Rock House Church

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers...and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people." (Acts 2:42,46,47)

When I first came to Kansas City from Hungary, I was encouraged to do an internship here through the International House of Prayer because that way, I would meet people and find a smaller group of friends in this very large community called IHOP. Having come from a fairly small community of believers in Hungary, I welcomed this admonition, as otherwise, navigating the waters in a community of over 2,000 people would be challenging. Indeed, I connected with a smaller number of people on deeper levels, and I adore the friendships that I continue to build with them.

However, I sorely missed the sweet, intimate community...quite literally a house church...that I shared weekly in Hungary with my precious sisters, Anita, Eszter and Gabi. We called it "Bible study", but it was really 'doing life together' on very significant levels, for 9 years. It took the Holy Spirit, hard work, commitment, sacrifice, laughter, tears and devotion to the Lord for this community to function over the long haul, but the blessings were and continue to be immense. Yes, an ocean separates us now, and communication is much less frequent, but when I receive emails from these precious sisters, it's as though not one minute of time has passed and the depth and width of our friendship remains intact. I know we will be life-long in the Holy Spirit heart friends forever!

So it was that kind of community my heart was reaching for here in Kansas City...house church. Believers meeting in homes, as they did in the early church recorded in Acts, in smaller groups, breaking bread together, fellowshipping, praying, worshiping the Lord and visioning together as to how the Lord would lead us to serve and love one another, the community and the world.

The Rock is the church where I landed. Mind you, if you come on a Sunday morning, this church is a bit similar to other gatherings around the city on a Sunday morning...well, the freedom in the Spirit might be a bit more pronounced than some. But The Rock is primarily house churches, smaller groups of 10-20 people who meet during the week in peoples' homes. It's here that 'life-on-life' begins to unfold, where vulnerability and heart-connections take place, where commitment to the Lord and to one another in the Holy Spirit is practiced and lived out. It's not perfect, and a lot more 'junk' rises to the surface because of the covenant relationships we have formed with each other. But it's worth it. I experienced it in Hungary, and I'm beginning to experience it here at The Rock with my wonderful husband, who has been a part of The Rock for nearly 8 years now.

There are many in the body of Christ who are saying that house churches is where the church is headed for a number of reasons: economic necessity, personal desire for community, and coming persecution. Truly, the house church model makes sense: needs for intimate community are met, iron sharpens iron, which advances the sanctification process, life-giving love, as well as so many other blessings including freedom in the Spirit to move with Him in what He wants to do.

The above picture is of our house church and our two adopted missionaries, who are heading to Bulgaria in just over two months. They too are part of the family, the spiritual family, and have captured our hearts. Who knows what doors the Lord is going to open for the rest of us to go and serve in Bulgaria with them, possibly, or even in other parts of the world?

As I get to know my spiritual family here in KC better, my fondness and love for my spiritual families in other locations grows more intense. I suppose it's like a mom's love...she has a child and loves it intensely to the point where she cannot imagine loving a second child as much. Yet, the second child comes along and her heart expands and there is more than enough love for that one and ALL the subsequent children. Indeed, I miss my spiritual family in Hungary and in Virginia as well, but the love we have forged for one another in the Holy Spirit binds our hearts one to another for eternity. Now, as I covenant with this part of the body of Christ, for however long the Lord has us here in KC, may Holy Spirit knit all of our hearts in love for Him, for each other, and for the world out there who is crying out for what they may not know is the touch of the Father in heaven, whose sole desire is to bring them home into His family!