To be an Acts 2:42-47 type church.

• Acts 2:42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need. 46With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

To be an Acts 4:31-35 type church.

• Acts 4:31After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 32The congregation of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned. 33With great power, the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, 35and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.

To love one another in such a way that it both astounds and attracts unbelievers.

• John 13:34A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

To be the church, rather than go to the church.

• To go deeper, be holier, and be more missional.
• To learn what it means to be a small community of believers dedicated to the welfare and spiritual growth of one another.
• To learn what it means to be a radical disciple of Jesus taking up our cross daily.
• To live godly like he did, serve others like he did, do justice like he did, and exude mercy like he did.
• To redeem what it means to be “a Christian” and extinguish all appearances to America that lukewarm, apathetic and ungodly Christianity is in any way acceptable to God.
• To be relentless in our mission to save the lost and heal the hurting and bring the kingdom of God to every area of our community and abroad.
• To reflect a shocking and counter-cultural, authentic, gospel-centered Christian witness that glorifies God in everything, magnifies Christ above every name, and revives and builds up his church.

To be disciples that make disciples.

Sharing MPowered Christian’s greater mission to make disciples and create revival the goal of DM is to experiment using a house church as a primary vehicle to accomplish this. Before churches became larger, institutionalized, and thus harder to oversee individuals’ lives, home church leaders taught everyone together and the church family worked together for the growth of themselves, their children, and the broader community.

Worship, studying scripture, developing and using one’s gifts, serving one another’s needs, evangelism to the lost, etc. were all part of daily church life—not separate and optional activities. Our goal is to try discipleship-building through a small community the same way the early churches did in a non-fee based way by surviving on donations by members (our other workshops and services are fee based).

Disciple Makers does also have the benefit of something most start-up home churches or small groups don’t have: a formally-educated pastor. Our goal is to bring back together all of the good elements the original home churches had. Rather than being separate, optional components, normal church life will include corporate worship and learning like traditional churches, but also includes personal life groups, bible study groups, regular mission work, ministry leadership development, and equipping parents to be the primary teachers and spiritual role models for their children – rather than a separate branch of the church.

Whether this eventually evolves into some grand movement—or just helps a few people grow closer to God and become better disciples—there is something truly unique and special about modeling the earliest churches in the Bible and celebrating Christ and learning together the way the apostles and first Christians did. DM also serves as an easy, free way to get to know us before deciding to try out our action workshops or other coaching services (and get some of the benefits therein).

Disciple Makers is a perfect solution for Christians that:

• Don’t belong to a church family yet
• Do belong to a church family but are on fire for Jesus and looking for additional opportunities to grow as a disciple
• Want to continue to enjoy their current Sunday service but learn more and fellowship with other Christians during the week
• Have a schedule that doesn’t allow them to go to their church on Sundays consistently
• Find it difficult to commit to the time slots available at their church but still want to study and fellowship with believers
• Want more worship, sermons, bible studies, prayer, fellowship during your week
• Want a smaller, more-intimate worship and learning environment
• Want to model the first-century Christians who all met in home churches
• Want to enjoy dinner – while you study!
• Want a less-intimidating, more intimate church environment they can invite non-Christians to that always preaches the gospel every week
• Want to a group of friends that could even meet up on Sundays to visit other more-traditional churches in the community
• Want to be more missional and be included in more mission projects (including creating and leading your own)
• Want more opportunities to serve others, pray over, or minister to others, etc.
• Want more opportunities to identify, develop and use their spiritual gifts including speaking, teaching, evangelism, etc.
• Want to partake in the Lord’s Supper every week (not just a few times a year or only once per month)
• Want an interdenominational church so you can learn about what different Christian denominations teach. Rather than forcing you to only hear one viewpoint, we teach several viewpoints highlighting and celebrating the unique way each view glorifies God. (Only biblical/those that hold to the essential Christian creeds, see our: Statement of Faith & What We Teach) or learn more about the Pastor.
• Want to ask questions and discuss topics (could be anything – other religions, cults, Christian teachings, politics, current events, etc.)
• Think that society is going to continue to be hostile to the message of Christianity and persecution is going to inevitably increase and the home church model will later be the only sustainable one anyways

It could, but it doesn’t have to. If you’d like this to be your primary church you’re welcome to. But if you still love your current church then you’re welcome to continue to attend your Sunday church, other church functions and Bible studies, etc. We want you to think of your church as your church. If you choose to do that then think of this program as an additional way to be supported as a follower of Christ, and an additional source of education, inspiration, training, prayer, communion, fellowship, and more. We also want churches and church pastors to know that we have NO desire to expand or become a traditional church.

