464. Privilege of being a Resource Church
Our church views it as a privilege to host HC lay leader seminar. Not all churches can host, as certain qualifications are required. HC is not taught, but caught. That's why seminar participants not only learn about house church ministry through lectures but also through visiting house churches.
God is using our church as a resource church. God told Abraham, "I will bless you and all nations will be blessed through you." (Gen 12:2) Many Christians believe getting blessed by God is the best part of being a Christian. As good as that is, the best part is to "be" a blessing. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Giving is better than receiving. Thankfully, we get to give the blessings of doing church God's way back to those who are seeking to do the same. A total of 25 people attended the seminar. Most of them came from Canada (Montreal, Vancouver), but some came from the US as well. (Texas and Florida)
When I was leading the retreat at Waterloo a few months ago, I met one of the seminar participants who stayed in my house 3 years ago. She was new and wasn't even part of house church then, and she said she came because she was pushed to attend. But when I saw her at the retreat, she was serving as a shepherd. At the Vancouver pastor's conference last month, the pastor who drove us from the airport was the senior pastor of a member who attended our seminar, and stayed in our house 2 years ago. I didn't get to see her, but I heard that she was also serving as a shepherd. Whether we feel it or not, we are making a huge impact on people's lives and the trajectory of many different churches by offering this seminar.
I send our members to a seminar with the same wish: to see them inspired to serve as shepherds and become ministry partners. And the church that hosts the seminar knows of this wish from other pastors, which is why we prepare with fervent prayer for God to move the hearts of all participants. Because a big change in a church often comes from the change of one person.
