In Western society it’s difficult to do life together, but it does happen, it can be sustained and it can be life-changing. I pray these stories encourage you to keep meeting, keep searching and start gathering. This story is told by Eman Abrea.
My name is Eman Abrea. I am married with three children. I encountered Christ while attending church services near our home. I don’t remember the exact date when I gave my life to Him during my teenage years.
My life as a believer had its challenges. But a turning point came when I moved in with my older brother. He and his wife regularly attended a local church near their home. Since then, I gradually began to learn about Christ and His teachings personally. I started to grow in my faith and decided to study at a Bible School. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Theology.
Q–How did you go from your initial faith to a realization that organic church/fellowship with believers was significant enough to change your pattern of worship? What was your journey?
At the age of 21, I became the pastor of a struggling church, older than myself. During those years, I began comparing the church’s practices to the teachings of Jesus and the early church. While studying the New Testament, I noticed many practices of the modern church that are not explicitly taught by Christ. For instance, conducting worship services every Sunday. Worship in the New Testament is a lifestyle, not a program-based activity confined to a particular day or days. The New Testament describes gatherings in small groups or house churches. All believers contribute to one another what they have learned from the Word and the Holy Spirit during their gatherings. There are no passive observers; everyone participates.
Q–How long have you been doing organic fellowship and are you still doing it? Have you seen other groups start from your initial group? What are the challenges you’ve seen? How do you/did you overcome challenges?
In the year 2000, my family and I embarked on a journey of organic church ministry after resigning from the church we had planted. We firmly believed that God was the one who encouraged us to start this path, with no support from any individual or group. By faith, we obeyed Him, even though we weren’t sure what to do. We felt alone in this endeavor. Some pastors we knew accused us of being backsliders because we stopped attending a local church. To make matters worse, they labeled us a cult group. We ignored their accusations and continued doing what we felt God was calling us to do. During those years, we established several house churches in different locations. However, we encountered challenges that led to setbacks:
- Lack of effective discipleship
- Absence of training for new leaders
- Insufficient prayer
- Insufficient reliance on God
- Failure to focus on God’s Kingdom
- Lack of character development
- Lack of genuine relationships
Q–Have you had children grow up in organic church? Have you seen the benefits of this?
I’m grateful to say that our children grew up in a nurturing house church environment. We thank God for the fruits we’ve seen in their lives, they are all God-fearing, loving, and obedient to us and the Lord.
Q–How would you encourage a struggling group? How would you encourage someone to start a group? What’s the secret of a group that lasts more than 5 years?
My answer is simple, yet essential: Build an intimate relationship with God, especially with the Holy Spirit. This is His time, and He is actively working in our lives as the Teacher, Counselor, Coach, and Discipler-always available. He will teach us everything we need for this life. We must ask Him, talk to Him constantly, and listen to His guidance for every question we have. I assure you, He will not fail us. This is what’s happening in my life, my wife’s, my children’s, and in the lives of other believers. And this is what I teach to others: daily Bible reading, meditation, studying, journaling, and obedience are essential for building an intimate relationship with God.
This is not a system, method, program, materials, etc., but rather a growing and fruitful relationship with the King.
You can contact Eman Abrea by email at emanelvie@gmail.com.
I would love to hear from those who have been doing organic church for an extended time. Contact me (Jonathan Rovetto) at 414.217.2189 or at jirovetto@yahoo.com. Don’t miss the next Unsung Heroes, subscribe below.