Think of this program as you would a Bible Study group or a Discipleship group. This program doesn’t have to be a replacement—you could think of it as an addition. Our goal is to multiply home churches and small groups for the benefits that they offer and if there is a demand for the traditional church for the experience and service then that isn’t going to be discouraged.

IT MAY BE EASIER:

• It’s easier to think of “church” (or small group) as your spiritual family if it looks, feels, and functions like an actual family
• It’s easier to personally relate to the situations and challenges the early church had in the Bible
• It’s easier to be and feel like part of a team working towards the same goals
• It’s easier to be on the same page and growing together and supporting the growth of one another
• It’s easier to become actively engaged in study, discussion, and do mission projects together
• It’s easier to get and stay connected with people
• It’s easier to become a spiritual family, because unlike a life group or study group (which are still great),
  community united is embraced as an essential part of the Christian experience—rather than an optional one.
• It’s easier to go through life when you have the active support and counsel of your church family every week
• It’s easier to become Christ-likewhen you’re grounded in an environment where you can openly talk about your week, confess your sins, share in each other’s struggles and temptations, and mutually edify and encourage one another
• It’s easier to meet one another’s needs whether praying for one another, anointing the sick, correcting false beliefs, etc.
• It’s easier to identify, develop, and utilize your spiritual gifts when you get opportunities to lead and use them regularly
• It’s easier to feel connected to God when you get to partake in the Lord’s Supper every week (or even more often)
• It’s easier to schedule time to do Bible study when the study time itself is actually a part of your time together
• It’s easier to schedule time to fellowship together when it is actually part of your time together

In fact, House Churches are actually even more Biblical!

Here’s a few ways Disciple Makers Church will more closely resemble biblical churches:

• It models the first-century Christians who all met in home churches
• It models a church family that actually looks, feels, and functions more like a family under in the same house
• Worship is more focused on communing with God’s Spirit than on musical talent and exciting performances
• Rather than being a spectator in a church “show” – members are actively engaged and participatory every meeting
• Members can partake in the Lord’s Supper every meeting (not just a few times a year or only once per month)
• Congregation and primary teaching is still led and taught by a Pastor/Bishop but elders and deacons may also speak
• A person feeling a word of prophecy or a tongue from the Spirit for the edification of the church may share it
• Every meeting builds Christian character by providing opportunities to confess sins to one another, serve others in the church, pray over others for healing and blessing, share in one another’s burdens, anoint the sick, and practice other spiritual gifts
• Every meeting provides an opportunity to work together to become more missional in the world
• Every meeting will provide an opportunity for each member to contribute to the whole of the church in some way

No! We love all shapes and sizes, denominations and expressions of the churches within Christendom. As long as they are Bible-based, theologically-sound, glorifying God and magnifying Christ then we celebrate their diversity and influence in the Body of Christ.

Churches have been larger since the 4th century because they are accepted social institutions in western society. Just because a church is large or has other certain preferences that you don’t agree with doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with what they’re doing. There’s a big difference between being a bad church and being a good church that doesn’t share your preferences.

So, if you prefer a small church, or want to be part of a small church because you believe that it’s more biblical, that’s fine, but don’t demonize large churches. MPowered Christian Ministries believes in, loves, and wishes to preach, teach, and coach at all types and sizes of churches. However, the entire first three centuries, as well as all over the world in countries where Christians are under religious persecution, home-based churches are the norm. We do believe home churches have something special and great potential as a vehicle for discipleship.

Our Disciple Makers Small Group is intended to model a home church.

Yes! We recommend Generation Church in Largo, FL.