying to oneself.

Please go to part four for the conclusion of this series.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

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