The Spirit of Cain pt.2

I noticed my friend had a significant spiritual growth spurt. So much so that I asked her what happened, what changed. She told me she joined a house church. I got angry and told her she was in a cult. I told her I was booking a flight to come down and rescue her. I was upset.

When I traveled down to see her I actually stayed at the home of her house church leaders, Teryl and Diane Hebert. Listening to their testimony, learning historically what happened to the church and experiencing house church changed me forever. The Bible came alive, the New Testament made sense and I finally found my missing puzzle piece. I returned home and I was so excited to share my discovery with my family and friends. Of course I was met with some skepticism.

Why did I get so angry; why do people get so angry when you share about house church? In Genesis 3:7 Adam and Eve sinned and they sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. In verse 21 God made tunics of skin…leaves weren’t enough. God had to shed blood to cover sin. It would set up a pattern of sacrifice and worship that would end with Jesus Christ.

The next chapter of Genesis records the story of Cain and Abel. God set in motion the shedding of blood to cover sin but Cain brought crops produced from his land. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock…he had to shed the blood of his innocent lambs. God was not pleased with Cain who wanted to worship God his own way. Instead of admitting his error and changing his ways, Cain got angry and killed his brother. Why did he get so angry?

I saw my friend experience growth and freedom and somehow I thought it was a bad thing. If you are a house church leader not everyone will understand what you are doing and some will be critical. Brick and mortar churches have been around for 1700 years and mentioning to people that there is a better way to worship is incomprehensible to most. Rejoice in the fact that Christ will bring people into your sphere of influence that truly want to worship Him in a more Biblical way.