1. Why we are called HOME

We weren’t always called HOME Church; for a long time we didn’t have a name. We only named it because after time we realised we needed to call it something. HOME Church is a deliberate play on words; it describes who we are; our origin; our mission; our values and our vision.

HOME Church honours were it all began, in someone’s home. As for us, God started his work in a house setting, not in a church building. This is important. It is important because it illustrates is what John 14:23 states; that God wants to make “his home” with us; that we don’t need a fancy building to lure God in, but God invites himself to where he is loved, including someone’s house.

HOME Church describes our mission. We want to make and mature disciples, and we believe that the most important context for Christian discipleship is in one’s home. Home is where we are most authentic; most true to ourselves; therefore if we are not Christian at home, are we Christian at all? This is because Christianity is an identity; it is framed around a relationship with Jesus and not around our actions; our actions only matter to the extent it is rooted in our relationship with Jesus. The home is the most challenging environment to live out Christianity and therefore, in our view, the most important.

HOME church describes the vision of the Church. We believe God is raising up a generation to dedicate their house to the Lord and give it to the Lord as a place of meeting; that their houses would be a home for the Lord. This then makes the home a holy place bringing fruit of the Spirit who dwells in that place. This house then becomes the foundation of parenting where children grow up in the presence of the Lord being discipled in the house of the Lord. The home where Christians can share a meal and see their dining table turned into the Lord’s table where ministry comes alive as bread is broken and shared not just between family but with anyone who has been invited to the table.

HOME Church is rooted in John 14:23. John 14:23 describes the gospel so powerfully; that God is the master renovator of our lives and he does not desire a manicured place, but one which he can make his own. When we offer our lives to God; we give it to him as it is and surrender it to him telling him to make it his own; to do whatever he sees as good. HOME church lives out surrender in all aspects of life; financial, occupational, relational, emotional, spiritual; everything is surrendered to God for him to make his changes; for Him to make his home.

HOME describes our culture. Just like we can be ourselves when we are in our own home; so can people be themselves at HOME Church. We genuinely embrace and leverage our diversity causing our ministry and missions to be more effective than if we were homogenous. We emphatically celebrate when people can be themselves even “at church” because they have finally decided to live one life, as one person; being the same person whether “at church” in the workplace or at home.

HOME describes God’s mission through our church; to bring people back home. HOME church represents a place for those who are spiritually homeless to find community again and for those not belonging to a church to “be churched” as they interact with us. Often HOME is described as the last attempt at belonging to a church and for many people outside of HOME, the members of HOME church are the only Christians they really know.

These are some of the reasons we are called HOME Church.